[Newt]

I know that with film, the speed can dictate the quality of the image as well as give different ranges for the shutter speed and apature setting. With digital you get the varied settings but it shouldn't change the quality of the image that is processed should it? Thanks, NN

[MCaver]

What ISO you use is dependent on the camera for digital. My Olympus E10 has severe noise problems if you use the higher ISO settings, so I stay on the lowest (ISO 80). Anything else looks grainy. Newer cameras are better at handling noise, or so I hear, so they might be ok at higher ISO. I'm sure Tom knows more about this, being the technophile that he is.

[Tom]

Unless you have a DSLR with a large sensor, you're pretty much limited to very low ISOs on consumer digicams. At higher ISOs you'll get lots of "noise" (analagous to grain in film cameras). Canon rounds down the ISO setting, so the G3's ISO 50 is equivalent to ISO 80-100 on other digicams, ISO 100 is equivalent to ISO 160-200, and so on. Beyond ISO 200 on the G3 (ISO 320-400 on other digicams) you won't get usable images - you'll need to a large sensor DSLR like the Canon 10D which gets you silky smooth noise free images up to ISO 800! When shooting outdoors you should use the lowest possible ISO setting (unless you are shooting action, in which case a consumer digicam probably isn't going to cut it). FWIW, I always shoot at ISO 50 on my G2 (unless I'm shooting in really low light where I might go up to ISO 100 to minimize blur on a handheld shot). Beyond that, the additional noise just isn't worth the tradeoff.

[Larry]

Tom: My NEW fantasy...has now switched, from the D60 to the 10D. What a GREAT price point Canon put on that one! I hear it will break below $1000 by January! Wow. I don't have a Canon lens to fit...so which lens would you start with? I'm thinking of going just with the "standard" 50mm equivalent. I've found that, with my film camera (AE-1) I use that darn 50mm more than any others. Seems like that focal length has become the "lost focal length", but it's really quite versatile. I've seen the enlarged ISO800 and even the ISO1600 images...phenomenal lack of noise. The 1600 setting shows noise, for sure...but it compares to 400ASA on a film camera.

[Tom]

*** DISCLAIMER *** If you don't want to read about expensive digital cameras, skip this post. Larry, getting a little off topic here but... 1) I don't expect the 10D to drop below $1000 any time soon. January is a full hiking season away so you need to factor opportunity cost into the equation. At $1500 nobody can seem to keep the 10D in stock right now. When the feeding frenzy dies down in another month or two I think you'll be able to snag one for around $1350. 2) As far as lenses, I'd get a Canon 28-135 IS. It's image stabilized, relatively inexpensive at around $400, lightweight, and image quality is reported to be excellent. Keep in mind the 10D has a crop factor of 1.6, so the 28mm is really a 45mm equivalent FOV. 3) At the dpreview.com Canon DSLR forum, almost everyone agrees the "no brainer" portrait lens for the 10D is the $80 Canon 50mm F1.8. It's only 5oz, costs nothing, and is extremely sharp. Unfortunately, the 10D's 1.6 crop factor makes it a 80mm FOV so it's probably not wide enough for hiking.

[Newt]

Noise, ok. Thanks So much to learn, so little time Tom... How do you like your 10D? The weight slowin' you down? hehe NN

[Tom]

No, unfortunately the 10D order didn't pan out. The merchant made a mistake on the price of the lens (raised it by $300) so I cancelled the entire order. In hindsight I should have just cancelled the lens order since I was still getting a great deal on the camera, but I was too to think clearly.

[Newt]

Too bad. But just think: you still have the flip out screen and still lighter in weight. Inna couple of years I'll be thinkin of upgrading to a digital slr. Need to figure out and wear out the G3 first. Also, thank you and all the others for all the help you've been with the camera talk. nwhikers.net really has it all. NN

[Alan Bauer]

Quick note that I strongly believe that you don't need to think the ways of "need to wear out the G3 first". I shoot NIkon DSLR and my old Nikon Coolpix 5000 goes right along with me as it is a WONDERFUL macro tool for photos of the little things in life which simply put are much more work to get the same image via SLR/DSLR methods. The G3 would serve you equally the same for the Canon shooters and don't feel it'll just be replaced, IMHO!

[Newt]

With decent care I'm not sure I'll wear it out. Was just a figure of speach. I have 2 digitals and far too many slrs. Usually I take the G3 and one slr for the other things. Ends up most of my pack weight is from cameras and food. I figure in a couple of years I'll be ready finance and skill wise to jump up. The interchangable lens deal is great. NN