Suggestions Please

[chrszie]

I know there are many different cameras out there and the more research i do the more i am lost... I have been looking at the Nikon D90 or the D300. Some say that Nikon is over-priced. If this is the case can you please send some recommendations. I am new to digital photography but want to buy a camera that i will not out grow in a few years. Thanks for any advise you may have..

 

[Samanax]

There's a pretty big price difference between the D90 and the D300...why are you looking at those two bodies in particular?

Besides Nikon have you looked at the Canon DSLRs?

 

[bigtwinky]

Yep, a little bit more of what you want to do would help.
You are new to digital, but are you new to photography?

 

[chrszie]

I am looking at the D90 because I have heard so much about it, and the D300 because a lot of the reviews i read seem to be good and it's within my budget. One of the reasons for joining this forum is because I don't really know to much about all the other kinds of cameras. Which cannon would you recommend? Do you think canyon is a better product? Thanks for taking the time to comment.

 

[chrszie]

I have taken photo 101 at my college so i do have a very basic knowldge photography but i have a lot to learn. I am getting ready to take a digital course here in a few months.

 

[seward93]

Canon**

A good few first questions are what is your price range?
Do you want to buy new, or is used an option?
Do you need/want to buy a tripod, camera case, etc.?
What kind of photography will you be doing? (portraits, landscape, macro (close up), everything )

 

[chrszie]

Canon**

A good few first questions are what is your price range?
Do you want to buy new, or is used an option?
Do you need/want to buy a tripod, camera case, etc.?
What kind of photography will you be doing? (portraits, landscape, macro (close up), everything )

Q1: I am hoping to not spend more than $2,000
Q2: I would perfer New dont have to worry if it will work or not
Q3: I have a tripod but will need everything else
Q4: Mostly Portraits with a little Landscape

Thanks for the reply

 

[musicaleCA]

Consider something in the Canon Rebel series too then. You could easily get a body and a better lens for under $2,000. I got my 450D for $1,400 CDN and that was with the EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens instead of the standard kit lens. Assuming you have control of the subject's background, you can actually achieve pretty good looking bokeh with that lens. It should suffice, unless you want larger apertures or higher performence in low-light, in which case you may need to spend more on a different lens. It's just a bit hard in my opinion to get a reasonable lens that fits both portraiture (telephoto) and landscape (wide-angle) work. Hence I think the 17-85mm would be a decent option. I know mine serves me well, even if the chromatic abberation can be a little nasty at times, but again, getting rid of that is simply something that requires more money invested in the lens.

 

[chrszie]

Consider something in the Canon Rebel series too then. You could easily get a body and a better lens for under $2,000. I got my 450D for $1,400 CDN and that was with the EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens instead of the standard kit lens. Assuming you have control of the subject's background, you can actually achieve pretty good looking bokeh with that lens. It should suffice, unless you want larger apertures or higher performence in low-light, in which case you may need to spend more on a different lens. It's just a bit hard in my opinion to get a reasonable lens that fits both portraiture (telephoto) and landscape (wide-angle) work. Hence I think the 17-85mm would be a decent option. I know mine serves me well, even if the chromatic abberation can be a little nasty at times, but again, getting rid of that is simply something that requires more money invested in the lens.

What do you think is a better camera? Nikon or Canon?

 

[KmH]

What do you think is a better camera? Nikon or Canon?

They are of essentially equal quality so it is not really about which brand is better. It's about which brand has the features most advantagous for how you intend to use a camera.

It's the little things that make the difference for a purchaser.

As an example: The Nikon D90 and D300 have the same image sensor. BUT.
The D90 has an all plastic body and no weather sealing. The D300 has a metal body and weather sealing.
The D90 can make up to 3 bracketed exposure the D300 can do up to 9
The D90 has 11 focus points the D300 has 51.

Of course the D300 costs more.

Nikon has better built-in off camera flash triggering features than does Canon.
BUT
If you want to shoot with your camera tetherd to a laptop you get sofware included with your Canon to do that but have to pay extra to get the same kind of software from Nikon.

