I want a new DSLR - Canon or Nikon?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’m in the mood to replace a crummy old point & swear camera with a DSLR, and have narrowed the field down to a handful of choices. Hopefully the shutterbugs here can guide me…

Do I want to wait for the Canon T1i to ship and get it with the kit 17-55 lens for $900? For just a little less, I could get a Nikon D5000 with a 18-55 lens. Both look splendid, but it looks like the main feature gain is ability to shoot HD video. On its own, this isn’t worth $200 to me.

Otherwise, the Rebel XSi with the kit 17-55 lens is available today for $700.

Another option I’m looking at is a Nikon D60 with 18-55 and 55-200 lenses. Both lenses are VR (image stabilization) Cost for this kit is $700. At the moment, this one’s my top choice.

Ignoring price, is there any significant difference between the XSi and the D60 other than 10 vs 12 megapixels? On its own, is there a significant difference between 10 and 12 MP?

2

Not an expert but an important point is when you buy a DSLR you are really buying into a whole lens ecosystem. After you purchase a few expensive lenses for either Canon or Nikon you are probably not going to switch for a long time if at all. So you should study the lenses that the two offer and figure out which ecosystem is best for your needs and budget. That will be at least as important as the specifics of the actual camera you buy now.

If you haven’t seen it already there is a nice comparisonbetween the XSi and the D60 on dpreview. The next page has photos from the two cameras.

3

I’ve had Canon EOS Digital Rebet XT for about 2 years now, and I’d like a T1i body for my next birthday. (I’ve shot about 15,000 pictures in those 2 years, and I’m not running out of things to photograph). Having said that, I think the Canon and Nikon systems are very similar in terms of price and value for money, so I doubt you’ll regret going either way.

The reason why I went for the XT was partly because at that time it was the most popular camera on Flickr. Now ( Flickr: Camera Finder ) the most popular is the XTi, but the XSi is rising pretty rapidly, with the Nikon D80 now in third place. Of course, popularity isn’t everything, but it does indicate the products’ reputations among keen pohotographers.

4

I was sort of in the same boat last fall and was falling hard for the Nikon D90, for the video ability. I realized I’d be overpaying and could get an HD Flip Mino instead, so it was down to the Canon and the Nikon D60. Went with the Nikon, but only because I liked the feel of it in my hand a little better. The two cameras are pretty comparable.

I’ve made maybe 750 shots with it in the last 6 months and am really happy with it. I’m a casual amateur photog at best, but with two young kids I need something without shutter lag that takes good pictures, and isn’t too uncomfortable to walk around with all day. The Nikon addresses those requirements nicely, for me.

If you have the ability to work with both of them in a store like B&H Photo, I’d highly recommend it. They’re very knowledgeable there and you’ll be handling a working camera, not a dummy like they have at Best Buy. Then go online and get it for a lot less.

5

Both systems provide most anything any amateur photographer could ask for. There are a few specialty lenses that one has but the other doesn’t, but in terms of general use stuff there’s little difference. Prospective buyers are commonly advised to decide based on ergonomics and handling issues - that is, go to a camera shop and see how they feel in your hand.

You should be aware on the Nikon side that the D60 and D5000 do not have an in-body focus motor, which means that only AF-S lenses will autofocus. That’s pretty much every consumer zoom you’re likely to consider, so it’s not a terrible limitation, but if you were thinking of using your dad’s old Nikkors from the days of film it’s something to keep in mind. Also, the inexpensive Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 is not an AF-S lens. The cheap 50’s are a common way to get into indoor available light shooting, and you don’t have a ton of lens options here with the Nikons, though the recent AF-S 50 f/1.4 and new AF-S 35mm f/1.8 have mostly solved this issue.

On the Canon side, watch which kit lens you get. IIRC the XSi comes with the 18-55 IS, which is said to be optically pretty good, but previous Rebels came with an earlier non-IS version of the 18-55 which was said to be crap (not just because of the lack of IS, but just not a good lens at all).

Other than that, the cameras are pretty similar on both sides of the aisle. The entry-level stuff all has some features stripped, and not exactly the same stuff, but it’s a get one/give one sort of thing. I believe the XSi lacks a spot meter, while the D60 gets no bracketing, for example.

If you are thinking of one day purchasing more advanced gear, it’s worth noting that high-end Nikon lenses tend to be more expensive than equivalent Canons (talking about those big things you see on the sidelines of football games here). On the other hand, Canon seems far more shy about putting advanced features into their advanced amateur cameras - the Nikon D300 shares the advanced autofocus sensor of the pro-grade D3 and D3x, for example, while the Canon 50D doesn’t even approach the AF capabilities of Canon’s 1D series.

Once you’re past 5 or 6, megapixels are mostly irrelevant. 10 vs. 12 is completely irrelevant.

6

Either is a great choice. I have Canon myself.

7

I love my Sony DSLR-A300. It was super easy to use, right out of the box, had a ton of great accessories (including all Minolta lenses made in the past 25 years) and takes amazing pictures. Totally happy with it!

8

While I’ll be getting a Canon since I have older Canon lenses, you shouldn’t ignore Pentax or Sony. They both have pretty nice systems as well, with in-camera IS.

But as others have said, you’re buying a system, the camera body itself is probably not the most important piece of equipment. You’ll swap those out but keep good lenses.

9

I’ve been wanting to get a DSLR for a couple of years. A thread popped up here a couple of days ago that re-whetted that desire.

I have a few Minolta lenses, so if I want to use them, I’m limited to three or four Sony models.

