Rebel XT v. Nikon D50

A million apologies if this isn't the appropriate place for this post. That said, I'm a newbie and looking to purchase a DSLR for taking photos of the kiddos but also hoping to get into other types of photography as well. I'm not looking to spend a bundle and these two cameras seem to be the ones that keep rising to the top of the heap. What do you all suggest? Also, what the heck is "noise"????

I am in exactly your boat--currently pretty much taking pics of my son, but hoping to move on to more serious photography.

I bought the XTi today, but from what I've read here and other places, it sounds like you can't go wrong with either. I am VERY happy with my XTi so far. It takes great pics on the auto setting, which doesn't require me to know ANYTHING (which I currently don't), but it also has all of the options to do more advanced things when I'm ready, and then a lot of things in between.

Maybe the D50 is similar; I'm not sure about that as much since I mostly looked at the D80.

What's a bundle?

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Originally Posted by LyncStar

A million apologies if this isn't the appropriate place for this post. That said, I'm a newbie and looking to purchase a DSLR for taking photos of the kiddos but also hoping to get into other types of photography as well. I'm not looking to spend a bundle and these two cameras seem to be the ones that keep rising to the top of the heap. What do you all suggest? Also, what the heck is "noise"????

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Noise looks rather like film grain. When you look really closely at some images then you notice the image has a sort of mottled appearance that stops you seeing the fine detail. The effect gets worse as you increase the sensor sensitivity (beyond 800 ISO) and it starts to beecome noticable when you get into big enlargements (byeond 8x10 inches) or you start using doing parts of the image.

Equipment fanatics make a lot of fuss about this, peering anxiously at 200% blow-ups of tiny portions of images on screen. In real life I've very rarely found it to be a problem.

I use Nikon so I'm biased. It just seems that when you buy a Nikon kit you get a good lens and when you bu a Canon kit you get a mediocre one. Check the reviews section.

Charles

XT is more comparable to a D70 series.

My big issue with the new D50/40 and D80 is they went to SD cards. Theres no reason that they couldnt had stuck with CF or made it dual (SD/CF) like Canon does on their upper bodies. Really annoying if you want to get a new body only to find out that you now have to replace 6gb+ of perfectly good CF cards.

Hey Nikon are you listening? Its a full size camera, not a p&s. Leave the CF card slot in them.

actually, the d50 and d40 are aimed more towards beginners who are transitioning from point and shoots to digital SLRs so it makes sense to put SD cards in them because 1) most people making the transition already have SD cards and 2) it allows to make the bodies smaller if they have a smaller medium. But i dont understand the d80.

SD is today.. CF is yesterday.. its just the way it goes.. it cerainly has nothing to do with the difference between a "real" camera and a so called point and shoot..

trog

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Originally Posted by trog100

SD is today.. CF is yesterday.. its just the way it goes.. it cerainly has nothing to do with the difference between a "real" camera and a so called point and shoot..

trog

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That's not entirely the main consideration. Cost is a factor as is size. For many of us with large hands the SD cards are a real pain to change under certain conditions. When I'm working outside the SD cards would be highly impractical in a work environment. I've tried changing them with gloves on and I'm not sure I would ever get used to doing it.

The smaller form factor allows the whole camera to be more compact and appeal to a wider market!

The current pricing of the XT should not be considered as equatable to the D50. As was mentioned in terms of features, performance etc. the D70 is a better comparison.

One thing I'm recommending to everyone buying their first DSLR this year is, buy an external flash at the same time for the camera. More light, better exposure range, less resulting noise. It will add a 'chunk' to the 'bundle' of money, but you will consistently get a lot better photos when you learn to use or let the camera figure out the flash. The D70 is reportedly the champ unless you get the 580 flash to go with the XTi.

There are varying types of kit lens specification at this time of year. The best advice I've seen is, don't worry about it. Use it. Learn how the camera works. Then a few months down the road, if you need to buy something better. For family shots, kid photos and so forth a DSLR with an average lens is going to beat any standard consumer compact or point and shoot.

