Digital SLR's

[Matt Kendrick]

i've read most of the recent posts about these, but now i'm going to pull the trigger (probably on black friday) and i'm wondering if there are any new insights or recommendations.

so, i'm calling on the photo guru's, i'd like to keep my budget around 1500 and would like that to include a somewhat utilitarian lense. i'm by no means an apiring professional, i'm just tired of my crappy point and shoot pics. i still would like the ease of a "point and shoot" mode, but want all the other trappings too.

the old lady works at best buy so i need to keep it limited to their inventory. this is what i've be spying:

Cannon - EOS 30D
Nikon - D80
Olympus - E20N (is "truepic" technology all that it's hyped to be?).

any other suggestions, any one of these really stand out?

 

[montanablur]

They may or may not carry this at Best Buy...

If they do. Buy it.

http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wc...rogram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702

Fantastic camera which you will be able to use amazing lenses on. The Leica that is the same thing sells for close to 5k.

Otherwise I am a Canon man, I have been shooting the 1ds MarkII for about a year now and Hav ebeen shooting Canon for 10 years. Although going with either Nikon or Canon at the pro-sumer level either way you are good to go. I know RBailley loves his Nikon.

I would personally stay away from Olympus because they tend to change technology and lens platforms more often than Nikon or Canon.

 

[RBBailey]

I do love my Nikon, and I tried out the D200 the other day -- fantastic.

If I were to shoot Canon I would have to buy a 20D or even a 30D or better to be satisfied -- not that the lower models are bad. But when I bought my D70 I was actually at the counter looking at the DRebel. The DRebel was $50 more, with less of a lens. At that point, comparing the D70 to the DReb there was just no comparison, so I went Nikon.

I say actually hold the camera in your hand before you buy, get one you like best.

www.parazz.com/albums/bhcmb

 

[draaronr]

i was going to start a similar thread. I am looking for my wife. She loves too shoot pics of the kids and the animals, so not many nature shots. She has an non digital slr that she likes and I would like to get her a nice digital slr with a few lenses. Should I get the same brand so the lenses will work with her new one, assuming they do? How would I know if her lenses work? I am not limited by best buy, but I don't wanna drop a used disco in price for one either.

 

[Matt Kendrick]

They may or may not carry this at Best Buy...

If they do. Buy it.

http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wc...rogram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702

Fantastic camera which you will be able to use amazing lenses on. The Leica that is the same thing sells for close to 5k.

Otherwise I am a Canon man, I have been shooting the 1ds MarkII for about a year now and Hav ebeen shooting Canon for 10 years. Although going with either Nikon or Canon at the pro-sumer level either way you are good to go. I know RBailley loves his Nikon.

I would personally stay away from Olympus because they tend to change technology and lens platforms more often than Nikon or Canon.

they do:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...lumix&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1152836576161

do you think it's worth the extra 500 bucks over the cannon?

keep in mind, i'm no where near the level of photog as you or ben. i have a little shooting experience, but when i go out with friends with better gear than me i'm blown away by how much better their photo's turn out.

 

[Matt Kendrick]

what really pisses me off though, with our current nikon it seems as if you have a 50/50 chance of getting it in focus. i've tried every setting and cannot get it to focus fast enough. if i lose one more really good shot of my kids i'm going to throw it against a wall.

 

[No Pvmt]

I love my 30D! Do a prduct compair, I ended up with the Canon, no regrets it is a great camera.

 

[tbedon]

Matt,
I'm a long-time Nikon shooter. In terms of digital, I have owned a D70 and currently shoot a D200. I highly recomend Nikon. The D80 is something that can be a step up for you in terms of quality and features...something that may be more than you need right now, butyou will quickly appreciate all of the features. Here is a link to the Popular Photigraphy magizine review of the Nikon D80. http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3231/camera-test-nikon-d80.html

Draaronr,
Most of the time, people who enjoy photography wind up sticking with one of the major brands because they already have lenses for that brand and generally speaking the lenses will fit from one model to another with certain limitations. As I mentioned above, I use Nikon equipment and I can use most of the lenses I have that I used on my film cameras on my digital camera bodies. I may have to use them in "manual" mode, but I can still use them. The current line of lenses (DX) that Nikon makes for their digital slrs can ONLY be used with digital bodies...the back end of the lenses general protrude farther into the body than a lends originally designed for a film body and if you try to use a DX (digital) lens on a film body may result in some smashed components in your older film body. You should be able to use your older lenses on a new digital body just fine in most cases.

Tony

 

[JackW]

As a Canon shooter for over 25 years I can't recommend the cameras enough. Go for a 20D or a 30D and you'll be very happy - step up to the Canon "L" Series lenses and you'll be amazed. One thing that I particularly like about the Canon cameras is the software that comes with them used to be signifigantly more user friendly than the Nikon stuff - don't know if that's true any more because I have no first hand experience with the latest Nikon stuff but my uncle (he has a D70) says the Canon software has the edge. He traitorously switched from Canon to Nikon several years ago - I think he regrets it but he'll never admit it to me.

