"PENTAX", "NIKON", or "CANON"???

[RMThompson]

Why do you need the D80?

Personally, I would get:

Nikon D50 body - $400
Nikon case/extra battery/memory cards/ -$150
Nikon 50mm 1.8 lens - $120

Then spend the rest on the lenses.

 

[Peniole]

Have you taken a look at the new Olympus E-510, impressive on paper and won't break the bank...

- 10 MP
- live view (yup like P+S cameras) or of course you can use the viewfinder
- dust reduction
- in body shake reduction
- the two kit lenses that come with it are similar to what I have and they're pretty good for kit lenses, much better than the kit that comes with the canon. 14-42mm & 40-150mm with a 2x crop factor so a 28-300mm range in a package that's $999, or just the first lens for $899

My E-500 has pretty good battery life, although with the live view dunno.

here's the link...

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1295

No I don't work for olympus, but I've used their products for years now and they haven't failed me (knock on wood). In the end it's the person behind the camera that counts, right?

 

[DRodgers]

OK,OK get a Nikon D50 (used or you can still find them new if you look) and a Nikon 18-200 VR. Yes the D50 'only' has 6 mpxls but unless you are going to print at or above 30"s it won't really matter. Spend your money on glass! And from what I've seen, you won't find Anything better for an everyday lens.

mike

I agree buy a used body I would be shooting for a nikon d70s and a good prime lens ..

 

[MPowerM3]

Well, I am personally a Canon fan, but take that with a grain of salt as I have never even owned one . In my research, they seem to be a favorite of a lot of people along with Nikon. I personally fell more comfortable with the way the Canon zooms (its opposite from a Nikon, atleast on the kit lens), it "feels" better, and I know several people with them so if I run into trouble I know people more familiar than myself with the camera. Heres my two cents on the camera though. I guess I dont know your experience in photography, but a $1500 30D is a hell of an expensive way to start. If I were you, I would look at an XT or an XTi instead, then take that extra cash and put them towards some nice lenses. Say you get an XT and an extra lens or two and you dont like it then you still shouldnt have any trouble moving your stuff, but should you get into it and need something more than the XT, you can still keep the lenses and upgrade to a 30D then. Just my 2 cents...

I think a better question is if you dont know much about what you are buying, why wouldnt you want someone else effectively spending your money?

The man speaks the truth. The Xt/Xti is a great camera. I have one with the battery grip and it takes great pictures. I have shot hand and hand with a guy using a 20D. Pictures looked the same. His might have been a little sharper due to L glass, but we all cant have 1100 dollar lenes now can we!

 

[Benjamin_T]

Why do you need the D80?

Personally, I would get:

Nikon D50 body - $400
Nikon case/extra battery/memory cards/ -$150
Nikon 50mm 1.8 lens - $120

Then spend the rest on the lenses.

I already have the NIKKOR AF 50mm F/1.8D prime lens. (Check out my profile.) But I hate to tell people that I currently shoot with a 35mm NIKON film SLR, since I guess that they would then say NIKON will be my best choice.

I have also factored in a large capacity memory card already.

For extra battery, well...I will only get one later on if I can see a need for one. (Same thing applies to the additional battery grip.)

Thanks for your suggestion.

P.S., I already have two tripods (In case you don't know) and I don't want to have so many. (I recently broke one accidentally though, leaving one good metal one behind for now; which is working well.)

BTW, the Nikon D50 is already phased out in my country, but the Nikon D70s could still be selling since I saw a few of them...(I am not sure though - one Nikon guy recently told me that the Nikon D70s has also been discontinued already.)

 

[Benjamin_T]

I actually have another combo in mind;

The Nikon D80 with the NIKKOR AF 50mm F/1.4D!

The review of the NIKKOR AF 50mm F/1.4D only came out in SLRgear after I have brought my F/1.8D version.

When I studied the blur index of the Nikkor 50mm F/1.4D at SLRgear, I nearly fell out of my chair! It was so sharp! Even at F/1.4! (The Nikkor 50mm F/1.8D version was nothing like it at F/1.8 compared to the F/1.4 of it! Then after F/1.4, the lens also gets progressively sharper and sharper all the way down to F/16! (From F/4 onwards, the lens is bitingly sharp from corner to corner! (F/4 - F/8 is the len's peak sharpness and it is really really seriously sharp at those apertures.)

The "BOKEH" of the NIKKOR AF 50mm F/1.4D is also very nice and pleasant.

All this are the reasons for me to consider it! (Seriously excellent sharpness at all apertures and beautiful "BOKEH" characteristics.)

What do you think about the Nikon D80 with this lens? (This combo is well within my budget even after adding in an expensive 2GB Sandisk Extreme IV SD. media.) I got all the prices from my local shop last time.

What do you think? (Sorry for so many "what do you thinks" lately - I really need to consult you guys who are more experienced than I am.)

Ta!

 

[newrmdmike]

i think thats what you should buy.

you sound happy about that choice, and i think everyone here will agree it won't disappoint

 

[Mike_E]

Benjamin_T, the D50 and the D70s are both still excellent cameras that will be supported by Nikon for a long time. Get either of these and you could afford the 18-200 VR or you could get an 80-200 f2.8 and a 24/28 f2.8 for the short end. Or for that matter the 80-200 f2.8 and a 18-70 f3.5-4.5 which even though it is a 'kit' lens is still a very strong lens (I got one with my D200).

