Best SLR

[Loupey]

Other than the fact that the lens mount was so inefficient that Canon was forced to modify it because too many people could not change lenses quickly enough, and that it was also technically incapable of adding the electronic linkages that would allow it to evolve into the autofocus age, unlike those of Nikon and Pentax - which forced Canon to completely obsolete everything that was made with it. Other than those two fatal flaws, yeah, nothing was wrong with the mount.

Please explain. Are you referring to the older FL line of lenses? I had absolutely no issues with the FD lenses which were produced just prior to the EF line. Changing lenses was no more difficult back then.

Sure I was disappointed when Canon stopped the FD line in favor of the auto-focus revolution. Can't stop progress. But the equipment back then was top notch for its intended design.

[Loupey]

Wild Wassa - your F-1 is a hoot! I've always wanted an F-1 (had an A-1) but couldn't afford it on a high-schooler's wage

If memory serves me correctly, you can still operate this camera without the battery, yes? The tape over the battery compartment door looks newer but still appears to not have been breeched recently.

[Loupey]

I prefer a digital SLR for under 800.00, but we can budget up to 1500.00. And what sort of lens would be good for a beginner to work with

I think we got off your original question - but I think you had some good suggestions earlier.

Have you had any further thoughts since your original post?

[Wild Wassa]

Loupey, the first question was "prefer best slr for a beginner?" ... I'm still homed in on the target. Obviously you know what an F1 body cost when they were new, now today they are just the price of loose change.

Loupey, Doug was deriding the breech lock mounting of the old lenses. Breech locking didn't appeal to me either.

My F1 is what Canon call the New F1. When I bought the New F1 the lenses were FD's and FD-Ls. The old series lenses weren't seen here when I bought the F1.

The New F1 can be used without a #625 6v battery. A lithium battery lasts about 3 years with normal usage.

The light meter doesn't operate of course without the battery, nor do the A functions, nor the electronic shutter speeds from 1/60sec to 8 seconds, 8 secs being the longest electronic shutter speed. All the mechanical speeds operate normally up to 1/2000sec and of course the flash sync 1/90 and B operate normally without having a battery installed.

Loupey, most of the green tape has been on the camera for 26 years ... gaffer tape lasts as long as an F1. I might change the tape, there are so many good colours available nowadays ... a hot flouro pink would be totally cool. My new Canon 40D looks looks even worse than the F1 already and I've only had it for a short while.

Warren.

[bwood63]

Like any brand name, everyone has their favorites.
Skidoo, Arctic Cat, Polaris, Yamaha..you dont cross lines..lol.
I bought my Olympus and am very happy with it but I also do not have anything to really compare it to. I always try to buy the best quality I can afford and work from there. I think its almost more important to learn how to use your equipment. Tiger could take my clubs and shoot under par...It ain't the clubs. I am still learning, reading and finding what floats my boat behind the lens. I have already picked up some good tips from this site..Thanks everyone...

aah everyone has a Cannon, take the road less traveled. Go for the Olympus.

[draymorton]

I shot with a Cannon at Madison Square Garden recently. What a costly mistake.

[blazing fire]

Cannon... fake Canon?

[Wild Wassa]

I propose the Nikkormat FTN ... because you get to rotate your ring.

You don't get to the real photographic truth until a post latently regresses ... does your ring rotate?

Warren.

[Dougjgreen]

I propose the Nikkormat FTN ... because you get to rotate your ring.

You don't get to the real photographic truth until a post latently regresses ... does your ring rotate?

Warren.

You can rotate your ring with an Olympus OM-1 as well (the shutter speed ring).

[Wild Wassa]

Now for the DSLR ... the Canon Kombat the M40D. The M40D is not for girly men. M is for military, 4 is leet for A, 0 doesn't exist and D, is a regular D, which spells MAD ... mutualy assured destruction.

This camera has enough power to capture any banana republic. Just blast away.





If you've got attitude ... this Kwanon is for you.

Warren.

[Sushigaijin]

Needs a bit more tape if it's gunna get from the boat to the beach without shorting out...

[Wild Wassa]

Sushigaijin, Obviously you have a handle on the issues ... but the Gaffer tape is only to make the camera look smart. Big Zip-lock bags and wide elastic bands are the pro way to go.

