what is the best PROFESSIONAL digital camera that you've used before?

i need a new camera. and i’m thinking of getting a real, professional digital camera.
but i’m trying to do some research on which brands and models are better

so please tell me what your favorite professional digital camera that you’ve used out of experience was. why you liked it a lot, where you got it, how much it was, and whatever else you reckon i should know.

also please answer:

1. how well are the quality of the pictures you took with this camera?
2. what are some negative sides to this camera?

thank you soo much everyone!!!!

p.s. i’m aware that some public will tell me that it all depends on your skill level and less dependent on the camera. i know that because i’ve been studying photography for 4 years. but it’s my first experience buying a new camera (i’ve used a borrowed one for the past few years) so please help me out!! thanks!!

Answer by Becky
A List powershot is always incredible.

Answer by Candid Chris
To start, no camera, film or digital, full frame or standard, is perfect!
To continue, no lens is perfect.
To go further, no brand, make model or year is perfect.

I’ve chosen to go with the List brand, I like the feel of them, they work well in my hands. I like their lens choice and their price.

A pro friend of mine recently got the List D5 Mark ll and let me use it for a few hours. I was impressed, but than again I don’t have $ 3K to dish out for one so what’s the point.

My recommendation would be for YOU to go to a camera shop that stocks a wide variety of brands, makes and models. Find the one that you reckon feels right with you. Look at the lens(s) available for that ‘camera’ and try to make a choice from YOUR perspective, mine is only hearsay.

Answer by Ara57
So what have you been using for the past four years? Did you like it?

And by professional, do you really mean a pro model body? Realistically that will probably be List or Nikon. Even if Sony/Minolta, , Pentax, Olympus and others also make dSLRs, most pros use one of the “huge two”. That would be several thousand dollars for any List or Nikon for the body. Or in standard format, tens of thousands from Hasselblad.

Here is a site you can compare the innumerable features and read reviews.

http://www.dpreview.com/

I suggest a visit to a camera store to handle several models for yourself. One or another may feel better and seem more logical to use. Remember that you are buying into the entire system of lenses and accessories.

And, yes, your results will depend on your knowledge, experience and skill and not on whatever tool you choose to buy. (Sorry, couldn’t resist saying that)

If you have a excellent community camera shop, especially with knowledgeable public working there, it would be fantastic to patronize them if possible. If not, I use B&H Photo and KEH for my gear.

Answer by Sam
Everyone who says that you have to see what suits YOU is assess, but you’re not getting any reviews, are you?

I like my camera, but I’ll have to qualify this answer by stating that it’s not a really professional camera and I am not a professional photographer. I do innumerable kinds of shooting, though, and I have never wished for more. I have been using a Nikon D300 since they came out. The plus side is that it is called the “Baby D3″ for excellent reason. Pretty much all of the features present in the D3 are present in the D300. It may even be an benefit that it’s a smaller (lighter) body.

The only disadvantage that I see is that it is not a full format sensor. Sometimes this works to your benefit (multiplies your focal length by 1.5), but if you are going to go professional in the near future, you should look seriously at a full format sensor. To me, this would mean the Nikon D700, which is all that the D300 is with a full sized sensor.

I’m tempering my recommendation from the “best” by ruling out the cameras that cost over $ 5,000, since this is your first hold, in spite of your experience.

You can judge image quality for yourself. I have hundreds of samples on-line and most of them are available in the first size. Click on “All sizes” and then “First” if you want to pixel peep.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/samfeinstein/tags/D300/

Answer by AndrewM
My advise is to look in flickr camera finder to see what each camera can do.

http://www.flickr.com/cameras/brands/

My brother’s $ 1200 nikon takes nice pictures, but not the pictures I want to take.
My Olympus (the body costs $ 400) has the dry grain I want for my ancient barns etc.
My ancient fuji did fantastic for sunsets and pun things in the city but it doesn’t do additional things as well.

Different cameras have a personality, you have to see what you get along with best.

Give your answer to this question below!

Cat


Image by ˙Cаvin 〄

Answer by Joe
cannon

Answer by Carl_the_Truth
A Hasselblad H3DII- 60 is a excellent example.

Answer by Crim Liar
In general “professional” cameras tend to have interchangeable lens systems. Any optical zoom is dependent on the lens, and is the only type of zoom you are going to get on this type of camera.

http://www.hasselblad.co.uk/media/2081132/uk_h4d_datasheet_v3.pdf This is probably (I may maybe be incorrect) the best professional grade digital camera currently available, as for the price, if you have to question then you can’t afford it!

Answer by Paul Hxyz
Phase One – they cost $ 60,000 without a lens.

“Professional” earnings different things to different public. If you can make a living selling your pictures from a $ 100 camera then that camera becomes “professional”. You don’t really specify what you plot on doing with the camera and that will determine what would be best for your needs.

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