Canon Digital Photography Forum

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Need your opinion? SLR camera for beginner "Nikon" or "Canon"?

I want to buy a new SLR camera to replace my digital camera becouse i want to learn the photography. But i dont know anything about SLR camera. I got some info from my friends and some forums that Canon and Nikon are the best for digital SLR. Which model of Canon or Nikon that you recommend to me?

Well, you DID say "digital" in your question, so I will stick to your request.

Your budget will choose your camera for you. Although I would have a hard time choosing between the higher level Nikon and Canon SLR's, I have a strong bias in favor of Nikon for the entry level and upgrade cameras. This means that I would recommend the Nikon D40 or D80. You should go to a real camera store and see what you can learn about each one and see which one you can afford. The D80 is quite a bit larger than the D40 and some people find that it fits their hands better. Besides that, though, there are many differences.

Please indulge me while I post two of my stock answers about the D40 and D80. If you are not interested, then just go on to the next answer, but others have found this helpful.

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Nikon D40

The Nikon D40 is a great little camera, very easy to use and quite reasonably priced. It has a few "consumer friendly" totally automatic modes that make it very easy to use - including a "Child Photo" mode - but still offers total photographic control when you are ready to take charge. It will get you in the Nikon family which is a great place to be. If you buy accessories and lenses, you will be able to use everything on any Nikon that you might upgrade to later on.

Check out Nikon's "Picturetown" promotion, where they handed out 200 D40's in Georgetown, SC. http://www.stunningnikon.com/picturetown/

Here are a few reviews, in case you have not read them yet. Be sure to note that they are several pages long and some of the reviews also have some sample images that you can look at.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40/
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_reviews/nikon_d40.html
http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3756/camera-test-nikon-d40.html
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40/d40-recommendations.htm

I hate to see people slam the camera because it can't autofocus with older Nikon lenses. It is true that there is a "slight problem" with older Nikon lenses not autofocusing on the D40, but if you do not own a bag full of older lenses, it is not going to be a problem. It is barely a problem anyhow. If you check www.nikonusa.com for "AF-S" lenses, which are ALL 100% compatible with the D40, you will find 23 lenses, including 7 "VR" (vibration Reduction) lenses and one true macro lens with "VR". There are another 25-plus lenses in the current catalog that provide all functions except autofocus as well as many (possibly dozens) "out of print" lenses that will work just as well. In addition, although these lens will not autofocus, most of them will still give focus confirmation. From the D40 manual: "If the lens has a maximum aperture of f/5.6 of faster, the viewfinder focus indicator can be used to confirm whether the portion of the subject in the selected focus area is in focus. After positioning the subject in the active focus area, press the shutter release button halfway and rotate the lens focusing ring until the in-focus indicator is displayed." (See http://www.members.aol.com/swf08302/nikonafs.txt for a list of AF-S lenses.)

The D40 only has 3 autofocus zones arranged horizontally at the center, 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions. This might be considered a limitation, but realistically, most people will find this perfectly adequate, especially if you are moving up from a point and shoot with only a center zone.

There is no "Status LCD" on top of the camera, but Nikon chose to use the rear LCD for this information. This is actually a nice move, as the display is bigger than the top display and you aren't using the read LCD for anything BEFORE you take the picture anyway. This is not a step backwards and it actually makes sense to me.

You can get the D40 with the 18-55 kit lens at B&H Photo available through Yahoo! Shopping or at 1-800-622-4987) for $525 (June 2007). Add a Lexar Platinum (60X speed) card for $25 or 2 GB for $35. Or - get the D40 with 18-135 lens and 1 GB Lexar card for $750. They also have used D40's from $475.

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Nikon D80

The February 2007 issue of Popular Photography has an article where they compared the top 10 MP DSLR's. I took the scores and ranked the cameras similar to the way Formula 1 gives championship points. I just gave 5 for 1st place down to 1 for last place, splitting the difference when cameras tied in their catagories.

