Camera SLR, w/c is better?

[bervin456]

I've been planning on buying an SLR and i've boiled it down to two choices. Canon 550D and Nikon D5000. I can't seem to decide on what to get.

Canon550D is barely a year old on the market. i cant seem to get good reviews as it is just new. Anyone out there who owns a 550D that would like to share your review on a 550D?

Nikon D5000 has been released for more than a year now. Reviews seem good but the 550D's megapixels are way beyond the D5000's and some people complain on D5000's slowness. Anyone out there who owns a D5000 that would like to share your review on a D5000?

I've been checkin on stores and both salesmen/ladies from either Canon or Nikon say that the 550D matches the D5000 and vice versa. They also say that their product is better than the other's. I would just like to have a review that i am sure that came from a real person using the camera and not just someone on the camera's website trying to sugarcoat their product.

Thank you very much!

 

[T-Rexx]

I am biased against Nikon because of a very bad experience I had with a top-of-the-line Nikon Coolpix camera several years ago. The camera is very nice and shoots optically clear pictures. But, incredibly, the shutter has a lag time of about three seconds (3 secs after you push the button, the shutter finally trips). That makes it impossible to photograph anything that is moving. I paid $1,000 for a camera that can't even photograph a moving object! It still makes me angry. (It also makes me angry that I read a dozen reviews of that camera before I bought it, and none of them mentioned that fact!).

Also, a few months after I bought my Nikon, my brother borrowed it and he lost the charger for the battery. Nikon used a proprietary charger design for that camera that you have to buy from them - the connectors and voltages are bizarre. I tried to order a new charger from Nikon, but Nikon said they no longer carried that charger and could not get one. The camera was not even six months old! I tried everywhere to find someone who would sell me a charger, to no avail. Without the charger, the camera is a brick. I have had a $1,000 camera for several years now, and I can count on one hand the number of pictures I have taken with it!

My advice is to go with the Canon. Nikon does not impress me as a responsible (or reliable) vendor.

 

[3nipples]

This site has side by side photo comparison galleries for different cameras with the same photo/lighting conditions, so you can put the two cameras together and look at the result. I tried it with the House Shot picture using your two camera choices and I think the Nikon takes the much sharper image. Click the picture repeatedly until you have the maximum enlargement and then move it around to focus on different areas.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM

 

[Corny]

I am biased against Nikon because of a very bad experience I had with a top-of-the-line Nikon Coolpix camera several years ago. The camera is very nice and shoots optically clear pictures. But, incredibly, the shutter has a lag time of about three seconds (3 secs after you push the button, the shutter finally trips). That makes it impossible to photograph anything that is moving. I paid $1,000 for a camera that can't even photograph a moving object! It still makes me angry. (It also makes me angry that I read a dozen reviews of that camera before I bought it, and none of them mentioned that fact!).

that sounds awfully familiar. a friend of mine had an earlier coolpix and was very happy with it .. she was very excited when she got the new model - and from there on all that I heard about nikon were curses

i am very happy with my canons

 

[thermodynamics]

I wouldn't worry too much about the body. In DSLR land these days, the body is hyped waaay too much. Ever since the 6MP threshold was passed (>5 yrs ago) the lens is far more important. Don't get hung up on bodies, and spend your money on the lenses. Today, you should spend more money on the lens than the body. A 10MP image sensor is no good if the $100 lens can only resolve the image well enough to get 5 million sharp pixels.

As for brands......
Both Canon and Nikon make excellent equipment. I have a Canon system, simply because I bought my first film SLR back in 2002, and it was a Canon, and I didn't want to throw out all of my accessories. I've worked with professional photographers, and there isn't a clear winner. Both are quite good.

Perhaps the most important thing (that is often overlooked) is to hold each camera in your hand. It has to be comfortable. Some cameras just feel right when you grasp them. Today, I'd go with that feeling more than anything else.

Photo.net might be able to shed more light on your decision.

 

[thermodynamics]

This site has side by side photo comparison galleries for different cameras with the same photo/lighting conditions, so you can put the two cameras together and look at the result. I tried it with the House Shot picture using your two camera choices and I think the Nikon takes the much sharper image. Click the picture repeatedly until you have the maximum enlargement and then move it around to focus on different areas.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM

That's a nice comparison except...there's no mention of the lens used. I assume they're using the kit lens that comes with the camera ($100). Kit lenses always have been and always will be CRAP! No one should ever use a kit lens with one of today's DSLR's. The kit lens cripples the (very good) image sensor.

 

[SirThomas]

Nikon's *generally* only sell because of having a good reputation from older film bodies... Hence the reason why older people normally use them.

Nikon's are generally better made (material wise), however the picture quality is normally of a lesser standard and the vast majority of their crop lenses aren't exactly sharp.

