Friday, July 27, 2007
Advice wanted: DSLR owners
~I've wanted a DSLR for a while now. I can't really afford it, but I've been toying with the idea of just biting the bullet and buying it anyway, and next weekend I will be near a very good camera store. The one I've been considering is the Canon Rebel XTi but I know there are other options. So camera owners, tell me what you think. What do you have? What do you like? What should I be considering or need to remember before I buy (if I do)?
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I have a Fuji FinePix S3000. It's not very good for taking pictures of birds, which is what I really want to do. It takes a long time just to switch on and even longer to focus. So one thing I'd look for would be a quick reaction time. That is, if you want pictures of birds...or fast-moving kids.
I'm not sure it's still possible to get the XT instead of the XTi, but if it is, you should consider it. Most experts now seem to agree that there's no difference between 8MP and 10MP, and if anything, 10MP could be a liability. When I got my XT, it was cheaper than the XTi. Actually, now that I look at Amazon, they do have the XT.
Now, although I've had some canon brand loyalty in the past, I have to say that I wonder if Nikon pictures aren't nicer (i.e. clearer, more focused) than Canon. I'm NOT sure if it's only when a better lens is used, or if the kit lens is better than the Canon kit lens. And it only seems to be the better Nikons, like the D70 or D80, so if those are too expensive, then I'd say the Canon and Nikon are approximately equivalent.
Canon has a nice user interface, and the size is very comfortable for women with relatively small hands (men complain about it though).
I recommend going to Flickr and looking for groups that use these cameras. Here's a Nikon D40 group (the lower end camera, like the XT) and here's the XT group. See if you notice a difference.
I like my Nikon D40!
I'm also considering a DSLR. A friend (who ended up with a Nikon D40) pointed me to this link:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/2007-05-what-camera.htm
Also, the NYTimes had an article a while back (a month or so?) on the different options.
Hope that helps your decision making.
Garden Girl has a Canon EOS 20D and she takes beautiful photos with it. You can see some of them at In the Garden with Gentle Palm. I borrow it occasionally when I need to take pictures without worrying about the annoying time-delay that makes taking pictures of sports events and school plays such a chancy endeavor.
What Ianqui said about Nikon v. Canon--especially the user interface
and...
You can still get the XT, and it's about $300 cheaper than the Xti--there are a few camera stores in this end of the state that still sell the XT. I might suggest waiting a few weeks to a month if you are leaning canon, because through the grapevine I've heard that there's a chance Canon is coming out with a new dSlr in August. Though, true to form, Canon is saying nothing, and so we're left to guess, but I know that my camera store can't get any more Xti's. (Which also means that the Xti price might go down...)
My only other piece of advice would be if you're debating between the XT and the XTi (for example) go w/ the XT and use the extra money for a nicer lens than the kit lens.
Good luck!!
I have the original Canon DSLR (Rebel EOS) and still love it. The photos on my blog are taken with it. My only complaint is that it doesn't allow me to take B&W on the fly (I have to post-process...and I'm not one for wanting an extra step).
It fits my hand well, and I'm short. Lenses are easy to swap in an out on the fly (I have a telephoto that I use a LOT). It's sturdy - been all over with me, and never a day of trouble.
I'm going for a D40 very soon, myself.
I've got the Nikon D80 and love it, but I think the D40 is a really solid camera too. In an extremely uncharacteristic move for me, I just bought my D80 almost on a whim and didn't do any research at all about the various choices, so I don't have tons of advice to offer. But my sense is that you go with the Canon or the Nikon and they'll end up pretty comparable. Really either one will be very nice. I want you to do it, of course, because I'm excited to see the photos you'll take with it.
Here's the link to the NY Times article: link
I am eager to see what you decide on. I've been looking at DSLRs but probably can't afford one ...
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