They evaluated Image Quality (giving this twice as much weight as anything else), Ease of Use, Control, and System Flexibility.

The final order and my scores are:

Nikon D80 - 17.5 points
- BEST in Image Quality, Control and System Flexibility
Canon Rebel XTi (400D) - 13.5 points
- Tied for best in System Flexibility
Pentax K10D - 11 points
- Tied for best in Ease of Use
Samsung GX10 - 11 points
- Tied for best in Ease of Use
Sony Alpha 100 - 7 points
- LAST in Image Quality, Ease of Use and System Flexibility."

Then again, this is the same magazine that put the Sony Alpha 100 dead last in this comparison named it the camera of the year in the previous issue! (In a follow-up to this seeming error, Pop Photo published the explanation that only the D80 and the Sony had been tested by the end-of-year deadline for choosing the Camera of the Year. Sony won on the strength of low price and built-in image stabilization. The other 3 that beat Sony in shoot-out were not tested until after the Camera of the Year was selected, because they were not yet available.)

Go to the original question and read the responses for more opinions.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiG00eHyd0oq5b.X7J.jiULzy6IX?qid=20070113133139AAHWJY0

If you want to get the "best" for the real world, consider the Nikon D200 or Canon 30D if you can afford it. For about $300-500 less, look at the results of the recent PopPhoto test and choose from that list according to your taste.

Personally, I use a Nikon D200 and would recommend it without hesitation to someone who has some knowledge of photography. For someone who wants the "best," but is starting with somewhat of an "entry level" knowledge base, I'd suggest the Nikon D80.

There are people out there who will state their preference for the Canon cameras and I will not argue with them. The Canon 30D and 400D are excellent cameras as well. You would have to visit a camera store or camera department and pick them up and see what you think.

This review is available online at:

http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3569/10mp-dslr-shootout.html

Here's another reference from outside the photographic press. Consumer reports compared the Nikon D80, Canon Rebel XTi and Sony Alpha. Personally, I'd say that the Nikon came out on top here, also. It beats the Sony in "noise-free ISO" with an acceptable rating at ISO 1600 (kind of optimistic, I think...) compared to the Sony's ISO 400. It beats the Canon (in my opinion) by having a spot meter that the Canon does not offer.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/news-electronics-computers/november-2006/shootout-10-megapixel-digital-slr-cameras-11-06/overview/0611_digital-slr-shoot-out.htm

Here's another comparison of interest:

http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/content/Canon-Rebel-XTi-vs-Nikon-D80-vs-Sony-Alpha-A100-Head-to-Head-to-Head-Digital-Camera-Review-.htm
[Note the navigation menu near the top of the review]

The next thing to consider is what lens to start with and where you go from there. If you are new to this, I'd say to just get the "kit" lens, which seems to be the 18-135 lens for the D80, and get started. Once you know where you really want to go with your photography, Nikon has an almost unlimited family of lenses to choose from.

Canon Digital Camera


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Canon Eos 7D Or Nikon D300S - A Dslr Camera Review

It is really another Digital SLR shootout! Canon vs Nikon... just as before. This is an incredibly fascinating battle of Photography Equipment Producers.

This time the featured players are the Canon EOS 7D vs Nikon D300s.

The stakes are high as they battle each other to see who can win the most new consumers.

Photographers are lining up across the digital battlefield from each other to argue about technological features and camera jargon back and forth.

If you search photography message boards for the most current threads about these two middle of the road Digital SLR cameras, you will observe some rather interesting remarks. But once all is said and done, it looks like that there is really a winner.

Here are several of the challenges that have climbed to the top of the debate since the launch of two very similar, and, yes, amazing, pieces of photographic equipment.

Megapixel count -

Megapixel count appears to favor the Canon 7D at 18 megapixels vs 12 megapixels on the Nikon D300s. However, the sole mention of the matter (in this writer's research) was from one person who pointed out that the greater resolution of 18 megapixels was an asset when recording images at a high zoom range. However, for the most part, it was a non-issue.

