Which Camera

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michaeljb

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Michael
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I have Nikon D80 with kit 18-105 lens and 50mm prime
want to upgrade to get better quality prints especially landscapes. Do I stay with Nikon D300s or D700 or start again with Canon 7D or 5D mk 2 anybody any experience of these cameras and suggestions
 
Hi Michael

When you say you want better quality prints especially landscapes - what is it exactly that's falling short just now ?

I only ask as (whilst the D80 isn't the newest) it shouldn't be taxed when it comes to landscape photography. Are your prints very large ?

Have you considered sticking with the D80 and upgrading your kit lens ?
 
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Out of the cameras mentioned in your post, the 5D mkII has the highest megapixel count/resolution :) I used to use one, but I'm more a people shooter than landscape.
 
Do you understand the impact a DX sensor (cropped) and FX sensor (Full frame) will have on your lenses.

In simple terms your D80 applies a factor of 1.5 to the focal length your lenses so in full frame your lenses will give wider angles. I use a D700 and 20mm F2.8/D prime (same size roughly as the 50mm) and its probably my favourite lens and creates great landscapes. The lowlight capability of the D700 will allow landscape images in low light conditions

It all depends on your cost to upgrade and your desire to do so

A D80 is still a great camera and perhaps with say a Sigma 10-20mm you can still create fantastic landscapes
 
R.Y.K. LEE said:
Out of the cameras mentioned in your post, the 5D mkII has the highest megapixel count/resolution :) I used to use one, but I'm more a people shooter than landscape.
Click to expand...

Megapixels mean nothing!

Lenses will make far more of an impact. If you've only had the kit lens I'd suggest improving your lenses first.
 
Thanks everyone for your input, general consensus seems to favour buying new lens ,which I intend to do. I do shoot on tripod with ND filters. Will then try to improve my shooting technique
 
odd jim said:
Megapixels mean nothing!

Lenses will make far more of an impact. If you've only had the kit lens I'd suggest improving your lenses first.
Click to expand...

Understandable, but not entirely true. I found the higher megapixels on the 5D mkII useful. Especially when it came to heavy cropping, it offered a lot of flexibility. Not all landscapes have to be presented as sweeping panoramas, sometimes cropping to a tighter framing makes for a more interesting image :)

Lenses are important though as you mentioned, I agree.
 
michaeljb said:
. I do shoot on tripod with ND filters.
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In that case imo definitely look at lens upgrades as the CCD in your body is very good at low ISO (I prefer the look of CCD @ low ISO to those from CMOS) - it just doesn't do high ISO as well as CMOS.
 
R.Y.K. LEE said:
Understandable, but not entirely true. I found the higher megapixels on the 5D mkII useful. Especially when it came to heavy cropping, it offered a lot of flexibility. Not all landscapes have to be presented as sweeping panoramas, sometimes cropping to a tighter framing makes for a more interesting image :)

Lenses are important though as you mentioned, I agree.
Click to expand...

So you'd understand that severe cropping is fundamentally undesirable, and that a crop sensor would effectively be helping you if you stick with your current lenses and camera to distance:shrug:

The bottom line though, shoot what you want to print, except for a few specific scenarios, shooting to crop is a bit mad. I didn't buy an 18mp DSLR to chuck away most of the pixels.
 
Phil V said:
So you'd understand that severe cropping is fundamentally undesirable, and that a crop sensor would effectively be helping you if you stick with your current lenses and camera to distance:shrug:

The bottom line though, shoot what you want to print, except for a few specific scenarios, shooting to crop is a bit mad. I didn't buy an 18mp DSLR to chuck away most of the pixels.
Click to expand...

I know what you're saying, but you are missing my point. I'm not saying crop every image that comes out of the camera because that's what high megapixels are for :lol:

Sometimes when you shoot an image, during PP, you find that a different perspective/cropping to a tighter framing, may suit the final image better. Having a higher megapixel count, with the flexibility to crop tighter with less effect on chucking away pixels, makes sense.
 
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