Buying a dSLR camera.

firestorm:) · December 30, 2006

Hey
i'm buying a new dSLR camera, and my pictures will be mostly of landscapes, family and people.
I know some photography guide and he recommend me the Canon 400D.
I heard about Pentax K10D, and I'm confused about which is better.
So my questions are:
1. Are there any other cameras in that price range that are better than the Canon 400D?
2. How 'bout the K10D? is it better than the 400D? what are his Pros and Cons compared to the 400D?

Thanks:)

Jeffro · December 30, 2006

You are opening a can of worms asking a question like that. You will get the Canon lovers (like me) and the Nikon lovers, and maybe even a few that own something else....lord knows why they would own anything else.

The best way to buy a D-SLR is to figure out what you want to spend, and start researching. You can google till your hearts content. The info is all there.

You also need to take into account the equipment you currenty have, if any. Is it compatible with the camrea you are considering.

I was a 35mm Canon shooter, and went with a Canon D-SLR because of that. I have been nothing but satisfied.

If you go with Canon or Nikon you won't regret it, they are the leaders in the field.

Too many people ask the question you asked here, expecting to get clear answer (and taking the easy way out) and that answer starts to get as clear as mud.

Go to a store, hold them, try them, use them, because it will more than likely come down to what you like (look and feel wise) and what you can afford. There is no one camera that does it all, better than any other.

If you put a bad photographer behind an $8000 camera, it won't take award winning shots.

Good luck.

PS...I have a Canon Rebel, and a 20D. They are both great cameras, but the 20D is head and shoulders above the Rebel. I have used the Rebel XT and it is good too, but too small for my taste. I like the feel of a full size body.

pathfinder · December 30, 2006

Firestorm,

That is what your question will engender:D

I own Canon myself, and lots of it, so that is where I am speaking from. The new Pentaxes, K100D and the K10D, have an awful lot of nice features and I am know they will take great pictures. They work great in IR too.

But you need to think very carefully and slowly about what you might want or need in the future. Camera bodies are cheap and disposable ( I know this might seem blasphemous if this is your first DSLR ) but the system you MARRY will not be cheap and disposable. Most of us end up with lots more invested in lenses and flashes and tripods etc, than in camera bodies, which are subjects to upgrading and replacing every few years. Shutters wear out, things get dropped, lens mounts wear, etc - we just want the newest and the latest also.

The reason Canon and Nikon command most of the sales amoung pros and would be pros and advanced amateurs is that they have the most complete system of lenses and flashes out there. They also offer first rate repair services as well, on the east and west coast ( at least I know Canon does )

You may think you are not interested in the sophisticated offerings of Canon and Nikon, but that opinion might change as you learn and progress. Certainly the resale value of Canon and Nikon tends to fare better as well - especially their pro level lenses. This is what Pentax and Sony both fully know.

The new Pentax looks like a great camera - but..... I bought my son a Canon 400D for Christmas.

gus · December 30, 2006

pathfinder wrote:

Most of us end up with lots more invested in lenses and flashes and tripods etc, than in camera bodies, which are subjects to upgrading and replacing every few years.

This is the essence of the subject for me. The camera is the easy part. I would buy either nikon or canon. Thats just my an opinion anyway.

pathfinder · December 30, 2006

Great minds think alike Gus!!:D

gus · December 30, 2006

pathfinder wrote:

Great minds think alike Gus!!:D

When i first looked at buying a DSLR waxy explained to me about the depth of the accessories i would come to accumulate & frankly i didnt believe him but man was he so right (

thats a big call...im agreeing with sid).

That accessories list is ENDLESS !!! No way could you have told me of the gear i would end up with. The thing is that these cameras can use this stuff & you will buy it firestorm...its only a matter of time.

A modern DSLR body is a temporary thing, they as PF said wear out a lot faster than the working 24 year old AE-1 in my filing cabinet ...lenses/filters/tripods/cleaning kits/bags/flashes/books on computer colour correction etc last longer collectively if they are decent quality to begin with.

GraphyFotoz · December 30, 2006

The new Canon XTi is quite a Camera!!
For what your doing you'll be VERY happy with it trust me.

I like a more rugged Camera for my nature work and have the 30D in my sights.

I'd say get the XTi....it's priced as nice as it looks!

Just my cent and a half!

Tommyboy · December 30, 2006

From Glamour1.com:

What type of camera are you currently shooting? Out of 825 responses:

Canon 50.79%
Fuji 4.61%
Hasselblad 0.73%
Konica/Minolta 2.42%
Mamiya 1.33%
Nikon 32.97%
Olympus 5.09%
Pentax 2.06%

I'm just sayin' . . . .

pathfinder · December 30, 2006

84% with Canon or Nikkon.