Canon's are a better bet for you really, the 550 (or t2i) is a great little camera with a great sensor from the results I have seen. (18 megapixel I believe...)? and the screen is better than that on my 5D Mkii (which makes me sad )

However, dump the kit lens/buy the body only and buy yourself a proper EF lens, standard bundle ones are always pants...
(ESPECIALLY the 18-55mm)

If you want any help, send us a message, I'm a photographer, so I know a fair bit about camera gear

Tom

 

[hotatlboi]

I am biased against Nikon because of a very bad experience I had with a top-of-the-line Nikon Coolpix camera several years ago. The camera is very nice and shoots optically clear pictures. But, incredibly, the shutter has a lag time of about three seconds (3 secs after you push the button, the shutter finally trips). That makes it impossible to photograph anything that is moving. I paid $1,000 for a camera that can't even photograph a moving object! It still makes me angry. (It also makes me angry that I read a dozen reviews of that camera before I bought it, and none of them mentioned that fact!).

Also, a few months after I bought my Nikon, my brother borrowed it and he lost the charger for the battery. Nikon used a proprietary charger design for that camera that you have to buy from them - the connectors and voltages are bizarre. I tried to order a new charger from Nikon, but Nikon said they no longer carried that charger and could not get one. The camera was not even six months old! I tried everywhere to find someone who would sell me a charger, to no avail. Without the charger, the camera is a brick. I have had a $1,000 camera for several years now, and I can count on one hand the number of pictures I have taken with it!

My advice is to go with the Canon. Nikon does not impress me as a responsible (or reliable) vendor.

What you said here has absolutely no relevance to the OPs question.

The Coolpix line is a consumer grade point and shoot.

Both Nikon and Canon's professional line is a completely different class of product and has nothing to do with those cheap consumer cameras.

I can assure you there will be no shutter lag on a pro DSLR from either vendor, nor will there be a 6 months turnover in something becoming obsolete.

Both Nikon and Canon make incredibly solid pro cameras. I have a cheap Canon camera and the shutter lag is pretty bad on it too.

 

[swerve]

When it comes to Digital Cameras...

Lori Grunin is the one to listen to...

Here is her review for the Nikon D5000...

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cam...-33623314.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody;3r

I wasn't able to find one yet on the Cannon...

Personally, we've always used Nikon for our DSLR and Olympus for the point and shoot -- I guess it comes down to personal preference...

On the other hand, my brother in law who is a REAL LIFE rocket scientist -- prefers the Cannon's -- and he'll talk to you WAY ABOVE your IQ level for HOURS as to why the Cannon is better...

Sorry I couldn't find Lori's review on the cannon -- but BEST OF LUCK finding the PERFECT camera for YOU!!!

 

[thevofl]

I wouldn't worry too much about the body. In DSLR land these days, the body is hyped waaay too much. Ever since the 6MP threshold was passed (>5 yrs ago) the lens is far more important. Don't get hung up on bodies, and spend your money on the lenses. Today, you should spend more money on the lens than the body. A 10MP image sensor is no good if the $100 lens can only resolve the image well enough to get 5 million sharp pixels.

As for brands......
Both Canon and Nikon make excellent equipment. I have a Canon system, simply because I bought my first film SLR back in 2002, and it was a Canon, and I didn't want to throw out all of my accessories. I've worked with professional photographers, and there isn't a clear winner. Both are quite good.

Perhaps the most important thing (that is often overlooked) is to hold each camera in your hand. It has to be comfortable. Some cameras just feel right when you grasp them. Today, I'd go with that feeling more than anything else.

Photo.net might be able to shed more light on your decision.

I agree 103%.

I had my eyes set on a Canon Rebel 3 years ago. I did the research. I went to the store to pick it up and I held it. I have big hands, and my knuckles kept rubbing on the lens. If I hadn't held it, I would have hated it.

Lenses are the place to spend your $$$, and they will be happy to take it from you too.

I still have my Canon D40 and I love it.

I am a pixel whore. The more the better. It is not because they take better pics, it is that I am a cropper. I love finding a small piece of a shot to crop and use in different projects and I want the pixels for the cropping.

 

[salgai]

I own a Canon 450 D (=Digital Rebel XSi in the US) for three years now, took more than 15,000 pictures with it, and I'm still happy with it. There are just two things I miss: an exposure time longer than 30 seconds, and a video function. I would have needed hose two features a few times.

When you're looking vor reviews, www.dpreview.com is always a good source *imho*.
Here they've got the review for the Nikon D 5000: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond5000/
And here for the Canon 550D: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos550d/

cu,
salgai

 

[thermodynamics]

I agree 103%.

I had my eyes set on a Canon Rebel 3 years ago. I did the research. I went to the store to pick it up and I held it. I have big hands, and my knuckles kept rubbing on the lens. If I hadn't held it, I would have hated it.

Lenses are the place to spend your $$$, and they will be happy to take it from you too.

