Moving from Nikon D80 to ...

cepheus

cepheus

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I really don't want to start a "which camera" should I get thread but I need some advice.

I recently sold my D80 (as well as several lenses) as I thought I wanted to move to a lighter, smaller camera. Such as the excellent Sony NEX5n. I'm an enthusiast and want to get out and take more photos but the bulk of the Nikon was stopping me from going out with my camera.

Problem is after trying out a NEX5n for a week I couldn't get along with it. I think I was in some sort of dream state when I thought I could have the DSLR functionality in a nice small package. Plus I don't like the idea of being locked into buying "special fit" lenses which there is a non-existent second hand market.

So I'm thinking of going down the Canon route, my friends swear by them, I have four mates with Canons and various expensive L glass. Which may mean I can borrow/lend lenses from/to them.

But the questions is, what Canon DSLR should I go for?

Can I get the best of both worlds; DSLR functionality in a smaller package, or should I just get a decent point and shoot? Updating my aging IXUS 70.

All comments welcome.

C
 
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I was recommended the Canon d60 but a friend, how does this compare to the equivalent Nikon?
 
cepheus said:
I recently sold my D80 (as well as several lenses) as I thought I wanted to move to a lighter, smaller camera. Such as the excellent Sony NEX5n.{sic...}

Problem is after trying out a NEX5n for a week I couldn't get along with it.
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In what way didn't you get along with it?
Menu? handling? Focus?

As far as I know there are adapters to get other lenses on to the nex 5, such as nikon/canon/leica... Might only be manual though...

If its the camera and you haven't got many/any other lenses, perhaps look at handling the Olympus Pen (v1 or v3), or a Pentax. I ''think'' these are lighter than the d80... There is Samsung nx200 perhaps? Or a panasonic?

Best to get back to the store you bought it from, see if they have a swapping
policy. They still have the sale and the dosh, and within 30 days usually you can talk someone into allowing you to change the camera. Worth a try.

Good luck - and post up how it goes.
 
You say you want a smaller and lighter camera, but a Canon DSLR will be pretty much the same weight and size as a Nikon. Staying with Nikon would mean you are familiar with the setup??? If so, I guess theD3100, although personally I dont find the D90 that much more cumbersome?

Generally though I find that a bridge will never be the same as a DSLR in terms of quality and spec - the tradeoff of a smaller camera.
 
xxxD range are light and neat. Loved my 550D. I did have a 50D but changed as i found the 550D more comfortable and easier to carry around.
 
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Thanks for you responses I'm still looking, hoping some of the sales will sway my decision.

I went out with my Mums D5000 today and found it okay, although annoyingly it holds your hand a little too much.

So I'm still not sold on the entry level Nikons which are generally smaller and more compact.

I'm having a play with a friends Canon 600d and will get a feel of the Canon menus and handling before making the plunge.

C
 
K-r/K-5 if you are after really capable kit that is smaller than the competition. They also have smaller lenses as there is no need for image stabilisation in the lenses cause it exists in the body.

I moved from a D7k and a few decent lenses to Pentax and I don't regret.

However have a look into a GX-1 and a couple of primes plus the X zoom lens. The whole lot will be a heck of a lot smaller than even my rather small K-5 .
 
cepheus said:
I was recommended the Canon d60 but a friend, how does this compare to the equivalent Nikon?
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DoctorJ said:
Budget?
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Hi

An idea of budget / maximum spend, helps with being able to recommend specific bodies...



cepheus said:
Thanks for you responses I'm still looking, hoping some of the sales will sway my decision.

I went out with my Mums D5000 today and found it okay, although annoyingly it holds your hand a little too much.

So I'm still not sold on the entry level Nikons which are generally smaller and more compact.

I'm having a play with a friends Canon 600d and will get a feel of the Canon menus and handling before making the plunge.

C
Click to expand...


Don't let the sales sway your decision, you could end up with something you don't like, like your mums D5000. You need to make sure this is the make etc you are after

What didn't you like about your mums D5000, what (apart from your friends having Canon) is making you think about the move to Canon from Nikon as you had the D80.

The Canon 600D is a nice body, has some very nice features on like the swivel screen for example. The 60D you mentioned in an earlier post is a more expensive body, has the swivel screen, has a higher fps rate, is a larger body to hold.

If you go to Canon's web site, you can compare bodies and see the actual differences between them.

With regards to the Menu system, this is one of the major differences between Canon & Nikon bodies. The menu system on the Canon range is very similar to all bodies - obviously, some have more options than others, so if you find you like or dislike the 600D menu system, that is what they all function like...

Hope this is of help...
 