 

[Joves]

Well I have the D300 and, it is a great camera. For protraits you may or may not want to trigger flashes off camera, in which case the D300 will do this in Commander Mode. Ofcourse with either brand you could use triggers but that is more expense to me that I reall dont need.
Have you tried going to a store and, physically comparing them? You might try holding the models you are considering and, see which you like best. As long as you are geting the same level models between the brands they will be on par with each other as features go. I do believe the Canon 50d is the D300s counterpart.
Here is a comparison from DPReview. Digital Cameras Side-by-Side, 2 cameras: Digital Photography Review you can see the features side by side that way and decide what is best for you.

 

[chrszie]

What do you think is a better camera? Nikon or Canon?

They are of essentially equal quality so it is not really about which brand is better. It's about which brand has the features most advantagous for how you intend to use a camera.

It's the little things that make the difference for a purchaser.

As an example: The Nikon D90 and D300 have the same image sensor. BUT.
The D90 has an all plastic body and no weather sealing. The D300 has a metal body and weather sealing.
The D90 can make up to 3 bracketed exposure the D300 can do up to 9
The D90 has 11 focus points the D300 has 51.

Of course the D300 costs more.

Nikon has better built-in off camera flash triggering features than does Canon.
BUT
If you want to shoot with your camera tetherd to a laptop you get sofware included with your Canon to do that but have to pay extra to get the same kind of software from Nikon.

Thank you Very much. That was so helpful. I have been leaning towards the Nikon D300 because from what i hear is a very sterdy camera with alot of extra features. Seeing that alot of my pictures will be outside the D300 is the smart way to go. Thanks Again to all of you who have left comments to help start my way in photography.

 

[chrszie]

Well I have the D300 and, it is a great camera. For protraits you may or may not want to trigger flashes off camera, in which case the D300 will do this in Commander Mode. Ofcourse with either brand you could use triggers but that is more expense to me that I reall dont need.
Have you tried going to a store and, physically comparing them? You might try holding the models you are considering and, see which you like best. As long as you are geting the same level models between the brands they will be on par with each other as features go. I do believe the Canon 50d is the D300s counterpart.
Here is a comparison from DPReview. Digital Cameras Side-by-Side, 2 cameras: Digital Photography Review you can see the features side by side that way and decide what is best for you.

Thank you. Have you shoot te Canon 50d? if so what did you like/not like about it thank you. Also what do you not like about the d300.

 

[Joves]

There isnt really anything I dont like about my D300 and, no I have never shot with Canon equipment. The only gripe about Nikon is the one I have with the manufacturers of cameras and, that is with the propietary RAW files, I would like to see a unified RAW for all makers or, have the option to have the DNG format for my camera or, everyones cameras. That would mean you could use about any programs to process your RAW files.

 

[Dao]

One side note.

If $2000 is the total budget. I will look for a lower cost camera from Nikon or Canon. It's because you will (should) spend more money on the lens(es).

For Portrait and Landscape type shots, wide angle (or even ultra-wide angle) lens, standard zoom or fast prime lenses are good.

o 10-20mm, 11-16mm for the ultra wide. (cropped body i.e. Nikon D90/D300 or Canon rebels, 40/50D)
o 17-5xmm range F/2.8 type lens
o 35mm, 50mm or 85mm fast prime lenses.

If you buy all these lenses (one in each group) with Canon or Nikon name, it may cause more than $2000 already. Third parties good one also cause well over $1000. For example, Sigma 10-20mm, Tamron/Sigma 17-50mm F/2.8 one fast prime such as 50mm F/1.8.

That may leave you about $1000 for the camera body. So the Canon Rebels/40D or the Nikon D90 maybe a good choice.

You may get by without the ultra wide lens and spend the money for other accessories or a telephoto lens.

But that is just based on $2000 budget. If you are planning to get the lens later, I will look at the D300 or the Canon 40/50D. Especially if you have a big hands.