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Hello folks, I guess no one has posted yet to this section of RAILforum. I am planning to get a new digital camera for my rail shooting. You are probably wondering what took me so long. Frankly speaking I like the 35mm cameras. But the only problem that I have is getting them in digital format. I have to take them to photo development center. Digital is way to go since I am planning to put up a website soon. What Camera Should I Buy? I want to know what cameras are other railfans currently using for their rail photography.
Thanks in advance. LocoFan.
CPBake Member # 2965
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LocoFan, I have been taking photos all my life with 35mm cameras and a couple years ago I acquired an HP 2 megapixel digital camera. I used it for a while and it took pretty good photos but it really taught me what features I needed for rail photography. Last year I purchased a Canon A-80 and love it. The ability to set the shutter speed is a necessity in moving rail photography but it has a ton of other features too. 4 megapixel with a 3x optical zoom, shutter priority mode, aperture priority mode, full auto, full manuel, panoramic scene ability, and more. Plus the movable LCD display is helpful for shots in awkward positions and when you want to protect the display.
Also the size of it is a good balance between the tiny cameras with small zoom lenses and the larger ones that weigh down your neck and are a pain to carry around. Hope that helps.
Mr. Toy Member # 311
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I was a 25 year 35mm SLR veteran when I acquired a Canon S50 digital camera a little over a year ago. Despite its lens limitations it rapidly became my primary camera due to 1. Small size I can carry in a pocket or belt case everywhere. 2. Very high resolution that makes exceptionally sharp 16x20 prints. 3. Lots of great features, like manual focus, manual settings, flash power adjustment, etc.
However, with shooting moving trains I have not had as much success with it as with other subjects. The problem is shutter lag. Sometimes I get what I want, but I can show you several shots where I set up a nice composition only to have the nose of the locomotive creep out of the frame before the shutter finally snapped. The best work around for this is to set the camera to multi-burst mode and shoot multiple frames, but it doesn't guarantee the composition you want. I expect with some practice, I can do better, but I haven't had much chance to go "train hunting" in awhile.
I've got some examples of successful shots with this camera here http://hometown.aol.com/jamesbtoy/trains.htm The top row of thumbnails lead to images shot on film. The bottom two rows were digital. (Note, the arrangement may change as I add more images to the site).
------------------ Sing to the tune of Humoresque: Passengers will please refrain, From flushing toilets while the train, Is standing in the station, I love you.
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