Nikon 8800 or Digital Rebel XT?

purified

I was going to save up for the Canon 20D, but I'm afraid it's impossible for me to save that much without spending it, so I was told if I were to go a little cheaper the parents might pay for half of it. IF I can save up $800 without spending it by christmas I might be able to get the 20D... but we'll see. But just in case that doesn't happen....

I'm looking to do a lot of nature, still life and portrait photographs. It's unlikely I'll be taking any sports photographs, but next year I am taking pictures for my school in the yearbook and that may mean some sports.

So that leaves me with the Nikon Coolpix 8800 or the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT. If you have other suggestions I'm open.

Which would you reccommend on overall satisfaction? Have you had experience with the camera and if you own it, could I see some example photos as well? I think if I can examine the difference in overall quality I might be able to better make a decision.

Thanks!

DavidTO

Get the Rebel.

Any glass you buy for it you can use with the 20D, you'll have an SLR that is the beginning of a system that can grow with you.

kini62

For the price of the 8800 you can get a Nikon D50 kit or for a little more get a D70s with a better kit lense or the D50 with the two lense kit package 18-55 and 55-200 lenses. A very nice "starter" package.

Be advised I own no DSLR, but if I were buying today it would be either the D50 or D70s.

You might also still be able to find a D70 kit with the 18-70 lense for about the same price as the D50 kit.

Good luck

blackwaterstudio

XT, and the lens you buy will work on the 20D when you get it. dSLR over a P&S if you can, mainly for the ISO noise.

purified

Oh, that's good, considering the low budget I have. I enjoy canon and I am going to get that 20D someday. Unless something better comes out before then. Ah, I think I'm leaning toward the Rebel then.

I know I can get good deals if I go with lower MP, but I'm definitely looking for a camera with 8.0 megapixels. I don't want to go lower.

Davidoff

purified wrote:

Oh, that's good, considering the low budget I have. I enjoy canon and I am going to get that 20D someday. Unless something better comes out before then. Ah, I think I'm leaning toward the Rebel then.

I know I can get good deals if I go with lower MP, but I'm definitely looking for a camera with 8.0 megapixels. I don't want to go lower.

Don't let the MP war put you off a better camera.

Sam

I took a fast look at your gallery, and thought you had some nice photos. Now as to camera recomendations.

An SLR will give you the most flexability and control, but at a steep price. The good news is you can add lenses and accessories over time as you aquire the funds.

The 20D right now is one of the best SLR's on the market for the price. I think this would be the best camera available now. A better camera will be probably be out withing the next 1 or 2 years.

Here is another thought, look at a digital Rebel. They can be had for a pretty good price. Use the money saved to put towards lenses and other accessories. (There will be a never ending want list) Learn to use the SLR. Learn about post processing. By then you will know what features you want and need in a camera.

Sam

ps: I wish I had started when I was 17! Good luck.

robscomputer

If the pricing is the same I would choose the Rebel over the 8800. The 8800 is nice since it has VR built in and a very long zoom but it's still a point/shoot camera. Now if you looking for the most compact camera offering SLR-like funcations such as full manual controls, the 8800 might be a good choice. Since you said you would like to move into the EOS world I say the Rebel is the best choice.

Rob

jthomas

Definitely go for the SLR. I used a Nikon Coolpix 5700 (similar to the 8800) for a year and was VERY frustrated. The menus are difficult and awkward to navigate, the manual focus is a joke, and the autofocus is not accurate on small objects. I did get some good landscape and people shots with it, however.

I got a Nikon D70 in April, and I'm VERY pleased. I can make this camera do almost anything I want!

davev

Hi Kelly.

I think you should get the 8800 or maybe a Sony 828.
The cost of the camera is nothing compared to the lenses. I was just sitting
here thinking, I have about $2500 in lenses. I don't have either camera,(8800,828)
but hanging around STF at Dpreview, I know the Sony is a very capable
camera. I know you could make a DSLR sing. But without the cash to get
good lenses, you could be disappointed.

Just one more thing. I know you said that you wanted a 8 meg camera. I
think you should think about one of the mega zooms at 5 megs. You could
use your A95 for portraits and the mega zoom for wildlife. I think these
camera are going for around $500, half the price of my wildlife lens.

gus

The DSLR ...no question for me but i think you should really make an effort to find a 2nd hand 20D in FM or someplace similar. You are capable of using it.

Gus

Owen

I my 828.

If I was going to buy a camera right now, I'd go for a 20D.

I'm also 17.

marlof

I very recently switched from a good digicam (the 828) to a DSLR (Olympus E-1). Although I would not have imagined it possible, since I really enjoyed using my 828, the E-1 opened up a new range of possibilities for me. Shallow DOF. Speed of use. Reach in telelens. You name it. If I see the images you create (like in challenges) I sure think you'd like the additional options a DSLR would give you.

DavidTO

purified wrote:

I was going to save up for the Canon 20D, but I'm afraid it's impossible for me to save that much without spending it, so I was told if I were to go a little cheaper the parents might pay for half of it. IF I can save up $800 without spending it by christmas I might be able to get the 20D... but we'll see. But just in case that doesn't happen....

Kelly,

Why limit yourself to the income you make from your job? I bet you could charge to shoot pics of the other young women you know. Show them your portfolio of self-portraits and you could probably charge say, $50 for a sitting fee, and they can take the digital files to do what they want with them. You obviously have an eye for fashion, photography and makeup. I would think that you could market that. And your costs are virtually nothing. You already have the camera. Maybe the cost of a CD to burn the files to.

Or maybe you could model...I don't know, that's more of a commitment (as in you wouldn't be your own boss) and doesn't sound like the direction you want to go, but point is that if you applied the same creativity to finding income that you do to your photography, you could have that 20D a lot sooner than you think.

I'm sure that others here could come up with ideas, too. Maybe you could work as an assistant to a wedding photographer? I don't know...there's gotta be something that's paying better than you make now!