help with camera

[72nova]

My wife wants to get a new camera. I've been looking at 3 different ones Nikon d40 and d60 and canon xs. I have been leaning more towards the canon. I am camera dumb but the point and shoot we have now has its limits. I would like in the future to be able to change lenses to expand my picture taking abilities. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[ls1 nova]

When I bought mine I was also split between the d60 and the cannon. As I am by no means a photography expert I think a beginner would be hard presses to tell the difference between the two. I went with the canon and love it. Takes 500 or so pics on a charge. Both cameras have more options than I will ever use but its fun to play with. A lot better than my 35mm that I had to pay for bad experimental exposures. I also like the fact that there is no shutter delay, missed a tone of pics with my old digital. Look into a flash for it, I bought one and it really makes a difference indoors. Just my .02.

[andrewb70]

There is also nothing wrong with buying gently used cameras. I would look into a Canon D20 or D30. I bet those can be picked up, cheap.

Andrew

[Samckitt]

I have a Canon 10D & a 30D & they are both great. Obviously the 30D is better, but it is newer. I think my brother bought a 50D, I think, it is pretty nice.

[72nova]

As far as megapixels go, how much difference is the d40 with 6 and the d60 and xs with 10, and not just 4 ha ha.

[ls1 nova]

As far as I know, not very much until you go to enlarge a pic. Not sure how big you can go with 6mg, but you can get a pretty damn big pic with 10 or 12. Maybe someone more knowledgeable will chime in?

[rebelgtp]

Okay I will chime in here considering well I am a photographer and have used all of the above cameras lol.

First I will tell you that I shoot Nikons, in digital I have a D70, D40 and D2H for film I shoot F3hp, FM and FE. The great thing about the Nikon is I can even shoot my old 40+ year old Ai converted lenses on my newer digital bodies. 6 megapixels is actually far beyond what the average person needs. I actually have made 24 inch prints from photos I took with my D40. These are also prints that were hung in a gallery mind you.

The place where megapixels really help most people is when you are cropping in on the photo. However then it also depends on your lenses used and the size of the imaging sensor on the camera and how the pixels actually are used. Again though the average joe does not crop their photos that much.

Now then one of the reasons that I went Nikon is my previous glass was all Nikon and so were my older SLR bodies. This automatically gave me more lenses that I can use, including one of my favorite lenses a rather ancient 35mm 2.8. However I did look at Canons before leaping into the digital arena to see what they offered. For me I did not like the way the Canon felt in my hand, any of them (XS, 30D and 40D) how the camera feels in your hand is particularly important because if it is not comfortable you will not use it as much or not use certain features because they are uncomfortable to use. That brings me also to the layout of the Canons I did not like it and it felt much more cumbersome to use than the Nikons.

Either camera in the right hands will give you some great results given the right glass and technique. Just remember though the body is the throw away part, its the lenses that you will keep using in the future. Canon seems to bump their photos right out of the box and they seem a bit over saturated to me. The D70 is a bit on the flat side though easily fixed post processing for me. The D40 however seems to be the most "natural" when it comes to color right out of the camera, though you can get that over saturated look if you want.

The D40 and D60 will require Nikon AF-S lenses or 3rd party lenses with built in focus motors. Older AF lenses will require you to manual focus them but will work in all other respects. You can also mount up the old fully manual Nikon lenses to a D40, including pre AI. Canon on the other hand has changed their mounts over the years so you would not be able to use older glass.

I would recommend for the best bang for the buck the D40 if buying new. However see how they fit in the hand play around with them at the store a bit first to see how comfortable they are to make your final decision.

Oh and I am not anti Canon, in fact my point and shoot is a Canon because it far outclassed the Nikons of the same type.

[Samckitt]

Canon is the same way. All their EF lenses will fit on both film & digital SLR bodies.

[rebelgtp]

Canon is the same way. All their EF lenses will fit on both film & digital SLR bodies.


Right but their older lenses (manual focus the equivalent to the Nikon Ai and Pre Ai lenses) use a completely different mount type. While this might not be important to everyone it is to some. Personally I love have a lenses I can buy for $25-75 (sometimes even less) used and have it be sharper than anything on the market except for one that costs several thousand.

But then again I still shoot film, fully manually.

[72nova]

great info, thank you. One more thing, when do the new models come out. Are they like computers that get better every 6 months or are these the latest models.

[69LT1Nova]

great info, thank you. One more thing, when do the new models come out. Are they like computers that get better every 6 months or are these the latest models.

If you are price shopping, Costco had the cheapest price I could find, and has a warranty with a retail locations where you can return it if you have any problems. http://www.costco.com/Common/Category.aspx?ec=BC-EC10604-Cat83&pos=3&whse=BC&topnav=&cat=1236&eCat=BC|79|83|1236&lang=en-US

Beware of some of the internet retailers, they do not stand behind warranties.

I went with the Canon XSi and love the camera.

[rebelgtp]

Well the D40 came out a little over 2 years ago I believe and then the D60 a little over a year ago. Not sure on the Canon.

Camera bodies do not come out as often as computers so no worries. Most of the time the newest models these days are getting more gimmicks and built in tricks over actual increased image quality performance. In fact sometimes the older models are more desirable because sometimes new models don't have the image quality.

[mpozzi]

I also shoot with Nikon (D80 w/several lenses) and love the camera. Bought the camera and the starter lens a couple of years ago and have purchased three more lenses for shooting versatility.

But my digital point-and-shoot is a Canon ... go figure?? For my personal memories, SEMA, and stuff like that, I take a couple of spare batteries and the Canon. For the heavy-duty shooting such as car shows, races, autocrosses, and car portrait work, then it's the big dog.

I'm lusting after a D200 body and know there's one on Craigslist with my name on it.

Either way ... Nikon or Canon, you'll be getting good quality.

Mary Pozzi

[rebelgtp]

That is funny that your DSLR is a Nikon and PS is a Canon as well. for my PS I use the A590is, dirt cheap and produces great shots for something I can fit in my pocket.

I'm actually going to be picking up a D200 myself as my next digital body. Kinda disappointed I did not have the spare cash when Best Buy was selling them off at $600 a pop!