D60 or 40D?

Turbodreams

Just in the process of evolving from a p&s to a DSLR! I have read many similar threads but its hard to make a decision because there are a lot of people who prefer Nikon to canon and visa versa. I found this on ebay and it appears to be a good price .. http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=130223115160&Category=31388&_trksid=p3907.m29
Any help would be greatly appreciated

quilmore

I'd recommend you go to a shop and handle both cameras
the feel and how they sits in your hand are very important
both cameras are great

mrmac

As quilmore already stated, head to your nearest camera shop and "play" with both models. Get a really good idea of how heavy, or light, they are.
I was very impressed with the Canon D40, and it was very close to the top of my short list.

Something that you should consider about buying the Canon.
Until 30th June, Canon (UK & Irl.) are giving £140 cash back on the 40D & 17-85 IS lense.
This would mean a total cost of £709 sterling, if bought in Belfast, with full European warrenty.
The eBay camera, from Hong Kong is £625, inc. delivery, but ex VAT, so if it's got by customs, you'll pay extra!
For the extra £84 pounds, I'd rather get it here.

Nikon are doing a cash back as well, but not as good as Canon.
The Nikon D60 with 18-55 VR Lense is only £398 sterling after £40 cash back.
The Nikon D80 with 18-135 VR Lense (very good lense!) is only £569 sterling after £50 cash back.
That's UK prices, as bought in Northern Ireland.
I know that's a fair drive from Wicklow, but it's a lot shorter than Hong Kong!!!

I've heard some excellent reports about items coming from Hong Kong, via eBay, especially kea-photo (same 40D costs £765!), but do a lot of research on prices, actually pick up the camera you hope to buy, and think about the warrenty implications.

RoundyMooney

One key advantage of going with Canon, is the fact that you're buying into a far more extensive family of lenses.

I got a new 30D recently, and I love it! Came in at a shade under €500 ex delivery, from the UK, and a years guarantee from Canon.

Fajitas!

RoundyMooney wrote: »

One key advantage of going with Canon, is the fact that you're buying into a far more extensive family of lenses.

I got a new 30D recently, and I love it! Came in at a shade under €500 ex delivery, from the UK, and a years guarantee from Canon.

About time you posted here tbh!

OP, check out the cameras in store, see which one you prefer to hold.

Check reviews on sites like www.fredmiranda.com - www.photo.net is a handy resource too when you're upgrading from a P&S to SLR

Thirdfox

RoundyMooney wrote: »

One key advantage of going with Canon, is the fact that you're buying into a far more extensive family of lenses.

*Cough* you mean the FD lenses that won't mount on the current EOS cameras?

Whereas Nikon has kept the F mount from almost the very beginning and almost any Nikon lens will work with almost any camera body... Same with Pentax's K mount and Olympus' OM mount I think?

Or just that you can mount Nikon lenses on Canon bodies (obviously a greater range of lenses available then )

To be fair I don't think there's much that Nikon has that Canon doesn't have or vice versa (except the 18-200mm VR for Nikon - but there's a slower Sigma version out for Canon).

quilmore

I've done some investigation about it (a bet was why I've done it)
nikon has 50 lenses currently for sale
canon has 77 for sale at the moment

this doesn't count lenses that are not made anymore

of the 50 nikon lenses 37 can be considered of pro quality
canon has 46 pro lenses

some lenses as the 14-24 2.8 or the 200-400 are only to be found on nikon
50 and 85 f1.2 are only to be found on canon

there isn't much among them, probably there are not many more canon shooters out there, that may be makes more lenses being bought and sold, that's all

I have the full list if you're curious

Covey

Don't forget the almost useless Canon 50mm 1.0

Fajitas!

quilmore wrote: »

I've done some investigation about it (a bet was why I've done it)
nikon has 50 lenses currently for sale
canon has 77 for sale at the moment

this doesn't count lenses that are not made anymore

of the 50 nikon lenses 37 can be considered of pro quality
canon has 46 pro lenses

some lenses as the 14-24 2.8 or the 200-400 are only to be found on nikon
50 and 85 f1.2 are only to be found on canon

there isn't much among them, probably there are not many more canon shooters out there, that may be makes more lenses being bought and sold, that's all

I have the full list if you're curious

Well done!

Regardless, a MF lens would want to be a cracker of a lens to want to use it anyways.

