DigitalSLR camera Canon rebel XTi vs Nikon D40X or D80?

[ppshah]

Hi everyone. We are in need of a new camera-we have an ancient Canon and I'm tired of the delay while taking pics.

I think I want to take the plunge and get a SLR. I don't know anything about photography, but I want to take classes and buy some books-it's a hobby I'd like to pick up.

I'm not sure what camera to get, here are a few questions:

1. What's the difference between the Nikon D40X and D80?
2. Do I want the lens that comes with the camera (18-55) or should I buy the lens separately?
3. Any preference on the Canon vs the Nikon?

I would like to spend around $700-it's going to be my christmas gift.

[bubbaray]

I got the Canon XTi and we are very happy with it. My FIL did camera repairs and warranty work for both Nikon and Canon and he said to go with Canon.

If you have time, try the different bodies -- they feel different in your hand. I much preferred the Canon body over the Nikon and I'm pretty sure it was the D80 that was too big for my hands (but DH preferred it b/c his hands are bigger).

I got the kit lens and 2 others. Honestly, I've yet to use the 2 extra lenses or the filters I got. I never have time, its just grab the camera and shoot. The Canon kit lens seems great to me.

ETA: At the time I purchased, buydig.com had the best price (from a reliable, authorized retailer) of both the Canon and the Nikon kits. I got the extra lenses from Amazon.com IIRC. You might pick up some good deals on Black Friday. I've also heard that Costco has some good kits too. Lastly, Canon uses a different card than Nikon (CF vs SD).

HTH

Melissa

DD#1: 04/2004

DD#2: 01/2007

[BillK]

Canon vs. Nikon is the ongoing debate with no sure answer.

Both are great cameras and both will serve you well - it's all just personal preference on what "feels" best to you. I'd suggest going to a camera store and seeing what one feels the best in your hands.

I think you'll find the Nikon D40x to be a good deal smaller than either of the other 2 your looking at - if that matters to you.

I'd suggest www.bhphoto.com if you want to order either online.

As far as the "kit" lens goes - it depends on what you want to do - for most folks it's fine. I have a Nikon D50 and ended up selling the 6 lenses I had for it and bought a 18-200 VR Nikon lens that never leaves my camera - I love the range and I love the vibration reduction system for when you're zoomed in from afar.

If I were buying again - I'd get a Nikon D200 (or 300 if I had the money) - but the D80 is nice too. When I was buying I didn't like how the Canon felt in my hands or the control placement - but that was years ago - I'm sure they've changed it a bit since I last looked.

[Ceepa]

I was hoping you'd respond, Bill. You always seem to have camera knowhow. DH and I were just talking about the same cameras as OP.

The size of the camera proabbly isn't an issue with me, but I'll have to check out button placement. I wanted a Canon Rebel so much, but over the last year I've been leaning toward a Nikon.

The research will continue.

-Ceepa

[bubbaray]

>Canon vs. Nikon is the ongoing debate with no sure answer.
>
>Both are great cameras and both will serve you well - it's all
>just personal preference on what "feels" best to you. I'd
>suggest going to a camera store and seeing what one feels the
>best in your hands.

Yup, I agree with that. DH and I just really couldn't decide, so he called his dad and he said that if you really d/n have a preference (for feel, or if you d/n have other older lenses you wanted to use), to get the Canon. But, he said that if we got the Nikon we'd like that too. FWIW, DH uses a professional-grade Nikon for his engineering work and really likes it. He really likes it. A guy I run with just bought a DSLR last week and went with the Nikon b/c he liked the feel in his hands. I think it was the D80 he got. Maybe its a guy thing liking the Nikon, LOL?!

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Melissa

DD#1: 04/2004

DD#2: 01/2007

[LD92599]

It must be a guy thing LOL! I just got our email from J&R that the D300 is enroute and i'll have it Monday for DH! Just in time for WDW - he's got 2 weeks to learn the differences between it and our D80.

Laura
Mom to Will

http://dv.daisypath.com/0eJLm4.png

http://b5.lilypie.com/fS0fm4.png

[mommytotwo]

I really like the D80. We previously had a Nikon N80 and a non-SLR digital Canon camera. The Canon non-SLR was small and light, but it had a long shutter delay and just didn't have the flexiblity I was used to with the SLRs. When we bought the Nikon D80, we bought it as the camera body only (w/o the kit lens) and bought the 18-200mm VR lens a previous poster mentioned. That's the only lens I use on the camera right now (although the two other lenses I had with the N80 will work on it) and it has proved to be very flexible for vacation, trips to the pumpkin farm, birthday parties, normal around the house photography, etc.

[belovedgandp]

We recently went through the same debate. We bought the Canon xti in July before our September Disney trip.

We did buy the 18-200 lens which is the only one we've used. It's a little bigger, but covers all my basic desires - want good pictures of the kids, a decent zoom, without much skill needs.

I've had two different point and shoot Canons in the past four years. They were both great for leaving in the purse/diaper bag and always having them. But the shutter speed and zoom stunk.

I've yet to get too brave with my camera, but it has been fun to use. It has met my needs just fine. If I start playing around more or my kids get into some sporting activity that I need to improve my lens I can always do that.

