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Liesje

Liesje

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Canon or Nikon? Any recommended models for entry-level (but want to be able to use it for a long time and get better)?

I've been using a Nikon D40 with a few Nikkor lenses for the past few weeks and I don't think I can go back to my own Panasonic. The picture quality is not so much different, but I noticed a huge difference being able to shoot really fast with the DSLR. I think I have that option on the Panasonic, but it's just much more natural and better on the DSLR. I do shoot a lot of dogs in action and dog shows so I can see the value in this. Also, I used the D40 for over a week before I needed to recharge the battery *drools*.
 
You probably can't go wrong the the Nikon D80, D200, or D300. The same applies for Canon's Rebel xsi and 40d (with a 50d coming out soon). I usually take memory cards into Best Buy and shoot with various settings and compare the images at home.

Live View is a nice feature found on some models.
 
I'm talking with this guy at work who just upgraded and he's recommending the Nikon D80. He said he got one on eBay about a month ago with a good lens and some other accessories, just over a thousand shutter clicks (or whatever it's called) for under $800 and he is thrilled with it so far, already shooting entirely manual (this is his first DSLR as well).
 
A friend of mine has a Canon EOS 5D and it's by far the best of the DSLRs I have ever used. IMO, worth the extra money.
 
anitram said:
A friend of mine has a Canon EOS 5D and it's by far the best of the DSLRs I have ever used. IMO, worth the extra money.
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The 5D is amazing, but it's been out for three years now and it's starting to show its age. It's one of two or three full-frame sensor models in the Canon line, and I agree that it's worth the extra money. The other models I mentioned have a 1.6x sensor crop factor. The Canon fan sites have been eagerly awaiting some leaked specs of the 5D replacement, but no reliable info has come out yet. The 5D replacement will likely be introduced at the Photokina show in Cologne next month, and I will probably get one (with the kit lens) a few weeks after that.
 
^

Good to know! I'm looking to get a DSLR, but I don't have the $ for it right now as I'm going to Mexico for a wedding this winter and then either Australia/Fiji or China/Vietnam in the summer for a month. So I need to save for that first, but if a new 5D is coming out, that's so tempting.
 
ntalwar said:
The 5D is amazing, but it's been out for three years now and it's starting to show its age. It's one of two or three full-frame sensor models in the Canon line, and I agree that it's worth the extra money. The other models I mentioned have a 1.6x sensor crop factor. The Canon fan sites have been eagerly awaiting some leaked specs of the 5D replacement, but no reliable info has come out yet. The 5D replacement will likely be introduced at the Photokina show in Cologne next month, and I will probably get one (with the kit lens) a few weeks after that.
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Oooo yeah that's outta my price range by about double! Maybe the company I'm working for will get one I can use.
 
anitram said:
^

Good to know! I'm looking to get a DSLR, but I don't have the $ for it right now as I'm going to Mexico for a wedding this winter and then either Australia/Fiji or China/Vietnam in the summer for a month. So I need to save for that first, but if a new 5D is coming out, that's so tempting.
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Nikon just came out with the full-frame D700 (to rave reviews). It's Nikon's answer answer to the Canon 5D, plus it has the latest features. High-end lenses (such as the Canon "L" line) are recommended for high-end DSLRs, and can cost 2-3 times as much as standard lenses. The lenses are frequent targets of thieves in some countries - I've read some stories of photographers getting their lenses popped off the DSLR by teams of thieves. So extra vigilance is required while traveling.
 
Liesje said:
I'm talking with this guy at work who just upgraded and he's recommending the Nikon D80.
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The Nikon D80 is a couple of years old. Supposedly the announcement of the Nikon D90 (its replacement) will occur soon - possibly Wednesday.

