Using an SLR on motorcycle

[doc_cj]

The last few years I've been using a small digital (Fuji 7 megapixel) that I can easily keep in my windshield bag or shirt pocket. The pictures are good for what the camera can do, but I can not get the "artsy" type shots I had expected. Really good shots of equipment (macro) and wildlife or large panoramic have small issues to deal with. So ... I've been thinking of taking some of the money from these last two articles and upgrading.

If any of you use the cameras (or similar models) for good quality "professional" type photographs then please give me some insight.

Here's what I've looked at so far ... all digital SLR and all under $1000 total cost (when possible).

1. At the high end is the Nikon D70 ($1000 range) followed closely by the Nikon D40 (w/18-55mm Lens) in the $600 range and the Nikon D40 with two lens 18-55mm & 55-200mm) for $650.

2. I've also looked recently at the Olympus Evolt E-510 DSLR Camera w/Two Digital Lens Kit (14-42mm / 40-150mm) for less than $750.

3. Another top prospect is the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi with two lens (18-55mm & Canon 75-300mm) for under $900.

Here's the main questions I am looking to answer:

1. How quick is the lens swap for a camara of these types? I just don't want to be sitting on the bike by the road when I have to switch from an 14/40 to a 75/300 lens and then miss the shot of the bear on the side of the road just up ahead.

2. How quick will these cameras shoot? Can I get some good rolling shots from the back of the bike as I go through town or near a nice spot?

3. Are these good cameras for taking still photos (the bike, cars, rows of bikes, etc.,) and still getting good panoramic and portrait work?

Other comments you'd care to share?

Thanks.

[pashnit]

Carl, shooting off the bike takes a bit of practice. If I'm going for a shot, I just shoot a couple, see how they look at the next stop and try it again if I didn't get what I wanted.



Other idea is once you try it, next time around, try something different. When I'm sweeping our tour groups, I'll sometimes make a point to go for the money shot and try and get that magazine cover shot if I know a good vista is coming up.

These where shot at speed.



These were shot with the camera hanging around my neck, and resting atop the tankbag. I set the throttle lock (Throttlemeister) and start the camera well before my upcoming vista spot. Just shot on auto, I'll glance at the flip out screen just briefly to try to compose the shot and snap away.



I have a tendency to drift a bit into the left lane so have to make sure the way is clean and I have good sightlines.

[pacmktg]

I shoot with and carry a Canon 30D on my Victory. I have never tried to shoot while rolling as this would be impossible. It takes very little time to switch lenses but I keep a 28-135 IS lens on the camera. This works for most shots. I am considering getting a small p &s to hang around my neck for on the fly shots.

Bob

[torags]

I keep the cam in my tank bag (Nikon d200). I don't shoot while riding with the dslr, I used to with my Lumix P&S lcd. I didn't get the results that Tim gets. I stop & take cam out of tank. With the viewfinder I had to get a flip face helmet.

I would suggest you explore d50, 70 or 80 (used). The 40 doesn't have some advanced functions on different lenses.

Moto touring and birding have very different requirements. Wide angle is good for touring (landscapes). I have a Nikon 18/200 (that I recommend) thats a very flexible daylight lens, but short for birding.

For birding a Tamron 200/500 would be the best biker choice. Its light, compact & reasonable. It also doesn't require a heavy duty tripod which is necessary with any long reach lens. Here's an egret I caught with the 200/500 on a d70S @ Salton Sea

[doc_cj]

That's exactly the type of feedback I was looking for. Currently I'm using a decent Casio Exilim and it very easy to use from the saddle. Problem is that the limitations on lens make some of the shots I'm looking for very hard to capture. Living in southern Utah, and especially getting to ride in the national parks or great western Rockies, I have lots of opportunities for great shots. But at 3x optical the camera just can't capture the moose, elk, or cougar across a canyon or glade.

Originally Posted by pashnit

Carl, shooting off the bike takes a bit of practice. If I'm going for a shot, I just shoot a couple, see how they look at the next stop and try it again if I didn't get what I wanted.

Those are some great shots, Tim. That's the kind of stuff I'm looking to do, and your notes on shooting at speed are perfect. With my little Casio it's convenient but the shots are sometimes limited. That's why I think an SLR might be the right choice. I can put a wider angle lens (18-40 type) on the camera for speed shots and then switch out (while stopped, of course) for a longer lens when I need it.

Originally Posted by pashnit

These were shot with the camera hanging around my neck, and resting atop the tankbag. I set the throttle lock (Throttlemeister) and start the camera well before my upcoming vista spot. Just shot on auto, I'll glance at the flip out screen just briefly to try to compose the shot and snap away.

That's also what I'm looking for. I know a lot of the SLRs allow you to take multiple shots and from what I'm reading so far you can expect from low 2 to high 3 frames per second. Most seem to need about 1/3 to 1/2 second between shots, when shooting without flash. That's probably good enough for most speed shots, and I can really see where setting it up on a tankbag or other mount might be a great way to get a series of speed shots as you come up on the spot.

Originally Posted by pacmktg

I shoot with and carry a Canon 30D on my Victory. I have never tried to shoot while rolling as this would be impossible. It takes very little time to switch lenses but I keep a 28-135 IS lens on the camera. This works for most shots. I am considering getting a small p &s to hang around my neck for on the fly shots.

