Canon 450D or Nikon D3100? - Help my newbie self please.

Which would you go for

  • Canon 450d 2nd hand bundle?

    Votes: 3 30.0%

  • Nikon d3100 new?

    Votes: 7 70.0%
  • Total voters
    10
  • Poll closed .
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Hi,


I'm interested in getting in to photogrpahy. The only camera's i have at the moment are either in my mobile phone or a small out of date compact. Not only do i want to get in to photography but i'd like some good quality photos regardless of the lighting situation with proper zoom and what i have just doesn't cut it.


So i've been looking at the budget dslr's and set my budget to around £300. Looking at what is available at this price range i've spotted the Nikon D3100 at £330. I don't really know why it's caught my eye but it has. Whilst talking to a couple of friends about this, i found that a friend wants to sell his dslr camera at £400; this is what he's offering:


Canon EOS 450D body
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS (with internal stabilizer) + HOYA 58mm protective filter
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.5-5.6 IS (with internal stabilizer) + HOYA 58mm protective filter + hood
4 batteries + charger
8 or 16Gb high speed memory card.
Wired shutter remote control.
Shoulder bag.


Now i know such things like lens' cost a lot of money, so i can see that this isn't a bad price at all; which is why i'm willing to extend my budget for this.


Doing a little googling i've found that the Nikon is about 2.5 years younger than the Canon. How much would technology have progressed between when these two were designed? I don't think the mega pixel difference would make much of a difference, if any at all. (Canon at 12.2 MP and Nikon 14.2 MP)


My concern is, what is the product support like for dslr's? Would i find my self in a situation sometime in the near future, where the camera (thinking of the Canon specifically) would break and i would struggle/expensive to get it repaired/find replacement parts? Same with lens', would lens' continue to be around for a good while?


Another concern is what are the reliability like on budget dslr's? Are they prone to breaking/dying? I'm thinking that if i go for the Canon, i obviously wouldn't have any warranty. To me this purchase is a lot of money.




What do you think about these two cameras? And if you were given the choice between these two purchases which would you go for?


Any help is much much appreciated.
Rob
 
generally speaking I think canon are a better route to go down.
The big things for me is that their lens are generally cheaper, and you have a much wider variety of lens which are compatible with Canon bodies, including Nikon lens them self (the opposite is not true)

With proper care your Lens will last ages. DSLRs are similar, and they all seem to be quite sturdily built (I've dropped mine on concrete by accident and it still works fine).
However after a certain number of shots there are parts which wear down and can eventually break.
I think it would be years and years before that happens though.

Have you considered going for a new entry level DSLR?
The Canon EOS 1100D is what I'm shooting with and I love it.
It's under £300 on Amazon, and I think now it's probably equivalent if not more advanced than the 450D.

I think it has better low-light capabilities. Oh, it also shoots video if you're in any way interested in that.

Hope this helps
 
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The D3100 is a brilliant camera, so ive heard. I use a D3200 which I absolutely love, it doesnt have all the features but I still love it; feels better than any other camera ive owned. The D3100 is very similar.
I think the D3100 is the better camera, its on a different level to the 450D (the 550D is more of a competitor to the D3100). You can get a refurbished body for £190 from Park Cameras and you can pick up the kit lens from them too for £67, giving you a total £257. I think for that price you cant go wrong.
 
Seems like a decent deal your being offered. I got a new D3100 (although was tempted with the D5100 and D3200) but I'm more than happy with the camera.

I was looking at 550D 2nd hand but decided to get a new camera as they were offering cashback (which will go towards a new lens).

Don't know anything about the Canon/Nikon debate but I'm really happy with the camera, easy to use, really good quality of pictures so far, the guide within the camera is helpful and once you know how to short-cut to the manual settings its so easy to navigate and set the camera up for the shot.
 
Just had a quick look at MPB Photographic (link at top right) who are a very good reliable second user outlet and for just the 450D body and the 2 lenses you have listed costs £392. For the extra £8 you're getting 4 batteries + charger, 8 or 16Gb high speed memory card, wired shutter remote control, shoulder bag and the filters makes this quite a bargain.

I got the same camera and 18-55 lens for a friend last year and they are still 'over the moon' with the camera. They've taken hundreds of photos and got some absolutely cracking photos from it. I've never owned a Nikon camera so I can't advise you on that, but the range of lenses available from Canon was one of the main reasons I went with Canon and I've not been disappointed with my choice ever.
 
modchild said:
Just had a quick look at MPB Photographic (link at top right) who are a very good reliable second user outlet and for just the 450D body and the 2 lenses you have listed costs £392. For the extra £8 you're getting 4 batteries + charger, 8 or 16Gb high speed memory card, wired shutter remote control, shoulder bag and the filters makes this quite a bargain.
Click to expand...

