The best camera on the market right now is the Nikon D700 and the models above that. You will barely need to use a tripod again the low light performance is outstanding.
You can do great camera comparisons here...
http://www.dxomark.com/index.php
Yani said:The best camera on the market right now is the Nikon D700 and the models above that. You will barely need to use a tripod again the low light performance is outstanding.
Yep.
Also check www.kenrockwell.com for everything Nikon. I have a D50 and I love it. If you care, add a 50mm 1.8f lens, but the kit lenses at 18-55 are great.
Hi Yani,
I was trying to explain to you in our private message that you should not be drawn in by all the hype and also don't look at the "big numbers" in ISO; remember that 6400 (for example) is only one stop faster than 3200 and 12800 one stop faster than 6400. The big numbers sound so much more.
Below is a sample image comparison. The image on the right (below) is a screen capture of a sample image off the Nikon D700 shot at ISO6400 viewed at 100% in Internet Explorer. The left image is off a 5 year old Canon EOS 20D set at ISO3200. As you can see, there is no HUGE advance in technology. You are kidding yourself believing you wouldn't need a tripod too often with the Nikon. Unless you want el cheapo compact camera quality you certainly will be carrying your tripod and shooting at a far lower ISO.
The higher ISO capability is still a big advantage, of course, it allows you to grab an image free of movement blur which simply would not be possible on a camera of inferior ISO capabilities. Now take a 21.1MP camera, shoot at high ISO and then resmaple the image down to 12.1MP to match the Nikon and you would most likely see a lot less noise! If I shoot at ISO3200 and then resample an 8.2MP image to say 4MP - the grain has gone! Get my point?
Keep in mind the EOS 5D II gives the best of both worlds: can shoot up to ISO25,600 like the Nikon and has a 21MP sensor. The D700 has slightly lower noise at the higher ISOs, but as I said, shrinking the image down from the 5D would more than make up for that. Conversely, if you had to upsample the D700 image to a 21MP image it would exhibit way more noise.
Best regards,Brian.
It's not the highest ISO that matters but the highest ISO where quality is reasonably maintained.
But I'm just stirring you up, I know you have too many lenses to change.
I'll be very surprised if Sony don't end up with the best product within a few years. They aren't far off and have only just started.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/1003/10031002pentax645d.asp
DxOMark gives the above a great rap too.
Hi Phil,
I have never read anything about telescopes, so I know zero about them. Out of curiosity, do they use mirror lenses? If so, they have been available for SLR camera for decades.