Digital Camera Recommendation Appreciated

Hi. Great website and forums. I am an old 35mm SLR guy. I mostly shoot landscapes, primarily waterfalls. I enjoy manually manipulating the shot by varying the exposure time primarily, sometimes the appreture or both. I typically use a 28mm-70mm and 70mm-200mm Zoom.

I want to try Digital and would like recommendations for camera from $300 - $500 for this first purchase....unless a DSLR would be sooooo much better for a little bit more.

Other question is on "zoom". With the type of shots mentioned, should I go for a 10x or 12x optical Zoom as opposed to a 3x optical with 4x digital or is there little difference?

Thank you!

Welcome to the Forum!! I'm sure you will find this a very friendly and helpful site. What are you using for your 35mm SLR gear? Perhaps there is a digital body that you could get to use your current lenses with. As far as the zoom you are looking for goes, I wouldn't pay any attention to the digital zoom. All the digital zoom does is crop your image, so you loose resolution and quality. I don't have any specific recomendation for you camera wise, but I'm sure someone here can get you pointed in the right direction.

Welcome,
And I agree with mjs1973 on this, you'll be much happier with the results using your present lenses and a DSLR. So what gear do you have now?

JS

>> $300 - $500 for this first purchase....unless a DSLR would be sooooo much better for a little bit more.

From what you say, I have a feeling it might be right for you, yes.
Like everyone else, what you've already got in 35mm film equipment might prejudice the choice.
So ... what have you got now, that you could perhaps add a DSLR body to ?

Thanks for the replies. Sorry it took me a while to respond but it's a hectic week. I have 1 3/4 scale Koniuca TC and a Konica FT-1 Auto, 28mm-70mm, 70mm-200mm, several fixed lenses, macro's, filters, flash, etc.

Will these old lenses work well with a DSLR? Do you need more info? Any articles/posts you recommend I read?

Thank you once again!

That's a tough one, I can't think of a DSLR that could use those lenses.
The TC and FT-1 AR lenses used the Konica bayonet II mount.
The Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D (or Dynax 5D) uses the Minolta A-type bayonet mount.

At this point I'll have to bow out and leave it to the Konica/Minolta experts.