The 50mm f1.4 is a great lens too, but I don't know that it's That much better than the f1.8. Just the barest hint up from 1.8 and you get very sharp photos and you won't tell unless you are using a loupe or blowing the photo up well beyond 20 inches.

mike

 

[Benjamin_T]

i think thats what you should buy.

you sound happy about that choice, and i think everyone here will agree it won't disappoint

Hurray!!! :lmao::thumbup::mrgreen:

 

[Benjamin_T]

Benjamin_T, the D50 and the D70s are both still excellent cameras that will be supported by Nikon for a long time. Get either of these and you could afford the 18-200 VR or you could get an 80-200 f2.8 and a 24/28 f2.8 for the short end. Or for that matter the 80-200 f2.9 and a 18-70 f3.5-4.5 which even though it is a 'kit' lens is still a very strong lens (I got one with my D200).

mike

Really???

OKAY, I shall consider your suggestion as well! :mrgreen::thumbup:

EDIT:

But O yeah, the Nikon D50 is already discontinued! :!: I have not been seeing it for a long time already! Then there is also a Nikon guy who told me that the Nikon D70s has also been discontinued as well...:stun:

A reply to your newly edited post:

The 50mm f1.4 is a great lens too, but I don't know that it's That much better than the f1.8. Just the barest hint up from 1.8 and you get very sharp photos and you won't tell unless you are using a loupe or blowing the photo up well beyond 20 inches.

Seriously, there is a "significant" amount of difference in sharpness from F/1.4 to F/2.8 on the NIKKOR AF 50mm F/1.4D VERSUS the F/1.8D one. (From F/4 onwards, the F1.4D one also looks sharper all the way according to the blur index in SLRgear.)

EDIT:

I have just studied the blur index of both prime lenses once again, and the Nikkor AF 50mm F/1.4D looks sharper at "every" aperture than the Nikkor AF 50mm F/1.8D!

http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/97/cat/12

http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/96/cat/12

 

[xfloggingkylex]

if you have the 50mm 1.8 dont buy anything other than nikon unless you are unhappy with nikons cameras. You already have 100 dollars invested (probably more too) and that ultimately saves you money, even if it is just a little. Personally I wouldn't get the 50 1.4 if you already have the 1.8 because you are just spending more money for the extra half stop and you will be effectively throwing away your 1.8. I'd use the money to get the sigma or tameron 18-50 2.8 (or whatever the focal lengths are for each company). Or if you like primes, look at the 85 1.8, or the 100mm 2.8 macro is also nice for portraits I hear.

but, if you are set on the 1.4 put up a FS (for sale) thread in our marketplace to sell off that 1.8 since it will no longer be of use to you. That will at least help you recoup some of the money spent on the 1.4

 

[RMThompson]

Kyle, I think he was just comparing the two. I tested the 1.4 in the store compared to a 1.8 and found the difference was nearly nothing, except in the dimmest of lights, and honestly the 1.4 focal point is so small, it wasn't that effective.

 

[Benjamin_T]

if you have the 50mm 1.8 dont buy anything other than nikon unless you are unhappy with nikons cameras. You already have 100 dollars invested (probably more too) and that ultimately saves you money, even if it is just a little. Personally I wouldn't get the 50 1.4 if you already have the 1.8 because you are just spending more money for the extra half stop and you will be effectively throwing away your 1.8. I'd use the money to get the sigma or tameron 18-50 2.8 (or whatever the focal lengths are for each company). Or if you like primes, look at the 85 1.8, or the 100mm 2.8 macro is also nice for portraits I hear.

but, if you are set on the 1.4 put up a FS (for sale) thread in our marketplace to sell off that 1.8 since it will no longer be of use to you. That will at least help you recoup some of the money spent on the 1.4

I thought so too.

My "Nikon" photography course mates would probably want to buy off the Nikkor AF 50mm F/1.8D prime lens from me. I have two Nikon guys in my class and so far they have the Nikkor 18-55mm F/3.5-F/5.6G ED., + the Nikkor 70-300mm F/3.5-F/5.6G VR. ED., and the Nikkor 18-70mm F/3.5-F/4.5G ED. respectively. (I think they might want to buy off the 50mm F/1.8D prime lens from me.) I would be asking them anyway though.

You are also right about the replacement logic;

Me buying the AF Nikkor 50mm F/1.4D is already inevitably replacing my F/1.8D version already. (But I really like the 50mm F/1.4D one a lot now.)

Thanks for your informative reply.

Kyle, I think he was just comparing the two. I tested the 1.4 in the store compared to a 1.8 and found the difference was nearly nothing, except in the dimmest of lights, and honestly the 1.4 focal point is so small, it wasn't that effective.

Yeah, I was only comparing the two lenses, though I could eventually opt for the 50mm F/1.4D one if I cannot contain myself.

For me, the "perfectly" usable F/1.4 aperture, superior sharpness at all aperture values, and more pleasant "BOKEH" characteristics is already the deal breaker; more or less.

Hmmm...