[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by Suareezay

save the money you would have otherwise spent for the extra megapixels and put it toward new glass.

some people prefer the D40 to the D40x anyway. like this guy:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40.htm

You can get good glass for the Cannon for half the price as the Nikon though. I would go with a Cannon Rebel myself (My parents and I both have one)

[nMd]

don't get caught up in what everyone online says about immediately needing a replacement to the kit lens. Odds are, most people saying this wouldn't even be able to tell the difference between the kit lens and a 'better' one.

Upgrade only when yo find yourself limited by your gear. otherwise you will end up spending a lot of money that you don't even need to.

That being said, the comment someone said about going t a camera store to actually test the cameras out is the best idea. This way you can test out each camera and see which one best suits your needs ergonomically.

[Kerosene Hat]

Originally Posted by l4wr3nc3

It doesn't matter what body you have (talking about lower end DLSR's with crop bodies), at the end of the day, its all about the glass.

D40, XTI, there all pretty much the same thing. Dont look soo much at the megapixels unless you plan on blowing up huge images, it comes down to what feels right in your hands. I have small hands and although i love the Sony Alpha, i was just too big and i couldnt imagine shooting with that thing everyday. Go to any camera store, pick up both cameras, and see which one is better FOR YOU, not for everyone else.

True. I would think a used Nikon D70 would be a good choice. About $400 and has some advanced functions that will be useful if you learn more about photography. Plus, as it's last year's model, the main depreciation hit has already been taken. No need to buy new if you are just getting into photography.

Or you could get the amateur's camera, the pentax K10-D
Pentax K10-D

[TurboFan]

Originally Posted by blueaudi18

i was thinking a nikon d40. What lens should i also buy with it?

To your original question, it's been discussed many times. While I personally use Nikon, take a look below, and see what is best for you.....



No one can answer that question for you. Be warry of anyone that gives you an absolute. To start, what is your level of photographic experience? What do you want to do with the camera? How much is your budget?

I love my Nikon D200, but it's not the best camera for everyone, or maybe anyone. It fits my hand very well, and it has many features I need, and many more that I want.

Determine what you want to shoot first. Then let us know your level of experience. Then let us know your budget. With that info, we can give you much better recommendations of where to start, but you have to decide what fits your needs, style and hands the best.


BTW, Nikon and Canon are probably the best long-term options, so expect to see most repsonses favor one of those brands.

………


Go to the store, hold the cameras in your hands. The camera should be a natural extension of your body. The one that feels the best is the one to choose. Look at the controls, decide which layout you like the best.

In the sub $1000 range, including a lens, you're looking at a Canon XTi or the Nikon D40x. Both are outstanding cameras with a wide selection of excellent lenses. If you're looking at the sub $1000 for a body only, the Nikon D80 is tough to beat. If I'm not mistaken, the Canon options are all over $1000 that compete with the D80.

As for kit lenses, there are plenty of fine lenses out there. While I'm among the first to say the lens is more important than the body, just GETTING A CAMERA AND SHOOTING is more important than agonizing over equipment. I have lenses worth over $2000 and lenses worth barely $200, and they are both capable of producing outstanding images. The difference comes down to the capability of the photographer.

It's a little bit the fiddle, but much more who holds the bow!

[Kerosene Hat]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

You can get good glass for the Cannon for half the price as the Nikon though. I would go with a Cannon Rebel myself (My parents and I both have one)

How do you figure? They are in a purely competitive marketplace and each are the dominant player in the market. Some Nikon lenses will be < Canon lenses and vice versa. I have not comparison shopped in awhile, but on an economic basis, if you could get the same product for 50% less down the street, the expensive shop would be shut down by people voting with their feet.