DSLR is the way to go...or is it?
 

I've had a Nikon D70 for several years and it's a great camera. A few days ago I got a Canon G9 to replace the S1 IS. After many test shots with both the G9 and D70 under the same conditions I think it's safe to say an artist could easily get by with just the G9.

The attached images show an example. The first shot is with the G9 right out of the camera, no post processing. The second is the D70 right out of the camera, too. If you download them and zoom in you see lots of noise in the G9 image, the color is off and it looks over sharpened by the software in the camera. The D70 is definitely better.

Now look at the last image. That's the G9 after post processing. I softened it, adjusted the brightness and contrast, the color and lightened the shadow areas. Took a few minutes in Paintshop Pro. Amazingly close to the D70! Zoom in and you'll see the noise is gone and gradations are smoother.

Thought you'd want to know. This is an extreme crop by the way.

The point is...
 

...the G9 is much smaller and less expensive.

Very nice job. What is the difference in cost?

I have friends that are professional photographers in High Point, NC. They do a good amount of furniture photography. I was with them in a showroom while they were shooting and was impressed with their camera, a Fugi. I don't know the particulars but it comes with software that allows you to plug the camera into your laptop and set the cameras exposure, f-stop, etc. and you can fire the camera from your desktop too. The image comes onto your screen filling the desktop. The only negative I saw was the red was a little oversaturated, easily fixed in post production. The older models sell for a couple of hundred dollars. body only. Lenses are extra, naturally but it does fit the Nikon lenses.

Thought you might be interested.

Cost
 

Thanks John! Looks like the D70 with a 18-70 zoom is around $1000 now. The G9 is half that. A D40 kit is about the same, $550. Can't put a DSLR in your pocket.

Edit: Took a while to find it. This would be very cool indeed. It's called "tethered shooting".


CAMERA SHOOTING SOFTWARE:

Allow you to connect the camera to your computers IEEE1394 (firewire) interface and do the following:

Set the camera's photography settings and take pictures from the computer.
Select the desired image size and file format, and save photographed images as files.
Check photographed images in a window on your computer before saving them as files.
Use your computer's hard disk as a storage media for the camera.
Supported Cameras: S2Pro, S20Pro, S3Pro.
http://www.fujifilm.ca/x5359.xml

S5Pro is the latest at ~$1700

S2Pro on Ebay for $750 buy it now price

Software explained here, scroll down half way:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/FujiS2Pro/page13.asp

Thanks, Bob,

My friends buy their cameras from ebay and they spent a lot less than what you found. I assume you can find about anything at any price if you are patient.

Is the D40 similar to the D70?
 

Hello Bob,

You mentioned the D40... is it as good as the D70. Would you know the difference, in quality terms between those two?

Karine

D40 vs. D70
 

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40...mendations.htm

You can find a comparison here.