is the d80 and the 40d the same camera?

[Golfer_Cody]

different brands but are they pretty much teh same camera?

 

[Sw1tchFX]

No, not really.

 

[sultan]

No, they are quite different, 40D being superior. The 40D is larger and has better image quality while the D80 is more compact and costs less. They are both good cameras but are slightly different. The 40D is halfway between the D80 and D300.

Take your pick - they are both great.

 

[Senor Hound]

To a total beginner they might very well look like the same camera by different manufacturers. But as you dive deeper into photography and the custom settings of each camera, you start to find many differences which become more and more pronounced as your skill level matures.

Some of them are as simple as where the control wheels are located, others are more difficult to describe, such as color rendering and noise.

They may be 75% the same (both DSLRs with 10mp sensors, both are geared at the "prosumer audience", etc.), but the fine details of each camera are totally different. That's why people get so heated in their Canon vs. Nikon debates

BTW, I don't see one camera as being "better" than the other. That's a personal opinion, and totally depends on what you deem important in your gear.

 

[Golfer_Cody]

ok I was just looking at them today and they looked like they had a lot of the same features. When do you think canon will release the 50d? if they ever do

 

[Senor Hound]

ok I was just looking at them today and they looked like they had a lot of the same features. When do you think canon will release the 50d? if they ever do

February of 09... Mark it

No, but seriously, it seems they upgrade every 18 months or so, so that would be around February of 09.

 

[Mav]

The Canon 40D is a bit higher up on the totem pole than the Nikon D80 is. The two companies have their lineup staggered a bit in this range which helps them avoid competing directly with each other. The D80 is not quite a Canon 40D, which is not quite a Nikon D300, which is not quite a Canon 5D, etc. I don't think either are "superior". If you're a starter with a tight budget and don't need a bajillion features then the $5000 Nikon D3 is "inferior" to a $500 D40 in my book.

IQ wise I'll put my D80 against my buddy's 40D any day. Most of the differences in image quality you're going to be looking at in DSLRs within the same class (crop body DSLRs) are going to come down to the skill of the photographer, and the quality of the glass you've got on the front of the camera. I'd concede that the 40D probably does have better and cleaner looking high ISO performance at iso1600 than my D80 does. But my D80 (and pretty much all Nikons) have Auto Contrast control that the 40D (and most Canons) amazingly still lack. If you're shooting in very dynamic conditions with large variations in light and contrast levels from shot to shot the Canon will force you to shoot in RAW and sort it out later since you'll never be able to keep up with jacking contrast around manually, whereas the Nikons will control it for you and keep nailing perfect JPEGs all day long with regards to contrast. You won't find this in any spec comparison but the difference is there. This may or may not matter depending on what and how you intend to shoot.

If you're planning to shoot sports, just get the 40D and don't look back. It shoots at 6.5 FPS which is more than double the D80 and has weather sealing too. Most sports shooters shoot with Canon anyways, and their consumer level zooms still have zippier autofocus than Nikon's. For photojournalist type work (me chasing my 14 month old daughter around) I'd definitely recommend the D80 and Nikons in general since they adapt for you to dynamic and changing conditions whereas that's far more limited on the Canon cameras.

 

[Senor Hound]

The Canon 40D is a bit higher up on the totem pole than the Nikon D80 is. The two companies have their lineup staggered a bit in this range which helps them avoid competing directly with each other. The D80 is not quite a Canon 40D, which is not quite a Nikon D300, which is not quite a Canon 5D, etc. I don't think either are "superior". If you're a starter with a tight budget and don't need a bajillion features then the $5000 Nikon D3 is "inferior" to a $500 D40 in my book.

IQ wise I'll put my D80 against my buddy's 40D any day. Most of the differences in image quality you're going to be looking at in DSLRs within the same class (crop body DSLRs) are going to come down to the skill of the photographer, and the quality of the glass you've got on the front of the camera. I'd concede that the 40D probably does have better and cleaner looking high ISO performance at iso1600 than my D80 does. But my D80 (and pretty much all Nikons) have Auto Contrast control that the 40D (and most Canons) amazingly still lack. If you're shooting in very dynamic conditions with large variations in light and contrast levels from shot to shot the Canon will force you to shoot in RAW and sort it out later since you'll never be able to keep up with jacking contrast around manually, whereas the Nikons will control it for you and keep nailing perfect JPEGs all day long with regards to contrast. You won't find this in any spec comparison but the difference is there. This may or may not matter depending on what and how you intend to shoot.

If you're planning to shoot sports, just get the 40D and don't look back. It shoots at 6.5 FPS which is more than double the D80 and has weather sealing too. Most sports shooters shoot with Canon anyways, and their consumer level zooms still have zippier autofocus than Nikon's. For photojournalist type work (me chasing my 14 month old daughter around) I'd definitely recommend the D80 and Nikons in general since they adapt for you to dynamic and changing conditions whereas that's far more limited on the Canon cameras.

Yeah, plus with the Nikon you get the nifty black and yellow strap.

 

[Golfer_Cody]

what auto contrast? Sounds like it might be kinda important.

 

[ChickenFriedRyce]

If you're just wanting to shoot HDR's, you don't have to have the most expensive camera to do so. Just get an entry level DSLR like an XTi or a (insert Nikon that has auto-bracketing here), Sony A200 D), Pentax, Olympus.

Any camera that shoots in RAW format will let you get the HDR shots that you want.

 

[Golfer_Cody]

well I want to be able to do both HDR and just normal picture taking. Whats the auto contrast?

 

[sultan]

The "Auto Contrast" feature fixes the exposure in different parts of the image, so there will be more shadow detail and the highlights won't be blow out. It is unnoticeable when you don't compare the images side by side but it just looks right. However when your compare the two images, with and without, the Auto Contrast image will be far better.

I say just go with the D80 and enjoy watching it beat the far more expensive 40D in daylight photography. For the same price as a 40D and a crappy lens, you can get a D80 and a great lens. The D80 with a good lens will run circles around the 40D with a cheap lens (like an 18-55 non-IS).

 

[anubis404]

different brands but are they pretty much teh same camera?

The 40D is more in the D100-D300 range.

 

[Golfer_Cody]

ok yeah I think I would like the auto contrast a lot. Now is the nikon a good camera to take pictures at night? I can spend around 1500 so could I get the d300 or the one above the d80?

 

[Golfer_Cody]

is broadwayphoto.com a good place to shop? look at this -----

Nikon D300, 13.1 Megapixel, SLR, Digital Camera w/ Tamron 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 Di-II LD Autofocus Lens Kit $1708

Nikon D300, 13.1 Megapixel, SLR, Digital Camera w/ 18-55mm & 55-200mm AFS DX Lens Kit $1576

Nikon D300, 13.1 Megapixel, SLR, Digital Camera w/ 18-135mm AFS DX Lens Kit $1538

Nikon D300, 13.1 Megapixel, SLR, Digital Camera w/ 18-55mm AFS DX Lens Kit $1375

Nikon D300, 13.1 Megapixel, SLR, Digital Camera w/ 18-200mm AFS DX Lens Kit $1848

Are these good deals?