Purchasing a DSLR!

calledthestig

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Hello everyone. I have been doing a lot of research lately and I definitely want to buy myself a DSLR, but the problem is I cannot decide on one so I come to you experts asking for advice. These are the situations I have come up with:

1. Canon Rebel XT (+a lens?)
2. Canon Rebel XTi
3. Nikon D40x
4. Nikon D60 (coming out soon?)

I am looking to spend the price of a XTi at max, so if I buy the XTi I am going to use the kit lens for now until I can afford more glass.

Your helpful insight, suggestions and questions to me are greatly appreciated.
 
XT gets my vote, it's a great start. If you go that route, wait till the Canon Digital Rebel XSi comes out in April for the already cheap XT prices to further plummet. Furthermore, go into a camera store and hold the cameras and ask yourself what you'd want to be shooting with on a daily basis the most. Be aware that the D40 and D60 do not have internal autofocus motors, and cannot use all Nikon lenses effectively.
 
That is what I just ended up reading in another thread that Nikon recently changed their lens mounts and makes old lenses obsolete.

I thought I read somewhere that the XSi (EOS 450D) was coming out soon and that was another reasoning for me to go with the XT because I figured a nice price drop was coming.
 
Yeah, I love my Nikon as much as the next Nikonian, but you've got to think hard before jumping into their lower-end models, with the whole lens thing. So, I'd check out a chart online or something that shows you what lenses the D40, D40x, D60, D80, whatever else you might look at, can use and then check out what lenses you might buy whilst you have the particular body, and then decide. It all is gonna come down to what lenses you'd even want to use anyways, you might find that the lens compatibility of the D40 wouldn't even matter to you. But I'm not gonna bash on Canon or anything, 'cause they make great cameras. I know lots of people that have used XTs and XTIs and love them. It'll all come down to which system you like better, and that comes down to a lot of things. Good luck.
 
I need to head down to a store to check them out, but everytime I go down to one the batteries always seem to be dead because of some punk kid playing with the switches leaving it on and the employees are of no help.

I am going to head into Manhattan soon to get into a real camera store to check out how I feel about each camera.
 
get whatever is most comfortable in your hands.
 
Yeah, I love my Nikon as much as the next Nikonian, but you've got to think hard before jumping into their lower-end models, with the whole lens thing. So, I'd check out a chart online or something that shows you what lenses the D40, D40x, D60, D80, whatever else you might look at, can use and then check out what lenses you might buy whilst you have the particular body, and then decide. It all is gonna come down to what lenses you'd even want to use anyways, you might find that the lens compatibility of the D40 wouldn't even matter to you. But I'm not gonna bash on Canon or anything, 'cause they make great cameras. I know lots of people that have used XTs and XTIs and love them. It'll all come down to which system you like better, and that comes down to a lot of things. Good luck.

There are no lens restrictions with the D80. I know nothing about the D60 but I suspect that Nikon learned a lesson and, like the D80, it will autofocus with all lenses.

The D40 is quite possibly the best camera for the money with the D40X being second best. The D80 (which I have) is significantly more expensive with features, important to me, that most others will never use.
 
That is what I just ended up reading in another thread that Nikon recently changed their lens mounts and makes old lenses obsolete.

I don't believe it. That's definitely "un-Nikon." Heck, my D80 will mate to lenses made fifty years ago! I doubt if that's true with any other manufacturer.
 
That is what I just ended up reading in another thread that Nikon recently changed their lens mounts and makes old lenses obsolete.

WOW, so 50 years is RECENT eh?

whoever told you that, punch them in the gut.

Walk into a camera store, get whatever is comfortable in your hands.
 
Ok well so I guess it comes down to seeing which feels better in my hand.

Any specific features that one has that the other doesn't that stands out?
 
I know nothing about the D60 but I suspect that Nikon learned a lesson and, like the D80, it will autofocus with all lenses.


If only! The D60 doesn't have an internal focusing motor so it has the same restrictions as the D40/D40x.
 
If only! The D60 doesn't have an internal focusing motor so it has the same restrictions as the D40/D40x.
That and it's flash sync is even slower than the D40. I personally have a D40 and I would completely recommend it. The only thing the D40X has over it is the MP which don't even make a difference!
 
I've got a xt, I love it ......that said I am ready to upgrade to a 40d- anyone know of one for sale? I have always held to the saying "lenses before camera" well I have some high quality lenses now and would like to upgrade the body. If you are interested in an xt body with kit lens -17-85, wireless remote, CP and UV filters, and lowepro rez140 bag, $380 plus shipping PM me
 
Do people usually have good luck with buying used? I have been looking around and the used prices vs. new prices are drastically lower so I was thinking about going used, but I was unsure of what kind of luck people had with used cameras.
 
On lower end consumer grade cameras, I would hesitate to buy used. Its easy to rack up 50,000 shutter counts and thats about the lifespan of a lower end consumer grade camera. On some cameras like a D200, they are rated at 100,000 shutter activations, but there are D200s out there with over 350,000 and working like new.

A lot depends on the owner and how well they take care of their equipment.
 

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