Thirdfox

quilmore wrote: »

I've done some investigation about it (a bet was why I've done it)
nikon has 50 lenses currently for sale
canon has 77 for sale at the moment

this doesn't count lenses that are not made anymore

of the 50 nikon lenses 37 can be considered of pro quality
canon has 46 pro lenses

some lenses as the 14-24 2.8 or the 200-400 are only to be found on nikon
50 and 85 f1.2 are only to be found on canon

there isn't much among them, probably there are not many more canon shooters out there, that may be makes more lenses being bought and sold, that's all

I have the full list if you're curious

But you should add in all the lenses that Nikon no longer make but are available second hand - 40 year old lenses that work fine on the modern bodies (I have one). Cheap options too

The f1 lens does seem scary though (DOF must be so thin!) Nikkor has the f1.2 Noct.

quilmore

Thirdfox wrote: »

But you should add in all the lenses that Nikon no longer make but are available second hand

I was only talking about lenses that are currently manufactured

for Nikon's lenses I have this page:
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/lenses.html

does anyone knows a similar compilation for canon?

sorry OP, you're asking for cameras and now we're talking about old lenses

Turbodreams

thanks for all the replys. i have used a d40x and liked the feel and results( albeit with a lens not in my price range!). i think i will just go into a shop in dublin and try out both together.
i didnt actually consider the northern ireland option- but it does seem like a good one. it really is a gamble with regards duty and vat when getting items shipped from hong kong. a trip over the boarder could be an option!
mrmac- where did you get those prices from?

RoundyMooney

Fajitas! wrote: »

About time you posted here tbh!

OP, check out the cameras in store, see which one you prefer to hold.

Check reviews on sites like www.fredmiranda.com - www.photo.net is a handy resource too when you're upgrading from a P&S to SLR

I know

OP, those links are a great resource, and well worth checking.

Turbodreams

just abit of info for anyone intending to purchase this camera from ebay. i ended up going for the 40d from T-Dimension and it worked out to be around €778 which isnt bad to say it came with a kit lens. http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=130223115160&Category=31388&_trksid=p3907.m29
everything came that was suposed to and postage took 4 days! really good service also.
only got a bill for €22 from fedex because the seller marked the price at about €125.
so all in all, very happy with the purchase!

sunny2004

I would go with the Nikon !
its a personal choice.. and you need to think that its unlikely you will keep the camera forever.. but the lenses will be with you for a long time..

Thoie

I didn't have the advantage of the advice in this forum when buying my first DLR. As a number of people said, playing with a few cameras in store is a good way to go. I was originally leaning towards a Canon, but when I got to a shop I found the Nikon just fit my hands better. I can adjust settings and press various buttons without moving my hands whereas with the Canon I have to shift around slightly to reach things. A male acquaintance of mine with larger hands has a Canon and that fits him perfectly. We swapped cameras one evening and both of us had slight problems with the minor difference in grip. It wasn't disastrous, but enough to make both of us glad of the purchases we had made.

I appreciate the point about the variety of lenses for sale for various brands, but in reality, how many of us buy 30+ lenses? I have two at the moment, will probably buy another one or two when money allows, but despite the "limited" choice of Nikon I'm sure I'll manage to find something.

As a complete aside, 4 small planes have just flown past me in formation as I'm typing this - heading towards Baldonnell. I didn't know the Irish Air Corps had 4 planes! Oh, here they come again - pity it's such a murky morning - grey planes against a grey sky aren't going to make much of a photo.

bp_me

@OP

the D60 and 40D aren't really direct competitors.

I think the closest canon equivilant to the d60 would be the new 1000D (Canon shooters feel free to correct me on this).

If you are already able to handle the various program modes then skip the d60 and look at at least the d80 from the Nikon range. The D60 takes a lot of lens choice away from you as it requires AF-S lenses (HSM from sigma). E.g. there are no 1st party AF-S primes, if that's an issue for you?

As for d60/d80 vs. the 40D. Go an hold them. Unless you specifically need the higher framerate of the 40D they are all fine cameras and will all produce similar results. Beyond that it's personal preference regarding handling.

Ricky91t

bp_me wrote: »

@OP

the D60 and 40D aren't really direct competitors.

I think the closest canon equivilant to the d60 would be the new 1000D (Canon shooters feel free to correct me on this).

If you are already able to handle the various program modes then skip the d60 and look at at least the d80 from the Nikon range. The D60 takes a lot of lens choice away from you as it requires AF-S lenses (HSM from sigma). E.g. there are no 1st party AF-S primes, if that's an issue for you?

As for d60/d80 vs. the 40D. Go an hold them. Unless you specifically need the higher framerate of the 40D they are all fine cameras and will all produce similar results. Beyond that it's personal preference regarding handling.

I agree with that i was thinking they is surely no competition between them which there isnt and the only thing stopping the OP was personal taste

Turbodreams

i posted yesterday to advise people about how i purchased the camera. with regard to which camera,i made that choice over a month ago and went with the 40d, which i love. i, like another poster here, have big enough hands and the 40d felt good to hold and use(still learning!!)

hargo

I was on holidays in France 2 weeks ago and saw the 40d being advertised in one of the big supermarkets for €599. I didn't take note of the lens with it was but it might be an option for anyone going on holidays there.