DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register) 
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> My turn! Big jump up, but I need some advice.
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 17 of 17, (reverse)
AuthorThread
 05/25/2004 01:22:29 AM · #1
I've done a lot of research and have gotten a lot of opinions on this, but I would like to know from you guys what might be best for me.

For my graduation present my parents will get me a DSLR and the choices have come down to, of course, the Canon 300D Rebel and the Nikon D70. As you can see, this is a huge step up for me as I have a meager point-and-shoot 3.0mp Olympus D-550z right now. I love it to death, but it is very limited in what I can get from it. (Not to mention that it is the family camera and I am living on campus :-) )

From what I've gathered, the lenses provide the majority of the reason for which camera I should choose, but I also need to take into account what I shoot.

My main subjects:
- Pets - see my two highest scoring photographs as a reference (they usually require a quick capture to get the moment)
- Candids (same as with the pets)
- Portriature (I enjoy this and am hoping to expand on it)
- Whatever strikes my fancy (landscapes, flowers, buildings, ect.)

I have no money for a large investment in lenses or equipment as I am entering college in the fall and have not had/will not have any time for a steady job.

I have been told that the D70 would be a good camera for me to "grow into" as I am basically an amateur with nothing other than an 8th grade class and self-learning for training. I won't be able to upgrade the body of the camera for awhile.

I am terribly confused. My parents really want to do this for me and I love them for it, but I want to be able to feel comfortable with my choice for years to come.
 05/25/2004 01:26:55 AM · #2
Get the Nikon. The feature set on the D70 is much better than the Canon Rebel.
 05/25/2004 01:30:47 AM · #3
Lenses are very expensive,the good ones are arm and leg $$$$ !

Unless you have 2-3,000 $ for lenses,get yourself the new Olympus 8080...
 05/25/2004 01:35:30 AM · #4
You are very lucky to have parents who want to spend a couple thousand on a gift for you. And.... you are right to want to feel happy with your decision, so do lots of research and think about what you want to accomplish, then make your decision. If you know anyone locally who is knowledgeeable about SLR cameras (and lenses), they'll be able to offer their opinions, especially if they know you and your style.

Based on what you say you want to do, you can't go wrong with either the Canon 300 or the Nikon D70. Both will allow you to "grow into" them. When I was researching what I wanted (it was between the Canon EOS 10d and the Nikon D100), my husband sort of asked me: do you want to drive a GMC or a Ford? There's those who prefer Chevys and GMCs, and then there are those who prefer Fords. I think it's like that between Nikon and Canon. Asking the people here on DPChallenge what you should do will simply get you an equal number of respnses (well maybe not, because I discovered that there are many more Canon users than Nikon users here.) Does this make sense?

Both Nikon and Canon have very good reputations. I finally decided on the Nikon D100 because I couldn't get the Canon EOS 10d quickly enough to make me happy. They're in short supply around here.
05/25/2004 01:40:08 AM · #5
I agree with the Pits...you are still young and won't be working for a number of years so you won't be able to upgrade lenses for a quite a while. Have your parents purchase a moderately priced non-dslr that will certainly be an upgrade for you and see where the technology goes in the years to follow. It might make more sense to upgrade to a dslr in your later years in college when you will be working some and saving for those expensive lenses. Also, will you be happy carrying around a lense, body? More bulk and weight to contend with. I kinda just like picking up my P&S now without having to worry about so much gear.
Good luck in your search...I'm sure you will enjoy whatever you get and congratulations on your graduation!
 05/25/2004 01:40:16 AM · #6
Try to get your hands on both of them and see how they feel to you. The Nikon has a better feature set than the Canon, but the Canon is a little cheaper in cost too. Both are good, so pick the one you are comfortable with. Although, I'd pick the D70. :-)
 05/25/2004 01:42:32 AM · #7
In your situation, I may opt for a high end non-DSLR camera. The DSLR is nice but as Kosta said, lenses are very expensive not to mention the other various accessories. But since your asking which camera, I'm a Canon fan so I will say get the Rebel but that's just because I'm a loyal and happy customer.
 05/25/2004 01:52:56 AM · #8
Lol, thanks, John, that's what I was looking for. ^_^

Kosta, Olyuzi, and Jimmy - yeah, I know what you mean. I will look into it some more and see what's up. You guys are touching on the same concerns I had about this. *ponders*

Originally posted by mcrael:
...do lots of research and think about what you want to accomplish, then make your decision. If you know anyone locally who is knowledgeeable about SLR cameras (and lenses), they'll be able to offer their opinions, especially if they know you and your style.

