Maybe I didn't...Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus.....?

[meganc]

Well now I don't know which camera I want.
(at circuit city prices, which a lot of them were on sale) I am choosing from:
1. Nikon D80: 10.2 mp, 18-135mm lens - $1299.99
2. Canon Rebel XTi: 10.1 mp, 18-55mm lens - $799.99
3. Nikon D40x: 10.2 mp, 18-55mm lens - $740.99
4. Sony Alpha 100K: 10.2 mp, 18-70mm lens - $709.99
5. Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1K: 7.5 mp, 14-50mm lens - $1317.99
6. Pentax K10D: 10.2 mp, 18-55mm lens - $769.99
7. Canon Rebel XT: 8 mp, 18-55mm lens - $628.99
8. Canon EOS 30D: 8.2 mp, 28-135mm lens - $1499.99
9. Nikon D200: 10.2 mp, 18-135mm lens - $1819.99
10. OIympus Evolt E410 (Two Lens Kit), 10 mp, 14-42mm lens & 40-150mm lens - $814.99

Numbers 1,5,8, and 9 I would have to wait a while to save the money for. The rest I would have to save money for too but not as long. What do you think about these cameras?

 

[Sweetsomedays]

I heart my Nikon

Picking a cam is kinda like picking your wardrobe it's a personal thing. What camera's offer the features that are important and will be most useful to you? If one of the more expensive cams offers what you want then if I were you I would hold out for that one.

 

[EBphotography]

My advice is to do some research. If you're choosing from such a wide range of cameras, you probably haven't held these cameras, examined their features, etc. You're looking at a WIDE range of cameras here, both in features and price range. It's a lot of money even if you pick the cheapest one, so be careful and make an informed decision.

 

[crownlaurel]

You can find better prices than Circuit City. Ritz camera runs some pretty good sales sometimes. If you have a Ritz camera or Wolff camera close by you can go in and check out the different cameras and see how much the storage cards cost for each. Best Buy often beats CC. Believe it or not, Sam's club carries a very narrow line of dSLRs. Although no one seems to believe me, I bought a Nikon d40 (not x) with kit lens at Sam's for $447.81 (regular price there is $559) and they carry the evolt for a pretty good deal.

Keep your eyes open and check around.

ETA: Also, think about what it is you want to accomplish with your camera. Do you need really large files? Do you plan to do a lot of inside photography or outside or skies or night photos? Are you interested more in portraits or landscapes or creative photography? Macros or telephoto (the actual camera probably won't come into play here but consider how much lenses for each cost)?

If you're really wanting to do serious photography and you already know how to handle a camera, then you may want to save longer and not buy an entry level camera. If it's for personal pictures or for gaining experience and learning, you don't want to get an expensive pro camera because then you may not have enough for the proper lenses and lighting. If you don't need huge poster sized prints or to crop out half of every photo, the number of megapixels proabably won't make that much difference.

 

[meganc]

Yeah I have a Wolf Camera near me that I am planning on going to soon. I like the way Nikons feel, but I also like Canons. I haven't really got to hold any of the other camera's yet. So I am going to some camera stores soon.
And Yeah, I saw Sam's Club has a good deal for the Nikon D40, so I believe you lol.
​

 

[Garbz]

Cameras are cameras. Very personal and most do the same thing. I can give you a few pointers to narrow your search. If you intend to do this long term stay away from Sony Alpha and the Nikon D40.

The Sony Alpha is a single camera with no current upgrade path. It is not certain that sony will stay with this, produce a pro camera, etc. As for the D40 it doesn't support a wide variety of AF Nikon lenses. Great if you are going to buy it slap on an 18-200 and never buy another lens again, but very bad if you intend to take photography as a hobby as some lenses like the 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4 are only available in AF models and not AF-S. Every other Nikon supports both.

From there it comes down to price range. In reality the D80 and D200 take very similar pictures for instance. I bought the D200 because I don't intend on upgrading any time soon, and I needed a big camera with a metal body for my large hands an irresponsible wrestling to get the perfect picture. I think I would have broken a D80 by now if I had it :S

Once you have a price range and established what you need, look at what you feel comfortable with. Grab a Canon 400D, the Pentax K10D and a Nikon D80 at the same time. Hold them , play with the buttons and see which you find most comfortable. Only when you have found the right camera for YOU then buy into the system and look at lenses etc.

 

[meganc]

So I narrowed it down to 7
Four that I like that I could get without waiting a while
And three that I like, but would have to wait quite a while longer.

Lower prices
1. Canon Rebel XTi: 10.1 mp, 18-55mm lens - $799.99
2. Nikon D40x: 10.2 mp, 18-55mm lens - $740.99
3. Pentax K10D: 10.2 mp, 18-55mm lens - $769.99
4. OIympus Evolt E410 (Two Lens Kit), 10 mp, 14-42mm lens & 40-150mm lens - $814.99

Higher prices
1. Canon EOS 30D: 8.2 mp, 28-135mm lens - $1499.99
2. Nikon D200: 10.2 mp, 18-135mm lens - $1819.99
3. Nikon D80: 10.2 mp, 18-135mm lens - $1299.99

But then again, if I want I can get one of the lower priced ones, and use that for a while.
And by the time I want to get a new camera, I will have more money to get a more expensive one. Also, by the time I want a new camera, there will probably be more cameras. I don't plan on getting a new one for a while.

