Camera Decision

[Buddenbohn]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to buy a DSLR in the next couple weeks, and i've looked at the D50 and the Digital Rebel. What are the pro's and con's of each camera? I'm going to Guanajaunto, Mexico this summer for 10 days on a study abroad program with my school for photography. I want to know which camera would be better for this as well as general photography, and also which would be better for sports.

does the 6.1 megapixels vs. 8.0 megapixels really make that much of a difference? Also i've heard that the Canon is a faster camera. Another thing i have heard froma few people, is that it is more about how it feels in your hand and which I would be more comfortable with, how much validity is in that statement?

One more thing, i've looked at a couple different camera shops around here, and also on ebay, i've found some pretty great deals (at least i think they are). If yall have a moment, and could check them out and tell me which way i'd be better off going, it'd be much appreciated.

I'm very new to photography, I used to do alot of playing around with photoshop (mainly just editing pictures of cars/trucks -- lowering, lifting, color changes etc.), and i have taken pictures with the nikon and the canon and i like them both. so bear with me a little bit if i seem a little ignorant on this subject... its because i am! Any help would be awesome!


http://cgi.ebay.com/CANON-EOS-DIGITA...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Nikon-D50-Di...QQcmdZViewItem
Thanks,

Eric

[sraulers]

I think you'll find plenty of proponents for both of the cameras you've identified. I considered both of them before choosing to go with a Minolta (a whole different story). At the time the D50 was quite a bit cheaper than the Rebel XT, particularly when you considered that no one really thought the XT's kit lens is all that great, so you were probably looking at replacing it pretty quickly or opting for a more expensive one.

You can find reviews for both cameras that point out pluses and minuses, but long story short, you probably can't go wrong with either. My personal preference at this point, if I gave up my Minolta (fat chance... too much invested), would be the Nikon because I like the "feel" of it and prefer its ergonomics over the Canon... YMMV. You say you've taken pictures with each, so you probably already have formed a preference for one over the other... go for it!

[Buddenbohn]

sraulers,

you have provided some good incite for me to think about. i appreciate it. what do you think of the ebay auctions? It seems that would be a much better/cheaper way to aquire a couple of lenses/accessories.

Thanks
Eric

[sraulers]

ebay can be a very good source for lenses and other accessories, particularly if you stick with highly rated sellers. Otherwise buyer beware...

[CJ Max]

Eric,

One piece of information that would be good to have is your experience with SLR cameras. If you have not used one before you may want to consider one of the more goof-proof dP&S cameras. There are some excellent ones on the market. Personally, I don't use them as I'm dSLR 100%, but I've seen enough disappointed novice dSLR owners to know that there is a learning curve and that curve can be steep for some.

As you're asking for advice as to which dSLR camera to buy I think that perhaps you may fall into the dSLR novice category. It would be a shame to mess up such a great photo-op because you're still in the early stages of the learning curve with a dSLR.

Cliff.

[Huck]

I own a Nikon D50 - I bought it after using 2 P&S for 2 years. Its a good camera for learning with. It has a lot of features of the high end cameras, but without the price. It is only a 6MP, but it will do the job for whatever it is your shooting for.

Go to Best Buy or a local camera store and get a feel for each camera your interested in. It was important for me to be able to hold and see how its going to react to me. But keep this in mind, your not only buying a camera, but into a system (Ie, Nikon, Canon, Etc...).
Most of the lenses are compatable with each camera (D50, D70, D200 etc...) so if your going to upgrade in the future, this is something else to think about. You wouldnt want to buy 2 lenses, flash and other goodies for a Nikon only to buy into a Canon in a few years, might cost you quite a bit of money.

Hope this helps, PM me if I can answer any other questions you have.

[Huck]

I am sorry I missed your other questions -

As far as deals go here is one you might be able to find locally

http://www.wolfcamera.com/product/SLR1133.htm?bct=t1134

You dont get all the bells and whistles your ebay kit you saw, but its a good price.

[JPalmer]

Side by Side on DPreview

Also check out the in-depth review of each camera. There is a lot of very useful information on there.

One thing I'd consider....the D50 uses a SD card, one of the only D-Slrs to do so, the Rebel (as well as virtually all the others) use the Compact Flash (CF) card.

happy reading.

[Davidtxs]

I would stay away from some of the ebay *kits* like the one below you can get a better second lens and better quality accesories seperatley after you buy the camera try some of the sellers lisited below
http://cgi.ebay.com/NIKON-D50-DIGITA...QQcmdZViewItem
try these resellers
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
http://buydig.com/shop/home.aspx
go here to compare online prices on the D50 you can also see the ratings of each seller
http://shop.resellerratings.com/xPC-...ital%20Cameras
good luck

[johnastovall]

Check out any on-line seller here.

http://www.resellerratings.com/find.pl

[bullsparade]

As much as I'd like to see another DSLR owner, I believe good advice was given about point and shoot digitla cameras. The learning curve and decision making process is steep on DSLR, also lenses become your next question of purchase.

To get familiar with all the settings you will be hit with and without having to invest a ton in lenses. You might want to pursue a good point and shoot to get a feel for the image making process.

[Buddenbohn]

You guys provide ALOT of valuable advice!!!

Although I am a novice when it comes to dSLR's, since i'm going on this trip to mexico, i plan on meeting with the professor a couple of times beforehand (once i get the camera), and have him explain everything to me in real simple terms. I have a small amount of experience with dSLR's, I photographed a few HS football games a couple of years ago, and did some work with a few other sports. I also did some work in the photography club in high school (which was not as informative as i hoped it would be).

I figure to have alot of "hands-on" experience will be a great way to learn, especially with a professor guiding me through the learning process, and each night after we're done shooting, we load the pictures up on a laptop and he walks through each one and provides criticism on each shot.

Thanks alot,
Eric

[engstrom]

Eric, the choice between the D50 and the 350D is really a personal one. I prefer the Canon because of the slightly higher resolution, the slightly better ISO range, and I like the Canon lens line up because I shoot more telephoto than I do wide. Still, you can't go wrong with either one. As for comments on the kit lens, I wouldn't worry about that too much. Many people get hung up on the technical details of a picture - the sharpness, the contrast, the color, etc. - but in the end (IMHO) the merit of a photograph is judged by the effect it has on the viewer. Sure, you want pleasing composition, but only to the end that it doesn't interfere with what's trying to be communicated. That's the biggest problem I have with my own photos - they're too asceptic. Having your professor critique your photos will help shorten the learning curve to being a good photographer.