I have a 35mm SLR which I really love. However, it has the weakness of using film, which is very unfashionable these days, and expensive, and limiting. So I'm considering biting the bullet and buying a digital SLR. However, that will be expensive on the capex front. Is the connection on dSLRs the same as for 35mm, ie I can use my current lens on my new camera. This would reduce the cost and be cool because I love my lens. They're comprehensive too providing continuous coverage from 18mm to 320mm.

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It depends on the camera. Period. Older Canon lenses won't fit on their SLRs. I think the FD lenses for example need an adapter but everything newer does fit right on. I'm not up to speed on the Nikons but I think that is a similar situation. Leica lenses all fit their respective mounts (R or M). And Leica lenses can be adapted to Canon mount but not Nikon mount.

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"Because space is a vacuum and that's a lot of suck." I replied.
(Actual quote)---

This might help you just scroll down to Big lenses, small sensor lenses this entire page gives you a lot of info ! :0

chrissy

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My old canon lens fits on my DSLR, but my new lens doesn't fit on my old film camera. Though they may sell an adapter or ring.

Beware: the CCDs in cameras are much smaller than 35mm, so the lens from your 35mm will not act the same. I bought the same brand so I could use my 28-200 lens, but it acts like a 45-320 or something lens, so I don't use it much and think I might sell it, thus selling the reason I chose my camera...

CCD size - not entirely true. There are many full-frame cameras out there now and have been for some time. They aren't in the general user range price wise but they are certainly attainable.

What you refer to is crop factor - sometimes mis-called multiplication factor. 1.3 and 1.6 are the most common. But you are right - with a non-full-frame your 50 would act like a 70 for example and so on.

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---"Why do things have to suck so bad?" a friend once asked me.
"Because space is a vacuum and that's a lot of suck." I replied.
(Actual quote)---

Depends. What's your film camera and what's the digital camera you're going to get? A lot of brands switched lens mounts when they converted to autofocus or digital, but some kept the same mount.

You might also want to check this out if you're planning on getting a Canon DSLR, and your old camera is a different brand.

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If your old camera is a Canon with an EF lens, the lens will transfer right over to a digital EOS with no problem. Be aware that if you end up buying an EOS with an EFS-series lens, you cannot later use the EFS lens on a full-sensor (full 35mm equivalent) camera should you upgrade to one later, because the back element of the EFS lenses extend too far into the light-box and would be hit by the mirror. The full-sensor models are EF mount only.

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The ether of general relativity therefore differs from that of classical mechanics or the special theory of relativity respectively, in so far as it is not 'absolute', but is determined in its locally variable properties by ponderable matter.

Albert Einstein, "On the Ether", 1924

From an optics perspective, it is better to buy new lenses that are designed to work with the CCD equipped digital SLR. The nature of the CCD chip requires a steeper light cone compared to film lenses.

I have never heard such a thing. The high-end EF lenses that are optimized to provide full 35mm frame coverage with Canon's pro cameras perform wonderfully with the EOS line. If you doubt that, you can visit wildlife photography forums and see how many skilled photographers are using the 100-400 EF with IS on the EOS 20,30, and 40D's. The results are only limited by the skill of the photographer.

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The ether of general relativity therefore differs from that of classical mechanics or the special theory of relativity respectively, in so far as it is not 'absolute', but is determined in its locally variable properties by ponderable matter.

Albert Einstein, "On the Ether", 1924