But no warranty.
 
I think the advice I was given also has to play a part, get yourself a go of a nikon d3100 and see if it feels ok, your spending relatively large amounts of cash, and so you want to be getting a camera you feel really comfortable using.

I was between the D3100 and the EOS 1100D, and plumped for the D3100 as it seemed a slightly better camera on the main, but its such a personal choice. You are lucky you have a chance to test your friends first and see how that feels for you.
 
DigitalBiscuits said:
generally speaking I think canon are a better route to go down.
The big things for me is that their lens are generally cheaper, and you have a much wider variety of lens which are compatible with Canon bodies, including Nikon lens them self (the opposite is not true)



Hope this helps
Click to expand...

Not true really. The d3100 can accept any Nikon lens made since about 1960. It won't autofocus, but it will work.. The d3100 needs AF-S lenses to autofocus. Pretty much every Nikon lens made since 1999 is AF-S.

I think you will struggle to find a lens you want that isn't compatible.

Sigma has a huge array of HSM lenses that will autofocus, tamron and tokina are starting to make more and more lenses with built in AF as well.

And sorry, but no Nikon lens is directly compatible with a canon camera. You need adapters, and the same goes for the other way around.. And ask yourself, why would canon users want nikon glass? Perhaps they feel its better??
 
TCR4x4 said:
Not true really. The d3100 can accept any Nikon lens made since about 1960. It won't autofocus, but it will work.. The d3100 needs AF-S lenses to autofocus. Pretty much every Nikon lens made since 1999 is AF-S.
Click to expand...

In fairness the whole Nikon F mount "any lens since 1960" thing is a bit disingenuous - the vast majority of all those lenses will neither meter or focus on the D3100, making most of them a complete PITA to use and really not worth the time. AF-S lenses are the only practical way to go, and there's no way around it, that does limit your choice particularly of cheaper lenses on the used market.

Nikon may have the older lens mount but it was Canon that got it right, back in the eighties, by making a clean break and switching to an all electronic mount when they moved to AF. There's no confusion with Canon, if it's an AF lens it will fit and work perfectly on any DSLR, complete with autofocus and metering all present and correct. Simple, and it makes for a used lens market that's a lot easier to navigate for a newbie.
 
All I can say is that I'm more than happy with my D3100. Video is really quite good too (I never thought I'd use it). I bought mine body only and use a 16-85mm Nikon lens that I had from when I thought (wrongly) that throwing money at photography would improve my shots. Great battery life too. All in all a highly recommended little camera.
 
Milkfloat said:
But no warranty.
Click to expand...

Maybe no warranty but I think the majority of photographers tend to start off with one body and eventually upgrade to another after a while. There's loads of second hand cameras being sold on here and other forums and the majority of those wont come with a warranty but it doesn't stop them selling. A lot of people are advised, by other members, to start with a second hand body to make sure they aren't going to lose a lot of money if they decide a dslr isn't for them.

I do understand the appeal of a warranty though, I bought a 5D3 with an extended 3 year warranty, but I've also got a second (or third) hand 7D to go with it. I've got all my gear insured though and so I'm covered for any eventuality.
 
TCR4x4 said:
Not true really. The d3100 can accept any Nikon lens made since about 1960. It won't autofocus, but it will work.. The d3100 needs AF-S lenses to autofocus. Pretty much every Nikon lens made since 1999 is AF-S.

I think you will struggle to find a lens you want that isn't compatible.

And sorry, but no Nikon lens is directly compatible with a canon camera. You need adapters, and the same goes for the other way around.. And ask yourself, why would canon users want nikon glass? Perhaps they feel its better??
Click to expand...

Apparently lenses from 1960 won't meter in Nikon cameras, but they will on a Canon. :suspect:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/nikcan.htm

Don't think you can use many non-Nikon mount lenses on a Nikon without expensive converters. Whereas you can just buy a £5 metal ring to make most lenses work on Canon. The reason seems to be that Canon's flange distance is shorter than other brands.

One lens that many people want, but can't be used is 50 f1.8D. It's very cheap, unlike its G brother.



Having said that, I chose D3100. Both are entry level, so both can be considered consumer electronics rather than photography equipment. By that logic, getting a newer model will make sure it doesn't go obsolete as fast.

However, if you are serious about photography and want to buy into a brand system as an investment, eg, buy more lenses, upgrade body to profession level, the Canon is a better bet. Canon's system is very straight forward: all EF lenses work with all EF cameras. My 1990's film camera work perfectly with all my lenses and accessories.
 
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