digital replacement for Canon A1?

Having stuffed my back over xmas i am now amusing myself as best as I can; a pipedream here, to be slotted in between buying a decent pair of floorstanders/car tax end of Jan etc.....

we have just sold on my DAds old canon A1 film SLR.

I used it when my Dad first went digital, I then bought a Nikon 5700. This is a really good camera but for the following points

1) it clearly has issues with low light conds....the auto focus won't lock....and the manual over ride is hopeless.

2) I'm not keen on the electronic view finder; again after the canon this was a nasty shock.

3) although the swing out view finder is very useful, the 1.5 inch screen (screen as distinct from the viewfinder) is too small. My brothers 8700...1.75 inch screen is much better.

Iwas looking breifly at the nikon D40....I gther this doesn't have depth of field preview.

So, my question is, whats about the size of my Nikon, has the lens/build quality/view finder/low light abilitiies of the A1?



cheers,


David

 

After an SLR, nothing has a proper viewfinder, and the rise of EVFs and other evil things like that makes things worse...

I'd say the D40 and Canon EOS 400D are the only sensible choices. Other people are playing in the DSLR market, but none have the total system available that canon and nikon do.

 

thanks...

 

If you can't stretch to a D50 or D70s, a used D70 would still make a great 'workhorse' DSLR?

I assume there would be some out there since the D80 came on the scene.

 

Indeed, used D70 or Canon 350D, D60, 10D, etc are all good choices too.

 

Agreed, but they are hardly compact cameras...

 

worth considering though if to back up the 5700

anyone know if the D50/D70 etc have depth of field preview?

 

Pretty sure the D50 doesn't.
Not sure about the D70.
D80 does.

 

D80 does huh....

interesting

 

The D70 and 70s have depth of field preview and as MO has mentioned the D50 doesn't.

 

thankyou...

 

Pentax K100D is a nice compact DSLR, well worth considering alongside the Nikon and Canon options. You really ought to have a play with a few different models to find out which one you are most comfortable using.

Stuart.

 

Personally I wouldn't let DOF preview be the deciding factor in purchasing a camera.

View finder and speed would be more important. Also is the A1 an SLR, if so can the lens/es be used on a new canon?

 

true...

I use to find it useful though. the fact that you can't easily see what you doing with the nikon, esp in a hurry, is a nuisance.



the whoile lots gone in one job. I think there are issues with focus when mixing digi/film SLRs? We kept life simple for the moment

 

thanks.....

yes, agreed.

 

Canon 10D has depth of field preview - I have one.

 

How true...

I just bought a Canon IXUS 60 to stop all the sledging I was getting ever time I pulled out the D70 at weddings, parties, etc.

 

I wouldn't worry about the sledging; its the hassle of carrying a bulky camera on trecks etc that might be off putting to me.

 

Also, when you pull out the big DSLR and the resulting pictures are a bit crap (like a lot of mine are)....it's all a bit embarrassing.

 

Have you not found the delete button yet?