photographing for dummies

[Valdemar]

Well... I've got a camera question if there are any photo nerds around 


I've got a 10 y old Canon that I haven't used alot since I got a pocket digital camera a few years back.

However, I miss the ability to zoom properly and to actually take pics of my kids without being up and close all the time.


I'm now considering buying a second digital camera, another Canon and I was wondering if I can reuse all the optics and major flash that I have for the older ordinary film canon?

Some I ask say yes, others say no, something with focus distance and what not??

V

[DontSayBanana]

Well... I've got a camera question if there are any photo nerds around 


I've got a 10 y old Canon that I haven't used alot since I got a pocket digital camera a few years back.

However, I miss the ability to zoom properly and to actually take pics of my kids without being up and close all the time.


I'm now considering buying a second digital camera, another Canon and I was wondering if I can reuse all the optics and major flash that I have for the older ordinary film canon?

Some I ask say yes, others say no, something with focus distance and what not??

V

Are you talking about lens extensions for a 35 or 105mm point and shoot, or are we talking full lenses that were used with an old SLR camera body? If it's the latter, it should work fine, provided the lenses are in good shape and match the thread length of the camera body- on the average SLR, aperture is really widely adjustable.

[Pedrito]

I assume you're talking of reflex camera lenses: read http://porters.com/LENS%20COMPATIBILE.pdf, it should clarify your issues.

Regarding the upper shoe accessories (flashes et al.), the shoe should always be the same, so there are no problems there too.

L.

[DontSayBanana]

Reading through that, if you stick with a second Canon, you'll be fine- just watch for the "50mm telephoto" issue.

[Valdemar]

Thanks guys,

Yes its an old SLR Canon EOS 300 camera with a 28-210 Cosina lens.

I didn't have that info at work

What I wondered was if Autofocus and so on would work as it did on a new camera.

What is the 50 mm issue?


What some ppl said was something along the lines that at some zoom distances the digital SLRs would be a different "distance" btw lens and actual "film" (or in digital cams whatever it use to record the pics )


Anyhow, thanks

V

[Pedrito]

Your lens should work fine on a new digital SLR 

The "50 mm telephoto issue" is about the fact that the focal length of a lens (and thus the angle of view) is a function of the sensor size of the digital SLR; in simple words, if the sensor of your camera is the same format of the old 24x36 negative (ratio 1:1) (only few extremely expensive cameras use sensors this big), your 50 mm lens will act as a 50 mm - a "normal" lens; but if the sensor is smaller, as it would almost surely be, and the ratio becomes 1:1,5 as in Canon, your old 50 mm becomes 50 X 1,5 = a short 75 mm tele lens in its angle of view; a good wide 24 mm becomes an almost useless 36 mm; and a 200 mm tele becomes a 300mm!
So your 28-210 Cosina, when used, say, on a Canon Digital Rebel, will become a 42 - 305: useless as a wide, excellent as a tele lens.

L.

[Valdemar]

Thanks Pedrito

That ofc begs the next question... what Canon Digital SLR should I get then. I don't forsee needs beyond what I had with the old EOS 300

V

[Pedrito]

I'd take a look at the new Canon 500D, it should be out in a month or so and looking at the specs it's a very good camera, and you get the ability to take HD movies, too (excellent for kids).
The sensor has a  1,6X conversion rate, so your old Cosina lens will become a 45-336 
I think it isn't priced still, but educated guesses put the bar around 700 euros. The price may vary considerably if you buy a camera-lens kit.

On lenses: I'd follow Armyknife's suggestion and buy a new lens, because your Cosina zoom is pretty useless as a wide lens, and probably new lenses are of better quality/luminosity (?).
Another thing: lens manufacturers have started making lenses specifically for small sensor size cameras (canon is branding these lenses as EF-S, usual full format lenses are branded EF), so if you want to buy a lens and use it on both your DSLR and your old film camera, be sure you are buying a full format lens.
On my Nikon DSLR (small format sensor) 75% of times I'm using a 18-200 Nikkor small format zoom (roughly equal to a 27-300 zoom on a film camera), and although it's not the most luminous lens I've used, it's great for chasing kids around    Something similar should exist for Canon too.

Another recommendation: absolutely, absolutely get a lens with Image Stabilization! these new zooms are very long, and unless you are using very fast shutter speeds, the risk of getting shaky pictures is pretty high.

L.

[Valdemar]

Thanks Pedrito and Armyknife

Well I was going to buy a Canon with Lens package, often some 25-70 or some such it seems and keep the Cosina as a telelens to sneak up on the kids

But I was actually hoping to use the original Canon EX flash.. it is more recent than the camera and I really don't want to buy another, they are almost as expenive as the camera and I find that the built in flash isn't worth much if I use the full extend of the zoom..

But what you are basically saying is dump both lens and flash, buy a new camera, two lenses and a new flash?

V

[Pedrito]

Your flash should work fine on any new Canon DSLR, but you should check Canon's webpages for compatibility issues.

About the lenses, your old one is good only as a zoom, but as a wide lens with the new sensor formats it is useless; you can keep that one for tele shots, and buy a new wider one if you plan to take some wide shots. usually the lenses that come in kits with the bodies are good ones, nothing exceptional though.

L.

[Valdemar]

Txs Pedrito, sorry I didn't get back to the thread before, I was away in Liege for the Spa-Franchorchamps F1 GP


I'll try and find model for my EX and see if Canon will help me there

V

[Razgovory]

Photographing dummies is easy.  They don't move around much.