*nods*
I have done a lot of research on the individual cameras and have asked almost all of the people I know, that know cameras. I've gone into two shops and asked a semi-professional the technical questions I had. Sadly I am not very close with any of them, so they don't know my style. That's kind of why I asked here, even if you guys don't know me yet, it's easy for you to browse my challenge entries (which cover a good majority of my interests).

Originally posted by mcrael:
Asking the people here on DPChallenge what you should do will simply get you an equal number of respnses (well maybe not, because I discovered that there are many more Canon users than Nikon users here.) Does this make sense?

Perfect sense. That was one thing I knew would possibly happen, but that's why I gave all of my needs up front. They know their "favorite" better than the other side, so they can say whether or not it meets my needs. (Which are very general indeed.)

But John did that for me already, lol, I admit it was surprising to see him say it right out because he owns Canons, but that's what I was looking for. ^_^

Message edited by author 2004-05-25 01:53:23.
 05/25/2004 02:14:41 AM · #9
Having your first SLR is about experimentation. If you have the opportunity to get one, take it. You'll learn more with a crappy Non-Digital SLR than you will an 8.0 MegaPixel Point & Shoot.
05/25/2004 02:34:53 AM · #10
Amy,

What nice parents you have! At this point in your life something besides a dSLR might suit you better as you start college. It's been a long time ago, but I can remember my college years so well as they were such a wonderful time of my life.

College can be so busy and full of activities as well as studying and friends and boyfriends that there might not be a lot of time for seriously getting to know a dSLR and using it. Way back in 1973 when I started college I had (still have) a lovely old Kodak Retinette 1A my Dad got for me when I was in high school. You didn't have to focus it but you did have to set up the aperture and shutter for every picture so it was almost impossible to get a quick shot. It was so frustrating that one of the first things I bought was a point and shoot film camera and I still treasure all the pictures I took with that camera. I did use my Retinette, too - but not as much as the point and shoot.

Will you be living in the dorms or at home or in an apartment? Dorms can be so much fun. If you live at home you might have more time for a camera than if you live on campus.

Whatever decision you make you'll be able to get some great pictures of your college years to treasure a long time from now when you are a grandmother!
 05/25/2004 06:02:47 AM · #11
I would not worry about the cost of lenses, you can pick up second hand lenses for next to nothing and considering the camera will last you many years it should not be worth worrying about.

You can get the Nikon 28-100 for about $40 second hand amongst countless others. Perhaps some non CPU ones to start you off.

Better to have a decent SLR and learn rather than have a crappy no DLSR which will not please you in time to come.

05/25/2004 08:27:31 AM · #12
That's right Amy, ya need to get rid of that crappy point and shoot camera before ya knock any more of my pictures out! (wink wink)

05/25/2004 08:52:19 AM · #13
Amy,

Besides the expense of lenses, when you are going to the library or somewhere to study carrying 25 pounds of laptop and books, you might appreciate a lighter more compact camera. Otherwise you might be tempted to leave it home.

I am at a similar decision point. For me, I am not sure I would want to carry so much equipment around with me. Often, I combine photo expeditions with bike rides. One of the keys to getting not only good pictures but pictures of a range of subjects is being willing to cart the camera around with you so you have it when you need it!

Have you taken a look at the Nikon 5700 or 8700, the Canon Pro 1, and the Konica Minolta A2?

These have good zoom ranges, presumably good glass (the Canon has L glass), resolution and features. I think these might be a good tradeoff on an SLR at this point. To me they also have the advantage of the fully articulating LCD--kind of gives you the benefit of the older twin lens reflex's for low shots.

