Nikon or Canon?

J

Joshuashaw

Suspended / Banned
Messages
127
Name
Joshua Shaw
Edit My Images
Yes
So from only reading up on photography for the past year, these two brands are forever waging a war on whose the better.

I have around £450 to spend, including a lens. essentially I'll be photographing scenery/landscapes, sports, mainly fast paced ones, mountain-biking, motocross, bmx, skate etc, action-sports, but as I'm attenting College in September, I've taken a Photography course so it could be used for practically anything as I've also taken a a few courses it could be used for.

I'm looking to buy a DSLR this weekend, originally my thoughts were of a D60, but reading reviews up, people says it's not much different from the D40x. My Dad owns the D80, first thoughts it's huge compared to the D60 when I was looking at it Jessops lastnight. I was wondering which Canon cameras are similiar to the D60/D80, good quality entry level DSLRs which won't be used for simple point & shoot, photo manipulation etc will be used with the processed photographs.

Any help much much much appreciated. :)
 
Horses for courses I think sums up this argument, my advice is probably the same as everyone elses.

decide what spec your looking for in a camera
Go to a local camera shop, jessops etc and get a feel for the camera
Buy Secondhand, you get more bang for ya buck

not a great deal of advice but fairly sound I would say.

Im a canon user but I think the problem with the D40's is the fact that your limited on lenses that retain AF on this model.
 
Dont discount other makes such as Pentax / Sony / Olympus.

They all make good cameras and some of them offer more than the equiv Canon and Nikon.

Have a fondle of all of them and make a decision based on that. That's what i did and ended up with an Olympus as the features / feel for the price could not be beat (in my opinion) and the 2 Kit lenses are top quality and give the same range as 28mm - 300mm in 35mm terms.
 
Also if your dad has Nikon stuff moving to another make means you won't be able to "borrow" any lenses he might have.

Your budge will limit your ability to cover everything from landscape to sports.
 
CScottMcQueen said:
Horses for courses I think sums up this argument, my advice is probably the same as everyone elses.

decide what spec your looking for in a camera
Go to a local camera shop, jessops etc and get a feel for the camera
Buy Secondhand, you get more bang for ya buck

not a great deal of advice but fairly sound I would say.

Im a canon user but I think the problem with the D40's is the fact that your limited on lenses that retain AF on this model.
Click to expand...


Totally agree with you. Go to the shop, handle the goods and get what feels best. The Nikon D80 fitted my large hands better than the Canons so that's what I went for.
 
Hi i have a 400D and there are a lot of lenses for this model, i fell on mine buy accident i was searching the web for a canon my friend had a eos film type and that was great and fell on this site this one i have heard of them anyway there portsmouth branch was selling a

Canon 400D with 18-55 canon lens BNIB instructions
Sigma 28-300 DG Macro lens BNIB Instruction with flower hood
all the gear that came with them everything apart from the strap and usb connection lead,(i use a card reader)

they posted it off FOC royal mail special recorded delivery and i received it next day @ 09.00.

it was brand new as i registered it on the canon website and have a years warranty as well, it had only taken 4 pictures, did i chance my arm i paid £249.00 with free delivery they paid £20.70 . so that how i chose a canon and a bloody good camera as well very happy. all though there are end of line not many left in shops.

is this a good deal

regards Mark
 
I've had a play on both and I prefer Nikon. I think for begginers they're easier to use, the interface is easier. Plus I find the images can be sharper.

The D80 is still very similar to the D60, if you can spend the little bit extra and get it, do so :)
 
I understand my budget limits what I want to photograph, but at the mo, I'm only buying a body with a lens that comes with it. I have no problem with when needed putting money forward to purchase a lens better suited to a type of photography, I was reading it takes some people on here up to like 2 years to build up a lens collection.

I've only narrowed myself down to Nikon & Canon because I've read around they was the superiors of cameras. I just don't want to have a camera which is unreliable, and in a perfect world I don't really want to buy second hand, incase anything breaks which then you don't have anything to cover yourself with. But yeah, I will look at Jessops have to offer on the other brand ranges.