I got the Canon 40D soaked 2 weeks ago when water came over the bow. I feared the worst but she hasn't missed a beat. She is probably going green on the inside.

Warren.

[Sushigaijin]

zip lock bags? psshhht. Amateur hour. Olympus shooters prefer to go without helmets and knee pads.



but at least the gaffers tape has some character

[Wild Wassa]

Sushigaijin, Cooled Olympus ... aqua-awesome.

The Gaffer tape isn't just to keep the water out of the Canon MAD ... it is just a Tiger Snake repelent. It mimics the look of a red-ringed one-eyed Black Monitor.

No deadly snakes will take in their sworn arch enemy.

Warren.

[Dylan8i]

who would want to repel tiger snakes though? i'd actually rub female urine on my camera to attract them, if that'd work.

[Wild Wassa]

Dylan, G'day Mate. Photographing deadly snakes sounds masculine, hey?

Don't think that a Tiger Snake is like what you see in TV or any thing that Steve Irwin pretended was the case. Irwin is dead from tampering with native fauna, as you no doubt know? There is a lesson in that. The last tourist killed by a snake early last year, was a woman from the US bitten by a Gwyder(a Western Brown snake), bitten while she was photographing wild flowers.

I've been a camera assistant for the wildlife photographer Geoffrey Barrington Baker aka Bazza Baker. If it didn't come out of the fridge after being in there for 2 hours, it wasn't photographed.

Tiger snakes are called Tiger snakes for one reason ... if you upset them they will attack you repeatedly and they are totally fearless. They are like Moslem jehadists ... they do not know when the argument is over, nor do they forgive any slight indescretions or accidental mistake ... not ever.

One of my friends, Steve, in a villa styled courtyard of his home tried to kill a Tiger snake that had his cat bailed up. When he failed to kill the Tiger snake with the first blow, the snake chased him around the courtyard for 20 minutes, striking at him repeatedly. Steve made the mistake of trying to kill the snake with a brush fibre broom that his wife handed him ... it is only 8 gauge fencing wire or shot guns that will kill a snake. The fencing wire will take the shape of the ground when whipped breaking the snakes back or severing the head completely. Do you know the old saying an Australian snake only dies after sundown? It is the cold that finishes them off.

Here in the Territory it is illegal to kill a venemous snake even when your life is threatened. There is a $10,000 fine and/or 6 months gaol unless you have a bloody good life threatening excuse which rarely is accepted here.

Prevention is better than applying for legal aid here or kissing your ass goodby. A tip from a photographer who uses black Gaffer tape.

Apart from a Death Adder the average Australian snake can do 14kph through the roughest and in the steepest of country. I can't run through the bush at 14kph. In the open woodlands country maybe, but not in the bush or in a gully.

Warren.

[Sushigaijin]

Yeah, you crazy ozzies...

For many many years the pilstrom tongs were the ONLY way to handle hot snakes - tongs and a hook, hands off.

Of course, you can't really tong an elapid like tigers...American herpetologists were pooping bricks when they first started to see the australian free-hand style, some time in the mid 70's.

You see, you can't free-hand a rattlesnake. it's insanity to touch one. And you can't tong a tiger. It's insanity to NOT free hand it...

Some of the Aussie guys make fun of our hooks and tongs - snake killing sticks, I think they call them. Good stuff.

:thumbsup:

Last I checked, the Canon MADs all resembled overgrown bandy-bandys more than red ringed one-eyed black monitors...And I'll put money on a tiger before a bandy bandy, any day. The nikons look more like the red-ringed one-eyes, I'll wager. Shame they have no soul.

[Dylan8i]

Dylan, G'day Mate. Photographing deadly snakes sounds masculine, hey?

Don't think that a Tiger Snake is like what you see in TV or any thing that Steve Irwin pretended was the case. Irwin is dead from tampering with native fauna, as you no doubt know? There is a lesson in that. The last tourist killed by a snake here was a woman from the US bitten by a Gwyder(a Brown snake), while she was photographing wild flowers.

I've been a camera assistant for the wildlife photographer Geoffrey Barrington Baker aka Bazza Baker. If it didn't come out of the fridge after being in there for 2 hours, it wasn't photographed.