A couple more percent with larger formats like Hasselblad and Mamiya.

That does not leave very much for everyone else.

Francis · December 31, 2006

I didn't choose a camera, I went for the lenzes. Nikon lenzes also fit on FUJI DSLR camera's like the Fuji S3 pro and the newcomer Fuji S5 pro.
Try that with another brand . . .

georges · December 31, 2006

Well Firestorm - to answer your question directly, in my opinion, the K10D is a much better camera than the Canon.

As far as image quality, the differences are subtle and I won't bother to go into it. Any of the current crop of DSLRs will give you a good exposure.

The Pentax is fully weather sealed and has in-body shake reduction. These two features alone put the camera's capabilities head and shoulders above the Canon.

This is where a local camera store is important. Go to a store where you can pick up and use both cameras. One feels like inexpensive plastic, the other feels like a precision instrument. You can tell us which one you prefer.

Look through the viewfinders. There's a big difference. Again, you tell us which you prefer.

As to the depth of system and accessories. The Canon wins hands down. They make more stuff to attach to your camera than anyone.

Now - ask youself what you're actually going to use in the next three years. I say three years because that's when you'll want to buy a new camera body.

My guess is you'll likely buy an external flash and a couple of zoom lenses to cover the range of around 15mm on the wide end to 300mm on the telephoto end.

All of the current DSLR vendors have offerings that will cover this quite nicely. The Pentax (and Sony, for that matter) will be able to take advantage of the Shake Reduction for every lens you decide to buy.

I'm obviously biased. To me, the outstanding low light performance, coupled with the shake reduction feature of the K10D make it a stand out.

I am regularly taking hand-held shots at 1/8th and 1/10th of a second. Previously 1/30th or 1/60th were my lower limits.

Again - I think you need to consider what the others say about depth of system. If you truly need to take advantage of that depth within the first three years you need to go to Canon.

Price out both options, making sure to include the cost of Canon's IS lenses to make it fair.

By the way - I use Pentax, but am not a Pentax fanatic. If Canon offered a body with built-in Shake reduction this would be a much tougher decision.

See you later, gs

gus · December 31, 2006

pathfinder wrote:

84% with Canon or Nikkon.

That says it all.

seawolf66 · January 17, 2007

Remember one thing your the one that will end up use-ing the camera and not those who gave you the information;
I am a canon user and my son is a Nikon user< But to tell you the truth the K10D looks like a winner in my book just for one simple reason ITS WEATHER PROOFED,And canon or nokin in that price are not???? Good luck on you choice

kini62 · January 17, 2007

firestorm:) wrote:

Hey
i'm buying a new dSLR camera, and my pictures will be mostly of landscapes, family and people.
I know some photography guide and he recommend me the Canon 400D.
I heard about Pentax K10D, and I'm confused about which is better.
So my questions are:
1. Are there any other cameras in that price range that are better than the Canon 400D?
2. How 'bout the K10D? is it better than the 400D? what are his Pros and Cons compared to the 400D?

Thanks:)

Well..... I started out trying to save a few bucks and bought an Olympus E-300 in fall 05. It was a very nice camera for the money. But, I soon wanted something faster and a few more lenses. Oly lenses are very good, but the selection is limited as are the camera bodies. No upgrade path.

I then tried to save some money again and bought the Pentax K10, mostly for the build and built in IS.

I tried 2 and both had focussing problems. The camera itself was nice. Nice build and feel. Weight and ergos were very good. Images when in focus were also very nice.

Exposure metering was not too hot. The metering was easily fooled.

Low light AF was terrible slow. 2 to 3 times or more longer than the 30d I ended up with, tested back to back in the same light.

In the end I went with what I should've from the start- Canon.

I decided not to skimp anymore and got a 30D and 2 L lenses and couldn't be happier.

Any lens or accessory you could possible want is readily available. No waiting for some lens to be built, or some one to make a "chip" for a flash or whatever.

With the current rebates you could get a 30D for a ggod price or even a new 20D for not much more than the Xti if there are still any new 20ds.

The Xti is a small camera and not very comfortable IMO. So best to try them all before you buy, Xti, K10, D80, 20/30d or even the D200 if you can.

Check them all out for feel, ergos, VF etc.... so at least you'll know some of the differences and see which one fits the best or the one you just plain like better.

Oh, Canon does have the best selection of lenses though:D

Gene

Buying a dSLR camera.

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