Can anyone tell me which Canon camera offer in terms with the D60/80

+Also, I won't restrict myself to Nikon because my dad has one, he doesn't use it very often and only has one extra lens and I doubt he will be purchasing a few more soon.
 
What does the D80 have up on the D60?
 
Joshuashaw said:
What does the D80 have up on the D60?
Click to expand...

A screen ontop of the camera, and more buttons down the left hand side, to control ISO, white balance and exposure I think.

I've personally got a d60, and you've got to go through a little menu to get to the options. It's not a pain to do but it's a little more long winded than pressing one simple button on the d80.
 
Canon have the 400D and the 450D. The 450D is better than the D60 but also more expensive.

The D80 has a better autofocus system, a built in motor to allow autofocus with some older lenses and better ergonomics.
 
Joshuashaw said:
I've only narrowed myself down to Nikon & Canon because I've read around they was the superiors of cameras.
Click to expand...

Thats usually the type of stuff stated by Canon and Nikon Owners, who have little or no knowledge of other systems and have a very blinkered view of camera systems :p
 
The Fuji S5 Pro will take Nikon F-mount lenses and is effectively a D200 for almost half the price.
 
First things first, you're probably not actually buying a DSLR here, you're buying into a camera system. Lenses, battery packs, other bodies later on etc etc. Once they invest some money in a lens or two, most people rarely, if ever, switch brands.

As others have said, having a hand-on play with various cameras is important, even if you end up taking every single picture from a tripod and remote release later.
Next up is the fact you're dad already has a Nikon. That allows you both to borrow lens etc and could allow you to get a lot more out of each of your cameras, especially if you get interested in birds/airshows and find you want to buy £3000 lenses in three years time.

Remember you aren't actually going to go wrong with either a Nikon or a Canon. For all the squabbles and tiffs and little differences, both make top quality camera systems that are perfectly capable.

There are other camera systems. The main ones are as good as Nikon/Canon. There biggest difference is Image Stabilization/Vibration Reduction. Canon/Nikon do theirs in individual lenses, the others tend to do it on the sensor, making every lens stabilized, but not letting you see that stabilized imagine in the viewfinder.
The ONLY concern I would have with these other brands is to do the size of their range of lenses, both now and in the future. Nikon and Canon aren't going anywhere, for everyone else that's not so guaranteed. Thats not a huge problem if you have a camera and lenses you are happy with, of course.
 
If your not restricting yourself, then the choice must be down to a combination of what is comfortable for you to hold, weighed up with consideration of future expansion of kit, which depends on how big a range the manufacturer supplies.

Buy what feels right.
 
Joshuashaw said:
Can anyone tell me which Canon camera offer in terms with the D60/80
Click to expand...

Whittie said:
As for Cannon I think the rivals to the D60 and D80 are the 400d and the 450d.
Click to expand...

Actually, the 20/30/40D are more like the D80/D60 and the 400/450D are more like the Nikon entry level cameras.

If you can't afford a new 40D have a look at used 30D's and 20D's as they are still very good cameras.

For good prices of new stuff have a look here: http://www.camerapricebuster.com/
 
If you dad has a Nikon I would stick with Nikon as you could share things.

If your dad had Canon then I would choose that.

I would pitch the 40D slightly above the D80 - its true each has their own low / mid / pro ranges, but the feature set between both is not identical so the ranges are slightly staggered.
 
Canon or Nikon? All down to personal choice! I chose Nikon, due to the "feel" of the camera in my hands (I originally started with a D50, moved on to a D80, then a D200, now a D300...) Plus, my old man had a D70 (now D300), and my brother went for a D50 at the same time, and he now has a D300 as well!

I wouldn't tell you to discount other systems, as the Sony range can take advantage of the large number of older Konica-Minolta lenses available, and the Samsung/Pentax range share a lens mount, and the 2x crop factor on the Olympus 4/3 sensor gives your telephoto lenses a bit more reach....

