Nikon D50 or Canon 350D?

fluppet

I am going to buy a new digital SLR soon, but need a bit of help deciding.

I think the main contenders are the Nikon D50 (coming out in June) or the Canon 350D. As far as I can see, the main difference that would affect me between these cameras is that the Canon can go down to 100 ISO (Nikon can only go to 200). I do like to take a lot of long-exposure night photos, so 100 would be nice, but I suppose it is still quite possible with 200 (please comment on this). I know the Canon also has 2 extra megapixels, but I don't need those. It also has a DOF Preview button, which would be nice, but alone does not justify the increase in price. The Canon has a smaller and lower resolution LCD screen, and is more expensive. I have to find out more info about the kit lens with the two cameras, can anyone compare the benefits-disadvantages of the kit lens with the Nikon D50 and the Canon 350D?

Also to be considered is the Nikon D70s (coming out this month). Really the only thing that this camera has above the D50 (that is important to me) is a Night Landscape scene mode (but I suppose I can just set-up the D50 manually for these shots - comments please). It also has a shorter minimum exposure time - 1/8000 compared to the D50's 1/4000, but I don't take many fast-sports shots, so I suppose I would never use this (once again, comments please).

Thank you for any help/advice you can offer.

rymus

I was in more or less the same boat when buying my 20D a week or two ago. Waiting to see if I should get the Canon or wait to see what Nikon released. I went for the Canon (but I was probably going to anyway, despite the fact that the D50 isn't exactly a major leap forward from the 70).

I think the general concensus with kit lenses is 'you get what you pay for'. I don't think I'll be using it for long but I suppose it's always handy to have as a backup.

Only you can decide what camera to finally go for. Consider what type of photography you most regularly find yourself engaged in and get the best model to suit yourself. It's clear you already know what you would like/need in a camera so stick with that and you can't go wrong. It seems to me that from your post you seem to be swaying toward the Canon. Go and take a few shots with both, sadly you'll have to use the D70 as comparison for the moment and make your decision. Come to think of it, is the 350 even out here yet? I was amazed when I asked in a camera shop a couple of weeks ago and was told it wouldn't be out for another month or so. I left the shop feeling as if I had been fed some utter bull****.

qwertz

Have a look here: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/nikond50/
This is a comparison between the D50 and the D70 (non s). One thing that I extremely dislike about the D50 is the move from CF to SD.

Alun

The 350D is on Conn's Cameras price list on the web, and when I was in there yesterday (buying my new D70s !!!) I'm pretty sure I saw a 350D in the window. Give them a ring and ask if they've got them in.

Valentia

The 350D is on Conn's Cameras price list on the web, and when I was in there yesterday (buying my new D70s !!!) I'm pretty sure I saw a 350D in the window. Give them a ring and ask if they've got them in.

If you want to pay through the nose, that is. Conn's must be the most expensive place on the wotld to buy camera gear

e.g. Canon 20d body: Conns €1,850 7dayshop €1.295

rymus

Anywhere in Ireland is the most expensive place in the world to buy camera gear... Go to either 7 day shop as valentia said or to technikdirekt like I did. Do yourself a favor and price a 350D with either of those before you even consider getting it anywhere in Ireland.

€1850 for a 20D when everyone else won't budge from a figure of €1999 is quite an achievement! Thankfully I got mine for €1299

DotOrg

and you should be aware, the lens you use is more important than the camera body

have you a budget for your lenses as well as the body?

rymus

indeedy... must get a 17-40.

damn L lenses... they should have their own addiction group. Mental note: must do lotto

apparently one of the lenses no Canonian should be without is the €150 50mm 1.8. The only question remaining is to get it locally or on ebay.

qwertz

True, you will spend €1000-€2000 on an entry-level DSLR. The real fun begins when you spend thousands on lenses, flashes, memory cards, bagscases...

And keep in mind, you will replace your body in a few years but you will keep the lenses for many decades to come if you bought them wisely.

DotOrg wrote:

and you should be aware, the lens you use is more important than the camera body

have you a budget for your lenses as well as the body?

DotOrg

for example, the canon 70-200f2.8L IS keeps calling out to me when I'm meant to be studying for my law exam tomorrow, it's just not right!

rymus

I know the feeling... I'm seriously contemplating selling enough internal organs to get a 100-400, a 24-70 and a couple of decent primes; presuming my organs are worth that much...

Valentia

no Canonian should be without is the €150 50mm 1.8

I got it from 7dayshop awhile ago. It was really cheap.

Just checked 7days. It's available for €79. A great little lens for the price.

BTW I have the Sigma 75-200mm 2.8 lens. Its a beaut!

The Canon IS L lenses are fine but if the photographer hasn't an eye for a snap they are a waste. You can see some shots taken with the sigma here.

There are Yahoo groups for the 20D and the 10D (it covers the 20D as well). I find them good and with GMail I can keep an archive of the posts there for reference.

alb

With the D70s on the horizon now is a greta time to pick up a cheap D70 (there's hardly any differences in the upgraded model anyway, including a change from CF to DS that i consider a disadvantage). www.nomatica.ie are selling D70 with the kit 18-70mm lens (considered a very good lens) for 830 quid . I've just received mine. I also picked up a mint condition 70-300mm D lens for about half price on ebay and a manual focus 50mm F1.4 prime for under 100 euro. Now i've a great digital SLR with 3 nice lenses for about 1200 quid

Alun

alb wrote:

With the D70s on the horizon now is a greta time to pick up a cheap D70 (there's hardly any differences in the upgraded model anyway, including a change from CF to DS[sic] that i consider a disadvantage).

The D50 has SD, the D70s still has CF. I know, I have one, so it's a little more than "on the horizon".

Alun

Valentia wrote:

If you want to pay through the nose, that is. Conn's must be the most expensive place on the wotld to buy camera gear

e.g. Canon 20d body: Conns €1,850 7dayshop €1.295

It depends on what you're buying. I bought the D70s kit for practically the same as what pixmania, nomatica et al were selling it for. They're quite competitive on some things, expensive on others.

Samson

Alun wrote:

It depends on what you're buying. I bought the D70s kit for practically the same as what pixmania, nomatica et al were selling it for. They're quite competitive on some things, expensive on others.

Do you work for Conn's?
I have never seen anything competitively priced in Conn's.

Alun

Samson wrote:

Do you work for Conn's?
I have never seen anything competitively priced in Conn's.

No I don't, don't be silly. At the time I bought my D70s kit it was €1299 at Conn's and pixmania et al were asking €1275 or thereabouts. I also got the peace of mind of actually handling the cameras I was thinking of buying rather than relying on specs in brochures and Internet reviews, plus I can get a loan camera if mine breaks down, can get the sensor cleaned for free as often as I like, got a €20 printing voucher and I didn't have to pay for postage, so a good deal all round I thought. They also took my old kit in part exchange for a good price which saved me all the hassle of selling it through here or buyandsell. OK?