 Karthikeyan Ramnath |
SLRs and dust Hi, I wanted to buy a Nikon D70, but heard from friends that a removable lens camera has a problem of dust deposition on the CCD. Also, I stay in India, where dust is EVERYWHERE as compared to many western countries. Could someone throw more light on this?
|
|
|
|
||
|
Jody E. Ellis |
Hi Karthikeyan, I think there could be problems with dust for any camera that allows you to change your lenses. If dust is a really big problem you might want to consider a 'closed' lens system for example a Nikon CoolPix 9700, the Sony 828, or one of the Canon's. With these cameras you get many of the features of a DSLR including incredible telephoto capability. That said, I just bought a D70 and I love it!...But I live in Oregon (USA) where rain is a much bigger problem than dust. Hope this helps, jodz
|
|
|
|
||
|
Damian P. Gadal |
I ran into dust issues with a D100, but this website http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning helped me solve that issue and move on... hth
|
|
|
|
||
|
Peter K. Burian |
The most often recommended products for cleaning the CCD are from Photographic Solutions Inc. Sensor Swab plus Eclipse liquid. See www.photosol.com Cheers! Peter Burian
|
|
|
|
||
|
Karthikeyan Ramnath |
Guys, but is dust really that huge a problem? As in, if I dont remove the lens from the body(if that is possible) then will dust really get on the CCD/filter? Also, I had a look at the Nikon website and read that the filter is a very delicate thing and should not be cleaned with anything except a air blower!!! kr.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Damian P. Gadal |
Dust will eventually become an issue, but I WOULDN'T use an air blower to clean the CCD.... hth DPG
|
|
|
|
||
|
Peter K. Burian |
None of the manufacturers officially recommend cleaning the LCD yourself, with anything except a blower. The blower (NOT canned air that contains propellant liquid) may blow dust off. Or it may not, when static electricity holds the dust like a magnet. The products I mentioned previously -- used with extreme caution and exactly as per the manufacturer's instructions -- do work well. But prevention is a better idea. Change lenses carefully, trying to avoid dust as much as possible. Cheers! Peter Burian
|
|
|
|
||
|
Damian P. Gadal |
Articulated perfectly Peter! This has been my experience with dust, exactly! :-)
|
|
|
|
||
|
Karthikeyan Ramnath |
ok, the bottomline seems to be that dust is a very real problem, and in a place like where I am, it will be a never ending one too, I suppose. So, what exactly are my options if I am looking at a Slr-type of digicam, like teh F828 and the Minolta A2??? I am interested in telephoto shots and and high speed photography, so is there anything in particular I should bear in mind? kr.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Jody E. Ellis |
Hi Karthikeyan, There are several good choices for 'SLR like' digicams out there now and will be more after Photokina in the fall (if you can stand to wait that long!). Most of the new ones are 8 megapixel cameras with 7X to 8X optical zoom lenses. There is even one Panasonic camera that has a 12X optical lens with vibration reduction software. These cameras offer several automatic presets as well as manual controls that allow you to control aperture and shutter speed etc. The Sony F828 even takes infra red photos. What these cameras DON'T do is allow you to change lenses (but in your case with all the dust, this might be a big advantage). There are several good internet sites that review cameras in depth. My two favorites are http://www.dpreview.com and http://www.stevesdigicams.com. These sites have actual side by side comparisons of photos taken by the cameras. Some specific cameras to look at might be the Sony DSC F828, tNikon Coolpix 8700, and the Panasonic F10. There is also an Olympus but I can't remember the product I.D. Hope this helps, j.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Peter K. Burian |
Jody: I don't disagree; one of the 8 megapixel cameras would be a fine choice for many photographers, especially one with a built-in 28-200mm (equivalent) zoom: Canon Pro S1, Minolta Dimage A2 or Sony F828. The Panasonic camera with 12x zoom (35-420mm with Image Stabilizer) is a 4 megapixel camera, however. Cheers! Peter Burian
|
|
|
|
||
|
Karthikeyan Ramnath |
Hey guys, thanks a tonne for all your inputs. honestly, when I posted the question, I was not even sure if I would get a reply, leave alone having a discussion like this... thanks again, guess i'll go hunting around for a different genre of shooting equipment ;-) ciao,
|
|
|
|
||
|
Wing Wong |
Additional thoughts from a Minolta A1 user: If you are worried about dust, I'd recommend you go with the F828 instead of the A2, even though I'm very happy with my A1. On the side of the A1 and A2 body is a series of vents for the camera to vent heat. This vent allows dust to get inside and there is no way to clean it out. In contrast, the F828 seems to be pretty tough and self contained. Both are 8MP and have their weaknesses and strengths. But since you have a high dust environment, go with a camera which won't let dust in. On the note of digital SLR's which can allow lens changes, the rule of thumb is that you would need to clean the camera about once every one or two days or your sensor will be spotted, given the conditions you're talking about.
Wing
|
|
|
|
||
|
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here
Report this Thread |
||