Need a "top of the line" digital camera...

[ExplorerXLT95]

Alright ladies and gents, I have been given a task. My father wants me to find him the absolute best (and I`m sure that`s arguable) digital camera there is. He said assume that money is no object, but that when I figure out what the absolute best is, get him the best price. He mentioned something about the D70 Nikon, which he says is supposedly pretty good. He also wants a camera that is capable of quite a zoom (he said around 400mm max would be good, as he does a lot of sport pictures).



He wants the best and I assume that some Autopians are quite fond of photography and would know what is supposed to be the best thing going at the moment. So if anyone could make some helpful suggestions (either in terms of what is the current "best" or where to buy items such as this cheaply) I would be much obliged.



Thanks a lot for the help ladies and gents. :D



P.S. My dad thanks you too.

[jfelbab]

Olympus E1 (http://www.olympusamerica.com/e1/sys_body_spec.asp)

[ZaneO]

Both Sony and Canon have a consumer line, 8 megapixel camera for $1k. Nice zoom and features on both.



There are professional line cameras with upwards of 20 megapixel...price may become a factor with these.

[wanabe]

i like the nikon d100... but its the lenses that make the decision complicated!!! (i.e., which ones?)-

imo, its not often that you will use 5 or 6 megapixels, cause the only way to use those pics is to print them (you cant email or post them very easily!)

[blazer95]

How about this one? Lens sold seperately.



Canon 1Ds (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=266188&is=REG)

[blazer95]

Here`s your 400mm zoom. 400mm zoom (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=162616&is=USA)

[imported_SouthernZ71]

This is the 1 that I plan to get in the near future. Seems the get great reviews....

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/canon_eos300d.asp

[HellrotCi]

Here`s an article I read in Fortune Magazine (http://www.fortune.com/fortune/peterlewis/0,15704,649676,00.html) about the Nikon D70. I think finding "the best camera" is going to be like finding "the best wax". The single "best" of anything either doesn`t exist or will shortly be surpassed by a newer model.

[kpounds]

Here`s a neat site to check out. http://www.imaging-resource.com/ Check out "Dave`s picks" - link on the left, then by category of camera. He does meticulous reviews and has great info about many cameras.

[imported_Blake]

If you want the best type of Digital camera stick with a single lens reflex (slr). You can choose from Nikon, Canon, Fuji (which is a nikon body and takes nikon lenses) or Pentax and Olympus. I would recommend the first 3 due to the fact that lenses are many and readily available. Really a lot depends on what you want to spend when it comes to "model" but stick with the above Brands.

There`s a very good website "Steves Digicams " where numerous models are reviewed with good comments and recommendations.

[carcrazy22]

D70 is the top of line. Its $999 just body. You can buy Sigma Lenses Kit for Nikon which works very well with this camera. My friend has it, I love the Auto Focus and sharp picture. Especially you can take continous shots based on your memory card. I will recommend buy 1GB compact flash card.

Check out this website Nikon D70 (http://www.wolfcamera.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=13132052)

Before you buy any camera check out reviews of camera at

DP Review (http://www.dpreview.com)

[Accumulator]

If you get the D70, *make sure the autofocus is accurate*! They have a "some have it, some don`t" problem where they "deep focus", that is, are slightly off in that they focus a little behind where you want them to. I had a Contax 35mm (N1) that did this and it can be a real pain if you don`t notice it and correct the focus manually. Correcting it seems problematic, as the ones that do it only do it with certain lenses (and those lenses work fine on other D70s). If you get one with the problem, send it back for a replacement and let someone else hassle with it. This means: buy from someone with a liberal return policy.



When I handled the D70 it felt too, uhm, "consumer" to me. Compared to the film cameras I`m used to, it just didn`t have "the feel". The D1/100/1x/2H line was more like what I`m used to.



FWIW, if/when I go digital, I`m probably gonna get a Nikon D2H. Not so many megapixels, but I`ve seen what they can do and the final, produced image is surpisingly good for digital, even with pretty big enlargements (let alone when posting to the net). I was shocked at how nice the output was for something with *so few* pixels. I think I`d been putting too much emphasis on 5/6.3/8 megapixel cameras until I started handling them. But then I want to use it for the dogs too, and the D2H`s autofocus and buffer is just made for stuff like that, so I might be biased.



I figure it`s all about the final image and how the thing handles for you when you`re using it.



Between stuff brands like Nikon/Canon, yeah, it`s like Souveran/P21S. Just gotta see what works for *you*. There`s usually one particular camera (or camera-line) that just "works", often to an overwhelming degree, better for each individual.

[imported_garyo]

If he is serious about photography and assuming he wants digital, then don`t waste your time looking at anything other than the SLR digitals. Also don`t get caught up in the megapixel marketing war. The SLR`s offer such flexibility and power with the different lenses. If he already has a film SLR then look into the brand he has because very likely he will be able to use many of the lenses he has acquired. If money is not object then look at the top of the line "pro" cameras. If money is truly an object then right now the best bang for the buck is the Nikon D70.

[foris2]

Canon 10D.

[ZaneO]

After reading around some, I think I would buy the Canon EOS Digital.