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03/26/2004 04:30:18 PM · #1 |
Thinking of making the leap into a DSLR in the next few months, and I'm on a budget. These two cameras both appeal to me. I don't have any lenses (well, one cheap Canon lens from an old film Rebel) so that's not an issue. Without trying to launch a brand-loyalty war, I'd appreciate any advice from someone who's already made the choice one way or the other. I've enjoyed Canon products for many years, and my sister has enjoyed her Nikon stuff every bit as much.
My interests are wide -- studio shots, portraits, landscapes, micros, etc., and occasional sports photography (kids in water polo). If I have the budget for a D70, seems to me I could get the Rebel and perhaps another lens (or two?) along with the kit lens, but the D70 seems more feature rich, and whichever body I'm going to choose I'll be living with for a l-o-n-g time.
Doubt my budget will ever allow me to get Canon's L-lenses, so I'm going to have to be satisfied with the cheaper stuff.
I've read lots of reviews, etc. I'm looking for people who've had one or other other, and evaluated one against the other, for their opinions. Thanks in advance!
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03/26/2004 04:32:35 PM · #2 |
i think canons cmos sensors have less noise than nikons CCDs. But thats just from looking at test revies at dpreview.
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03/26/2004 04:32:45 PM · #3 |
| You wont go wong with either! |
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03/26/2004 04:38:27 PM · #4 |
| I agree. They are both fantastic companies with a great suite of 1st and 3rd party lenses/accessories. It's a good time to buy now that two sub $1000 SLRs are here. It's gravy from here on out. |
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03/26/2004 04:50:07 PM · #5 |
Question: Does Nikon have a 50mm lens equivalent to Canon's (I think it's a 1.4?) that's available for about $50 - 70? The lens I'm thinking of gets rave reviews everywhere especially for portraits.
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03/26/2004 04:51:02 PM · #6 |
Well the budget-conscious part of me (now where did that part go again??) sez "buy Nikon & borrow your sister's lenses!"
Seriously, the D70 is I think functionally more rich than the Rebel by quite a bit. Since you have no investment in glass, I'd say go with the D70. The only reservation I have is the lack of ISO below 200, and that's a very small thing indeed; buy a neutral density filter if you need to cut down light.
The difference in body cost is $100, so yes, you could buy another very inexpensive lens with the Rebel, like the Canon 50mm f/1.8, but I don't think you should weight that heavily in your decision.
You should ensure that the body you purchase will allow for your creative growth for an adequate period of time. You indicate a wide range of photographic interests; I think the D70 will better support all of those interests.
Beware though, the costs of going DSLR do add up, you'll look back in a year or two and say "I spent WHAT??"
My 2¢
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03/26/2004 04:53:52 PM · #7 |
im gonna wait till at LEAST august. Thats when Minolta comes out with a dSLR and everything will shoot down in prices. Thats when ill start looking.
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03/26/2004 05:32:17 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by boomer:
Question: Does Nikon have a 50mm lens equivalent to Canon's (I think it's a 1.4?) that's available for about $50 - 70? The lens I'm thinking of gets rave reviews everywhere especially for portraits. |
The lens you are thinking about is the Canon 50mm f/1.8 II lens, at about $US 70. Nikon has a 50mm f/1.8 that runs about $90, but I have no idea how it compares to the Canon. 50mm lenses are optically pretty simple, so I would assume (you know what they say about that word) that it is similar in performance. You could check out the Nikon Lens talk forum over at dpreview.com.
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03/26/2004 08:39:52 PM · #9 |
I did a lot of comparing and reading, and my opinion was the D70 was a much better purchase for the money, compared to the 300D. IMHO, there is a lot more room to grow with the D70.
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03/26/2004 09:49:29 PM · #10 |
Well, I hopped over to Ritz today and compared both cameras kinda side by side (really one after the other). Certainly not a definitive test, but I found myself leaning toward the Nikon. I'm appreciating all the input and advice so far. Both cameras are fantastic -- I was simply blown away at how fast they focus and no shutter lag. The DSLR world is going to be amazing (and expensive!). Can't wait!
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03/26/2004 10:01:45 PM · #11 |
If you haven't read this yet, this review at DPReview.com does a nice side-by-side between the D70, 300D, & D100.
//www.dpreview.com/articles/nikond70/
And yes, the focus speed is awesome. I've been really impressed, so far, with how well my D70 focuses in low-light situations.
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03/26/2004 10:37:57 PM · #12 |
Another question, if you all don't mind? What is moire, and why is everyone (well, not everyone) all upset about it in the D70 Forum of DPReview? Until today I never heard the term, and a search produces threads on the topic but they're already too technical for me. Is this something I even need to worry about or is it one of those geek things that gets bashed around the web endlessly while other people are out having fun, taking pictures?
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03/26/2004 10:43:21 PM · #13 |
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03/26/2004 11:19:33 PM · #14 |
Thanks! I was wondering what that was!! :-)
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03/26/2004 11:21:48 PM · #15 |
My 2 yen...
Don't compare the D70 with the 300 except on price. The D70 is every bit as good a camera as the D100 (albeit the body is different) and is comparable with the (now defunct?) 10D if anything.
The D70 offers a lot of user-variable functions, some of which are missing on the Canon. The lack of iso 100 isn't really a problem as the noise levels at 200 - 400 are very low indeed. If you really want iso 100, then go for the Canon. People in Japan (including the Nikon salestaff) are saying that the D70 can't be used above iso 800. I don't know how the 300 compares with this.
