11-19-2007, 03:39 PM

I am looking at new DSLR cameras. I have it narrowed down to either a Canon Rebel XT and Nikon D40X. I have found what seems to be a decent deal for each of them. The Canon comes with 18-55mm and 70-300mm lenses and Nikon comes with 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses and both have a case and extra battery. The canon is $100 cheaper I know I could go to the XTi but that puts the price lopsided the other way.
What seems to be the better package? My photography will be a wide range from close-ups on my wood turnings to longer wildlife/ travel photos.

Thanks
Kevin

11-20-2007, 04:30 AM

I have the XTi and I would recommend a Canon camera to anyone, however I haven't have any experience with Nikon. The Canon 18-55mm is pretty poorly built but is a good lens to get started with. I have a sigma 70-300mm with a dedicated macro function and it's been a good lens and I’ve had plenty of use from it. What 70-300mm lens is it? A 70-300mm is great for macro photography so will be useful when you are doing close ups and the large amount of zoom will help if you need to snap a animal etc from a distance.
Maybe someone who has used the Nikon can help you out with the D40.

11-20-2007, 09:08 AM

I think the Canon is the better choice, though they are closely matched. Probably more important than the body itself is the lenses, and I think it is generally known that Canon makes the best glass. Next time you're at or watching a sporting event, check out the professional photographers cameras. You'll see a lot of white lenses: those are Canon L lenses.

Don't base your purchase mostly on the lenses you get. They're good for a beginner, but they're basically giveaways and the lowest quality. Eventually you'll want much better quality and those and replace them with better glass.

11-20-2007, 10:44 AM

After talking to a photographer friend of mine, I am even more confused.
Similar to what has been stated above, he more or less said just buy the body and invest in a good lens because the kit lenses are junk. Yeah, they'll get you taking pictures but you might as well get a p&s.
It was also mentioned that for what I want to do, a dslr is overkill. So, that brings me back to the long zoom p&s category or slr-like. Then the only thing I am missing (for my needs) is the speed. My complaint for most cameras is the speed from shot to shot and shutter lag.
The water keeps getting muddier the more I look.

11-20-2007, 10:56 AM

Take a trip to a camera store and handle both cameras, see what feels the most comfortable for you. This should be a large part of your decision.

11-20-2007, 04:21 PM

I am in the same boat as you and after a lot of research and questions I know what im getting.


Point and shoot
+small & easy to carry arround
+simple to use, just point and shoot
-Takes ages to take multiple photo's and is slow
-Quality is generaly not as good
-not as satisfying to use
-not as many options to play with

DSLR
-Bigger to carry
-more expensive
+Nice to hold, like a gun!
+very satisfying to use
+quick rapid picture taking with no lag
+batter image quality
+Lots of options if you need them (there is auto mode)
+lts of expanshions and extra's if you wish, like lense's.


I was choosing between the camera's you said, the nikon D40x and the Canon rebel XTI 400D, but I was also looking at a third, the new Sony Alpha 100 and this is the option I chose.

Unlike the Nikon and Canon, the sony has Image stabalisation built into the camera and so it is on every lense you use, even the kit lense which the others do not have. This was a big plus for the sony. It also has anti dust features which the nikon does not have but the canon does.

The second big point with the sony is that the kit lense which comes with the camera is actually nicer and has a better zoom than both the nikon and canon camera's.

Sony actually bought out Konic manolta which are an experianced SLR camera and lense manufacturer and the sony Alpha 100 is compatable with all these lenses made by this company.

There is a smaller number of available lenses for the sony, but there is a nice selection of lenses available and as time goes on there will be more. also remember you can use Konic minolta lense's two so if you count them there are hundreds!

I wont go into everything as you can have a look into these cameras on the net. may i recommend the website http://www.cameralabs.com as they have great reveiws and nice video reveiws also.

These are the reasons I have chosen the sony alpha 100 and people who have them have left great reveiws and seem to love this camera. The old fashion hard core DSLR users will say either cannon or nikon as they are the old school "experianced" SLR makes and there all possessed and have these makes embeded in there skull.

The best bet is to go into a shop and actually try out all these camera's.

