 Kraig Henry |
Help me to buy a digital camera I take alot of sport photos, football (outside) and basketball (inside) with a film SLR camera (Nikon 65). It started of as a hobby taking pictures of my kids and has evolved into something else. Other parents are very impressed with these photos and have begun to ask me to photograph their kids as well.That's why I want to go digital so that I cam see what I get immediately. Should I go with the Nikon D40, D50, D70S or the D80. Obviously price is a concern but also ease of use. I am fairly confident that I can learn to operate these cameras I would not like to buy one with accessories that I won't use. Help Please
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Alan N. Marcus |
Hi Krig, This answer might get a lot of laughs! Why not take a look at the Nikon Coolpix S4. This camera is in the lower price range, sports 6 megapixels, plus an incredible 10x zoom that gets out their. The camera fits in a shirt pocket and runs on two AA batteries. That’s freedom, I just carry some in my pocket. For extended tips I load it using two AA lithium’s. The camera is totally automatic, no manual mode. Features a menu of dozens of special situations, each with an icon. You will like the sports setting, does everything for you but compose. However, a big I mean supper big disadvantage is the only view is an LCD screen on the back that is difficult to see and use in sunlight. I like it nevertheless. Alan Marcus
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Kraig Henry |
Thanks Alan I actually purcahsed a Coolpix L2 which is also 6 mp this past fall for sideline pics and fan reaction but couldn't get the photos on the field. I have a 70-210mm lens on my film camera, which just about puts me in the huddle and I guess I really want that type of picture. I see that you suggest the Coolpix S4 with a 10x zoom. I'll look into it. I do like that I can enlarge the digital picture with very little distortion not so with the film. I just can't get a close enough picture with the Coolpix L2. Thanks Again
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Alan N. Marcus |
Hi again, I am not trying to sell you on the S4 however I do want to clarify a few points. The S4 sports a zoom lens that is 6.3 thru 63mm. That’s equivalent to 38 to 380mm 35mm format plus 4x more digital zoom = 1,520mm. That puts you in the huddle, you can count eyebrow hairs. As to distance distortion: This phenomenon is not a function of media or format i.e. same effect film or digital or 35mm or giant view camera. You can’t escape using different equipment. The cause of distance distortion is an apparent discrepancy in relative sizes between foreground objects as compared to background objects. Allow me to explain: Objects that are close appear large, far away objects appear tiny. As an example; railroad tracks appear to converge with distance. Our life experiences sets up our eye/brain perception. When we photograph a scene we often modify familiar perspective causing us to perceive distortion. When we photograph using a normal lens, equivalent to a 50mm on a 35mm camera, no distortion will be perceived. When we use a shorter than normal lens, close objects are magnified more than distance objects. Portraiture using a short a lens cause facial images to be distorted by enlarging the nose more than the ears. Images taken using a long lens exaggerate perspective. A long lens magnifies objects; the effect is much like moving closer. The apparent change in subject distance causes far away objects to appear larger than normal, equalizing their size as compared to near objects. We call this compression. Distortion is both a curse and a joy. Sometimes it causes the picture to be attention-grabbing, sometimes weird. Viewing distance is the solution. When a picture is viewed at the correct distance, distortion is not present. Easy to say, hard to accomplish. The correct viewing distance is the focal length of the taking lens times the magnification. Say a 35mm film camera is used with a 50mm lens, an 8x10 print is made. The magnification to produce an 8x10 is about 8x. Now 50x8=400mm so the viewing distance should be about 400mm or 16 inches. You view the print or monitor at this distance, no distortion as viewing distance is the natural reading distance. Alan Marcus
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