Auto Focus -

When users compare the Canon 7D vs Nikon D300s regarding auto-focus, the main concern is with fast action such as sports. The auto focus characteristic would seem to be a benefit for the Nikon D300s because of its 51 focal points, due to the fact the Canon 7D has only 19 focal points. Then again, this is where more is not always better. A number of of the remarks made personal reference to the fact that with 51 points to try to focus on, the camera needed to work much too hard to quickly coordinate all those points.

Basically, the 19 point system functioned far superior when dealing with quick objects simply because the camera's computer managed to keep up with the need for continuous focus. When not much movement is called for the AutoFocus was not a problem with either camera, but when it was necessary to lock focus on a moving object, one person commented that the "7D is the most capable AF I've seen to date."

Hmm.. very intriguing

Movie Mode -

Both cameras feature HD video capture. The Canon 7D has higher resolution at 1080p and 30 frames per second versus 720p and 24 frames per second.

ISO -

Now that the cameras have been in the hands of real customers for several months, the remarks indicate that the Nikon D300s has not been able to capture the same quality of images at high ISO ratings. This will come into play if you are shooting photos indoors in lower light without a flash, such as at a school play or a concert where there will be " No Flash Photography Permitted".

LCD -

Again on the matter of numbers, it would appear that the LCD clarity would be approximately the same, but, again, feedback on the user forums by consumers who have used both cameras seem to favor the brightness of the Canon 7D, especially out doors in bright sunlight whenever using movie mode and/or Live View.

Price -

Last but not least when you compare the Canon 7D vs Nikon D300s with regard to Price,
street price is about $100 cheaper for the Nikon D300s. That is $1500 vs $1600, depending upon where you are shopping. This is for the Body Only - without a lens.

Bottom Line - if you are a enthusiast of one camera brand or the other, there is no need to change, because you will continue to get great images from your chosen manufacturer.

Moreover, even though the Canon 7D is the obvious winner in this review, just wait. It won't be long before both cameras are replaced with newer, shinier, more technologically developed siblings.

Photography is really fun.

See the two cameras side-by-side comparisons at www.digital-photographic-resources.com.

About the Author

I love photography and all things related to it. Cameras, camera gear, and image editing software fascinate me, so I am either buying the newest piece of equipment (or software) or researching my next purchase.

Compare the Canon EOS 7D vs Nikon D300s side-by-side at www.digital-photographic-resources.com.

digital photography | better digital photography


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Nikon D300s - Pro-Quality Digital SLR Camera...Cheap

One of my favorite photographers, no, I take that back, my favorite photographer is Moose Peterson. He is arguably the best nature photographer on earth. I admit, there are some excellent people taking nature photos, but Moose is at the top in my book.

Anyway, Moose is a Nikon guy. His equipment is mega-expensive. Lenses cost $5000 and up for the telephoto ones that can see into the nostrils of a bald eagle in flight. I can only drool and dream about having a lens like that.

The reason for mentioning Moose here is that he got me thinking about switching to Nikon after seeing his pictures and hearing his testimonials about his equipment. (I am a Canon digital SLR owner.)

Prior to buying my first digital SLR, I went through the process of searching forums and photography sites to figure out which kind of camera I wanted to purchase. Depending on where you look, you will find people who are extremely passionate about their equipment. So, if you are reading a post by a Canon owner, that brand sounds like the best, and vice versa when reading a blurb written by a Nikon owner.

Long story, shortened, I came down on the Canon side. But if I had it to do over again, I would most definitely be buying a Nikon D300s. User reviews make this camera sound like the ultimate Photo Enthusiast model. Most of the buyers are semi-pro, but there are lots of professionals buying it too.

The Nikon D300s is not a full frame camera, but the image quality is so good, you can't really tell the difference. That is unless you are one of those "pixel peepers" who write the expert reviews and you own a full-blown camera lab.