The 30D seems to be a really good choice, but I'm not sure how high I want to go. Both the 30D and the Nikon D80 are certainly on the radar screen, so having some input like this will help with the decision.

How is the noise reduction on the Canon?

Originally Posted by torags

I keep the cam in my tank bag (Nikon d200). I don't shoot while riding with the dslr, I used to with my Lumix P&S lcd. I didn't get the results that Tim gets. I stop & take cam out of tank. With the viewfinder I had to get a flip face helmet.

I can see where a full face would be much harder. Thankfully I'm still using a 3/4 or 1/2 helmet. But even with that I don't bring the camera all the way up when at speed. I normally can simply grab the little Casio from my windshield bag, hold the button to turn it on (takes about 3 seconds) and then hit 1 picture at a time. It's the true "point and shot" operation.

Originally Posted by torags

For birding a Tamron 200/500 would be the best biker choice. Its light, compact & reasonable. It also doesn't require a heavy duty tripod which is necessary with any long reach lens. Here's an egret I caught with the 200/500 on a d70S @ Salton Sea

I've not done much on birding but I do enough other wild life that I think I know what you're saying. Living in southern Utah means I get to ride the national parks pretty regularly, and we've got lots of other areas where wildlife is plentiful. That's why I made the comment about the bear in my first post. I've literally been on the bike when I come around the corner to see a Utah Black bear ambling across the road. My little 3x Casio just doesn't do it justice.

Nice shot of the Egret, by the way. I haven't been to the Salton Sea in a couple years, so that may be a good destination for this summer.

Now to just figure out how much I'm willing to spend and what options I must have.

Again, thanks for the input, and I look forward to reading more.

[torags]

I love southern Utah. Here's the wave... (coyote buttes np)

[glazier2000]

Carl:
Just make sure you do your homework regarding a DSLR Camera.
Remember...you're buying into a "system" (ie: Canon or Nikon)
You will soon discover "Camera bodies come and go", but the real money is spent on
the lens. Canon seems to have the best and most lens. Invest in the professional quality L lens if you can afford them. Resale value is usually 90% of retail.

[torags]

I agree with the "system" or family; additionally - stay in one of the top families Nikon or Canon where there are the largest selection of used lenses. It's true that the lens is more important than the camera.

You have started LLS (lens lust syndrome) & it simply gets worst.

I'm in the Nikon family and find their lenses better. That said sometimes you can get good 3rd party lenses that beat OEM, but you can lose some camera function

One structural difference between Canon & Nikon regarding vibration stabilization.

Canon has it in the body (IS) & Nikon has it in the lens (VR); which results in more expensive lenses

[MountainMajesty]

if your budget allows, try to get an slr, so u have the versatility later on as $$ allows, to get additional lenses. hard to go wrong w/nikon or canon. i'm a nikon guy, btw. d40 is a decent entry level slr....which may serve u well.

[doc_cj]

It is amazing how much a fellow can learn when he really puts his mind to it.

The insight I gained here has helped a lot, so I thought I'd give you guys a little update on my search.

The first item is budget. Originally I had planned to stay under $750, but a couple good turns of fortune have allowed me to bump that to $1000. That means I'll be able to move from high level consumer to the "Prosumer" level pretty easy.

On Friday of this week a student of mine showed up with a new toy his mom gave him for Christmas. It was a Nikon D300. Being a good little university student he let his old professor play with it for awhile. I have to say that this was a very nice camera, and I could tell immediately that I was on the right track in thinking it was time to go back to SLR shooting rather than my point-n-shoot Casio.

Having the chance to do some light work with the D300 I now had a much better idea of what I might be looking for. Unfortunately the D300 is out of my price range at the moment, especially if I want more than 1 lens. It did allow me to do some experimenting with different features and has helped me better understand what will be important for me when shooting around bikes.

Between the chance to use the D300 and the research I've been doing I think I've come up with a couple good choices. Here they are ...

The Nikon D40x seemed like a great choice. I've found some good prices on packages that include the body, Nikon 28-80 (f 3.5 - 5.6) and Nikon 70-300 (f 3 - 5.6) lens, 1 Gig memory card and assorted other accessories (bag, etc.) for just over $700.

The Nikon D80 also is in the price range with a similar setup (2 lenses, bag, etc.) for a great price of $729. And if I had to stay under $750 I would probably go with the D80 package with 2 lens, but fortunately I can spend a little more.

This has lead me to the Canon EOS 40D, which was released a few months ago. The funny thing is that with several of the reviews I've read about the D300 I keep seeing the Canon 40D used for comparison purposes. This is a good sign, and in most instances the reviewers have actually hinted that the Canon is a better deal simply because it's about $500 less. So if I can't get a D300 then maybe the 40D is a good choice.

So far this spot seems to have the best prices I've found:

http://www.bestpricecameras.com

If any of you have dealt with them then please let me know. The prices are actually about 2/3 of many of the "big" spots I've shopped like Best Buy, etc.

A 40D package deal includes similar options (2 lenses, bag, memory card, etc.) to the Nikon deals I posted above. There are actually two packages that have caught my attention.

The first has the 40D body with a 18-50 (f 3.5 0 5.6) and 55-200 (f 4.5 - 5.6) lens for $779. The second deal is a 40D body with 28-105 and 75-300 lens for $819. Both packages have a 2 Gig memory card along with bag, etc.

Any comments?