It's all down to you;)
 
I use both Nikon and Canon, both systems are excellent. In my opinion it is the glass on the end you need to consider now. Nikon do an 18-70mm budget lens and a 55-200mm budget lens that really are fantastic quality, even wide open. Haven't got any budget Canon lenses but their reviews aren't great (Photozone)
They say the Nikons are better ergonomically, I have never had a problem with either.
 
I can't stress enough that you need to remember that you are buying in to a system rather than buying a camera. All the cameras out there Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax, Samsung etc will all take a good photo and each will allow you to grow into better kit.

So how do you differentiate - personally I would recommend you look at a number of factors in order.

1) What family and friends use (the ability to borrow kit for free is massive)
2) What availability is like in the Second Hand and Hire Markets (cheap way of expanding kit or renting a specialist lens for a single event)
3) What availability is like for 3rd Party lenses e.g. Sigma / Tamron etc (new kit at reasonable quality)
4) The range of the kit available in the system

Looking at 2, 3 and 4 Nikon and Canon do have distict advantages over Pentax, Sony, Olympus and Samsung as there is alot more out there S/H plus there are plenty of companies that Hire Nikon and Canon lenses. Plus there are a large number of 3rd party lens providers for Nikon and Canon and almost (if not every) lens in the 3rd party line ups is available in Nikon or Canon where as the other systems have a restriced choice.

Given that you said your father uses a Nikon D80 I would recommend going down the Nikon route. I would personally look for a good S/H example of a D80; as others have said you can use older AF lenses on it, plus you can "borrow" some of your dad's accessories e.g. spare batteries, remote shutter release etc. I would guess you can easily find one for about £300 - £350 without lens and a S/H 18-70 can be aquired for about £100.


EDIT: [grumpy mode]:bang: :bang: :bang: you are lucky I have only just noticed, if I had noticed before I would have moved on without replying - you used the word "lens" - :rules: in English (as in the Oxford English Dictionary) it is a word but it has nothing to do with photography, the word you want is lens the plural of which is lenses simply because to pluralise a word ending in "s" you have to add "es". :bang::bang::bang: [/grumpy mode]
 
August edition of Digital Photo tested all the entry level 10MP DSLR's and the Sony Alpha came out top I believe so as mentioned above, don't discount other brands.
Yes, I know C & N are probably the safer choice, and the amount of lenses available from them and third parties such as Sigma etc is greater than that of the opposition but if like me your photography is a hobby that you can’t spend hundreds of pounds on then you do have a few more options such as the Sony etc.
I simply won’t be able to afford to buy new lenses for my camera in the near future so I looked for an affordable DSLR with the best kit lenses I could get and the Olympus kit lenses come up top in all the reviews. Hence, I ended up with an E510 with twin kit lenses covering 28-300mm equiv and am more than happy with it. There is a good selection of lenses available in the Olympus format, yes they are expensive but not too much so when you consider the E510 has in camera IS. Compare the Olympus lenses with an Image Stabilised C or N lens and im guessing the prices would be similar.

In short, look at the reviews, decide what functions etc suit you and more importantly your budget, and try the various cameras in your hand. Oh and keep an open mind because what might be the safer choice is not necessarily the best choice for everyone.

The fact that your father uses a Nikon should be taken into account though as mentioned above.
 
EDIT: [grumpy mode]:bang: :bang: :bang: you are lucky I have only just noticed, if I had noticed before I would have moved on without replying - you used the word "lens" - :rules: in English (as in the Oxford English Dictionary) it is a word but it has nothing to do with photography, the word you want is lens the plural of which is lenses simply because to pluralise a word ending in "s" you have to add "es". :bang::bang::bang: [/grumpy mode]
Click to expand...

It annoys me so much I put it in my sig :)
 
SimonTALM said:
I can't stress enough that you need to remember that you are buying in to a system rather than buying a camera. All the cameras out there Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax, Samsung etc will all take a good photo and each will allow you to grow into better kit.

So how do you differentiate - personally I would recommend you look at a number of factors in order.

