Upgrading to a digital SLR, know a good camera?
Posted by admin | Under Canon EOS 40D Digital SLR Sunday Sep 27, 2009Until now I have been using a Canon AE-1 SLR, but as I am starting University next year and planning to do Photographic design and also futher my photography hobby I am looking to buy a DSLR. I adore film cameras but I know that I’m going to find life a lot easier with a digital as well and it is a requirement coursewise anyway.
I’m willing to spend up to $2000 NZD. At the moment I have only taken a look at Canons and so far like the look and price of the Canon EOS 40D, but I would appreciate comments on all the other makes and models,
…..especially if you have a DSLR that you think is just wonderful!
Since you have a Canon and Canon lenses, I’d say stick with Canon. The 40D would be an excellent camera for you to begin with. You can compare the Canons and other DSLR cameras side by side at http://dpreview.com
The canon eos 40d is a really nice camera, and it’s very large and heavy. Much heavier than your AE-1 ( which is a nice camera too ) This camera is way bigger, has more features, and is much better. I’ve held this camera in hand, and taken a few shots, and i didn’t complain at all. It has a three inch live view screen, it has ten megapixels, and a lot more bundled into it. This is a really nice camera. However, if you’re willing to spend a little more, you should perhaps consider than Nikon d200 or the d300, both of which are nice cameras. The d300 is a newer camera, whereby the d200 is a little old, but it’s ABOUT equal with the 40d.
These are all great cameras, if i had to choose though, i would get the d300 or the 40d, they are both nice company names, and make really nice cameras. Note: the lenses that come with these cameras are starter lenses, and they aren’t the sharpest and fastest you can get. If you don’t have alot more to spend on a lens, perhaps you should get a cheaper body, and more expensive lens, like the 40d, with an 18-200mm lens. That would be a nice couple.
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Since you have a Canon and Canon lenses, I’d say stick with Canon. The 40D would be an excellent camera for you to begin with. You can compare the Canons and other DSLR cameras side by side at http://dpreview.com
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Your Canon AE-1 SLR uses the FD mount so your lenses won’t transfer over to a new Canon camera. That means you don’t have to stick with Canon if you don’t want to. However, Canon’s a great brand and I see no reason to not stick with them.
So I just converted $2000 NZD and it works out to be about $1500 USD/CAD. That means you should be able to afford a 40D and a lens or two. By all means I would recommend the 40D. I’ve been working with the 20D at work and have been very happy. I like it so much that I’ve just purchased a 30D and am waiting for it to come in the mail. These are quality cameras with all the controls you’ll need to take great pictures.
If you’re looking for something a little more lightweight you could check out the XSi (450D). It’s more of an entry-level camera but it benefits from being smaller and lighter.
My suggestion to you before you buy any camera is to go into a store and hold them in your hand. If you don’t like the feel of a camera don’t get it!
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I also just upgraded to the DSLR from my old 35-mm SLR. Price was an issues for me. I have a baby on the way so I could not see spending any more the 400 on a Camera at this time. I found a refurbished Olympus E410 with lens for $320. It is small/ light, has so many options, good lens, easy to use, it just fit me perfectly.
I was talking with a man that owned a camera shop he had been in the business for years. He told me that I would be happy with the Olympus and that I made the right choice. He did not even sell it to me. With all the research I did Olympus had great ratings and they always get over looked. I think it is a great camera I looked at Nikon and Cannon. The ones in my price rage did not impress me. I felt I was getting more with the Olympus. Well more of what I wanted.
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Honestly, you picked an amazing time to jump to a dSLR. The prices are great and there is a lot to choose from.
If you have a lot of good Canon glass, it might make more sense to stick with Canon no sense in selling all the glass (for a loss no less) and starting all over.
However if you lens count isn’t that high…
Sticking with Canon, I’d skip the entry level stuff like the XTi, and the new XS/XSI, since you sound serious, you’ll just end up wanting to upgrade anyway. The 40d is a sweet spot for a lot of people. It runs about 1000 USD give or take.
Nikon skip the entry d40x d60 and go d80, better yet, wait a few weeks and see what’s going on with the d90. Photos and details are just starting to leak. The d300 is really good, but at about 1800 USD, it might break your bank.
Sony, a lot has happened in just under three years. It was a Nikon and Canon only party for a long time. Now the mega giant Sony once dissed by Nikon and Canon fans can no longer be ignored. They dropped 5 dSLRs in like 24 months and now have (if you believe the reports) a nearly 10% market share. They are worth looking into.
I think since you are serious, the only model worth looking at is the Alpha A700. It’s about 1200 USD give or take. I own this cam, my main reason for going sony is image stabilization in the camera, not the lens. All my glass is stabilized, and I can shoot with stabilized primes, a huge selling point for me, I can’t do that with Nikon or Canon.
Also, take a good hard look at Pentax and Olympus. Sigma’s dSLR is a very tiny niche, but it’s a very interesting camera. I’ve seen some amazing pics taken with it.
You have a lot of work ahead of you. With digital cams, there is so much more to know than with film. With film camears, the film and the glass are the two big keys. Digital shifts things toward the sensor, and how the electronics in the body handle that image. Don’t forget the ergonmics like how it functions and how it actually feels in your hands.
Check my profile page, I have a link to my pics if you are curious. Some are taken with Sony’s Alpha 100, the majority with my A700
Best of luck in whatever you choose.
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