Tiger snakes are called Tiger snakes for one reason ... if you upset them they will attack you repeatedly and are totally fearless. They are like Moslem jehadists ... they do not know when the argument is over, nor do they forgive any slight indescretions or accidental mistake ... not ever.

One of my friends, Steve, in a villa styled courtyard of his home tried to kill a Tiger snake that had his cat bailed up. When he failed to kill the Tiger snake with the first blow, the snake chased him around the courtyard for 20 minutes, striking at him repeatedly. Steve made the mistake of trying to kill the snake with a brush fibre broom that his wife handed him ... it is only 8 gauge fencing wire or shot guns that will kill a snake. The fencing wire will take the shape of the ground when whipped breaking the snakes back or severing the head completely. Do you know the old saying an Australian snake only dies after sundown? It is the cold that finishes them off.

Here in the Territory it is illegal to kill a venemous snake even when your life is threatened. There is a $10,000 fine and/or 6 months gaol unless you have a bloody good life threatening excuse which rarely is accepted here.

Prevention is better than applying for legal aid here or kissing your ass goodby. A tip from a photographer who uses black Gaffer tape.

Warren.

just so you know where i'm coming from, not to start an argument or anything... but i have training as a herpetologist, and although my main study is amphibians, snakes are an area of interest for me. I have photographed all the venomous snakes in my area ( rattlesnakes, copper heads, and cotton mouths). While no where near as dangerous as a tiger snake, still dangerous. i am also probbably one of the few who admire, but still respect snakes, and many times photograph them in situ with out ever even bother/moving/touching them.

I never put myself in a situation im not comfortable with, and that has included catching non venemous snakes, as ive never been bitten by a large ( ie not a garter etc) wild snake. and i wish it was that large of a penalty to kill snakes around here, in fact i hate to a admit it, but i grew up killing 6+ foot long snakes around my house with a shovel ( which is also a very affective method).

and yes cold is a herpetology photographers best friend.

also my Nikon has soul... if only a bit of mine has sweated in to it on my many adventures.

[Sushigaijin]

also my Nikon has soul... if only a bit of mine has sweated in to it on my many adventures.

Alright, I'll allow it. Just yours though - don't anyone else think about jumping on that bandwagon...

And I've shot all the hots too. And the not-hots. The fridge is a classic cheat, but it kills the color. Herps have WAY better color when they are warm.

Australia is next, possibly next year. I'll be sure to pack my tongs

[Wild Wassa]

I've killed an Inland Taipan, a King Brown, with a tennis bat.

The snake took at least 25 blows ... 6-2, 6-4, 7-6, 6-love.

The first 3 sets were needed just to subdue it and stop it from agressively returning service.

The snake only stopped moving when the next door neighbour, an adult, took over and cut it's head off with a blade of a shovel ... I was 12 years, 4X the maturity of Davey Crocket when he "killed him a Bear when he was only 3" ...and the snake was about a foot long, so we were evenly matched ... and I'm still traumatized by that contest.

I still don't know how the match went to a 4th set. I thought it was the best of 5.

Warren.

[Dylan8i]

I've killed an Inland Taipan, a King Brown, with a tennis bat.

The snake took at least 25 blows ... 6-2, 6-4, 7-6, 6-love.

The first 3 sets were needed just to subdue it and stop it from being agressively returning service.

The snake only stopped moving when the next door neighbour, an adult, took over and cut it's head off with a blade of a shovel ... I was 12 years, 4X the maturity of Davey Crocket when he "killed him a Bear when he was only 3" ...and the snake was about a foot long, so we were evenly matched ... and I'm still traumatized by that contest.

I still don't know how the match went to a 4th set. I thought it was the best of 5.

Warren.

wow id be more scared playing a match against either of the Williams sisters!

and Erik im not sure ive ever used a fridge... maybe an ice cooler, but rarely.

id love to go to australia... but i can't look forward to a big trip until i at least get a good job ( just applied to one in Vigrinia) im still hoping to make it out to snake road sometime.

[Sushigaijin]

I try to stay away from coolers - the color loss and the chance of injuring the critter pretty much rule it out. I WILL, however, give one a bath in a nice cold stream to get the dirt off...if it has the effect of cooling it down, well that's just an added benefit :wink5:

If you have the time and energy, salamander season starts around here in three weeks. I'll be in the field weakly. I mean, weekly.