Lower prices:
I like the Canon Rebel XTi, but I also like the other ones. What do you say when it comes to the XTi vs. the other three? The cheapest of them was the Nikon D40x, but if I get a Nikon I really really want the D80 or D200. So I'm not sure if I want the Nikon yet. But then again, if I got the D80 before the D200, and the D40x before the D80, I'll be sticking to one brand, which I kind of like. The Pentax, I never even heard of until recently. So it would have to be a pretty nice camera/brand to get me to buy something new...so I'm hoping they will have one at a store that I can actually see and hold. And the Olympus, I was just looking at this same camera last night. I like it, and I like it even better that it comes with two lenses. It's the most expensive out of the four, but not by much. So are there any people with these cameras that can tell me some things about them? Good/Bad?

Higher prices:
Like I said, I think I might just wait until I want a new camera after this one to get one of these. Because most likely I'll still want the Nikon D200, so I think I'll probably just wait til after this camera to get it. But same for these, any people that have these that can tell me things about them? The good and the bad?

Thanks.

 

[XJBaylor]

If you have handled the Rebel and D80 and like them, then you probably don't need the D200. In all honesty, the D80 is 10x the camera most D200 owners need, but it is plastic. If you think that you can take care of the D80, then get it. It is an incredible camera. I think you could narrow your decision down to the Rebel XTi and D80, both should suit your needs and them some.

 

[PPAAUULL]

Go Nikon all the way. By far one of the best out there.

 

[Nikon Norm]

Probably the more important decision is to select a system that has the lens choice you want and can afford. Better to save some money on a more modest camera body and spend more on good glass. The glass will stay with you while the body will succumb to technology.

Canon has less noise on the sensors, richer colors out of the camera and some good lens choices in their L series.

Nikon has a better flash system, cheaper wi-fi and requires more post processing to get the shot to pop, but will not blow the highlights as easily.

I'm a long time Nikon user, just in case you couldn't tell.

 

[jstuedle]

Most here know I've shot Nikon for the better part of 40 years, so no reason to revisit that. Just be aware that when you buy your first camera, you are buying into a "system". By that I mean a system of lenses and accessories. After collecting a bunch of "stuff", it's expensive to change brands. For that reason, I would limit myself to Nikon and Cannon. That isn't to say others aren't good or won't have the wide array of glass and goodies. But now they don't and might not. I know this might start a little argument, but that's JMHO. I bought into the Nikon system in 1969 and have been very, very pleased.

 

[WDodd]

Most here know I've shot Nikon for the better part of 40 years, so no reason to revisit that. Just be aware that when you buy your first camera, you are buying into a "system". By that I mean a system of lenses and accessories. After collecting a bunch of "stuff", it's expensive to change brands. For that reason, I would limit myself to Nikon and Cannon. That isn't to say others aren't good or won't have the wide array of glass and goodies. But now they don't and might not. I know this might start a little argument, but that's JMHO. I bought into the Nikon system in 1969 and have been very, very pleased.

I agree. My parents had Canon film cameras for years, thats why I didn't even look at any other brand when I bought my dSLR.

 

[Johnboy2978]

You really need to go to dpreview and do a comparison of the features of the ones you're interested in. Otherwise, when you ask for opinions, you're just going to get "You should buy brand x, that's what I have and I love it". That's great, but not an insightful comparison of why X is better than Y or why Y is right for you.

In the end, it's just a box that exposes light. Quite honestly, they are all going to have about the same features, and in the hands of someone qualified, no one is going to know if a particular image came out of a Canon, Nikon, Pentax, or brand X.

If you already have expensive glass for a particular brand then it is probably wise to buy into that brand's system. If you have no glass, any of these are going to be respectable choices.

...Oh, and you should buy the K10D....That's what I have and it's a great camera

 

[n0ccj]

well, i must say this is the most avid group of nikoneers. I have a nikon d40?? (i think) that i havent touched in a year+. The menu is harder to navigate and the camera was not what i was expecting. I bought a Digital Rebel XT and it is very very good. I have taken close to 7,000 pictures since i bought it 18 months ago. The quality is good, and the affordable price allowed me to buy (more importantly) the good lenses i wanted. The 30D is REALLY REALLY nice and might be my next camera purchase if i get my bonus in september (X fingers). The XTi has a nice large screen but i do not like the smaller buttons. Whichever camera u get make sure you try it out first. I live in LA and in brea they have a shop that lets to 'test' all the cameras. I took the camera around the store and even out front to try it out. Then i looked at what i needed it for (rugged terrain hiking) and looked at which camera i could afford to replace if something happened. As it turns out i just bought camera insurance and that settled that. Good luck in the camera search and try all the menus before you buy.

 

[smyth]

well, i must say this is the most avid group of nikoneers. I have a nikon d40?? (i think) that i havent touched in a year+. The menu is harder to navigate and the camera was not what i was expecting. I bought a Digital Rebel XT and it is very very good. I have taken close to 7,000 pictures since i bought it 18 months ago. The quality is good, and the affordable price allowed me to buy (more importantly) the good lenses i wanted. The 30D is REALLY REALLY nice and might be my next camera purchase if i get my bonus in september (X fingers). The XTi has a nice large screen but i do not like the smaller buttons. Whichever camera u get make sure you try it out first. I live in LA and in brea they have a shop that lets to 'test' all the cameras. I took the camera around the store and even out front to try it out. Then i looked at what i needed it for (rugged terrain hiking) and looked at which camera i could afford to replace if something happened. As it turns out i just bought camera insurance and that settled that. Good luck in the camera search and try all the menus before you buy.

It must be a D50... D40 has only been around since December...