Camera Labs

Hi Gordon,
Thanks for a really good website with thorough and realworld testing. Your reviews and the community's comments on this forum are really great. I hope you can provide some advice to me too.

I had purchased a Canon EOS D400 [Rebel Xti]
But returned it as weird dust specs started showing up out of nowhere.
I just put the lens on once and never even removed it. I dont know where the dust came from.
since i suspect it must have come from the edges where different parts of the camera body meet [ like lens- body, front-back]

after some reviewing i find the K10D to be a good choice. How ever the default sharpness of the pictures is not good.

1] Is there a way to modify the settings so that i get clear sharp jpegs like with the 400D on the k10d?

2] i shoot at different ranges and ran into the limits of the kit lens really quickly. But am scared of changing lenses frequently.( not having done it at all doesn't help bolster confidence:( )

3] the 400D used to get cheated in its light metering very often. easiest way is to shoot from shade on a sunny day or shoot into the shade from outside.

4] i shoot mostly in day and twilight. very little flash photography. also i purchased a tripod to help with the long exposures.

5] My budget is kinda limited to what i got back for the 400D + a few more.

any advice? is the k10D a good choice?
should i consider the NikonD80 too?
Also in your dust review the Olympus did the best!! are their lenses also good like pentax?

if you had a zoom lens it moved and pump air so dust gets in and out, it's normal, I have an XTi too and it does the same.

On any dslr, will comea time where you will need to learn how to clean your sensor... even if you have an xti, 5d, mark III, pentax, nikon...

also set the exposure at +1/3 on the 400d to fix underexposure prob

I read a couple of reviews which stated that the Olympus system is the most effective against dust from among the current cameras with this feature. However, no solution is perfect - I also read that you can get dust even in P&S cameras with fixed lens...

Darrin

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Nikon D40 | Nikkor 18-55 VR | Nikkor 55-200 VR | Voigtländer Ultron 40mm SL-II | Nikon Speedlight SB-400

Hi hisaycheese, welcome to the Cameralabs forums!

Darrin and Cr4zYH3aD are right - you can get dust in any DSLR, even if you rarely change lenses and are very careful - it's a fact of life.

The Olympus system has been best in my own tests though...

As for the K10D, yep, you can adjust the settings to give punchier output.

Personally speaking, I still feel the K10D is not a great choice for beginners though, and would sooner steer you towards the Nikon D80 or maybe one of the Olympus bodies. The 400D is also still a great camera though, and even though you've returned it, I would seriously consider getting it again!

If I were you, I'd carefully compare the Canon 400D, Nikon D40x and D80, Olympus E-410 and E-510 - and maybe also the K10D since you're already interested in this body...

But remember, ALL can suffer from dust.

Gordon

Indeed. Whatever dslr you are buying, it will comes a time when you will need to know how to clean the sensor !

I personally suggest the 400D, as I like it very much

Hi Gordon,

Why would you say that? i have been using the 400D for about 5 months before returning it.
I have used fully manual FILM slr [ zenith ] before. But i would not call myself any thing more than an amateur or just about beginner to intermediate.

I liked the 400D too. but it does not offer any protection against dust like the k10D does.
so even though dust is imminent, atleast it should delay the bad things.

After reading some more, i figured i may not buy the Olympus as they don't sell any fixed focal length lenses. i plan to buy one with my next bonus. Live preview is not really such a big factor for me. im too used to the view finder.

thanks
cheers
ram

The only additional dust protection offered by the Pentax over the Canon (which does have dust removal features) is seals around the various openings in the body. Crucially though, it does not offer any seal at the lens mount.

If you were happy with the Canon as regards 'feel' I'd get another one. Everything I read says it's a good camera. Having said that, I bought a D80, but my primary motivation in buying it compared with the Canon was the 'feel'. The Canon is too small for my hands.

Dust is always going to be a problem but you get used to it. An occasional blast from a good blower such as those made by Giotto usually does the trick and failing that you'd be amazed how quickly it can be dealt with in PP.

Zorro.

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http://zorrofox4.deviantart.com/



Various lenses, SB800 & Manfrotto 190 with 460MG head

you can have all the anti-dust protection you want, it just adds time to the fact that you will need to clean your sensor one day. You are only buying time. You can't escape dust.

That sounds like a voice-over in a trailer for the latest Hollywood schlock-horror. Good post.

Also, very true.

Zorro.

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http://zorrofox4.deviantart.com/



Various lenses, SB800 & Manfrotto 190 with 460MG head

zorro, yeah it does sound like a voice over.. kinda like "resistance is futile "

So if the dust seals are not going to provide much advantage,what else could be the reason for not getting the k10d?

i mean "doesn't offer significantly better dust protection" is not convincing. especially given that the default jpeg settings can be made as good as the other alternatives.

cheers
ram

I don't think there is any specific reason not to get the K10D. I was in exactly your position 6 weeks ago and initially I was after the Pentax too. I read all the reviews and it was by far the best-featured in it's price bracket.

Then I went to a shop to try it out. I hated it. Not as much as I hated the Canon, but it was close. It just didn't feel right in my hand. Of all the cameras I tried the Nikon D200 was the best. Unfortunately it was also out of my price-range. The shop I tried them in didn't have a D80 and so I left in search of one that did. When I did get my (shovel-like) hands on it I fell in love immediately. It had most of the feel of the D200 and most of the features too. Crucially it was cheap enough to allow my purchase of a battery grip to go with it. Now it feels superb. It feels (don't laugh) like a tool. The Canon and Pentax felt like expensive gadgets.

Having said all that, I see a helluva lot of fantastic photos shot with 400D's and K10D's, which leads me to believe that at any given price-point it's not so much which camera that's important, as which photographer. That photographer however, must be comfortable with his chosen camera. This is the crucial factor, in my opinion.

Zorro.

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http://zorrofox4.deviantart.com/



Various lenses, SB800 & Manfrotto 190 with 460MG head

I personally suggest the 400D because it's what I have and i'm pleased with it

Hi Ram, I wasn't suggesting you're a beginner, but wanted to make sure you knew the K10D needs work to get the best from it, whereas most modern DSLRs are much better in Auto modes.

As for dust, yep, Cr4zYH3aD is dead right. It will affect you at some point, and the K10D certainly ain't immune.

As for Olympus, they DO offer several fixed focal length lenses including a superb 50mm f2.0 macro. So don't discount them in this regard!

Zorro's right though - go into a store and pick them all up for yourself, see how they feel in your hand, press the buttons, listen to the sound of the shutter firing. Some you'll love, some you'll hate!

Gordon

Hi Gordon,
Im sorry i was not specific. I am indeed a beginner. at least to Digital SLRs.

I wanted to ask you why you would say the k10d was not recommended for beginners. I have narrowed my choices down to three companies.[ canon 400d, pentax k10d , and Olympus, still reading reviews ] i figured i will be better off investing in lenses than in D80's more expensive body[ by at least $200] also the d40 and d40X don't seem convenient enough. i read the review at dpreview. and feel the menus and the functionality available are limited.]

As an aside, Since the day i returned the camera, i feel like im missing a lot of good "photo ops". especially the sunsets in so.cal are stunning.

I will try the Olympus E-500 which is available in costco and see how it feels.

cheers
ram

Hi Ram, did you also read our D40 and D40x reviews?