Wonderfully clear tonight. The stars are just beautiful.
Visually, 17P/Holmes doesn’t seem to be getting dimmer, the visual size seems to almost cancel out the lack of density. On the images though, the brightness is noticeably reduced.
At 400 ISO:
At 1600 ISO:
As I warned you, my discussion has been very Canon camera centric. I’m a fan of Canon’s products, even if I tend to think that they cost too much. In some sense you do get what you pay for, but Nikon and other brands make great equipment also.
So why the topic of Loyalty? For me it is a practical matter. When we were looking to upgrade from our Canon G2, a Canon SLR was an obvious choice. Not so much because the 20D was vastly superior to the equivalent Nikon model (they were pretty comparable), but because we already knew the Canon interface. The icons were the same, the dial placement was similar, and the nomenclature in the manual was similar.
Don’t underestimate the power of habit. Sure, anything that can be learned can be un-learned, but do you want to spend the time learning a completely new camera interface when you could be out shooting? How many priceless moments will you miss because you’re trying to remember how to turn the flash on?
For the G2 to the 20D, there were also practical considerations: they used the same digital media (CompactFlash) and the same battery (a Canon custom rechargeable). This was a major plus, because it allowed us to carry some accessories forward to the new camera. Generally, you won’t be that lucky, but it might be worth shopping around for.
If you already own an SLR, consider a model by the same manufacturer. You may be able to use the lenses you already have on a digital model. This can be a huge cost savings for the startup with a digital SLR.
On the other hand, if you’re looking at the lower end of the price range, look for a bargain. The difference in capability between a $100 Canon model and a no-name brand is probably incremental. You may not get a manual that was written in English as a first language, but then that plagues the name-brand manuals from time to time. Also consider what your friends and family have… if they have a similar model/brand to yours they will be able to provide greater assistance than if the brands are different*.
Obviously, the company won’t be paying you for your loyalty, so it’s purely a personal convenience issue.
Final article on this thread upcoming.
Date: 12/15/2006