The red moire problem exists. I hate to say that as I've bought the D70. However, the conditions in which the problem happens are rare, but if you like shooting snow on a bright day, you might end up with a bit of red - only if you use auto levels. For a balanced read, go to any Canon forum and find out about the focussing problems of the 10D, the limitations of the 300, and make up your mind. Every camera has its own quirks.
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03/27/2004 12:09:39 AM · #16 |
I've actually been going through the same situation as you Gary. I have no lens investment either and was trying to decide between Canon or Nikon. I've been waiting for the D70 to come out before I made a decision. After months of forum reading and product research, I've decided to go with Canon. Now, I'm deciding between the 10D and 300D. I'm leaning towards the 300D now (about $500 cheaper than the 10D).
The D70 is much more feature rich than the 300D which has crippled firmware/features. However, I began to realize that I need to be thinking more long term and not which brand has the best current camera body. A DSLR is not just the purchase of a camera, but a lens system. For my needs, I think that an investment in canon lenses is my best bet. I could be wrong, but it seems to me that canon is much more focused on lens research and development (L glass, IS, diffractive optics) than what nikon is. I picked up a photo magazine last week, and saw that Nikon has a bunch of DX lenses coming out (which is a move in the wrong direction in my opinion).
I do a lot of local concert photography & band portraits, although what I really love is nature/landscape photography. I think that the IS and lower noise levels of canon will work best for what I'm doing. Therefore, I'm going with canon.
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03/27/2004 12:14:09 AM · #17 |
I paid approx. $1100 for my F717 less than a year ago when I could have got the 300d for the same price had I waited a few more months for its release. I've put a lot more thought into this decision so I don't make a mistake like that again (although the 717 has been a great camera).
I think I'll be able to live with the crippled features on the 300D until I can justify upgrading to a proDLSR (like the 10D's replacement in a year or two). It's not the camera or the lenses (but they can help), it's the photographers vision. There were quite a few 1st place winners / amazing photos here on DPC that were taken with a crappy 2MP A40 (my old camera which I still have). A feature rich camera or the most expensive 11MP DSLR isn't going to make you take great photos. Go with what you think will work best for your type of photography and you can't go wrong.
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03/27/2004 12:33:35 AM · #18 |
Pentax *iST-D is the highest on my list.
Message edited by author 2004-03-27 00:34:44. |
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03/27/2004 01:01:03 AM · #19 |
Just spent a couple more hours on DPReview in the Canon and Nikon forums. My head spins! Obviously no camera is perfect nor will there ever be such a critter. When you look past the posts of the fanatics, trolls, and ne'er-do-wells, there's plenty to be said for both the Rebel and the D70. Now the practical side of me is rising, and I'm thinking for that extra $300 I can get the 50 mm lens and maybe even a flash unit -- or certainly a camera bag and a bigger CF card than I use in the A70. And, as so many have pointed out, it's really got more to do with me developing my skills than which of these two cameras (or something else) is better. So now I'm leaning back torwards the DReb... ha! I bet I'm going to lean back and forth several times before this is settled! The biggest problem I have right now is that the Ritz right up the street has one of EACH in stock RIGHT NOW, and I wasn't planning on forking over the plastic for a few months, but, as I said, they have one of each in stock RIGHT NOW!
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03/27/2004 01:05:23 AM · #20 |
How come? Serious inquiry...what do you like about this camera? Originally posted by faidoi:
Pentax *iST-D is the highest on my list. |
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03/27/2004 01:49:49 AM · #21 |
Originally posted by boomer:
How come? Serious inquiry...what do you like about this camera? Originally posted by faidoi:
Pentax *iST-D is the highest on my list. |
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It has the same CCD as the D100/D70 and is quite a bit more expensive (than the D70, anyway). It does have a more solid body than the D70 though (closer to the D100). the lens lineup seems much lighter than Canon, and a bit lighter than Nikon.
and it has a really dumb name.
for the money the D70 seems to be the best deal...what is it you like about the Pentax Welland? |
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03/27/2004 02:27:56 AM · #22 |
| It also comes down to what feels better in your hand. If your used to the Canon setup of dials and buttons the Rebel may feel better but you should get to a shop and hold both, try them out. |
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03/27/2004 08:21:17 AM · #23 |
1. Nikon 50mm 1.8 lenses is exceptionaly sharp, one of my favorites -very versitile - nice and small- great for unencumbered hikes and urban treks - I highly recommened this lense to any Nikon user.
2. I purchased the D70. I do have some Nikon glass that I got over the past decade for use with my 35 mm film kit, so that did affect my choice between the D70 and the D-rebel.
3. I prefer the user interface of the D70, the control layout seem more intuitive and the top mounted display seems more natural than all info on the back. |
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03/28/2004 05:22:48 AM · #24 |
Originally posted by Pedro:
Originally posted by boomer:
How come? Serious inquiry...what do you like about this camera? Originally posted by faidoi:
Pentax *iST-D is the highest on my list. |
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It has the same CCD as the D100/D70 and is quite a bit more expensive (than the D70, anyway). It does have a more solid body than the D70 though (closer to the D100). the lens lineup seems much lighter than Canon, and a bit lighter than Nikon.
and it has a really dumb name.
for the money the D70 seems to be the best deal...what is it you like about the Pentax Welland? |
I think the compactness of the ist D is a major factor. Since I'm not in a position to purchased a DSLR soon it would be good to see how the companies try to counter each other on price points in the next couple of months.
With 3, 8 megapixel camera currently out I want to wait a bit to see how the price points for them and cameras like the "Rebel" and the "D70", ist D. Cheap 6 megapixels are also suppose to be coming out.
The next couple of months is going to be interesting. |
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