Happy shooting and let us know what you get, if you have any more questions, and post photographs!!

i have just been thru the "first dslr" experience.. i am still going thru it to be honest..

for the last couple of years i have ceased to be a photographic "enthusiast" and just used a camera to take pictures of interesting places i go.. on my last few trips i left my "better" compacts at home and just took a 3 mega pixel 10 x zoom thing of dubious heritage along with me.. when i was an "enthusiast" i used to take three different cameras..

to be continued..

trog

anyways my son did some research.. he had been bitten by the new camera bug and arrived at the pentax k100d as being a compromise between a dream camera and what he could afford.. he like me had been leaving his 1500 quid oly e20 "point and shoot" at home and just useing a little fuji 10 x zoom thing to take pictures of interesting things..

he bought the k100d with its 18x55 kit lens and a tamron 70x300 to cover the missing range.. i took one look at it and thought.. no way will i end up carrying that lot about with me.. i might buy it but will end up useing my panasonic fz30 instead.. he he

but i decdided to buy one together with a tamron 18x200 to cut down the "carry" factor..

to be continued..

trog

I recently purchased the D50 ... I have nothing against canon just my previous was a Nikon coolpix 5700 and I really enjoyed it... I also went to where I could hold them both and see which I liked the "feel" of better. That was a major deciding factor for me to go Nikon.

If you have the opportunity to visit a "Camera Shop" and I don't mean a retail outlet like best buy or circuit city. Go where the Pros are. Talk to them, ask questions, ask to hold the cameras you are interested in, Take pictures with them. I spent almost 5 hours with the salesman at the shop near by. I bought the "bundle" from them also, paid a bit more but now I have the foundation of a relationship with them and can go in there and ask them what I am questioning. WELL WORTH THE EXTRA $$ IMO

As said many times on these forums .. spend extra $$ on better glass ... that is what makes your photos ... I have better glass on my list of things to get soon .. I was in the need of the camera before a trip and ended up with the D50 and aftermarket lens. I don't regret the decision as I wanted it for the trip. Just now know that better glass makes better pics.

Good luck in the decision ... I am sure either way you will enjoy it ...

so what happened.. Ebay and LBA infected the pair of us.. i have discovered another facit to the dslr route.. lense buying addiction..

after going thru a bunch of new used glass what are our conclusions.. we have tried primes and we have tired zooms.. both of us know the advantage of having the lens u need on the camera at the time u need it.. but we wondered about the zoom quality loss..

we have both ended up with the same basic kit in the end..

the good old tamron 18x200 carry about lens.. we think it cant be beaten and used thru 90% of its range is as good as a prime.. at its extreme ends it suffers.. but 90% of its range is still pretty good..

for cheap none specialist long range the tamrom or sigma 70x300 work well.. not much choice here cos the next step up costs big money.. the gain is more in low light performance than image quality..

we like macros.. i am looking for a used old vivitar manual 105mm macro.. the reults will fool even an expert into assumimg new and expensive glass.

why the pentax.. .it can take any old pentax k mount lens.. its 6 mega pixel sensor has good high iso performance.. better iso performance equates to saving a fortune on "faster" glass.. "faster" being the biggest difference between cheap and expensive glass..

at least many hours of pixel peeping tell us so.. oh the k100d also has built in shake reduction.. again a saving on that faster glass..

zooms.. even cheap mass market zooms.. well think the 90% rule and they do a grand job.. expensive glass.. its more in the mind than the reality.. if u need it u have to have it.. but most folks dont..

the cheapskates approach to decent pics.. he he

trog

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm getting the impression that the XT is a more "advanced" camera than the D50, but I won't go wrong with either. I do understand that the lenses are quite important. I'll let you all know about my decision and will post some pics. Thanks for the helpful advice, and if anyone has more, please lay it on me!

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Originally Posted by LyncStar

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm getting the impression that the XT is a more "advanced" camera than the D50, but I won't go wrong with either. I do understand that the lenses are quite important. I'll let you all know about my decision and will post some pics. Thanks for the helpful advice, and if anyone has more, please lay it on me!

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You should consider the D70s kit, with the 18-70 lens. I haven't used the 18-55 that comes with the D50, nor have I used the Rebel XT, but everything I've read makes the 18-70 lens sound like the best of these three. From my experience, it does a very good job. D70s kits have dropped in price, and you'd be getting a better camera than the D50.

But, the way it feels in your hand should be the deciding factor. You can always upgrade to better glass later.

Good luck,
Paul

Well, I put in a bid on eBay for the XT not thinking I would win, and low and behold I did! So the XT it is! I'll be getting in the next couple of days and will let y'all know how I like it.