The D90 specs are (from a Nikon site):

Video recording
12,3 Mpx.
ISO 200-3.200 plus Lo1 (100) and Hi 1 (6.400)
3" 900.000 dots LCD
11 AF points
Live-View, AF contrast, Face detection
Matrix sensor for metering 420 pixels RGB
Powerful speaker (for video in review mode)
 
If I get a new one it won't be for a month or so, so that could be it, although I'd probably be happy with a lightly used D80 if it's saving me hundreds of dollars. The things I liked about using the D40 for the past few weeks compared to my current camera have more to do with it being a DSLR in general and not all the little gimmicks relative to the exact model, but I'd rather start at the D80 or better if the price difference is not all that great. The Canon 5D looks nice but at that price there's no way. It would take me almost a year to save considering I'm getting a puppy in October and have a few trips already committed to, and I can't go camera-less for a year!

I'm not picky on megapixel as long as it's 10 or so. Video doesn't really matter either b/c I use a different camera for that or my friend's video camcorder.

Is there really anything to consider besides Canon or Nikon? Is it worth me using a Canon XSi or XTi for a few weeks for comparison?
 
Liesje said:
I'm not picky on megapixel as long as it's 10 or so. Video doesn't really matter either b/c I use a different camera for that or my friend's video camcorder.
Click to expand...

There are probably other (subjective) differences as well between the D80 and D90 - e.g. image quality, low light performance, etc. Upcoming reviews should list all the differences besides the obvious ones.


Liesje said:
Is there really anything to consider besides Canon or Nikon? Is it worth me using a Canon XSi or XTi for a few weeks for comparison?
Click to expand...

Most pros use Canon or Nikon, so I would stick with those. You have to look at the lens lineup of other brands to compare - Canon and Nikon have the best lens variety. popphoto.com reviews various brands and models. The xsi is a lot better than the xti from what I've read. Try to take some test shots before buying.
 
ntalwar said:
Nikon just came out with the full-frame D700 (to rave reviews). It's Nikon's answer answer to the Canon 5D, plus it has the latest features. High-end lenses (such as the Canon "L" line) are recommended for high-end DSLRs, and can cost 2-3 times as much as standard lenses. The lenses are frequent targets of thieves in some countries - I've read some stories of photographers getting their lenses popped off the DSLR by teams of thieves. So extra vigilance is required while traveling.
Click to expand...

I've only briefly used a Nikon which my uncle owns. He's taken all of his African wilderness photos on it and they look great. I'm not sure why but the Nikon photos look a little bit sharper to me than the Canon, not sure if I'm crazy or what. Anyway, I've always owned Canons, whether they be SLRs or point and shoots and I'd prefer to stick with a Canon. I've had no problems with them, I'm familiar with the settings and although I have no doubt that the Nikon is just as good, it's a matter of personal preference and stubborness for me.
 
anitram said:
Anyway, I've always owned Canons, whether they be SLRs or point and shoots and I'd prefer to stick with a Canon. I've had no problems with them, I'm familiar with the settings and although I have no doubt that the Nikon is just as good, it's a matter of personal preference and stubborness for me.
Click to expand...

Same here - I own a few Canon lenses and don't want to go through the hassle of switching brands. Nikon has steadily been gaining market share on Canon (which still leads) in the pro market however. Some Nikon sites noted that almost as many black lenses (Nikon) as white lenses (Canon) were being used at many Olympic venues by pro sports photographers. A few years ago (e.g. the last Olympics), it was almost all white lenses.
 
I own the Canon Digital Rebel XT and I love it, BestBuy is selling it for less than 500 now and is a 8mp camera.
 
It depends on your budget. The D80 although about to be replace is still a fantastic camera, as will the D90. You can get lightly used D200 at reasonable prices at the mo and it’s a stunning camera. Semi-pro. D300, too advanced for a beginner which I presume you are.

I’m not a big fan of Canon as they don’t generally innovate. But no thought the produce popular cameras, not always the best but they are popular.

