Lens And Camera?

[liketobe]

I understand what the difference in crop factor means when using zmm lens on digital SLR, but unless I have the equipment I can't see whats up. Will I be able to frame waist to head and full body portrature in a 10X12 foot room with 50MM lens? Talking hotel and pension house rooms not studio.

I have had some brief experience over the last 30 years but will call myself a beginner. I'm 56 now and don't have time left for 20 years experience to become professional, will never make money from it, never make prints net only, just hobby.

My interests are indoor natural window light portraiture, more black and white than color, and street life day and night. No landscapes, no animals, macro, or girls on the beach. Don't see the need for more than 7 mega pixels, how ever I can foresee my self progressing rapidly with the natural light black and white and needing more control options. If I'm not making sense just say so. The question....do I need to make the jump from Nikon 40-50 to 80 body? Don't own one yet. I won't hesitate to spend $1,000.00 on the finest in demand lens because I know I can turn it over rapidly, but this body debate Nikon v Cannon and new ones every six months leaves me with a head ache. Your thoughts appreciated-Liketobe

[astral]

On a digital SLR your 50mm lens becomes an 80mm effectively.

Which will be fine for waist to head, and just about manage full body.

I did just try it with a 28-70mm on the 50mm setting.

I find this lens, from my old film days, to be excellent for the sort of shots you mention.

At present I have the Canon 10D body - 6Mpixels and it is fine for most situations.

More pixels are useful when you need to crop a shot.

In natural light the lens speed and the noise factor of the sensor are the most important factors.

Whether there is any significant difference between the Canon and Nikon offerings seems debatable.

I chose Canon because of my exisiting investment!

I will be looking at the spec for the new 40D from Canon, when they announce it. The smaller 400D is already very impressive.

[liketobe]

On a digital SLR your 50mm lens becomes an 80mm effectively.

Which will be fine for waist to head, and just about manage full body.

I did just try it with a 28-70mm on the 50mm setting.

I find this lens, from my old film days, to be excellent for the sort of shots you mention.

At present I have the Canon 10D body - 6Mpixels and it is fine for most situations.

More pixels are useful when you need to crop a shot.

In natural light the lens speed and the noise factor of the sensor are the most important factors.

Whether there is any significant difference between the Canon and Nikon offerings seems debatable.

I chose Canon because of my exisiting investment!

I will be looking at the spec for the new 40D from Canon, when they announce it. The smaller 400D is already very impressive.

No problem with lens speed f1.4...will focus on sensor noise factor...thank Astral

[Nordlys]

I won't hesitate to spend $1,000.00 on the finest in demand lens because I know I can turn it over rapidly, but this body debate Nikon v Cannon and new ones every six months leaves me with a head ache.

Not if you have full-size sensor dSLR (Canon EOS1Ds Mk2 and EOS 5D only, not available from any other brands). But you'll need to spend close to US$3,000 for it.

On a digital SLR your 50mm lens becomes an 80mm effectively.

Which will be fine for waist to head, and just about manage full body.

I did just try it with a 28-70mm on the 50mm setting.

Bear in mind with the 1.6X crop factor (or any other crop factors) you will not be getting the same depth of field as when you're shooting with the same lens on film SLR or full-size sensor dSLR. If you are shooting at 50mm focal length on your zoom with APS-C size sensor dSLR to achieve the view angle of 80mm on full-size sensor dSLR, you will have much deeper depth of field with converted focal length of 80mm than the same focal length on full-size dSLR, even at the same apperture.

In natural light the lens speed and the noise factor of the sensor are the most important factors.

That's right. And bigger the sensor pitch lesser the noise level and more dynamic the range (therefore wider tone range which is suitable for portrait and in dim light condition).