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I went through the, DSLR heavy, cumbersome issues . . . re thought my whole way of doing things down to a single lens set up D90/18-70. Still not right, pinched my partners Panasonic G1/14-45, small, light, great pictures, more functionality than a DSLR! It goes with me 24/7 in my man bag. I also have the 70-200 lens in the MB as well.

Panasonic have moved their models on, go have a play.

I still have the D90, but it aint been out for 6 months+ . . . !
 
So an update,

I'm seriously considering a "mirrorless" camera now. My only concert being the lack of lenses especially the second hand market. I'm currently looking at the Sony NEX 5n/7 as well as the Panasonic and Nikon offerings. I'm swayed towards the Sonys because they seem to be getting great reviews and I have also seen the ability to use Sony Alpha (and even some Canon) lenses with an adaptor.

I have already played with a 5n so going to do some more research into the 7 and see if it is worth the extra money.

My only concert in all of this is the lack of a long telephoto lens, I think there is a 200mm offering. With the cropped sensor would this offer more length? I used a 300mm on my D80 for some wakeboarding, climbing and sailing shots, would really like to continue with my new camera.

C
 
cepheus said:
So an update,

I'm seriously considering a "mirrorless" camera now. My only concert being the lack of lenses especially the second hand market. I'm currently looking at the Sony NEX 5n/7 as well as the Panasonic and Nikon offerings. I'm swayed towards the Sonys because they seem to be getting great reviews and I have also seen the ability to use Sony Alpha (and even some Canon) lenses with an adaptor.

I have already played with a 5n so going to do some more research into the 7 and see if it is worth the extra money.

My only concert in all of this is the lack of a long telephoto lens, I think there is a 200mm offering. With the cropped sensor would this offer more length? I used a 300mm on my D80 for some wakeboarding, climbing and sailing shots, would really like to continue with my new camera.

C
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The Sony cameras have the same sized sensor as your D80. So a 200mm on the Sony will have the FOV of a 300mm on 35mm/FF sensor. If you were using a 300mm on the D80 then you are after a 300mm on the Sony to get the same FOV from both bodies.

I have not checked much into long teles cause I never really was into that kind of photography however I have heard the m4/3 100-300 is a decent enough lens. On the down the apertures are pretty slow on the up because of the smaller size of the m4/3 sensor that 100-300 provides the equivalent FOV of a 200-600 on FF.

There is a distinct lack of long telephotos, especially fast ones, and fast zooms for both m4/3 and the Sony NEX range. For both you can get adaptors so you can attach lenses not designed for either system but then at best you lose all AF functionality.
 
Panasonic have announced 'fast' zooms for MFT (m4/3). A 12-35 and 35-100 are due sometime soonish (probably early this year).
We don't know yet quite how fast, but a reasonable guess is f/2.8 (anything faster than f/2.5 looks unlikely from the size of the mock-ups).
Might make MFT a bit more appealing to some (currently most of the MFT primes are great but the mid-range zooms underwhelming) - but I doubt these new lenses will be cheap!
 
Llamaman said:
Panasonic have announced 'fast' zooms for MFT (m4/3). A 12-35 and 35-100 are due sometime soonish (probably early this year).
We don't know yet quite how fast, but a reasonable guess is f/2.8 (anything faster than f/2.5 looks unlikely from the size of the mock-ups).
Might make MFT a bit more appealing to some (currently most of the MFT primes are great but the mid-range zooms underwhelming) - but I doubt these new lenses will be cheap!
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Thank you so much for this! it would seal the deal for me buying a GX-1. I was not aware of such plans and this currently is the main if not the only obstacle between me buying into the m4/3 system.

The 12-35 is a really nice range (almost identical to the flawed 16-50 Pentax gem) and very appealing at 2.8 anything lower would be simply a bonus.

The 35-100 would be rather nice too however it has to be extremely special for me to consider it over my K-5+50-135 which other than somewhat slow AF is probably the best lens I have ever owned beating in sharpness and colours other excellent lenses like the 35mm 1.8 AF-S and the DA 40mm 2.8.
 
cepheus said:
My only concert in all of this is the lack of a long telephoto lens, I think there is a 200mm offering. With the cropped sensor would this offer more length? I used a 300mm on my D80 for some wakeboarding, climbing and sailing shots, would really like to continue with my new camera.

C
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I don't think that there is a native E-mount 300mm yet but with the right adapter(s) you can fit all sorts of SLR lenses if you are OK with manual AF.
& the 2 Sony adapters will give you AF with Alpha lenses incl. e.g. the 70-400 & 70-300 SSMs. with lenses like that though you might actually want a bigger/heavier DSLR body to counterbalance them.

Have you had a look at any of the DSLTs as the A3x, A55 & to a lesser extent the A65 are comparatively small & light?
 
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