What kind of Digital SLR combo to go with?

[BlownVenom01]

I'm on a budget so whatever I get has to be less than 600 dollars for the whole kit (body and lens). I can get a Nikon D40 or Eos XS for around 450-480 or take a step up and push my budget with a D60 or Eos XSi, but i have little experience with any of them.

I probably wont expand to much more expensive lenses and such, just casual photography and processing. Anyone have any input?

 

[allgo90]

im on the same boat. im between the D60 or XSi

 

[BlownVenom01]

i figure for the 100 dollar diff i might as well get the clearly better one, but besides that the only difference I can tell is the nikon looks better, like less plastic. Thats a stupid thing to base it on lol

 

[HYBRED]

I went with a Canon because I do a lot of action/racing shots, and the Canon was faster...but it was close for me between the Canon and Nikon cameras.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

When looking into this same topic, I found out that the pictures you are going to produce on a D60 as compared to a D40 are almost negligible, especially as a beginner. The extra hundred that could go toward upgrading to a D60 could be better spent on a good tripod or lens. Its also not likely that when you decide to upgrade to a better camera that you are going to only go up to a D60 so it isn't like you are wasting the money by not upgrading now.

 

[BlownVenom01]

I just don't want to buy the d40 and be disappointed with features and stuff when I could have paid the extra 100 (a very negligable difference). I looked into reviews on CNet and other sites and overall it seems like the Canon XSi actually does take better pictures than the D60 (canon got a 7.8 while nikon got a 7.2) and the D40 is meant to be a transition camera from point-and-shoot and SLRs.

So basically just being myself and never wanting to cheap out i'd rather not go with entry-level if I can avoid it (even though it seems the next step up is pretty entry level anyways), the only decision is which brand. Dell is running an 80 dollar off coupon on the XSi now hmm..

 

[VtekII]

i have a sony A200 got it for 400 takes some pretty good piks, and option if your interested... may upgrade a d90 someday but this works for now

 

[STG]

Get the D40 and a better lens. Amateurs shoot Canon. Pros choose Nikon.:banana:


The "faster" camera atgument is ridiculous. Sure, you need a DSLR with a huge buffer to soot 20 RAW frames as quick as you can press the shutter button.... For what? Sports! Like basketball, baseball and football!!

1. I don't care how fast you can poress the shutter, you won't be shooting any of these sports without a big telephoto lens that is out of your budget.

2. Shooting these sports requires a FAST LENS. Like f2.8.

3. A "fast" camera is worthless without another $1,500 to $6,000 expenditure on glass.

A D40 is a fine camera. You don't need to spend more on a body. Do yourself a favor and buy the Nikon Nikkor 50mm f1.8D lens for about $110. It may not be a zoom, but it will let you shoot into the evening and it's sharp.

I took the photo in my signature with my D100 and a F1.8D lens in the evening. You can see the reflection of what's left of the sunlight behind the mountain on the front fender and door of my car. You can't do that with a kit lens (typically variable F3.5 - 5.6 depending on zoom.)

Buy the fastest lens you can afford. That's the single most important piece of camera equipment. Faster lenses let in more light. An F2.8 lens lets in twice as much light as an F4. An f5.6 lens lens lets in half as much light as an f4. It makes allthe difference in the world.

Megapixels don't mean a thing. There isn't a consumer grade 7, 8 10 or 12 megapixel camerra that can take better photos than a D40. You can't tell the difference in photos with the naked eye between a D40, D60, D90 and my older D100. If you want huge prints, get a program called Genuine Fractals. The glass and how the camera process the information (programming) from the CCD is far more important than megapixels.

Don't buy a DSLR unless you will shoot in RAW. Buy the software to manipulate RAW image (Nikon Capture) and get Photoshop.

Consumer reviews on Cnet aren't worth reading. It's like Consumer Reports saying a Mustsang V6 is better than a Mach1 because it gets better mileage and rides smoother. Read dpreview.com

 

[KS00GT]

STG-
What about the new technology in the D90 vs. the D40? Dosn't that justify some of the cost? I've been on dpreview reading, and reading on the differences and user comments to figure what Nikon to get (D40,D60,D80,D90). I want a good DSLR that will be with me for some time. I don't want to have to upgrade in a couple years like some things out there. Your input is welcome.

 

[BlownVenom01]

Thank you for some useful information STG, that's the kinda shit you can't really find out by going website to website... Im really a noob when it comes to lenses but I hope to figure it out quickly. So do you think if I get the opportunity, I should buy a D40 or D60 body without the lens and pick out my own? It may be a little more but that sounds like the way to go from what you explained.

 

[BlownVenom01]

And i've heard that about nikon, i was leaning in their direction from the get go. I also kind of figured 90% of the reason someone would buy a higher D80 or D90 I wouldn't even utilize

 

[BlownVenom01]

decided to go with a Sony Alpha 350 because of the tilting live view feature

 

[GodStang]

D40 is the worse to get unless its the D40x I think is what the call it. Does not have internal focus. I had a nikon and its crap and I am a huge Nikon fan have been using Nikon Deer scopes for about 20 years now. Cameras not so good. I have a Canon XSi and a Canon 2D. They are great cameras and take great pics. If you do get a Nikon get like a 60D or 80D again 40D is about the worse you can buy. There is a reason its the cheapest.

 

[GodStang]

Get the D40 and a better lens. Amateurs shoot Canon. Pros choose Nikon.:banana:...

Never met a Pro that Shot Nikon. Know many many that shoot Canon. Look at the side lines of and sports majority are Canon. Also everyone knows lens (and talent) makes the picture and Canon has a HUGE selection of lens.

 

[traktrbeam]

Amateurs shoot Canon. Pros choose Nikon.
It makes allthe difference in the world.

Um....wrong.