Digital BW, The Print

Hello All!

I am a new member to this group and I have a question. I currently own an Olympus Camedia 3040Z Digital and I am looking to add an SLR camera to my collection - is there any favorite of this list? 

I am interested in one that gives very sharp, high quality, professional grade pictures, and I mostly want to deal in black and white/infrared used in nature and model/portrait settings. Price isn't important because if i'm going to buy something it might as well be the best i can get a hold of!

Any suggestions, books to read, sites to visit or advice is very much welcome!!

Thank you SO much!
Michele, 23, Louisiana

Michele,

Welcome to the group!

Well if you want to go top of the line digital in a 35mm form factor 
(there are other options up to view camera size) the I would guess 
that the Nikon D1X and the Canon EOS-1D (to be released in December) 
would be at the top of the wish list for many. They are both about 
$6,000 for the body only.

There is a good comparison at:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/EOS1D/1DA3.HTM

If you want higher quality, the next step up might be the new Kodak 
digital back on a Hasseblad. About $20,000 not including camera body.

Going lower in price, the Canon D30 would be of interest at $2,300 or 
less.

Hopefully some folks here with first hand experience and give you 
some more input.

Martin Wesley


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., reinah78@a... wrote:
> Hello All!
> 
> I am a new member to this group and I have a question. I currently 
own an Olympus Camedia 3040Z Digital and I am looking to add an SLR 
camera to my collection - is there any favorite of this list? 
> 
> I am interested in one that gives very sharp, high quality, 
professional grade pictures, and I mostly want to deal in black and 
white/infrared used in nature and model/portrait settings. Price 
isn't important because if i'm going to buy something it might as 
well be the best i can get a hold of!
> 
> Any suggestions, books to read, sites to visit or advice is very 
much welcome!!

> 
> Thank you SO much!
> Michele, 23, Louisiana

Hi Michelle-

Martin gave you a pretty good start... You might also consider the 
Kodak 760... A very top of line camera.

The Nikon/Canon issue is much the same as the Mercedes/BMW one... 
Canon is a little more innovative, Nikon is sturdier and a little 
slower to innovate...though in the area of digital SLRs, Nikon was 
first and maintains a clear advantage. That said, if one had lots of 
Canon lenses (which are somewhat ahead of Nikon), it would be foolish 
to switch since Canon will continue to enhance and improve it's 
digital high end offerings.

Canon customer service is probably a little more user friendly and 
Nikon is widely supported by user groups on the internet which are 
better than either corporate customer service, I think.

See: http://www.nikond1.net/index.html (the best)
http://www.robgalbraith.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum&f=1
http://www.nikonians.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?
az=list&forum=DCForumID11

I don't have a list of Canon forums... Though I would love to learn 
which might be good as I own a couple of the Canon pocket digicams.

I have somewhat swallowed the Nikon coolaid, starting with a Kodak 
DCS420 (a Kodak back on a Nikon N90s), then a D1 (THE breakthrough 
camera) and now the D1x (for now the state of the art).

You'll find some good comparisons at: 

Www.outbackphoto.com
http://www.steves-digicams.com/
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1014

Good luck... You will never go back to film!!!

Tom O'Connell



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., reinah78@a... wrote:
> Hello All!
> 
> I am a new member to this group and I have a question. I currently 
own an Olympus Camedia 3040Z Digital and I am looking to add an SLR 
camera to my collection - is there any favorite of this list? 
> 
> I am interested in one that gives very sharp, high quality, 
professional grade pictures, and I mostly want to deal in black and 
white/infrared used in nature and model/portrait settings. Price 
isn't important because if i'm going to buy something it might as 
well be the best i can get a hold of!
> 
> Any suggestions, books to read, sites to visit or advice is very 
much welcome!!

> 
> Thank you SO much!
> Michele, 23, Louisiana