DSLR Opinions?

[NightrainSrt4]

I've been thinking a lot about how I love photography, but since my old camera died a few years ago I've just been borrowing other people's cameras. I am going to be selling off some of my computer parts to my brother most likely. Anyway, thinking about purchasing a DSLR and was wondering which cameras people had opinions on.

For the body/kit lens I am looking somewhere around $600ish, so nothing high-end, as that will go up with all the other things I would need (memory, bag, etc).

Been looking at the Nikon D40, and the Canon EOS Rebel XS. The Canon is more expensive, but I am leaning towards that at the moment. Any opinions on those two, or another camera in that range that I should look at?

[progbuddy]

Nikon Camera, Canon lens.

Nikon has Vibration Reduction and takes an excellent picture, yet Canon makes the better lenses. :P

[NightrainSrt4]

See that was along the lines I was thinking as I've heard real good things about Canon's lenses.

But, I probably will be going from December -> May on the kit lens, as may would be my birthday, so I want to make sure I get the best body I can afford.

I found a Nikon D40X w/ 18-55mm lens for under $500 at Circuit City. Which this has the 10.2 megapixels over the D40's 6.1mp. But for the same price you can get the regular D40 with a 55-200mm lens.

So much to weigh out, and I really don't know as much about them as I would like. I loved using my parents old slr as a kid, and have felt so cramped the last few years stuck on crappy point and shoots.

[Luke122]

Nikon Camera, Canon lens.

Nikon has Vibration Reduction and takes an excellent picture, yet Canon makes the better lenses. :P

Too bad they arent compatible. :D Canon has something called "IS or Image Stabilization". Same thing.. vibration reduction.

I vote for Canon.

[NightrainSrt4]

Hmmm...I thought you could use some of the lenses interchangeably but you lost the autofocus and had to do it manually. Then again I really don't have much of any experience, just what I had heard, so with my luck, probably wrong.

The Canon's have been appealing to me, just not sure which to go for. As from what I understand your really buying into a lens system and not the body, as by judging from the prices the body is pennies once you've got a few good lenses.

I just want to get a good body for now, and deal with the kit lens for a while, as I don't want to dump too much into something that really is nothing more than a hobby/enjoyment.

Any other good bodies/kit lenses(emphasis on quality of body for now) I should look at in the $600-ish range?

[Luke122]

It's hard to go wrong with any of the Canon SLR's. You can probably pick up a Rebel XT for under $600 with a kit lens (typically an 18-55mm IIRC), and it's a pretty good starter lens.


http://www.digitalreview.ca/cams/NikonD70vsRebelXT_pg1.shtml

[NightrainSrt4]

Well I can find in multiple stores around me, the Canon XS (which is newer/better I guess than the XT) for $599 with the 18-55mm kit lens.

The same thing I can find online for sub 500$, but with something like this I'm not sure if I'd be comfortable with some of these sites return policy, and almost would rather have a store to return/fix/etc.

[mittelmeier]

My wife has a Canon XT and it's been a great camera. If we were buying another one would be an XS for sure. Nothing wrong with getting an XT if you wanted to save a little money but for the extra mp and features I'd get the XS.

[blueonblack]

I have the Olympus E-Volt E-500 and absolutely love it. I got the last model that didn't have the Live View on the viewfinder. $#&#*(!!!! You can have the E510 with two lenses for $550 or so. 10MP, image stabilization, pretty good buy with two lenses.

http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Digital-Stabilization-14-42mm-40-150mm/dp/B000NVXF30/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1227055917&sr=8-1
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Starcraft 2 Replay (http://screplays.com/)

[NightrainSrt4]

While the Olympus does look nice, my last camera was an Olympus, while taking great pictures left a bit to be desired on the build quality. Especially seeing as how it broke was because the entire lens casing cracked open while using autozoom. It didn't have replaceable lenses and was out of warranty.

I am not one to just disregard a brand for one issue however, but I did like going for either Nikon or Canon simply for the availability/price competition of lenses both new and used.

[blueonblack]

I have to agree on Nikon and lens availability. From what I've read they support the widest array of lenses.
________
Ford i4 dohc engine specifications (http://www.ford-wiki.com/wiki/Ford_I4_DOHC_engine)

[NightrainSrt4]

Right now I think I am considering the Nikon D60 and the Canon EOS Rebel XS, both hover at ~600 retail.