1) What family and friends use (the ability to borrow kit for free is massive)
2) What availability is like in the Second Hand and Hire Markets (cheap way of expanding kit or renting a specialist lens for a single event)
3) What availability is like for 3rd Party lenses e.g. Sigma / Tamron etc (new kit at reasonable quality)
4) The range of the kit available in the system

Looking at 2, 3 and 4 Nikon and Canon do have distict advantages over Pentax, Sony, Olympus and Samsung as there is alot more out there S/H plus there are plenty of companies that Hire Nikon and Canon lenses. Plus there are a large number of 3rd party lens providers for Nikon and Canon and almost (if not every) lens in the 3rd party line ups is available in Nikon or Canon where as the other systems have a restriced choice.

Given that you said your father uses a Nikon D80 I would recommend going down the Nikon route. I would personally look for a good S/H example of a D80; as others have said you can use older AF lenses on it, plus you can "borrow" some of your dad's accessories e.g. spare batteries, remote shutter release etc. I would guess you can easily find one for about £300 - £350 without lens and a S/H 18-70 can be aquired for about £100.


EDIT: [grumpy mode]:bang: :bang: :bang: you are lucky I have only just noticed, if I had noticed before I would have moved on without replying - you used the word "lens" - :rules: in English (as in the Oxford English Dictionary) it is a word but it has nothing to do with photography, the word you want is lens the plural of which is lenses simply because to pluralise a word ending in "s" you have to add "es". :bang::bang::bang: [/grumpy mode]
Click to expand...


The advice given about buying into a system is sound.

The english lesson is uncalled for.
 
I appreciate all the advice, but your getting so upset about something so small and trivial.
 
you are lucky I have only just noticed, if I had noticed before I would have moved on without replying
Click to expand...

Gee, then what would we have done?
icon_rolleyes.gif


Come on Simon, sort it out. You cannot seriously let yourself get so wound up by one little superfluous e. Open your heart to joy and put that energy to better use eh. :thumbs::D
 
Chillimonster said:
Dont discount other makes such as Pentax / Sony / Olympus.

They all make good cameras and some of them offer more than the equiv Canon and Nikon.
Click to expand...
:love: [S4]I Love Pentax[/S4] :love:

Go on, you know you wanna! :p The advice about a camera system is very good and something to think about, good luck with what ever you end up plunging for.
 
Chillimonster said:
Dont discount other makes such as Pentax / Sony / Olympus.

They all make good cameras and some of them offer more than the equiv Canon and Nikon.
Click to expand...

Make sure you've either got places close to you that offer the accessories and stuff to them or are willing to be ordering online stuff.

PsiFox said:
Also if your dad has Nikon stuff moving to another make means you won't be able to "borrow" any lenses he might have.

Your budge will limit your ability to cover everything from landscape to sports.
Click to expand...

Definately Nikon on the account that you're dad has Nikon.

And my personal choice, Nikon. I just recently got the D60 and really the only thing I'm regretting in it is that it doesn't have a built in motor. But really, the only thing that's bugging me about that is that there are no 30mm and 50mm primes made by Nikon in the AF-S series. Sigma is the only option (and I seem to be seeing mixed reviews with those). But one day hopefully they'll come out with something.

Nikon ftw.
 
I've got a 400D, and I love it. I've had a mess with a couple of other Canon's (350D, 450D, 40D) and tbh, I love all of them.

I've also, however, had a play with a couple of Nikons (D40, D40x) and I literally hated them, didn't like the feel, didn't like the menu, just basically didn't like the whole camera. At that point, i'd only been into photography a couple of months, so my opinion wasn't bias.

I wouldn't say it's bias now, but i'm sure it's the same with most, now i've become comfortable with something and I really enjoy it, switching to another make of camera wouldn't be high on the task list when the time came to upgrade.

I'd say, based on personal experiance, go for a 400D. It's an excellent camera, easy to use, produces cracking results, and is perfect for someone who's just getting into photography, right upto a serious amature.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top