Buying a new Camer

[Scraptastickat]

I am going to purchase a new camera and wanted to get some input from everyone. I feel the consensus is that Canon is preferred over most other brands at this time. So I am wondering, those with a Canon which model do you prefer?

I am looking at the Rebel XT, XTI and 20D.

What I want from a camera is something that can focus fast, have depth of field, work in RAW, and has a fast shutter speed for those action shots.

Can anyone give me some feedback? It would be much appreciated!

[kimh]

I was going to get the Canon Xti as I had a film Canon and was switching to digital. Advice to me was to go to the store and hold different Camera's. I did so and fell in love w/the Nikon D80.
It is a personal choice as both take good pictures. Popular Photography mag. (February) has a review of 5 different 10mp DSLR's broken down to ease of use and several other different categories.
Kimh

[CalamityJanet]

Hi Kat,

Judging from your list of requirements, I'd recommend that you research the lens/lenses that you'd want to invest in. The focus speed, depth of field and ability to shoot with fast shutter speeds are more affected by the lens than the camera. I have the XTi, and I love it, but I don't believe it's "better" than Nikon. I've discovered, by buying several different lenses, that the lens is what determines how satisfied I am with the ease of shooting and the quality of the photos. If I were do go through the decision-making process again I'd research the lenses in more detail, not just the camera body.

Good luck!

[GaryK]

Hi Kat

I think any of the lower end DSLRs will provide what you need. Each of the bodies you mention have different features but unless you want to shoot 5 frames a second they will all do what you want.

As Kim said, go the the store and try them on.:D

I would not rule out the Nikons either (I have a Canon).. they feel very nice as well.

One additional thing to consider is the cost of the "extras" if money is somewhat of a deciding factor. Lenses, battteries,grips all that sort of thing add up.
Mind you, lenses you could have forever so a couple hundred dollars for a comparable lens is not really that much (over the long term)

[lowbone]

I am going to purchase a new camera and wanted to get some input from everyone. I feel the consensus is that Canon is preferred over most other brands at this time. So I am wondering, those with a Canon which model do you prefer?

I am looking at the Rebel XT, XTI and 20D.

What I want from a camera is something that can focus fast, have depth of field, work in RAW, and has a fast shutter speed for those action shots.

Can anyone give me some feedback? It would be much appreciated!

Any of the cameras you listed will do what you are asking. They all can be set to shoot RAW, they all have fast shutter speed settings. Depth of field is determined by where you set your lens opening ( aperture). I don't think the Canon 20D is available as a new camera anymore. It was replaced by the 30D which is basically the same camera with a few upgrades. It has a larger LCD viewing screen. It will shoot five frames a second and can also be set to shoot three frames a second. It has an actual spot meter which is a very nice thing to have in difficult metering situations and Canon changed the algorythm in it's focusing system so it focuses faster them the 20D especially in low light. The Rebel XT has been discontinued but can still be purchased new in many stores however the XTi is a real improvment over the XT and I feel worth the extra money. The XTi has a much improved focusing system and it now focuses much faster then other cameras in it's class. It has 10 megapixels as opposed to the XT with 8 megapixels . This doesn't sound like allot but it will help you crop an area a little smaller then the XT. The XTi also has sensor shake cleaning and although not perfect it is a definite help in keeping your sensor clean. The 30D costs more money and it is worth it. To the novice many cameras sem to have the same features but there are major differences. For instance the 30D has a much more durable shutter then the XTi. It is rated at 100,000 shots. A shutter overhaul is very expensive. The 30D is a much better built camera and it's features make it a better buy in the long run. If however your budget dictates otherwise then I would say go with the XTi. The XTi is quite small compared to the 30D and many people like this feature. I have very large hands and do not feel comfortable with this camera body. Canon offers over fifty lenses for its cameras that range in price fron $75 for the 50mm f 1.8 lens to $7500 for the 600mm super telelphoto. If you have ever watched a football game on TV and seen all of those white lenses you can be sure that they are Canon lenses. There are also many lenses made for the Canon by aftermarket companies like Sigma,Tamron and Tokina. Good luck with your choice.

