Hey guys, I am loking for a digital camera like a Rebel SLR that has great optical zoom capability. I am looking for 12X plus in optical zoom. Anyone here have an SLR that is 7mp+ that they can provide some advice? What are your experiences with these cameras and the quality? Thanks in advance.
SLR’s dont have a Opitcal zoom , its up the lence they have on them.
yeah my buddys a professional and he has the cannon rebel SLR with a whole bunch of lenses, ill ask him tommorow and get all the info you need.
Yes, but the lenses are interchangable.
I want something that will take hi-quality pics, I can zoom in to take long distance pics and good resolutions.
If you go Canon or Nikon you will be OK.
Check out www.dpreview.com
Has more to do with the photog than the camera.
Great site!!! Thanks bunch
you don’t really need 7+mp, and the zoom isn’t measured in 5x, 12x… they are in MM… you can get a decent 70mm-300mm lens that do what you want it to.
Nikon D50 is a great first dslr.
how many MM would equate to 12x optical zoom? Is it MM / total mm of lens?
higher the MM, greater the zoom.
70-300mm lens
18-55mm lens
sorry about the ugly watermark, someone was trying to take credit for my pics lol.
you are going to spend a LOT of money on a good zoom lens. A SLR will require a lens appropriate for whatever you are shooting and they are very expensive.
You can get some fairly impressive point and shoots w/ some pretty damn good zoom these days. If you aren’t going to get in to the photography, it’s really a waste to drop a ton of the camera. Most photographers can take better pictures w/ a 2MP point and shoot than some guy with his shiney new 8MP DSLR.
And just for reference, DSLRs do “optical zoom”, that’s the only kind they usually do. (Oldschool SLRs only do “optical zoom”) A point and shoot will list an equivalent lens in it’s specs for you to compare with.
Nikon D50 
like MPD said, the cam doesn’t matter… it is the person. I have seen pics taken with a 2mp cam that are better than any that I have taken so far.
someone else took those pics, but those were done with a 2mp cam.
big zoom isn’t always needed either. check this pic out done with a 12mm lens.
Mumbles from a subaru forum took this (harbor near where I live):
what I am trying to say is that you have to learn the cam first and decide which is easiest for you to use(also which lens you are going to need).
Hey Marcus,
Check out my pics www.sonikphoto.com Most of those were taken with a Canon Rebel XT with various lenses. The XT is a great camera.
Don’t expect to shoot amazing pictures on the first day that you get the camera. It takes practice, time, and money. Why money? Because lenses are expensive!
Lenses i used to take the pics in the gallery…
18-55mm Canon (came with the camera)
35-350mm Canon L (highly recommended)
50mm F1.8 Canon (a must have)
70-300mm Sigma (cheaper zoon alternative, very good tho!)
50-500mm Sigma (don’t like it that much, good zoon for cheap)
100mm Canon Macro lens (a must have)
If you have the money to spend, buy a Canon camera, with Canon USM, or L series lenses.
Here are some of my pics…look at the site, there are much much more!!
go to www.dpreview.com to read reviews about the cameras…
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/canon to see what each lens and camera is capable off…scroll down to the desire lens, then look at the pics that were taken with that specific lens.
Your best bet to buy a camera is at a local Best Buy Store. Get it there, buy the 4 year warranty ($100). If you camera breaks, you go there you complain and get a new one, no questions asked, or they repair it if its minor problem.
If you have more questions, let me know. Or if you want to meet up or something you can take a look at my camera and lenses and see for yourself.
OR if you want a point and shoot…
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE CANON POWERSHOT PRO1!!!
These pics below were taken with the Rebel XT
taken with the Canon L 350mm
Taken with the 100mm Canon Macro Lens
taken with the Canon L 350mm
Taken with the 18-55 mm lens that comes with the camera…
Check out these pics from Auto Cross event. All pics were taken with the Rebel XT using the 35-350mm Lens.
http://www.sonikempire.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=111
Good luck.
I shoot with a nikon d50 with 70-300 lens, its a great setup, its 6.1mp but the detail is alot better than any 8mp point and shoot, the sensor size is much bigger on a DSLR which will give you more detail and sharpness than a smaller one in a point and shoot