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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Please help me decide between Canon and Nikon.
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04/09/2006 03:24:21 AM · #1
I currently have a Canon G6 and I'm going to get a DSLR soon. I really want the Canon 20d but can't really afford it right now. The next logical choice would be the 350XT but I can't stand the way it feels in my hands. Especially after I picked up a Nikon D50. That camera feels perfect and is also cheaper so I've been leaning towards it more so. Here's my problem. I'm afraid that in a year I'll want to upgrade from the "entry level" dlsr and get a 30d or maybe 20d if I can find one. I hate to spend any money on Nikon lenses just to end up with a Canon shortly there after though. What should I do? I'm really torn. Thanks.
04/09/2006 03:43:05 AM · #2
This is almost certainly going to end up as a standoff between the two "camps". As I have a foot in neither, perhaps I can give a view from the head rather than the heart.

It seems that the decision comes down to what you want to do in the future. The cost of a dSLR is clearly not in the camera but the glass. I would think therefore that whatever is going to be your long-term goal-to-own dictates what you have to do now.

To that end, I believe that you may have already answered your own question. If your long-term dream is for a 10, 20 or 30D then you must buy the 350XT now. If on the other hand there is a Nikon that you'd lust for in the future then the D50 or D70 is the choice now.

Additionally, whichever way you decide, come back to the glass. When you buy it, buy good (read expensive) glass as and when you can. Everyone here who has bought cheap just to get something to put in their bag has regretted it

Best of luck, Brett

Message edited by author 2006-04-09 03:50:08.
04/09/2006 03:48:12 AM · #3
Why is your heart set on a 20D/30D instead of a D200 Nikon? Both are fine cameras... The D200 would be your logical upgrade path fromt he D50 if you committed to Nikon. If your heart's set on Canon glass, then you need to start with Canon or you're wasting money. An option is to find a used 10D, which should be in the same price bracket as the Rebel XT and is much larger and more solid feeling. Or for that matter a used 300D would suit you well, and have the added advantage of being compatible with EF-S lenses like the 10-22mm, which the 10D unfortunately is not.

Robt.
04/09/2006 03:55:00 AM · #4
What he said too. Second hand is certainly an option. There might even be 20D owners upgrading to 30D or 5D putting a 20D body on the market.

Why Canon vs Nikon Bear? I would think that decision is generally about as rational as Ford vs GM

Brett
04/09/2006 04:14:01 AM · #5
If you don't like the feel of the 350D why not look at getting a 300D (ebay or the like) to keep you going till you get your 20/30D?
04/09/2006 04:16:52 AM · #6
I bought the battery grip for my 350d and it feels much better.
04/09/2006 04:20:22 AM · #7
Try to handle a 20D as well or if they have one, a 30D. If it still feels uncomfortable in your hands, you either have to live with that or try a different brand (like Nikon).


04/09/2006 05:16:19 AM · #8
Buy a Nikon and become Nikonian, buy a Canon, you just become ? i really dont what do they call Canon owners
04/09/2006 07:31:23 AM · #9
My 2c on the Canon cs Nikon 'thing'

Both the Nikon and Canon gear is pretty damn good these days, if you're talking current model or the last couple of models to market.

The D70s/D200/D50 etc are great cameras, as are the 20D/10D/350D from the competition.

The important thing to remember is that you're buying into a system, not a single camera.

The lenses and accessories for each brand are huge variables that you should look into if you intend to take photography seriously as a hobby, or future income source.

Check out the range and cost of accessories for the types of photography you think you'd like to try, and that may help make the decision.

Bear's suggestion about 2nd hand is certainly a good one. D70's and 20D/10D bodies are available 2nd hand for good prices, and would give you a foot into your chosen 'camp' at lower cost.

Either way you go you'll find you can create stunning images with a bit of practice, patience, and more practice.

BTW, I personally went with the 20D as I knew three people I could borrow flashes/lenses etc. from who had a fair bit of EOS gear between them.

Cheers, Me.
04/09/2006 07:50:26 AM · #10
KEH has a used 300D for $465. And other stuff if you want to buy used. The advantage of a place like KEH is their return policy, which you don't often get with EBAY.

If you are going to upgrade soon but you have no experience with a DSLR, I would go used. They do have brand new 20Ds for $1100.
04/09/2006 08:55:21 AM · #11
Obviously I have no bias, both Canon and Nikon are good systems.

My suggestion is: try out the Canon and the Nikon cameras that you think you could grow into in a few years, and base your choice on which one of those feels more comfortable. There isn't a single right answer - the question is which of the cameras feels more comfortable for you to use, which one sits comfortably in your hands and has controls that work the way you think. I personally find the Minoltas more comfortable than either, but that doesn't mean the same choice should apply to everyone else... my Canon-, Nikon-, Olympus- and Pentax-owning friends all feel more comfortable with their own cameras than with the other brands, so everyone is happy.

(Incidentally, have you considered Olympus and Pentax, particularly the latter? Pentax and Minolta have traditionally given more bang-for-the-buck than Canon/Nikon have. Ordinarily I'd cheerfully recommend Konica-Minolta too, but now is a risky time to buy into the system.)

