1st post: What first digital camera?

[Gnoll110]

Bet you can guess my answer to the "Do you still shoot with film" question.

First some history. Brought my first 'good' camera is March 86, just in time for the Halley's Comet fizzer. A nice Minolta. In April 97, I 'lost' that camera in Macau.

Later in 97 I replaced that camera. I looked at both analogue and digital, at that time. Nothing came close to matching a good analogue at the time. I got a Canon EOS 50E.

The batteries (2CR5) for the 50E are getting harder to find. I'm can't find Duracells any more and places like K-mart no longer generally stock this size.

My first question is, Are the new EOS 350/400 series cameras a good replacement for my 50E?

The reason I ask this, is that at a sports event last year, I was sitting behind a guy with a 350. We were both taking pic. I could hear his cameras action and it was constaintly 1 or 2 seconds behind mine. I don't know the difference in speed was due to a difference in the cameras or something else.

What would be a good replacement digital camera for a 97 Canon EOS 50E?

Looking forward to people replies.


Gnoll110

[Sime]

The EOS 400D seems like a good little camera, and would be a nice step into digital for you. I had an EOS 50E and am now shooting with an EOS 30D... I love it... lots...

Good luck with your decision!

[smc1377]

Originally Posted by Gnoll110

The reason I ask this, is that at a sports event last year, I was sitting behind a guy with a 350. We were both taking pic. I could hear his cameras action and it was constaintly 1 or 2 seconds behind mine. I don't know the difference in speed was due to a difference in the cameras or something else.

What do you mean when you say that his camera was 1 or 2 seconds behind yours? You mean like his shutter click was 1 or 2 seconds behind your shutter click? If so, then that's not the camera that is slow, it's the user, haha.

All the EOS DSLR's shutter lag is almost non-existent. When you press the button (given that the camera is in focus and everything), the shutter fires.

As to reasons why his was slow, it could simply be because he has a slow finger or he doesn't know how to prefocus the camera and so the camera was having a hard time focusing, then once it was able to focus a second later, it then fired.

[matthewchj]

Gnoll110, welcome.

I second Sime's suggestion of a 400D. Wonderful DSLR for the price, has really excellent features. It's small, compact (relatively) and easy to use. And, you can use any lenses left from your EOS 50E as well, so you save a little bit of money.

[waffles]

Just to give you some perspective, here's what a 350 can do.

Any lag wasn't due to the shutter. I haven't used a 400, but I do love my 350.

[Gnoll110]

Hi peoples

Thanks for the feedback.

Good to hear that people don't think there is any issue with shutter lag etc for the 350D/400Ds.

Didn't want to say that the photographer might been the issue. That's just asking to be turned into a bunch of grapes.

I'm being fussy about my new camera. Want something at least equal to what I got. I remember what they tried to sell me in 97. Over the years I've been handed cheaper digital cameras, while at parties/weddings etc, have always found the painfully slow.

Waffles: Thanks for the links. Shot one and five are nice action shots.

All the best everyone.