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  1. #1
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    i need some advice please

    I am in the market for my first slr....ive have set myself a budget of under 900$. I have narrowed my choices to the Nikon D40x or the Canon Rebelxt or xti? I know I probably need to just get the body and go for a better lense at keast a 55mm. My main subjects would be children and outdoor images....


    sooooooo what do you reccommend?

  2. #2
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    Re: i need some advice please

    I also meant to ask if anyone has any info on Pentax brand...I noticed they had a built in image stabilizer...this is something that interest me!

  3. #3
    Check out our D300 Pro Review! deckcadet's Avatar
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    Re: i need some advice please

    My first advice to anyone looking at a DSLR is that if you can, first go to a camera or electronics store that sells the models you're looking at. Hold each one in your hand. Play around with it a bit, and decide from there.

    Either camera is very capable. The Rebel XTi is a much better camera than the Rebel XT, so in your position i'd limit myself to the D40x vs. XTi.

    If you're looking to get cheap old lenses the D40x isn't necessarily for you, as it will autofocus only with the newer AF-S lenses, but basically all new lenses from Nikon in the past several years have been AF-S, and third party manufacturers are ramping up their equivalents to provide compatibility with the D40 and D40x.

    The XTi is somewhat bracketed in price and feature set by the Nikon D40x and D80.
    Harrison
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  4. #4
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    Re: i need some advice please

    Hi Harrison. Thanks for the Information. I need something to learn on. I have a rebel 35mm but the money I would have tied up in film would be atrocious. Are image stabilizers really worth the extra money?

    Thanks!
    ~Brandi

  5. #5
    The Polariser fx101's Avatar
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    Re: i need some advice please

    Well... the image stabilizer thing is a good question. Personally there is only one camera I would buy form pentax and that is the K10d. It includes IS which is very useful when it is dark and you need longer exposures with a short lens (small lenses rarely have image stabilization): the body has it built in. The problem? Longer lenses require more compensation for the shake-reduction so big zooms with the "in camera shake reduction" will not be nearly as good as the in-lens equivelent. As for your camera choice the rebel-XTi seems like the better choice over the D40x. The only issue I have, and it is a BIG ONE, with the Rebel line of canon's is the lack of spot metering: something incredibly critical when taking shots in complicated lighting situations: i.e. a pic of a child next to a window. I personally just went ahead and bought the Nikon D80 for a little more, and I think that was the right choice for me. As people have said: hold the camera and the one that feels better usually is the one you will be happier with.
    --The camera's role is not to interfere with the photographer's work--

    --Cibachrome: It's like printing on gold.

    --Edit my photos as part of your commentary if you want to.--

  6. #6
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    Re: about body stabilization

    Olympus and Sony cameras also have body stabilization (like Pentax), and althoug everybody belives than is not as good as lens stabilization, a test done by pop photography showed that only 1 canon lens an 1 nikon lens had better results than Sony's body stabilization, even in the long range...

  7. #7
    Member Jumpseat's Avatar
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    Re: i need some advice please

    I hate to say it, and I know you will hear a tremendous amount of argument to this, but Nikon and Canon are the only real choices to make if you want photography to be a serious activity. You are talking of buying an entry level camera body, and yes Sony, Pentax, and Olympus make excellent bodies at that level. However, you will also spend a large amount of money on lenses. Then what happens someday when you want to upgrade to a more professional camera body? Sony, Pentax, and Olympus do not make anything equivalent to Nikon or Canon pro or semi-pro bodies so you will have to replace everything including those expensive lenses. By contrast, if you buy Nikon or Canon to begin with you can still use your favorite lenses after you upgrade.

    Don’t misunderstand; Sony, Pentax, and Olympus make excellent cameras for the amateur and pro-sumer market (I have owned and still own various cameras from all three) but when you want to move up to semi-pro or pro equipment they can not match Nikon and Canon.
    Last edited by Jumpseat; 09-27-2007 at 12:52 PM.

  8. #8
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    Re: i need some advice please

    Thanks I really appreciate all of your thoughtful advice. I went to circuit city yesterday to just get my hands on the two I am trying to decide between. It was going great till the salesman came up to me and was attempting to "sell" me the digital rebel I had in my hands. The guy absolutely knew NOTHING! No-one in the store could tell me anything more than I already knew about the camera from all of my online research! He told me that I did not want to rebel because it did not come with a flash! I laughed and said well lets see what this button does and oh my here is a flash! what a idiot lol. he also told me that 10 mega pixels is the largest you can buy...So I politely told him that I just wanted to feel them in my hands before making my decision....so needless to say when he walked off I made a run for the door =) I think if you are going to carry a product you need to have a staff that is knowledgeable about the product. So I think tomorrow I will make a drive down towards Atl and find some photography stores...

    The rebel vs the d40x feels about the same in my hands...anything larger was slightly uncomfortable due to weight/size and my hands being small.

    I still undecided between the two..... I think it will ultimately come down to which one I feel I get a better deal in. I am planning on going ahead and spending the additional money to purchase a better quality lens..... any recommendations on lenses?

  9. #9
    Check out our D300 Pro Review! deckcadet's Avatar
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    Re: i need some advice please

    Nikon has the 18-135mm DX and 18-70mm DX, and the out-of-your-budget-but-great 18-200 VR. Sigma makes a bunch of faster normal zooms, make sure if you get the D40X that you get the new HSM versions of the 18-50 EX DC or 17-70mm.
    Harrison
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  10. #10
    Panarus biarmicus Moderator (Sports) SmartWombat's Avatar
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    Re: i need some advice please

    How much money?
    I'd recommend Canon EF 20-200 f/2.8 L IS, and EF mkII 50mm.
    If you think you'll never buy a pro body, EF-S 10-22 is good too.
    But ian EF-S lens won't fit the high end bodies if you upgrade, they're EF lens only.

    Sorry I don't know about Nikon, I'm a Canon user
    PAul

    Scroll down to the Sports Forum and post your sports pictures !

  11. #11
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    Re: i need some advice please

    you make quite an statement, but you forgot a very interesting fact:
    - Nikon cameras (except the really high end, bodies that cost above $ 2,500) come with a sensor made by Sony (yeah, what captures all the picture info, is made by Sony)

    About lenses:
    - Pentax lenses not good?, what about old Minolta lenses?, hey what about Zeiss lenses? (Zeiss is making lenses for Sony).

    I agree in one thing: if you think that in the next 3 years you are going to be buying a body that cost more than $3,000, same for lenses, Sony has only 1 or 2 of this lenses, and they do cost more than it's Nikon or Canon counterpart; I don't know about Pentax or Olympia.
    You have to know how "serious" are you going to take it, and ... well, you have to define the word "serious" also.



    Quote Originally Posted by Jumpseat
    I hate to say it, and I know you will hear a tremendous amount of argument to this, but Nikon and Canon are the only real choices to make if you want photography to be a serious activity. You are talking of buying an entry level camera body, and yes Sony, Pentax, and Olympus make excellent bodies at that level. However, you will also spend a large amount of money on lenses. Then what happens someday when you want to upgrade to a more professional camera body? Sony, Pentax, and Olympus do not make anything equivalent to Nikon or Canon pro or semi-pro bodies so you will have to replace everything including those expensive lenses. By contrast, if you buy Nikon or Canon to begin with you can still use your favorite lenses after you upgrade.

    Don’t misunderstand; Sony, Pentax, and Olympus make excellent cameras for the amateur and pro-sumer market (I have owned and still own various cameras from all three) but when you want to move up to semi-pro or pro equipment they can not match Nikon and Canon.

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