Nikon D60 (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8721733&st=d60&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1200703005185)
Canon EOS Rebel XS (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8929699&st=eos+xs&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1214611419717)

Reviews I have been looking at pit them pretty even. When I get a chance I will go into the stores and take a grab at them again. I've handled the XS, but my focus was more on the D40 before and not the D60, so I'll have to go handle them and see how they feel.

Any opinions on those two? Anyone own one of those?

[NightrainSrt4]

So I went to the store and played around a bit with some of the DSLRs they had. No one around had a EOS XS on display that could be handled, but they did have the XSi, which is close enough.

I definitely preferred the Canon bodies to the Nikons. They just felt better in my hands. I was a bit more impressed with the kit lens on the Canons as well. Doing everything manually felt very natural on the Canons. I liked how the lens had two different adjustments one being more fine tuning like, whereas the Nikons just had one adjustment.

Now I am lusting after this darn camera. I've dreamt about the damn thing each night, no lie, lmfao.

[NightrainSrt4]

Woot!!!

Almost a month ago newegg dropped the EOS XS to $449, and soon after it sold out and hadn't been in stock since and my hopes had dropped out into they abyss!

I just lost a bid on ebay for an xsi and other accessories for < $600, so I decided to look on newegg one last time for my camera before bed.

Girlfriend gave me my gift certificate early to order it, as they had it in!!!!!!!

So I just got:
Canon EOS XS + 18-55mm IS lens (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830120278)
Canon EF 75-300mm Lens (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830998381)
8Gb Patriot SDHC card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220234)
Camera bag big enough for everything I'll have for a while! (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830994098)

Should be in right after Christmas most likely! I am sooooooooooooooooooooooo excited. I've been lusting for a camera of my own since my old one died 2-3ish years ago.

Edit:
:banana: Thanks babe! :banana:

[SgtM]

I would be excited too! That's a sexy camera, and that 75-300mm lens is making me drool. That being said, pics and a review or ban! Kidding.

But seriously, I'll ban you if we don't get a review. Gotcha!

No really.. c'mon with the review.

[NightrainSrt4]

I will definitely write up a review. I'm no camera pro, but I will do my best. 8)

Hmmmm, now the question of how to take pics of the camera with the camera lol. I'll have to use the girlfriends camera for that one, or set up some complex angled mirrors lol.

[NightrainSrt4]

Just got the camera. Haven't received the Patriot mem card or extra lens.

Here's some pics I shot seconds after opening the box. Just looked for things around me literally seconds after unboxing.

These were all in a REALLY dark room, has only one incandescent light in the far corner.

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/5509/img0017ip3.jpg

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/6556/img0026dl5.jpg

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/7863/img0024pm8.jpg

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/1465/img0018qr8.jpg

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/3254/img0016ju8.jpg

I am EXTREMELY happy for how they turned out with having no experience and just taking quick clicks. I really want to learn this thing inside and out. Just compare the quality of these with the quick clicks with the gf's P&S camera and I am amazed.

[NightrainSrt4]

Here's a couple more quick ones in the dark rooms.

Family's cat Damo
55mm 1600 ISO f/5.6
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/9166/img0039co7.jpg

Little Drummer Boy
~40mm 200 ISO f/6
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/6596/img0050pp1.jpg

Shy brother paying me no mind
55mm 1600 ISO f/4.5
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/6491/img0047hy2.jpg

[Luke122]

Very nice!

[NightrainSrt4]

Thanks. I am pretty impressed with how it can handle low light. That last post flash wasn't used in any of the pictures.

Tomorrow I am going down to the ocean at the end of the street here and see how it handles that, assuming it doesn't snow or anything.

[Luke122]

A couple quick tips for SHARPEST photos..

1. Use the 2 sec timer always. Button press = movement.
2. Use the mirror lockup mode; you'll have to click shutter twice, but again, mirror movement = movement.
3. Shoot with a tripod whenever possible.
4. Different glass gives a different sweet spot for the sharpest photos.. try manually shooting at different aperatures, and see what gives the sharpest photos.
5. For maximum depth of field, shoot the highest F stop you can. Yes, that means you need a longer exposure, but you'll get the best detail on landscape and deep scenes.

[nevermind1534]

And you can't forget about always using the lowest iso setting whenever possible, so the picture isn't as grainy. That will also require a longer exposure.