The D300s has all the bells and whistles a photographer will need to get the best shots possible from a camera. Yes, you will have to get a lens or two, because the lens is just as important as the camera, but don't skimp on either if you can afford it.

I would not hesitate to suggest that you read all the reviews before making up your mind. But don't get distracted by the research. It will drive you nuts reading the camera bashing articles written by either Canon or Nikon users. Both are great cameras, but this one is great.

It is really cheap? Well, not by my standards, but when you consider the quality, it truly is... cheap.

About the Author

Want to see what the Nikon D300s has under the hood? Go to http://digital-photographic-resources.com/cameras/mid-dslr.html.

Digital Photography - FroKnowsPhoto Assignment #001


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cameras lens, HD video camera, compact digital cameras, canon digital slr, nikon digital slr cameras

Most consumers know all about compact digital cameras as many people these days have them and you can't go anywhere without someone whipping out their camera for a photo. They are easy to carry around, light, small, inexpensive, and are very use to use - just point and shoot. However, digital SLR cameras are now becoming increasingly in demand, whereas just a mere 5 years ago these were only really for professionals who knew how to use most effectively all their different features, consumers these days are becoming interested in them as they have many advantages of their own to offer, and as prices come down to meet those of high-end compact cameras they are an affordable option for enthusiastic photographers.

The range of digital cameras is huge and it can be a time consuming and difficult process trying to narrow down options best suited for your needs. If you want the simplicity of a digital camera but want to control various functions yourself, then a digital SLR camera might be for you. They are easy enough to use if you are an amateur in cameras and photography, but can also be used by professionals seeking advanced features for high quality images.

SLR stands for single lens reflex and these types of cameras are much more flexible than choosing a compact camera. The picture you take is exactly what the lens sees, and the ability to change the lens means you can take pictures of practically anything and still get a high quality image, whether it is a close up of a bumble bee or a far away shot of a landscape. The large image sensors also help produce high-quality photos and the near-zero lag time means they are ideal for action photography.

Consumer digital SLR cameras are immensely popular and are manufactured by some of the world's leading brands including Canon digital SLR, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Pentax. There's plenty of information and advice online in forums and reviews where you can obtain some knowledge and understanding of what each brand can offer and which model might be of interest to you. These are written by people who actually use these cameras and so you can be guaranteed that you won't get any sales talk but will hear the true facts about the products.

Before you start to search online for a digital SLR to suit your photographic needs, you need to consider how much money you have to spend. SLR cameras are more expensive than other options, particularly simple point and shoot cameras.

The most basic are obviously the cheapest; if you are a beginner then this would be the most suitable for your needs as the higher priced cameras have many manual features and settings and can be confusing to a beginner. There is no point throwing money at a highly expensive camera if you aren't going to be using most of the features, best to go with the simpler models and learn how to use that competently first. Saying that however, don't always select a camera based on price alone, check it also has the features you want to enable you to take the photos you desire.

Once you have your budget sorted then your choice of digital SLR cameras has been reduced and makes your decision much easier. The great thing about digital SLR cameras is that fact that the cameras lens is interchangeable, this means you can now get great shots of practically everything. Telephoto lens allow you to zoom in on a particular subject, ideal for safari or wildlife images, whilst a wide angle lens is perfect for scenery shots. This gives the photographer much more choice in the types of photos and images they want to produce.

Digital SLR cameras are more affordable than ever, allowing users with little experience to practice their skills and produce some great images. If you're looking for something more technical than a regular digital point-and-shoot but don't need too many manual features that you simply won't use, then check out the range of Canon, or Nikon digital SLR cameras online and never miss out on a great photo opportunity again.

About the Author

John Sharp writes articles for Cameras Direct, one of the best etailer in Australia today for a selection of cameras from leading manufacturers such as Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Panasonic. The store selects products in the knowledge that they represent the best value for money from a wide range of products available; so explore and browse camera lenses, accessories such as memory cards, batteries, tripods and video cameras all under one roof.

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