Deciding which camera to buy, please help!

[maddy7]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to TPF, so forgive me if I've posted this in the wrong area or anything

I have taken a Digital Photo 1 class, and am currently in Digital Photo 2 at my high school. I use my school's set of Canon Rebel XS cameras, and I shoot in manual modes.

I'm looking to buy an entry-level or intermediate SLR, either Canon or Nikon. I plan to use the camera for class projects in Photo 2, an upcoming family trip to Costa Rica in late March, and shoots I do outside of school after this class ends.

So far I'm looking at a Canon Rebel T2i and Nikon d3100, but a peer suggested Canon 50D due to a non-plastic body (like in the Rebels). If anyone could give me some insight, personal experience, what you've heard, etc. about these cameras or other suggestions based on what I've told you.

Thank you so much for any and all feedback!!! As a high school student who's just getting into photography, I really appreciate it.

 

[djacobox372]

Budget?

How would you rate the following in importance:

Video capability
Low light performance
Shooting speed
Resolution
Build Quality
Size/ergonomics
Lens availability

If you buy Nikon I would avoid anything that doesn't have an AF motor--as this will limit your lens choices. Most of the cheaper Nikons (D3000,D3100,D5000) don't the af motor, so I would go for canon if that's the price range our looking in. If you are looking a mid to high-end cameras, then it's a toss up between Nikon and Canon--just whatever "feels" better to you.

 

[KmH]

None of Canon's cameras have had an auto focus motor in them since 1987, because Canon changed their entire lineup to the Electro-Optical System (EOS) that has the auto focus motor in the lens instead of the camera body.
In one fell swoop, Canon essentially made all of the camera gear and lenses they had made prior to 1987, obsolete.

Nikon started putting an auto focus motor in lenses with the AS-I line of lenses.

Nikon came to understand there was a market for a compact dSLR because more and more women were becoming interested in doing photography. Since they had many lenses that had an auto focus motor in them, Nikon was able to started making compact cameras that could appeal to women by not including a focus motor in the camera. Those cameras are all at the entry-level end of the market and include the D40/D40x/D60/D3000/D3100/D5000.

Today, Nikon lenses that have a focus motor in them are designated as AF-S. The "S" indicates the lens has a Silent Wave auto focus motor in it. Any Nikon AF-I or AF-S lens will auto focus when mounted on a D40/D40x/D60/D3000/D3100/D5000.

The majority of the lenses Nikon offers today are AF-S lenses.

Nikon lenses that don't have a focus motor in them are designated AF, without the S. AF lenses must be manually focused when mounted on a D40/D40x/D60/D3000/D3100/D5000, but will auto focus on any other Nikon camera.

Most AF lenses are not inexpensive. They tend to be in the middle range price wise, between the consumer lenses and the professional lenses.

Anyone owning a D40/D40x/D60/D3000/D3100/D5000 still has well over 120 lenses to choose from that will auto focus: List of Nikon F-mount lenses with integrated autofocus motors - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The T2i, D3100, and 50D are each at a different level and are not directly comparable with each other. All Nikon cameras have color-aware metering. Only a few Canon cameras do, and as of now, none of them are entry-level cameras.

Nikon's equivelent to the T2i is the D90, and a new photographer would take at least a couple of years to max out either camera's capabilities. The D90 has a focus motor in it so Nikon's AF lenses would auto focus when mounted on it.

The 50D is more comparable to Nikon's D300, though the D300 has a more sophistcated auto focus system.

Actually, it's getting harder and harder to directly compare Canon and Nikon cameras because Nikon is advancing faster than Canon.

 

[maddy7]

First of all, thank you for such a detailed response!!!

My budget is on the lower end, about $600-800 give or take.

Video capability: would be nice but isn't a deal maker or breaker. i'm mostly using this camera for photos only.
Low light performance: pretty important to me
Shooting speed: I don't need something CRAZY fast; i've never had a problem on my canon rebel XS so far with limits on my shutter speed.
Resolution: very important, i want the best i can get with my budget.
Build quality: does this mean the material of the camera, i.e. plastic vs. titanium? i don't know much about this, but i want a durable camera
Size/ergonomics: not too important to me, nothing too bulky or huge
Lens availability: The AF motor is important to me, so it's great to know that cheaper Nikons don't offer this. I dont plan on getting a million lenses, but a basic 18-200mm is probably what i will end up buying.

Again, thank you so much!!

 

[flatflip]

Keith, Thanks for a great explanation. I appreciate your detail too.

Maddy, I personally love the ergonomics of the D3100 and D5000 and I am 195# male. The D3100 is technically a little smaller but I can't tell in the store. I have owned the D40 and D5000 and love the performance and feel. You should go handle the D3100 & D5000. I much prefer the features of the D90 and D7000 (I own) but I don't love the size and shape. I really wonder if "most" people utilize the built in motor of the D90 and D7000. I plan to.

