thnx for ur suggestion will think on it.

While you are pondering whether to go for the kill(DSLR!!!) can you write down why you are considering a DSLR??

That's a good question kkrk. I was also wondering in this age of digital photography revolution why is everyone after DSLR?
For your information I am a long time user of Nikon SLR cameras from old time film to latest digital SLR. I also have many different lenses. I don't do photography as a profession but only hobby.
I'll like to add that there are many new digital cameras that are if not better then atleast equal to DSLR. For example there are 4/3 and micro 4/3 cameras from Olympus and Panasonic that has interchangeable lens. Also Sony has come out with NEX5 that has large sensor equal to DSLR. Also, there are other small sensor but good quality cameras like Panasonic LX5, Canon S95 and also Samsung TL500. They have all the controls like SLR and are very small in size.
If you are really going to buy many lenses and want an interchangeable lens camera like DSLR then you can also think of Panasonic GH2 and GF2.
I have LX3 and also GF2 and believe me I use this camera more than my DSLR because of their size. The picture quality is good, the size is small, you get HD video and also cost less.
Henry

I was also in a similar thought process some time ago(June 2009 to be precise!!). I had a prosumer camera - Fuji S5100 and a smaller Canon P&S - A610. Both these cameras give total control almost that as the DSLR. Infact with the Fuji S5100, I could shoot RAW pics as well and with the Canon A610, with a small hack, I could shoot RAW pics and shutter speeds in the range of 1/20,000 sec!!!

All through my photography(??) experience, I have learned a quite a bit of technical jargon like exposure, focal length, crop factor, blah blah blah..... but didn't spend any time on Composition!!!. Just started with composition and big thanks to you for your wonderful post:
So finally putting some time into Composition using a recently acquired Pentax Optio S50 (a used one bought on ebay for $15 including shipping ). I was so fed-up with my earlier spray & pray mode, now I use only the in-built 11MB memory which is good for around 70 pics at 640x480 resolution at good quality (the cam has normal, good and fine options). Thats around 2 rolls of 135 film!!


I am aware of that sir!!


Well, I was about suggest the same and hence asked the OP about his reason for a DSLR!!


A GF2 apart from a DSLR!!!


BTW, I also shoot film. But these days I am not in my home town, where all my film cameras are!! These are the film cameras I have:

1. Canon Canonet QL19 with a working meter. Bought in June 2009 for $25. Shot quite a bit of film with this one, loved almost every frame!! Even with a cheap b&w 35/- roll gives good pics!! Its with this camera and pics shot on Ilford 400 film and the review by a senior gentleman, I realised the importance of Composition.

2. Yashica Lynx 14. (Recent acquisition, didnt get a chance to try this one yet!! )

3. Olympus Pen EE3. (bought it as a back-up camera when on outdoor trips - no battery required!!)

4. Olympus Trip 35. (bought it as it was bundled along with the EE-3, both together for 1,000/-)


PS: I am a big sucker of RF cameras!! The focusing is fantastic with the knob. I enjoy even with out the film inside!!

Although i don't much care about shooting pictures in RAW, the highlighted shutter speed just blew me away...! Man, i can't find it in my DSLR more than 4000th of a sec!

You can also do it .... but you need a certain Canon DSLR. I guess yours is a Nikon. Correct me if I am wrong!!!
BTW, I didnt give the actual figures. Here are the actual figures:

Shutter speed in Tv mode:
64" for slowest shutter speed as against 15".
1/30,000 @f8 to f11 for the fastest as against 1/2500 @ f2.8!!

Flash sync:
1/6000. I think the factory setting is 1/250(i am not sure!!)

Iso:
30 to 600 against 50 to 400

Raw file at 2616 x 1960 while the factory setting is JPG 2592 x 1944 - just a marginal change!!

Remote triggering:
can be achieved via USB while the factory setting..... what is that??

[QUOTE=kkrk2;576381]You can also do it .... but you need a certain Canon DSLR. I guess yours is a Nikon. Correct me if I am wrong!!!
Yes, mine is a Nikon D5000

Shutter speed in Tv mode:
I think it's BULB mode that ur referring to;
30" is the highest!
1/4000 @f8 to f11

Flash sync:
I'm not sure here too!

Iso:
Low 1 Iso equivalent to 100 or less to 3400 if i'm right

Raw file at 2616 x 1960 while the factory setting is JPG 2592 x 1944 - just a marginal change!!

Doesn't matter

Remote triggering:
Yes, also with Nikon ML-L3 Infra-red one.

My comments in Blue!!

Arun,
The fast shutter speed is actually not the opening and closing of the mechanical shutter, rather its electronic shutter. In electronic shutter the sensor's current is shut on & off. This way you achieve shutter speed of 1/50,000.
kkrk,
The Nikon D40 and the previous D70 actually had 1/250 mechanical shutter. The 1/500 was electronic shutter. Electronic shutter is not much desirable because you get blooming in the picture and also some other drawback.
Henry

kkrk,
Let me know if you need some links to learn Picture Composition.
Henry

[QUOTE=dual disc 200;576383]Hi Arun,
I can explain what flash sync is. Give some time.
Henry

Hi kkrk,
Where are you based? I still love to shoot films but stopped because here in Abu Dhabi there is no one to process slide film. I still have about 30 rolls of slide and 20 rolls of negative in my freezer. I usually shoot star trails with film where you need to keep the shutter open from 1 to 6 hours. Here the digital is useless. I know you can merge multiple shots into one. That I don't like.
Is there any body that process slides in India?
Henry
Henry

Flash Sync?
To understand the flash sync you first have to understand the working of a shutter in an SLR camera.

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The shutter is made of 2 curtains and moves vertically. I am explaining the shutter movement horizontally to understand easily.

1. Lets say you are looking from the sensors point of view. The shutter is right in front of you and blocking the scene that comes from the lens.
2. When you click the shutter button the first curtain starts moving from left to right.
3. Shutter is completely open.
4. The second curtain starts closing.
5. Shutter is closed and the exposer finished.

At a certain fast shutter speed (Sync Speed) the second curtain starts moving in before the first curtain is completely out. This results in a slit through which the pictures is exposed. Faster the shutter speed smaller the slit. When this happens the flash cannot be fired because the flash light which is way faster than 1/10,000 to 1/60,000 second will expose a slit of the picture. So in short, the flash will only fire when both the curtains are open even though for fractions of second.
This shutter speed when both the curtains are open is called Sync speed. Sync speed can be different for different cameras. Example 1/250, 1/200, 1/160 so on. The flash can be fired at any shutter speed slower than the Sync speed. Here is where the Front, Rear curtain and Slow sync in flash comes to play.
I hope it is made clear.
Henry