[NightrainSrt4]

Very cool. Thank you both for the tips, +rep. I'm stuck in a house with max 1 incandescent or fluorescent light in each room for a bit, but when I get back home I will def try out some of those tips.

Once I get back to shooting mods, I will be using the tripod. When I go for walks and stuff I doubt I will be carrying the tripod around (got a cheap one for now) as weight == bad with my chest, but my mod shooting, def will set up 2 second, and use the tripod.

[theshoeshineman]

Congrats on your new camera! You'll have lots of fun!

I have been using DSLR's for a number of years now. Personally I own a Nikon D80.

I shoot a mix of everything from portraits to landscape. If you have a flickr page with your photos let me know! Mine is at http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_shoeshine_man/

you can also view some of the portrait shots I do at http://djcassar.com

The only advice I can give is take a look at other peoples work and to recreate what you like but with your own personal touch... Oh and I think the monst important thing to remember is that photography is Subjective. :)

[NightrainSrt4]

Wow, those pictures are fantastic. Looks like I've got a lot of work and practice ahead of me lol.

On your website I believe guarantee is spelled incorrectly. I only bring it up as that seems to be where you are advertising your trade and wouldn't want someone to be turned away simply because of a misspelling.

[theshoeshineman]

Hehe oops, yes your right! I've been meaning to change that for quite a while I better do it now before I forget again!

[xmastree]

A couple quick tips for SHARPEST photos..

1. Use the 2 sec timer always. Button press = movement.
2. Use the mirror lockup mode; you'll have to click shutter twice, but again, mirror movement = movement.
3. Shoot with a tripod whenever possible.
4. Different glass gives a different sweet spot for the sharpest photos.. try manually shooting at different aperatures, and see what gives the sharpest photos.
5. For maximum depth of field, shoot the highest F stop you can. Yes, that means you need a longer exposure, but you'll get the best detail on landscape and deep scenes.

All good tips, but sometimes you just get lucky:
http://cginternet.net/sandy/dsc_0782.jpg messing around.

Unfortunately I've lost the original, with the EXIF data. I know it was my Nikon D70, and probably with the new lens I had recently got for it, a 50mm f1.4 :D and the camera was probably in aperture priority, with the built in flash.
It must have been a fairly wide aperture, look at the difference in focus between the button below her chin and the lacy collar.

[SgtM]

And you can't forget about always using the lowest iso setting whenever possible, so the picture isn't as grainy. That will also require a longer exposure.

Great tip. I rarely shoot above iso 100. Probably 90% of the time it's on 80.

[NightrainSrt4]

Do you do a lot of shooting in low light situations? Just curious how to get decent shots in low light on such a low ISO. Wide open, and probably a longer exposure? What about when you don't have a tripod right there available, or need a quick shot? Time to up the ISO then?

[Luke122]

If you raise your ISO, you can get away with shorter shutters, and larger aperatures, but higher ISO = noise. A program like Noise Ninja can clean most of them up a lot, but there is still significant loss of quality.

Before Filter:
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p176/lukifer122/EndofSeptember004.jpg

After Filter:

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p176/lukifer122/September004_filtered.jpg

DEFINITELY not my sharpest photo (I'm looking for that now), but a good example of higher ISO digital noise, and what it looks like when it's removed. :)

That pic was taken with my 2mp Canon Powershot A60

[nevermind1534]

If I'm without a tripod, I usually set it down on something, or try to hold it very steady on my knee, or something, but I don't usually like to do that, and I'm not sure that I've ever tried it that way for 15 seconds.

[NightrainSrt4]

Well the other day I grabbed a compact tripod to throw in my camera bag that goes from 9.5" to like 4'something, but I returned it. It was made by Targus and was a PoC. Extending and retracting the legs was a pain in the ass and felt like they would get bent out of shape after a couple uses. Not to mention the oil you got all over your hands doing that. And it wasn't sturdy enough to really hold the camera. It felt as though a slight wind would send the camera falling to its doom.

[NightrainSrt4]

I know this picture is nothing special, but for some reason I REALLY like it. I don't know why, I just do. I guess that is all that matters. This camera is really making me happy. Its giving me motivation to go out and take pictures and ignore the pains in my chest and all that. I'm really happy to get hooked into an outdoor hobby that I can actually do while I have this bar. I can't wait to get back into sports though, as I've been dying without them for the last 3 years lol.

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1002/img0087ra9.jpg