After a few days of research, I’ve concluded that the Sony Alpha A100 is actually a stunningly good camera. And as a bonus, they pop up on eBay for under 300 dollars. They’re cheap because Sony has come out with “better” models, but if you take a look at the specs, the A100 isn’t actually substantially worse. It looks like Sony wanted to explode onto the DSLR scene with its first camera, so they overbuilt the crap out of it. Then they ran into the problem that it was too good for its price point, so they discontinued it.

I was THIS close to buying one the other day, but I really can’t justify the expense until I’m no longer a starving grad student. If you, however, have a budget in the $900 range, you could get an A100, and still have cash left over for a kick-ass lens.

So yeah, as Glory and Telemark said, don’t discount Sony.

10

Let me second the recommendation to not ignore Pentax. As it’s a brand that’s been around for a while, and they’ve maintained lens-mount compatibility, there are tons of great lenses out there for Pentax. What drove me to them over Canon or Nikon a few years ago was the ability to have in-camera shake reduction. I didn’t want to pay the premium for image stabilization in every lens I purchased.

A lot of people only see the “big two” DSLR companies, and that causes them to miss some great cameras with great features from other makes. And in my opinion, there isn’t anything that can beat the K20D at its price point. And if you want a kit that matches up better with the choices in your OP, a K200D is a hell of a bargain.

11

Weird. Sounds like the Sony can work with Minolta Maxxum lenses? I don’t have any lenses at all, so it’s not much of a consideration, though I do miss my 50mm/1.4 back from when I had a manual-focus Minolta.

As for Canon’s kit lens, I’ve heard much about how crummy their older non-IS version is, but everyone’s selling the IS lens now. I just wish I had an unlimited budget - on Sunday, I was chatting with someone who claimed to be a hobbyist, just shooting stuff for fun, and he had a lovely $1200 hunk of Canon “L” glass on his 50D. If I hadn’t had back surgery recently, I’d give some thought to “How fast can I run?”

I’m on the wrong end of the country to visit B&H in person, but no problems getting at their website. :smiley: They’re the ones with that $700 kit of a D60 and 2 lenses.

Sadly, real camera stores are a very endangered species. There was a very good one near my home, but they’re gone. About all I have to pick from is Ritz and Best Buy. <gag> Or worse, places that cater to tourists at Fisherman’s Wharf who want a camera NOW and don’t realize how badly they’re being fleeced. As a result, I’m effectively limited to Amazon and B&H. And maybe Adorama.

Poking around, I’ve come across some refurbished cameras. Is there any reason to avoid “factory refurbished” cameras? One example I found sweetens the deal with an extra battery and a 16MB SD card.

12

I used to shoot Canon 35mm SLRs. I switch to Nikon when I bought my first DSLR (the D70), because it was the best choice at the time, and my Canon lenses wouldn’t work with any Canon DSLRs. I think both manufacturers make excellent cameras. At any given time, one may hold a slight edge in a particular area of the market, but the other usually jumps ahead with the next camera they release. Most people who have handled both cameras usually make their choice not on image quality or features (which are both excellent), but on ergonomics - how the camera feels in your hands, and how well thought-out the controls are.

I currently shoot with a D90, which is a completely awesome camera.

13

Holy buckets! – 4 of the top 5 DSLRs on Flickr are Canons, and 5 of 5 point-n-shoots are Canons. I had no idea it was so lopsided in favor of Canon out there.

FWIW, I’m on my second Canon DSLR, an XTi, and its great. I may move up to another more “pro” Canon, but I’d have to work pretty hard to justify the price.

14

Either that, or Canon’s software more consistently adds the camera model to the picture’s metadata. I’d bet dollars to donuts that’s what’s actually going on.

15

The Canon XSi has a 14-bit ADC, which in theory can bring out smoother gradients and more shadow detail than the 12-bit ADC on the Nikon D60/D90. This page makes a compelling case for it. But I doubt the difference will be noticeable in actual use. And of course the difference only matters for RAW images.

Anyway, I currently have an XSi, and I actually switched from Nikon D70. (I only had one autofocus lens at that time and I wanted to replace it with an IS/VR version anyway, so there was really no penalty in switching between systems.) I can’t say I’m 100% happy with the choice though - the Nikon bodies seem to have better controls (more intuitive and efficient). The lens selection isn’t all that different, though I’m a little envious of the Nikon 35mm F/1.8 AF-S lens.

16

I’ve owned 35mm and digital versions of each, both P&S and SLR. I don’t think you can go wrong with either one.

17

The camera model is saved by the camera, and both use EXIF so I don’t think that’s the reason. Though perhaps Canon users are more likely to upload unedited files. (Or does Photoshop retain EXIF information when you edit and save an image?)

18

It’s not a bad camera, but it really doesn’t compare in high ISO performance versus the intro cameras from Nikon and Canon.

19

No no, what I’m saying is that the software on the camera itself (firmware perhaps?) is more often set to add the model name to the Exif data on Canon models. That is, your average Nikon will add, say, four data points to the Exif data for each shot (shutter speed, aperture, focal length, and whether the flash fired), while your average Canon will add five (all that, plus the model name).

Just speculation, of course. One of many possible explanations as to why Canon dominates flickr. (Another being that Canon cameras are just more popular.)

(BTW, I’m pretty sure that photoshop preserves Exif data, so that’s probably not it.)

20

Interesting. I certainly can’t argue with you, since I’ve never even held one. But my research indicates that it uses the same sensor as 2006’s mid-range Nikon (D200), so I’m curious how it manages to compare unfavorably to, essentially, itself. Is the difference in the processor?

Here’s a direct comparison of the two cameras at ISO 100. Not what you mean, I know, but it highlights the similarity of the camera’s sensors.