 

[djacobox372]

Anyone owning a D40/D40x/D60/D3000/D3100/D5000 still has well over 120 lenses to choose from that will auto focus: List of Nikon F-mount lenses with integrated autofocus motors - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You posted a lot of stats about lens selection, but the reality is that some of the more common upgrade choices either don't have an AF-S version or cost twice as much in the AF-S version. I'm specifically talking about prime lenses <100mm. Such as the 50mm, 85mm, 24mm, 20mm, 35mm and 16mm fisheye

The only AF-S lens in this range that isn't $500+ is the 35mm 1.8 AF-S, which is TWICE as expensive as the 50mm f1.8 af-d.

Then there's also the used market, the 80-200mm AF-D is an awesome bargain, but you'd need a AF motor take advantage of it.

 

[bigtwinky]

Canon 40D...used for $600.
Best purchase IMO for someone in your position.

 

[djacobox372]

Keith, Thanks for a great explanation. I appreciate your detail too.

Maddy, I personally love the ergonomics of the D3100 and D5000 and I am 195# male. The D3100 is technically a little smaller but I can't tell in the store. I have owned the D40 and D5000 and love the performance and feel. You should go handle the D3100 & D5000. I much prefer the features of the D90 and D7000 (I own) but I don't love the size and shape. I really wonder if "most" people utilize the built in motor of the D90 and D7000. I plan to.

Be sure to take notice of all the extra buttons on the D90 and D7000--with the d90 and bigger bodies every useful function is accessible without delving into the menus.

 

[maddy7]

Keith, Thanks for a great explanation. I appreciate your detail too.

Maddy, I personally love the ergonomics of the D3100 and D5000 and I am 195# male. The D3100 is technically a little smaller but I can't tell in the store. I have owned the D40 and D5000 and love the performance and feel. You should go handle the D3100 & D5000. I much prefer the features of the D90 and D7000 (I own) but I don't love the size and shape. I really wonder if "most" people utilize the built in motor of the D90 and D7000. I plan to.

How do the D3100 and D5000 compare to the Rebel 1000d (the only DSLR that I've used)? Are they significantly more sophisticated, or..?

Thanks!!

 

[maddy7]

Canon 40D...used for $600.
Best purchase IMO for someone in your position.

Thanks for the advice. What is the 40D comparable to? I haven't really researched that model much.

Thanks!!

 

[maddy7]

Anyone owning a D40/D40x/D60/D3000/D3100/D5000 still has well over 120 lenses to choose from that will auto focus: List of Nikon F-mount lenses with integrated autofocus motors - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You posted a lot of stats about lens selection, but the reality is that some of the more common upgrade choices either don't have an AF-S version or cost twice as much in the AF-S version. I'm specifically talking about prime lenses <100mm. Such as the 50mm, 85mm, 24mm, 20mm, 35mm and 16mm fisheye

The only AF-S lens in this range that isn't $500+ is the 35mm 1.8 AF-S, which is TWICE as expensive as the 50mm f1.8 af-d.

Then there's also the used market, the 80-200mm AF-D is an awesome bargain, but you'd need a AF motor take advantage of it.

I'm sorry but can anybody explain this in simpler terms for me? I'm a little confused as to which models have the AF motor and which don't, and what that means for lenses. I'm a noob, sorry! Thank you!! I so appreciate everyone's help!

 

[flatflip]

Keith, Thanks for a great explanation. I appreciate your detail too.

Maddy, I personally love the ergonomics of the D3100 and D5000 and I am 195# male. The D3100 is technically a little smaller but I can't tell in the store. I have owned the D40 and D5000 and love the performance and feel. You should go handle the D3100 & D5000. I much prefer the features of the D90 and D7000 (I own) but I don't love the size and shape. I really wonder if "most" people utilize the built in motor of the D90 and D7000. I plan to.

Be sure to take notice of all the extra buttons on the D90 and D7000--with the d90 and bigger bodies every useful function is accessible without delving into the menus.

Exactly! I love the buttons. Menu diving was a pain for me.

 

[flatflip]

Keith, Thanks for a great explanation. I appreciate your detail too.

Maddy, I personally love the ergonomics of the D3100 and D5000 and I am 195# male. The D3100 is technically a little smaller but I can't tell in the store. I have owned the D40 and D5000 and love the performance and feel. You should go handle the D3100 & D5000. I much prefer the features of the D90 and D7000 (I own) but I don't love the size and shape. I really wonder if "most" people utilize the built in motor of the D90 and D7000. I plan to.

How do the D3100 and D5000 compare to the Rebel 1000d (the only DSLR that I've used)? Are they significantly more sophisticated, or..?

Thanks!!

I'm sorry, I don't have a clue about comparing to Canon. As DJ was pointing out to me, the bigger bodies have more buttons. That is a big plus to me for instant access to settings without going into the menus.