The great thing about DSLRs is that you can find, keep, and use old lenses, even on relatively newer bodies. Old lenses never die Photo by Martin Garcia / Flickr
#Magic lantern canon t5 reddir iso#
The D700 turns out nice stuff at ISO 6,400, which requires five times less light than regular daytime ISO 200. But the D700, and many DSLRs after it, shoot great pictures with their powerful sensors. Modern smartphone cameras are using custom algorithms on specialized chips to achieve decent dark photos. The D700 was one of the first cameras to offer high ISO settings that produced usable photos. The D700, and cameras starting in that 2008-ish era, can also perform in lower-light environments. And for sharing on-screen, 12MP is plenty. This handy chart shows that a 12 megapixel sensor will print an excellent 15×10 photo. First, ask yourself how many photos you print. Just ask Sony, whose latest camera sports a 12 megapixel sensor. The D700 only has 12.1 megapixels, which might seem like too few compared to some modern models. Megapixels and ISOĭigital cameras have long been measured in megapixels.
#Magic lantern canon t5 reddir pro#
You can have yesterday’s pro machine, with lots of room for settings, features, and higher-resolution product for a wider range of uses, for the cost of a cheaper pocket camera today Many professional photographers use their favorite models for years, because their skill is in shooting photos, not buying cameras.Īll this applies to any digital camera, but I will keep using the D700 as an example because it embodies all the advantages, and many of the pitfalls, of buying a used digital camera. The other reason to buy used is that you cann get a much better camera for your money. Mine cost me €320 (~$375), including an extra (~$300 originally) battery grip. Today you can get one on eBay for 1/10th that price. A $5,000 pro DSLR will lose 1/3 of its value as soon as you open the box, and then lose $1,000 per year, according to Machine Planet’s Dante Stella. The main reason to buy an old digital camera is that they’re less expensive. What’s more, you might be able to use it as a webcam, one that will blow your friends and coworkers away, if you need one. The combination of slowing growth and plunging prices means you can pick up a 5-10 year-old bargain camera right now that is comparable to today’s models. But unlike the early days of digital, where yearly improvements were significant, real improvements have slowed. Generally, digital cameras age faster than film-new features and better sensors mean “old” models are obsolete much faster than with film cameras. Something like the mirrorless Fujifilm X100s is still as good as its newer siblings, for most people. It’s tough, its photos look as amazing as the day it launched, and is compatible with pretty much any Nikon lens made in the last 60 years.Īnd it’s not just DSLRs. It’s a pro-level machine that is in some ways better than today’s cameras. I picked up a Nikon D700, first debuted in 2008 for around £2000 GBP (or $3,600 USD at the time), for under €300 last month (~$350 U.S.).