The other thing I'd suggest is that you should, whenever possible, try to buy a camera that gives you some room to grow into it. If you find that in six months time you really wished you'd purchased the next model up because a feature you didn't appreciate at the time has turned out to be really useful, then you end up spending more (or being frustrated) - so any savings you made is a false economy. I made a similar mistake on my choice of tripod - purchased a $70 one, but over time I found it wasn't stable enough in light breeze, I ended up buying a $300 Manfrotto. So instead of saving $200+, I wasted $70.

A better way to save money is to buy a camera second-hand rather than new. There are plenty of good second-hand cameras and lenses to be found. At least half my lenses were purchased second-hand.
04/09/2006 08:57:40 AM · #12
Originally posted by General:

Buy a Nikon and become Nikonian, buy a Canon, you just become ? i really dont what do they call Canon owners


A Canonneer?
04/09/2006 09:38:14 AM · #13
Originally posted by biteme:

Originally posted by General:

Buy a Nikon and become Nikonian, buy a Canon, you just become ? i really dont what do they call Canon owners


A Canonneer?


Or Canonized.

You might become a saint in your own time, perhaps.
04/09/2006 09:58:58 AM · #14
Canon...period.
04/09/2006 10:19:03 AM · #15
i use both nikon & canon for film, and canon for digital ;}


04/09/2006 10:42:11 AM · #16
I'm now on my fourth Canon and absolutely love my 5D. You can guess my recommendation. :-)

04/09/2006 10:49:06 AM · #17
The D50 is a bit more limited that it first appears. I just upgraded form a 300D to a 30D - HUGE difference - so I would suggest save a bit more, sell something on ebay, work a bit of overtime, skip eating out a few times - get the extra $300 and buy a 20D.

Everytime you upgrade you lose some cash - so you buy a 350 for $700 and in 6 months sell it for $500 - that $200 is 'rent' for those 6 months of use - but if you had put that $200 toward the 20D up front, you'd have a better camera and less 'loss' in the end.

if money is truly tight at this point, get a used 300D.
04/09/2006 11:06:01 AM · #18
Well I'm a Canon girl at heart.. probably mostly because the boyfriend works there and I've never had experience with anything else of quality.

That said, I'm impressed by the review of the D200 in this month's (May) Shutterbug magazine. Check it out. :)
04/09/2006 11:08:36 AM · #19
Forget the Nikon. Any tests I've seen run comparing CMOS to CCD have come out in CMOS's favour, ie. Canon. I was in a similar situation, between the 20d and cheap glass or 350xt and expensive glass. I went for the latter. Image quality is just as good from 20d to 350xt, so with the 17-85 IS lens, it's a good package.

As for comfort, the 350 felt fine in my hand after a day or two of getting used to. And, I know a few 20d owner's who find it simply too heavy and therefore itself uncomfortable. For the money, I would say it's the best combination, especially if final image quality is of importance.
04/09/2006 11:21:42 AM · #20
I'm a long-time Nikonian, but the force was strong with the 300D. On the used market, it's a great camera that can be had for cheap.

If your ultimate goal is to be Canon, start with Canon. Or, like Bear said, start checking out the top-end Nikons like the D200.

But, personally, I am very happy with my decision to go with Canon. As a matter of fact, I'm looking at replacing my old 35mm equipment with Canon brand gear.
04/09/2006 11:38:25 AM · #21
Originally posted by srbrubaker:

Originally posted by biteme:

Originally posted by General:

Buy a Nikon and become Nikonian, buy a Canon, you just become ? i really dont what do they call Canon owners


A Canonneer?


Or Canonized.

You might become a saint in your own time, perhaps.


another site calls us canonites. lol.

in rsponse to the original question. you really should think about which camp you wanna go with and kind of stay there. both have their pros and cons. nikons AF is better than cannons for example. but that is not to say that you cannot use AF on a canon.

there is no way that anyone can tell you which is the best because it is all a matter of personal taste.

i chose canon because they seemed to get the new toys first and i wanted to always be able to have the new toy. lol. actually i liked the fact that canon is already sending out full frame sensors in a more affordable price range. and that is what i wanted, though i still dont have the money for it yet.
04/09/2006 11:58:10 AM · #22
Originally posted by KiwiPix:

What he said too. Second hand is certainly an option. There might even be 20D owners upgrading to 30D or 5D putting a 20D body on the market.

Why Canon vs Nikon Bear? I would think that decision is generally about as rational as Ford vs GM

Brett


Why? Because that's the question he asked...

R.
04/09/2006 12:40:59 PM · #23
Wish I could help but I am just a Nikonian swimming in the sea of Canon
04/09/2006 12:46:45 PM · #24
I'm a canon user but my feeling is to look for glass first, and then pick the camera based on that.

That being said, if you are budget conscious, I think the Nikon 18-200VR is a good selling point for a Nikon with a low cost, wide range zoom with IS! I wish Canon would have the equivalent.
04/09/2006 01:03:46 PM · #25
A4wheelin--
If canon is your choice you won\'t go wrong. If Nikon is your choice glass can be an advantage. The Nikon D200 will accept most of there lens, including manual. You can get great bargains for manual glass with most functions with the metering (A priority). This glass has great quality and sharpness. It could be an issue if you are used to auto-focus. The D200 even adapts to Hasselblad (Carl Zeiss), however, Hasselblad lenses needs to be put into DOF mode to utilize metering. This function limits you to studio or set-up work and does not meet the needs for editorial or portraiture.

Message edited by author 2006-04-09 18:41:07.
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