We looked at both the Nikon and Canon - decided to go Canon because I liked the feel of the body better; plus, it was more intuitive to me since the menus were similar to the cameras I'd already been using for four years (little bit less of a learning curve for great comfort).

[JoyNChrist]

I really like my D40X. Note that I know very little about photography, and that I didn't do a ton of research before we bought it. I tried it out at Best Buy, liked the way it felt in my hands, and found it pretty easy to use.

I love that it takes so much better pictures than my old point-and-shoot. I love that it doesn't weigh a ton or take up too much space in my bag. I love that my pictures generally turn out great even though I don't really know what I'm doing most of the time. :-)

If you're a novice photographer, I think it's a good deal. If you want to branch into more advanced stuff, you might want a "bigger and better" system (Canon or Nikon). For me, I think the D40X has everything I'll need for a while to come.

I did end up buying the same lens that Bill has (the 18-200 VR) a couple of months ago. I wanted a bit more zoom than the lens it came with (the 18-55), and I decided if I was going to spend the money, I might as well get a good one. I love it, but DH wasn't very happy with the price tag. He's over it now, though, and he does admit that I've gotten some great shots. ;) I also suggest looking into an external flash. I bought one on my aunt's recommendation (she's a semi-professional photographer, although she uses a Canon...not sure what it is, but it's huge), and I really think it's made a difference in the quality of my photos, especially ones taken indoors.

HTH!

[caleymama]

Hey Stacy, just wondering which external flash you ended up with? TIA :)

[jenmcadams]

Right now Amazon has a deal on the D40 with both the 18-55 lens and a 55-200 lens for $560.

http://tinyurl.com/2kkuk9

I know the major difference is 6MP vs 10MP, but I was wondering if any of the DSLR experts has a feeling for whether this is really worth going with the D40x. Right now I take pretty decent photos with an (OLD) Canon point and shoot (the S1 IS, 3.2MP) -- I was considering upgrading to an 8MP or 10MP version of this camera b/c I've always loved it, but I've also been thinking about taking the plunge and getting a DSLR. My main gripes with the Canon are delay related, but I also often wish I had more MP to work with when editing photos (e.g. one of my kids has the perfect smile for a cool, candid headshot and I'd love to crop and enlarge the headshot to a 5x7 or 8x10)

Any thoughts from the experts? :)

[caleymama]

NOT an expert, but have been looking at the cameras on amazon too and following these threads. I *think* that 55-200 lens does not have the VR feature, like the 18-200 ones referred to above. You probably already know this, but just since the PPs were mentioning the VR feature in particular I wanted to say that I had noticed that.

[neeter]

the 55-200 lens is available with the VR -- you just have to make sure what you're buying on amazon.com has the VR.

costco has a good bundle on the 40x and the 40's right now. it includes both lenses (18-55 and 55-200VR), a camera bag and two dvd's. the d40x is $850, with free shipping and a 90 day return policy...i picked mine up last week and its great!! :) the d40 bundle is $600.

good luck!

[caleymama]

Glad to hear that you are liking yours! Thanks for the heads up on the Costco kits.

I'm pretty sure the lense in the amazon link above does not have the VR - I couldn't find it stated anywhere and the price is so much less that I would be surprised if it did. Maybe not an issue at all to the PP, but it jumped out at me since the 18-200 lenses that the other PPs liked have the VR.

[jenmcadams]

Thanks so much for the heads-up....I definitely want the VR lens and the kit at Costco is a much better deal. Now, just to decide whether I want the D40 or D40x...

[JoyNChrist]

Hmm...not sure...DH bought it...I'll find out when he gets home.

[neeter]

i have the d40x, and i really like it...as i continue to play with it, i'm starting to love it! i was going through the same debate between the two cameras, d40 v. d40x. but for what its worth, i'm glad i have the extra megapixels (which is basically the only difference, but i'm just a mom photographer, not a pro). anyway, i'm particularly glad because i decided to stick with the two lenses in the kit, and not upgrade to the 18-200VR -- really really nice, but the camera itself is a splurge and we can't afford it right now. with the two separate lenses, i figure that if i have the 18-55 on the camera, i can still get the shot and then crop if i really need to. anyway, that's worth $200 to me, just to have that sort of flexibility. good luck with your decision!!

eta: one more thing to consider is hard drive space -- with more megapixels, each photo will be larger, and taking more of your hard drive. just something (else) to think about!!

[JoyNChrist]

>eta: one more thing to consider is hard drive space -- with
>more megapixels, each photo will be larger, and taking more of
>your hard drive. just something (else) to think about!!

I totally recommend that if you buy this camera (really if you buy any dSLR) and don't already have one, you should go ahead and buy an external harddrive. You're going to end up taking so many pictures, you'll bog down your computer really fast. Or at least that's what happened to us!

[neeter]

stacy - good point here. do you download pictures directly to your external harddrive? i have one, but its my "backup". maybe i really need two -- one for the photos and another for a backup. thanks.

[ppshah]

Thanks everyone! I can't wait until it arrives. I just got the kit lens for now. I went into our local photography shop and played with them.