11-20-2007, 10:13 PM

After a trip to Ritz camera and a few other places it actually looks like I won't get either. For what I need, a DSLR is just overkill. I'm now shopping the long zoom point and shoots. I like the Panasonic Lumix FZ18 for the long zoom (18X) and pretty good image quality and I also like the Canon S5 IS for its speed, from off to ready to shoot is far faster than most others too bad its only a 12x. I guess if you look at it, it has about the same zoom as the 18-55 and 55-200 lenses combined. My wife likes the look of the Sony H5 so that is a contender also.

11-20-2007, 11:01 PM

I love the canon rebel body. I have a film rebel but I and a digital point and shot. I've never used the nikon but I hear good things.

Here's the deal, either way, it's a gateway drug. I like long lenses for portrits because when you use a big apeture and a long lense you can do nice sharp people with blury backgrounds. Good for sports photography.

Here is a question I have, would you want to do any macro? Do any of those lenses do it?

11-20-2007, 11:11 PM

The only thing to remember is that if you get a point and shoot and then decide you'd like a different lense later on, you are out of luck.

The DSLR could be looked at as an investment if you plan on getting more in to photography.

11-21-2007, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by tobywuk

The old fashion hard core DSLR users will say either cannon or nikon as they are the old school "experianced" SLR makes and there all possessed and have these makes embeded in there skull.

Yeah. We dont no nothin, speshly since there aint no flash powder no more.

11-21-2007, 09:36 AM

I've had dozens of PnS digitals and the one drawback has always been shutter lag. Usually, a decent DSLR does a 1000 times better, plus you get to really look at what you are shooting through the viewfinder... which is more accurate than looking at a lcd. I'm an old-school Nikon fan, still have 3 Nikon 35mm bodies and a few lenses left, but I have a new D300 on order and I don't know what'll be more fun... the camera (soon) or getting the Mac (soon).

The Canon/Nikon debate could go on forever and its really a what've you done for me lately in the pro world. Nikon's D3 looks like it will be the ultimate DSLR until Canon reacts with something better. Lenses made by both companies are excellent, but be advised that the kit lenses are not the top of the line for either company. I think you're probably looking at the Costco bundles for Canon and Nikon and they are both attractive deals.

Now... with all that said, I surely did enjoy closeup work with my now-gone Nikon CoolPix 990 which I think got as close as a half-inch from the subject in Macro mode. I'm also a woodworker, and if you're looking at seeing grain details you might look into a very inexpensive but mint used camera. The 990 was Nikon's best attempt at a pro-sumer non DSLR, and the only one to use real glass lenses (the cheaper 995 had plastic lenses). Throw a Nikon 3X telextender on those cameras and the telephoto end is pretty awesome.

And I have to say that my Sony T30 is a marvel. It has excellent closeups/macro, plus its easy to keep in your pocket, has a 3" LCD, and built-in image stabilization... something Sony pioneered. This is my fav P&S.

Yeah... I'm a camera junkie... but I also once made a living shooting product shots for catalogs (medium format).

11-21-2007, 12:38 PM

Hello guys (or ladies), I generally enjoy taking photos (ueing my SonyErisson K800i - yes! a cell phone!!) and playing around with basic editings on my Mac. I am thinking to buy a DSLR because I want to do more with the photo and the current 'quality' is very limited.

As you can tell from my photo 'experience' I know almost nothing about how to choose a good DSLR. So I am asking if anyone can give me some basic advice (or websites) on what to watch out for when I am buying a DSLR for beginner.

Much appreciated for your advice

11-21-2007, 12:55 PM

I am also getting a nice new DSLR, for christmas and I have chosen what im buying myself after lots of reading!

The basic entry level DSLR camera's you are looking at are the Nikon D40/D40x, Canon rebel XTI 400d and the Sony Alpha 100 (or sony A100). I have gone for the sony.

Lots of people will tell you lots of different things about which is better, which they preffer and which they recommend.. With DSLR's it mainly comes down to actually trying the camera's out in the shop and seeing which you like best. Each of these camera's have the pro's and con's over the other.

I will quicky tell you why I went for the sony. It has Image stabalisation built in to it and this means every lense you use, including the kit lense that comes with it, will have this feature. The kit lense also has a nicer zoom with the sony. I have been into shops and tried all these camera's and for some reason i took to the sony.

may I suggest you visit http://www.cameralabs.com as they have very nice reveiws. dont forget to watch there video reveiws which are very good.

11-21-2007, 12:59 PM

*Merged threads with exact same subject - please add to an existing thread instead of posting a new one...*

11-21-2007, 01:02 PM

Thanks tobywuk, much appreciated