[mel]

Hi Kat

I'm also looking at buying a DSLR and seeing that I have a Canon S2 IS already I was sure it was going to be a XTi or the 30D. I went to the local camera shop last week, held the XTi and hated it :( Held the 30D and it felt much better. I've also been reading up on the Nikon D80 and decided to also give that one a go (I also checked out all the viewfinders ;) ) and just fell in love with the D80 - to my surprise!!

.....So then I figured which camera I was leaning towards I decided to check out lensed (very important) I found the Canon lenses to be a bit expensive (according to our local camera store), especially the IS lenses. I then checked out the Nikon lenses and found them to be more affordable (for me anyway :D ).

I have now decided on the Nikon D80 body and I think I'm going to get the 18-200mm VR with it.

The best thing to do is go to the camera store and hold all of them, check through the viewfinder to see which one appeals to you most - also check what kind of lenses you want to be using and the affordability (to you) of both Canon and Nikon......

.....correct me if I'm wrong but in the end I think it's all about the lens ;)

[TonyW]

Mel: You're right - as I've realised since recently stepping up to a DSLR it's all about how the camera feels in your hand and the lenses. Consider the body an expense that you'll likely be replacing while the lenses are an investment that you'll be keeping around so start out with good ones. I went with the D80 because it felt right - although in my case a factor was that I was moving up from a Fuji 9000 that has a similar feel (I think Nikon make bodies for Fuji). Mind you I'm keeping the Fuji around because when you really want depth of field in close-ups the Fuji with a smaller sensor will outperform a DSLR with a larger sensor.

Tony

[Scraptastickat]

Thanks so much everyone for your input. It just really depends on who you talk to as to which camera to get. My gut tells me that I am leaning more towards the XTi. I will have to purchase all new lenses because Minolta went out of the camera business and Sony bought them. I am NOT impressed with the Sony A100 which is the one they compare to these other two.

It seems the Canon XTi and the Nikon D80 are very comperable. I am going to hold them both but since I am a small woman I will probably be right at home with the Canon.

Thanks so much for everyone for your input. It really did help me to decide! I love this place!

[GaryK]

Kat

I really is a personal preference.

I have tried the XTi and really found it quite comfortable although I was expecting it to feel small.

I wanted to hate it so the 30D would be my next body.:D

[Wendy]

Hi ...

I agree with Gary its how it feels to you ... I have the 300D (Rebel) and I quite a while ago I thought about upgrading to the 350D (Rebel XT) ... when I went to try it out I didn't like it all all. I thought it was too light and felt too flimsy.

It just didn't feel right in my hand ... so I kept the 300D

Wendy :)

[budman101]

Have you taken a look at the Sony A100? Although all of the cameras mentioned at this price point will take excellent pictures, the one big feature that the Sony (ex Minolta) has is the anti-shake. Another nice feature is the ease of getting to the most used adjustments. If you want to change the ISO, WB setting, metering, or focus modes all you have to do is spin the dial on the left side of the camera. When testing other models I found those adjustments were not quite as easy to get to from their menu system. I'll admit that, as a Minolta user since the SrT101, I screamed when they sold out to Sony (thanks Honeywell). But this camera, aside from the fact that it takes the lenses from my Minolta film camera, is really nice well balanced piece of equipment. Sure if I was a pro there would be a Canon 5D hanging around my neck. But for my kind of shooting with long telephoto lenses the A100 was the way to go.

[ronstelzy]

Factors to consider-
Do you have any lenses now from a 35mm film camera? If so, they can be used on the same brand DSLR, saving you quite a bit of $.
Many people tell you to see how it feels in your hand, which is nice, but unless you are doing a lot of point and shoot work, that camera belongs on a tripod. As soon as you can, if you don't already own one, get a sturdy tripod, good ball head, and a quick release mount.