I mention the 5700 because it's less expensive than the 8700, and perhaps you could ask your parents if you could have the equivalent dollars, and save the extra for later, when you buy a dSLR.

Remember, in 4 years, for your next graduation, the dSLR bodies are going to be much better (and less expensive)! Perhaps they will have better addressed the dust on the sensor problems as well.

Also you might note that dorms are great places to have expensive things stolen. Make sure you get a kensington-style lock for your laptop. For your expensive camera, you might even want to get one of the small safes you can get at office supply stores and walmart, though they would only be truly secure if you were allowed to screw it to the floor (they come with screw mounts on the inside).

05/25/2004 09:33:07 AM · #14
Personally, I say go for it! I KNOW there will be a time when you would have said "Dang, I wish I upgraded!" As far as having a compact, you already have the Olympus, so that is not an issue. True lenses are expensive, but that is your NEXT STEP in upgrading. The versatility of a DSLR a huge advantage. Persoanlly, I would probably go with the D70, I have only heard good things about it, ESPECIALLY if you parents are buying. Definitely get a DSLR.
 05/25/2004 10:52:09 AM · #15
I just upgraded from a fairly compact digicam to the D70. Like you I was divided between the 300d and the D70. There were two primary things which made the decision for me. Note that these two items were points I saw referenced in multiple reviews, not anything I personally evaluated!

First, from the perspective of the kit lenses, the Nikor seems to be rated as a very good quality piece of glass, while I saw many reviews indicating that the 300d's standard lense is not as nice. For 90% of the images you'll take I think the average person wouldn't know the difference, but for me I was looking for a very long term investment that I could grow with. Seemed like the Nikor lense would take me farther. That's not to say you couldn't buy the Canon body and a nicer Canon lense - but that would not be as economical as a bundle deal in many cases. Similar to the lense quality, the build quality of the Nikon felt more sturdy to me. This is so subjective, but it just felt better in my hands. Doesn't impact image quality directly, but it did impact my personal enjoyment of using the camera.

Second, all of the reviews I saw indicated that the D70 was in some scenarios better than the D100, which is MUCH more expensive. In contrast, I didn't see any reviews which thought the D300 was competitive with the D10. This is less subjective as many of the reviews were using some pretty complex (beyond me!) measurements of image quality. My impression from the reviews was that the D70 was a more capable camera than the D300.

Now, to put it all into perspective. The other thing I saw in *all* reviews was the standard disclaimer that the camera doesn't make a good shot. A better camera just does a better job of getting out of your way. I experienced this first hand on my first usage. Changing ISO/Shutter/Aperture is quick and almost without thought compared to nested menus on my last camera. The viewer in a dSLR (to me) is also *much* more useful than an LCD panel which is difficult the preview depth of field detail with, so the camera has successfully "gotten out of my way."

I believe that with either a 300D or a D70 there is a lot of ground to cover before you've reached a limitation of the camera. So, you won't go wrong either way photographically. In the end, I felt that the quality (durability) of the D70 and its features made it a better camera for me in the long run. Now that I've got it, I couldn't possibly be happier. I would bet that if you go to a local store and handle each camera, and shott a few images in the store, you'll have a preference that will answer the question for you. Go with what feels right.
 05/25/2004 12:20:46 PM · #16
I also agree with getting a dSLR. The flexibility it affords you cannot be beat. You will realize that although it may be overwhelming at first, you will learn much more and at a much faster rate.

Message edited by author 2004-05-25 12:22:13.
 05/25/2004 12:55:12 PM · #17
From the position of a non-SLR shooter, I will cast my vote on the non-SLR side. There is a hell of a long way you can go without one. I would personally, if I were one of your parents, give you one of the new 8MP things and the extra for filters and a good tripod. Possibly even two good tripods, as a low-level one is always useful. And a serious CF card or two. And a bag. And a spare battery or two.

Sure you might 'grow into' the D70 or 300D. But by the time you've rown into it you might find the equivalent costing about $400, and with way better resolution, or whatever the camera companies have up their sleeves for the next couple of years.

Ed

PS. Horrible decision to have to make!
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 04/24/2024 03:24:58 AM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Prints! - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/24/2024 03:24:58 AM EDT.