broke experienced photographer college bound

[kaicosmoz]

Hey so I took photography 3 times. Taught by a professional photographer. We used very old film cameras and had access to a dark room. As a result I have come in love with the technical aspects of photography, aperture, shutter speed, iso etc.

I have 400-500 bucks to spend on a camera, which I will be buying used on craigslist so I can get a bit more equipment for less.

My questions though are:

1) Whats better, d40 or rebel xt?(I know there similar, but whats better for manual mod since a lot of people seem to use lower end dslr's just fro point and shoot purposes) I am more interested in picture quality then features. I want professional looking shots.

2) Will 1 of these cameras offer me the necessary controls to have full control of the aperture, shutter speed etc?

3) Good less expensive lenses? I will be shooting landscapes, nature and some sports. I was thinking about getting the kit 18-55 and the 55-200 since I found some ads on craigslist with all this for 450.

Any suggestions on cameras or equipment? Thanks!

 

[JimmyO]

there both equal

go to best buy and handle them and see what one feels better in your hands

 

[kaicosmoz]

is the xt the same body as the xti just without the extra features? I held an xti and I really liked how it felt.

 

[PhotoXopher]

There was someone here selling a D40 kit for a good price as well, check the classifieds section.

 

[usayit]

Dpreview is a good reference for older (and new) cameras and specs.

Canon Digital Cameras: Digital Photography Review

The XT and XTI are not the same camera. The XTI is newer and more mpixels jammed in the sensor.


Another thing you might want to consider is waiting..... Once you get into college, you might have more options (discounts, other students selling, etc.) as well as input from the professor.

You can also examine KEH.com for used cameras. They have a good reputation.

[EDIT]
If it were me on your shoes, I'd probably pass on the kit lenses and purchase a few primes. But that's just me... I shoot mostly with primes for years. Remember... IQ is highly dependent on the glass!!

 

[Overread20]

I'm a little confused by your opening post and title as your title suggests you are going to college whilst your post suggests that you've been to college and have now left.

If you are heading to college I agree with Usayit and have a talk with the lectureres in charge of the course. Often these courses will have discounts and you might even be able to pick up some cheaper second hand gear from upper years students as they leave or upgrade themselves. In addition most unis will have a focus on a single camera brand (these days mostly canon or nikon) and (although this is highly dependant on the staff) thus is makes a lot of sense to be using the "in brand". For one thing chance are they will have gear to borrow for that brand which gives you more options and further the staff will be more familiar with using those kind of camera. That is important as the last thing you want is to be using a camera they don't understand as it means they are less likley to be able to help you control and use it.

 

[usayit]

G.A.S hits all incoming students. Kinda like the excitement preschoolers experience when they go shopping for school supplies at the beginning of the year. Studying in the computer field was no different. Heck, I remember being pretty excited buying a microwave and such for my college apartment. I'd resist... college life has its surprises.

 

[Overread20]

Oh I well know the "going to uni" G.A.S. syndrome
though I never got a microwave (got one now though that came with the room) I did get a toastrack though (darn annoyed I've left it at home it was a great latter rack and the dish drying rack is just not as good at the job..... yes I'm serious it gets used for letter and paper sorting....)

 

[Sw1tchFX]

I'd go with the D40, it's got a 1/500th of a second flash sync, beefier grip, and quieter shutter.

 

[Sam6644]

BUY THE CANON


You will have access to the FULL line of EOS lenses with full functionality, where as if you buy the Nikon D40 you will not be able to auto-focus all Nikon lenses.

 

[iAstonish]

BUY THE CANON


You will have access to the FULL line of EOS lenses with full functionality, where as if you buy the Nikon D40 you will not be able to auto-focus all Nikon lenses.

This^

Might be important when you start looking for cheap glass. The 50mm f1.8 along with a bunch of other lenses are going to look really good for the price until you realize that they won't auto focus on your D40.

I had a D40 and its a great camera, but because of the budget and your situation, I would have to recommend the Canon as well.

 

[manicmike]

I'd go with the D40.

 

[iAstonish]

I'd go with the D40.

That is a good price on the d40 and lens though.

 

[mrpink]

If you are used to older cameras, manually focusing a 50mm 1.8 on the D40 will be a breeze. Don't let that scare you off from a great setup.

My vote is for the D40.

p!nK

 

[Jeremy Z]

(sigh) another guy closes out to all the other good options and focuses only on Nikon & Canon...

My point is that you don't NEED access to "the full line of EOS lenses" Just because there are hundreds of lenses & accessories, doesn't mean you can't find what you need in a more limited line. For example, look at Pentax's line of optics? There aren't hundreds of them, but they have anything anyone could need. They just aren't so big on planned obsolesence as Nikon & Canon are.

Pentaxes also have body-integral anti-shake, so you don't have to spend the money every time you buy a lens. Samsungs are hardly ever considered by anyone, yet they use Pentax optics.

I don't think it is a good idea to wait until you get there. You might find that not only are lots of people selling, but also there are lots of people buying and there is nothing there.

Buy something now locally, where there is not as much competition. And don't rule out Sony, Pentax, or Samsung just because everyone here has. Pentax kit lenses are of much higher quality than Canon & Nikon, for instance. Let's face it, those are the lenses we use day in and day out, so that makes a bigger difference than the other hundreds of lenses offered that the average joe can't afford anyway.

Oh, don't forget Olympus either. Their optics are world-class too, and their electonics are also super good.