Now, I’m going to recommend Sony, I’ve been using Minolta and Sony A100 and A700. Check out my website at: Antrim Photography: Antrim Photography
Sony also make a A200, A300 and A350 which are aimed at the beginner.
 
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I told you all that I have a Canon Digital Rebel XT. Well a good friend of ours for the last 20+ years has been getting into photography the last few years. I have helped her out, and she loves my book. Now she has a NikonD80 and a Nikon D200. Well she told me today she will be giving me her Nikon D200 as a gift. She loves the D80 cause it's much simpler for her. She says I deserve the D200 which she only used once. I can't believe she is giving me her 1000 dollar camera and Lense and accessories at no charge!!!!!!!:hyper::hyper::hyper:
 
Sweet, Justin!

I'm going to be replacing my 20D sometime this year. Love the camera, but digital has progressed so much in the last few years that there's much better out there. I'm almost sold on the new Canon 50D, but then I'd love to move up to a full-frame camera, and Canon is rumored to be releasing their 5D mkII sometime soon. Don't know if I can afford that one, though, as unless they change their pricing strategy it's going to debut around $2.5k.
 
Diemen said:
Canon is rumored to be releasing their 5D mkII sometime soon. Don't know if I can afford that one, though, as unless they change their pricing strategy it's going to debut around $2.5k.
Click to expand...

Supposedly the release is at Photokina in 3 weeks - and maybe two replacement models for the 5D. Some rumor sites are hinting at up to 21MP and a new CMOS low voltage (and super low noise at high ISO) sensor.
 
I've the d40x and am pretty happy with it as an amatuer - I wish it had bracketing but I can get around that. Checkout your local Costco for deals - I hear some stores sell a kit with two lenses, DVD's, case, etc. for a good price.

If you plan on using Photoshop, you'll need CS3 with the latest patch to read Nikon's RAW files.
 
As a professional photographer I highly recommend the 5D, I own two bodies, and it's definitely worth the price, rumor has it that the 5DII or whatever it's called will be announced next month so the price from the original will drop, the main reasons of why this camera is worth it; it's full frame, the ISO is great even at 800 or 1000 it will give you great results, and at 12 MP the resolution is amazing.

I would recommend buying it new, the mirror from the shutter of one of my cameras came off, (after year and a half of abuse) send it two times to fix it and it would still come off, so I send it to Canon and they fix it at no charge even though the 1 year warranty had passed.


If you still think the price is to high, the 50D has just been anounced and it will be released sometime in Sept, from what I've read of the specs it's an outstanding camera
 
Liesje if you are going to be shooting a lot of action shots from your dogs, I'd would recommend the 50D at 6 frames per sec you can't go wrong, and the ISO should be really good at high settings. The 5D isn't exactly made for action shots at 3 frames per sec
 
I have a Nikon D50 and absolutely love it. The picture quality is fantastic, and it snaps pictures very quickly, which is very important for me.

The D40 replaced it as the entry-level model, I believe.
 
I'm still looking at the D80 or D90. I don't know if I need more than that, and really can't afford it. They are both a huge step up from what I have been using. I don't need something that snap a gazillion pics a second, as when I'm doing dog shows you have to know when to snap the pic (when the dog is gaiting at full reach, when the handler has him set up correctly, etc, so it's not always continuous shooting). I just want to make sure it is the best brand. What is the Canon equiv to the D80?
 
Weel the D90 is the first to have video mode, so no equivalent from Canon..., I think thats a good camera for what you need
 
So it's more of a brand loyalty or already-have-the-lenses thing? I had Canons before and loved those, but they were not SLRs. Video is not that important to me.
 
At this point in dSLR evolution, the choice between the two is really an individual one, which does often come down to brand loyalty or the lenses you already have. I'd definitely suggest going to a store and handling a few cameras. I prefer the way Canon's feel in my hand and the button layout, but then I've been using them forever. Some feel the same way about Nikon. Either make will give you great image quality and great features for the price. It really comes down to which one feels better in use to you.
 
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