Which Lens?

meg

Here's the deal. I've been researching and researching on which digital slr camera to buy.....Nikon, Canon, Olympus? I think it would be better to choose by the lenses they offer.
Does anyone out there have advice based on thier experience which one would be "better" to go with as far as price and quality.:scratch Because it is looking to be pretty much the same from my eyes.:wxwax

Nikolai

Oh well

meg wrote:

Here's the deal. I've been researching and researching on which digital slr camera to buy.....Nikon, Canon, Olympus? I think it would be better to choose by the lenses they offer.
Does anyone out there have advice based on thier experience which one would be "better" to go with as far as price and quality. Because it is looking to be pretty much the same from my eyes.

Meg,
the important questions are:

• what are your immediate photographic needs?
• what are your long-term photographic needs?
• what is your immediate budget
• Optional: what (do you think) will be your long term budget?

Depending on your answers, ours will be quite different :
HTH

meg

$$$$$
Well, my immediate need is to get a camera, a few lenses and start from there b/c right now all i have to spend is $2,000.(intermediate) But I am building for long term use. I do plan on opening a studio but that is in the distant future. And im going back to school to finish my degree...so I need something to grow with.

pathfinder

meg wrote:

Here's the deal. I've been researching and researching on which digital slr camera to buy.....Nikon, Canon, Olympus? I think it would be better to choose by the lenses they offer.
Does anyone out there have advice based on thier experience which one would be "better" to go with as far as price and quality. Because it is looking to be pretty much the same from my eyes.

So, Meg, what did your research tell you about Nikon, Canon and Olympus??


I think most of us here would agree that you should not choose a camera first, but a System based on lens and accesssory availabilities. All three manufacturers have their adherents. The camera body should be chosen after you understand the capabilities and liabilities of each manufacturers systems.

Nikonians like the fact that they can use all their old non-AF lenses on their newer bodies, whereas old Canon FD lenses will not really work very well at all on EOS bodies. (Canon abandoned their older FD lenses years ago and went to entirely electronic control as a means of steppeing into the future when they went to AF.)

Current EOS lenses however work splendidly on EOS bodies.

Olympians love the small size, the the ultrasonic sensor cleaner, and the fact that the lenses are smaller and lighter ( but not any cheaper ).

I chose Canon for what some folks think is a very strong point - they make some of the best long telephotos to be found and have IS. Nikon is adding IS, (VR Nikon calls it), but some folks think Nikon tends to have better wide angle lenses than Canon. And some might prefer Nikons flash system to Canon's , although I really like the Canon 580es and the 430ex and Canon's macro flash systems.

Olympus DSLRs major advantage is that they are smaller, and a big disadvantage of the Olympus 4/3 system is that the 4/3 sensor is also smaller and hence noisier than Nikon or Canon's very best arrays. ANd no matter what the advances in optoelectronics of sensors, it will always be smaller than a full frame sensor.

Ultimately it comes down to your interests and your budget. If you already own some lenses in Nikon or Canon systems, that MAY influence you.

I did own several Nikon lenses and bodies, and bought into the Canon system and lenses when the 10D was introduced. Today, I might have stayed in the Nikon camp. But I am very satisfied with what Canon makes available. I am sure I could capture lovely pictures if I had to endure using a Nikon ( That'sa joke Harry!!:D )

In the end, hold each body you are interested in, run through the controls, and figure out what feels more natural in your hands.

No matter what system you buy, Nikon, Canon, or Olympus, the capabilities of all the systems are excellent and will serve you well if you understand the systems and how to use thenm thoroughly.

But only Canon has White lenses:D

Nikolai

Well,

meg wrote:

Well, my immediate need is to get a camera, a few lenses and start from there b/c right now all i have to spend is $2,000.(intermediate) But I am building for long term use. I do plan on opening a studio but that is in the distant future. And im going back to school to finish my degree...so I need something to grow with.

While everything Path said is totally correct, I'll make it easier for ya:
get yourself Canon 350XT, 50mm f/1.8 and 17-85 IS USM. That will be about $1000.
Start using it and see in what direction your heart goes. Macro, tele, birding, portrait, sports, events...
Or better yet, since you plan to have a studio, use that extra grand to get a business degree: photography business is about business, not about photography...

HTH

Tee Why

I think for the price, the Nikon D50 offers a lot.
The Rebel XT also offers a lot too but I think it's a bit more in price.
Both would be good camera. You can worry about small diff in image quality, but for most, it's not really a big deal.
Good luck

meg

I did it
Well guys. I took all the great advice into consideration and wound up with a Canon 20D I am now excited to have finally made a decision now its time to get creative

Thanks YA'LL (as we say in the south)!

pathfinder

Ya'll come back, yahear!!??

I Simonius

meg wrote:

Well guys. I took all the great advice into consideration and wound up with a Canon 20D I am now excited to have finally made a decision now its time to get creative

Thanks YA'LL (as we say in the south)!

you'll be very happy with the results from that camera

meg

Simon King wrote:

you'll be very happy with the results from that camera

very excited