Are there any questions about digital cameras?

Well when on the trail... I usually only carry a wide angle zoom. 18-90 f3.5-F5.6. This usually is enough as I am generally in the F22 range anyway and even then I will prob. have a circular polarizer and though I may not have it on the lens I will prob have a graduated Netural Density Filter +2. So that would give at least a +2.5 exposure for the extra density. I usually only carry my D50 so its tons lighter than my D3 or D300. Usually I do not need a long zoom and if I do I can usually get by. Shoot low ISO, Steady hand, and max zoom, with the RAW format I can later crop fairly tight if need be.
Canon will be more features in the same price ranges but your back to using Canon lens for that perticular model. Unlike my Nikons, I can for the most part, use any lens Nikon has ever made. The old ones may not work my meter but they will take photos non the less. lol.
As far as carry, I usually just hang the camera around my neck. Depending on what kind of setup I am usuing as far as bags, waist pack ect. I usually have the top of the line in neopream neck straps and shock systems. Look at the Tamarc and LowePro and OptiTech makes a real nice set up as well. Tripods are usually the pain in the a** though. lol. But I don't mind a little extra weight in the camera department. I did not cut out weight in my pack just for nothing lol

I ended up getting the Canon Xsi. I am sure that I will get tons of enjoyment out of the camera. We are expecting a son to make his grand entry around the end of Oct. or the beginning of Nov. A nice digital camera to capture all of those moments will be worth it. :-)

Thanks for the help Eddie.

HBH

The Canon is a good choise. Glad you did get into a DSLR... lol... did any of your old lenses fit?

Yeah they fit but I was playing with the camera in the store and the IS or VR lenses are awesome for freehand photography. I think the new lenses are much higher quality optics. My old lenses were lighter but if they do not deliver the quality it does not matter. In the final decision I took the old lenses out of the equation. The clerk recommended dpreviews.com for comparison. The reviews and the side by side comparison helped quite a bit.

cool... on all points Hillbilly... I have to get started on the photograhphy guides again. Please feel free to ask as I am ever happy to help anyone wishing to learn about photography. I hope that you have taken something from the ones I have posted already. The next one coming up will be on Exposure. lol

Hey,
What is a good water proof camera that will take a beating on the trail but give me good pics?

I've been real happy with my Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 digital camcorder. It takes 6 megapixel photos and 640 x 480 full video. (I'm sure you remember that it's the one we used to record your youngest daughter's birth.)

It's waterproof up to 5 feet deep, for up to an hour. I recently used it when I did the 40-mile Womble trail, and it's been with me on parts of the Ouachita Trail, in the 106-degree Sonoran Desert in Arizona, in my swimming pool, and in the streams along the trails. (I got some cool video refilling my water bottle on my last trip, and some fish.)

I use it for video journaling when I'm out adventuring. (The viewfinder swivels around so you can see yourself when you're doing the Survivorman thing and filming yourself.)

I like that you can take photos WHILE your filming if there's an opportunity, and probably the best thing about it is, it fires up in like 2 seconds. I've seen deer running away and had time to grab my E1, turn it on, and still catch video of them before they vanished.

I have an 8GB SD card (Transcend, $20) in mine which will hold 4000 full res photos or around 5 hours of full quality video. The battery lasts an hour or a little more continuously filming, and it's very small, so carrying extras isn't a big deal.

I believe you can get one for around $250. There is a newer model that just came out (the E2) which takes 8 megapixel photos and some other fancy foo-foos, but it'll run you around $400, I think.

For me, 6 megapixel photos are like 10 times bigger than my computer monitor, so they're high quality enough for my needs.

If you're going to spend the money on a waterproof camera, you might as well give yourself the opportunity to capture video too.

And only 8.3 ounces with battery and SD card! That is an excellent camera, Jay!

LOL.......................Thanks dude!