Digital cameras forum: Help choosing digital SLR

Well Sir,

I would highly reccomend the canon, the range of lens's are fantastic!! I live in the uk so we have the 400D which I think is the xti in america. The image quality is fantastic, its light and like the sony and olympus it has a dust removal system. One draw back it doesnt come with IS as standard like the sony, meaning you normally have to buy the L series lens's to achieve this. Fortunatly the noise you get from the ISO is very low indeed! Meaning shutter shake will be cut to a minimum. Also the software you get is extremley good!

If your not keen on canon, you can look at Nikon which also has a good range, the nikon's are also a little more rugged, but the lens range isnt quite as good as canon's

There are many factors that will affect your choice. But you should look at the whole D-SLR system, including camera body, lenses and accessories. Of course Canon and Nikon both have the widest selections in all categories. Canon offer full frame bodies for wide angle fans and the 35 mm sentimentalists (Nikon doesn't have any full frame camera body). Canon used to have better low light (high ISO) performance than Nikon, but the newer generation of Nikon (eg. D40) shows that Nikon is catching up in high ISO performance. Sony still has more noise at high ISO (they make the sensor for Nikon, and the Sony A100 has similar sensor as the Nikon D200, but Nikon has better image processing engine, so Nikon images look better in the review test shots). Nikon's flash and metering system is legendary, but Canon is catching up.
Olympus has the 4:3 ratio format, different from the traditional cameras (3:2). So the lens choices are more limited, there are not as many companies making lenses compatible with 4:3 format. Leica and Sigma both are making cameras and lenses in this format now, so selections may get better in the future.
The main advantage of Sony and Pentax is that they both offer camera bodies with built-in image stabilization. This saves a lot of money on lens especially if you buy 3rd party lens (eg. Sigma, Tamron, Tonika, etc). Sony has some great G series lenses with Carl Zeiss, but they cost more than those from Canon and Nikon.
The camera body is not going to make a big difference despite some performance differences. In good day light, all D-SLRs and lenses will give you good results. In low light action and night photos, the lenses are going to matter more than the camera body itself. On the average, many serious amateurs and semi-pro spend more money on the lenses than the camera body itself.
Image stabilization is very important, unless you plan on carrying the tripod. It is crucial in low light, but it also helps to get better image in day light. Lenses with IS cost $500-600 extra, that's why camera body with built-in IS will save you a lot of money. IS has saved many of my shots.

You can look at your choices this way. If you don't have any problem with budget, then Canon and Nikon have the best selections, and that's what the pros use. If you want to save money, then Sony and Pentax will save you money in the long run, mainly on less costly lenses without IS. You can save money on the camera body, but you need to get the right lens for the right situation. And don't skimp on IS if you plan to do low light or night photography. You can fix a lot of things with Photoshop, but Photoshop cannot fix a blurry poor image from subject movement (when using a "slow" lens in low light) or from camera shake while you handhold it (without IS).

It is true that the D80 uses noise reduction technology, and this can wash out some details in a full-size print, but ONLY at 1600 or especially 3200 ISO. I'm of the opinion that the D80's noise is not a bit worse than a comparatively priced Canon. I may be slightly biased simply because the D80 is such a tempting, lovely camera (ahem, pardon me while I regain composure), but I try to be accurate.

The new D40 is very impressive noise-wise, definitely the best in its price-range. Actually, there's a lot to recommend the D40, which is why I am going to purchase it. For a first SLR, it offers a lot of helpful in-camera info (helpful always providing you understand how to get to the help), as well as a great amount of manual controls, and programmability - the menu can be rearranged for your convenience and saved, plus there's a programmable button. Excellent performance, I've seen some lovely pictures from it, and best of all it's top-quality, not at all low-end. Solid, compact, reliable... Not trying to tout it too highly, this is just the reasoning behind my own purchase. But price is also a major factor, and the D40 is above reproach in that area.

It gets a lot of flack from professional photographers (mostly of the Canon persuasion), but so far I've never come across an actual owner's opinion that was anything but positive. That should say something.

Handle all of these cameras in-store. Personally I find the Rebel XT too bulky (and its technology is older; it's not really a bargain now that the XTi has gone down a bit), the XTi just a bit too light and plasticky, and the D40, well, close to perfect - would be too small if it were any lighter, but its weight is just enough to feel substantial.

Much of this is preference - I don't think you'd be unhappy with any newer model, be it D40, Pentax K100, Canon XTi, et cetera. Read up on them all, though. Find the features you know you need, then balance out the less important features and the price.

Like objective testing?

Just want to make a point. Most of the reviews are done using good prime lens on the camera body. The noise level will go up or down depending on what lens you use. And also remember that the reviewers crop the photo to magnify the difference. The difference in actual smaller or regular prints are probably less noticeable, unless you blow up the image. More importantly, the lens will probably make a bigger difference in low light than the camera's actual high ISO performance difference. The kit lens with small aperture will force you to use higher ISO, and noise will increase on your photo. But if you use a large aperture, say f/1.2, then you can take the same photo in the same lighting condition at a lower ISO, and get a better image with less noise. If you are a perfectionist, then get the camera with the best high ISO performance and the largest aperture lens you can afford or carry. But if you use the kit lens anyways, then what is the point?

I am a pretty avid photographer who has purchased (and sold) a Canon Rebel XT, Pentax K110D, Nikon D50, and has finally purchased a Nikon D40. Even though the Nikon D40 is designed with novices in mind, I find that this camera makes it easier than any other DSLR I have used to get great results right out of the camera. Plus its excellent menu system teaches you about photography basics in a very intuitive way. While it is only a 6 megapixel, it has an excellent lens and probably the best 6 meg sensor currently on the market. I like this camera because I can focus on composing the shot with the confidence that the camera will do its job. Check out these New Mexico landscapes I photographed at dusk with the Nikon D40 and kit lens.With no tweaking required, I got great results straight out of the camera. I shot the images in raw format and converted them using the software that is included with the D40. One other thing, this camera feels better in my hand than any of the other budget DSlR's too! Great ergonomics and fit and finish.

I know I'm late to the party, but I think it's important to look beyond brand when choosing a camera.

In fact, two of the most informative articles discuss this in more depth:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/notcamera.htm
and
http://www.twin-pixels.com/how-to-choose-dslr-buyer-guide/