And don't buy from Bestbuy - check out KEH or B&H photo in NYC

 

[maxyedor]

I second JackW, I recently switched from Nikon to Canon when I went digital, and couldn't be happier. I would buy a slightly used 20D, as it's essentially the same as the 30D, but will give tou some leftover cash for lenses. A cheap lense won't focus very fast no matter what body it's on. I have 2 20D's and 3 1DMkII's and in good light with a good lens it is hard to tell the difference between them on AF speed alone. No matter what you buy or where you buy it make sure to play with it, and play with the menues before you make the plunge, ergonomics are everything.

Or if you want something really spendy get the new Hasselblad H3D, 39mpx meduim format. It's the perfect portrait camera.

 

[syoung]

Lumix is good stuff, my "toss in the car and don't worry about it" camera is a FX20 and it does extremely well.
Went with Nikon D50 so I could use the lenses from my old film F4 and found that the metering was superior to the SLR Canon when we compared pictures. Thing is, they're all so good now that the only differences really are quite nitpicky and if you can use any of the manual controls, you can work around some of the shortcomings.
For the earlier comment on the focus on a Nikon not working well- check the manual and see if you have multiple focus modes, you may be running it in a mode that doesn't work well with the kinds of shots you're looking for.
The background sunset shot in the December LRM Maine Trip article was shot with my D50, w/Sigma Pro 50-500mm lens- came out postcard quality.

 

[RBBailey]

I'd say that unless you see something that stands out as a negative in a review, the only real difference you should be looking at is how the camera actually feels in your hands and whether you have the lenses to go with it. I use Minota before getting the Nikon D70, so it was a matter of price, the way it felt in my hand, and just the fact that the D70 looked better than the DReb.

 

[RBBailey]

Oh, and with the software: Nikon View is free and it's great. You can download it for free.

I use Photoshop, and Adobe Lightroom for my hardcore stuff. If I want to put lots of family pics on the web or go through the editing really fast I just use Picasa. I will, hopefully, be getting Nikon Capture for Christmas.

Basically, my workflow is to manage with Nikon View, Edit with Nikon Capture or Lightroom, then finish with Photoshop.

 

[Leslie]

I feel so outdated w/ my N70.... (yet, I still want an FM3...) But, whenever I do go to a digital SLR, it'll be Nikon so that I can keep using the same glass I already have (love my 28-200 as an all-round). I've got a cheapo 4500 at work, does well for a 4mp non-slr. I use NikonView, it automatically pulls the pics off the camera into a new folder. Then I use Photoshop for anything that I do to the image. (I'm still back on 7, work hasn't upgraded to CS, yet...).

FWIW....

 

[montanablur]

they do:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...lumix&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1152836576161

do you think it's worth the extra 500 bucks over the cannon?

keep in mind, i'm no where near the level of photog as you or ben. i have a little shooting experience, but when i go out with friends with better gear than me i'm blown away by how much better their photo's turn out.

It's a great camera.

The question you need to ask yourself though is do you want to make a commitment to Canon or Nikon. Or get something that is an amazing product with the best lens glass you could buy.

If you are serious and want to build up a quiver of lenses go with Canon or Nikon. Buy the best lenses you can afford. Buy a new body when yours breaks, freezes up or is just simply totally outdated. I have a 8 year old Canon lens that still works awesome and has outlived 3 bodies.

If you want a versatile great product out of the box that is still small enough to hang around your neck. Don't want the hassle of a bunch of lenses... and will take amazing photos. Get the Lumix.

 

[dirtydisco]

I love my 30D! Do a prduct compair, I ended up with the Canon, no regrets it is a great camera.

x2 on that.

 

[JackW]

A friend of mine who is a professional photographer is always getting asked the question "what camera should I buy?"

His standard answer is "figure out how much money you want to spend and then go buy the Canon or Nikon that costs that much - you can't go wrong."

He shoots Nikon because that's what kind of film camera he had and he was able to use all of his old glass that way. Even he admits that Canon for a time was clearly superior to Nikon in the digital camera world - at his level with $8,000 camera bodies and $$$$ lenses. It basically boils down to personal choice once you step up to a good camera - see what feels right in your hands.

 

[campbell]

What about the Canon XT?

 

[ColoRover]

We own the Canon 20D and love it! I'd buy it again.
Wife's uncle has the older 10D with professional lenses and the photos he takes are some of the best I've seen.

Good Luck,
Art Vigil
Denver, CO

 

[XtremeMarine]

Two choices: Nikon, or Canon. Can't go wrong with either. Just buy the one you can afford. Once you decide on the mfg; get the best model in your budget. I shoot Nikon for everything, always have. My fiancee shoots Canon. She shoots digital SLR now, and stayed with Canon. When I trade out my old school, it will be for a D70 or D100.