I still have my Canon D40 and I love it.

I am a pixel whore. The more the better. It is not because they take better pics, it is that I am a cropper. I love finding a small piece of a shot to crop and use in different projects and I want the pixels for the cropping.

I had the Digital Rebel before I upgraded to the Rebel XT. I found the Rebel to be quite comfortable, but then I upgraded to the XT which is slightly less comfortable (I sold my Rebel to a friend). If you've got big hands, I really feel sorry for you, with all of the DSLRs. In some respects, they're now bordering on being "too small".

 

[T-Rexx]

What you said here has absolutely no relevance to the OPs question.

The Coolpix line is a consumer grade point and shoot.

Both Nikon and Canon's professional line is a completely different class of product and has nothing to do with those cheap consumer cameras.

I can assure you there will be no shutter lag on a pro DSLR from either vendor, nor will there be a 6 months turnover in something becoming obsolete.

Both Nikon and Canon make incredibly solid pro cameras. I have a cheap Canon camera and the shutter lag is pretty bad on it too.

The Coolpix 8000 which I bought is an SLR-like camera intended for serious amateurs. I paid $1,000 for it - about what the Canon 550D costs. Like the Coolpix 8000, the Canon 550D was also aimed at serious amateurs.

Coolpix 8000:

The point is that it was irresponsible for Nikon to be marketing such an expensive camera with such serious flaws in it. I could have paid much less for one of those cheap "point and shoot" models and gotten a much more usable camera. And then, to fail to support the product after a customer has paid so much money for it is simply inexcusable.

I am aware that Nikon makes much more expensive cameras for professionals. The Nikon D5000 is not one of those - it is aimed at exactly the same market as my old Coolpix 8000. Perhaps Nikon has changed in the last couple years. But, my experience with the company tells me they are not a responsible or reliable vendor to non-professional consumers.

I say, "buyer beware." Just because a camera costs a fortune and has the Nikon name on it does not mean you are getting a high quality product.

 

[tiptree]

I agree with the posters above me that state that a body nowadays really isn't that important.
The quality of your photos will depend on your capabilities, your lenses and the lighting conditions, not so much on which DSLR body you use.

I always check on dpreview.com/ before I'll go shopping.
Not that I'm changing that often, because I'm still loving my Canon 40D and won't be replacing it any time soon.

 

[redips]

As many have already suggested, the body doesn't really matter all that much. You will most certainly switch it out for a new one in 2-3 years. However, once you've settled on Nikon/Canon, you will have committed to their lenses, so I would suggest spending more time figuring out which system you like best.

I would actually go to the store and check out not only the D5000/550, but the high-end Nikons and Canons. Check out the D700 and the 7D, even though you won't be buying them. Check out the menus. Play with the controls and see how you like adjusting the aperture/shutter/ISO, and whether it feels natural to you. The Nikon and Canon systems are very different, and some people have a much stronger preference for Nikon's front+back dial vs. Canon's rotary dial. Also check out playback, zooming in/out, and see which camera system works best for you.

I'm a Nikon guy, but honestly, these days the two companies make very similar gear in terms of quality and offering. Their professional lenses are very similar in quality, and so are their bodies. Even their flashes are very comparable.

If you use Lightroom, you may find Canon more appealing because Lightroom comes with many more lens profiles for Canon. This may change with future releases, but for the time being, I believe the number of Canon lens profiles is almost twice that of Nikon's.

And oh, one last thing: Canon's professional lenses often come in white. It's probably a vapid point, but I never liked that, so I stuck with Nikon.

 

[hotatlboi]

The Coolpix 8000 which I bought is an SLR-like camera intended for serious amateurs.

Ah, I see where you are coming from now.

You were taken in by the SLR-like stuff. Both vendors have these, essentially they don't really provide much benefit over the cheaper point and shoots, they just have a larger body and feel more like a professional camera (some might have a marginally larger sensor but usually not much).

I agree that this type of camera is way overrated at the $1000 price point.

The Nikon D5000 is not one of those - it is aimed at exactly the same market as my old Coolpix 8000.

This however, is simply wrong. The D5000 is a pro class DSLR with a full frame sensor. It is not even remotely in the class of any Coolpix camera.

I say, "buyer beware." Just because a camera costs a fortune and has the Nikon name on it does not mean you are getting a high quality product.

In the pro DSLR class, you really cannot go wrong with either vendor. It just comes down to personal preference and the feel of the camera really, along with other considerations like lens compatibility.

 

[hotatlboi]

I still have my Canon D40 and I love it.

The D40 is a Nikon camera (one of their most famous ones), did you mean the 40D Canon?

I am a pixel whore. The more the better.

I don't necessarily subscribe to this. More does give you more flexibility in cropping, but you have to remember that as you add more pixels, the light capture per pixel will decline, which will mean more noise.

 

[hotatlboi]

I've been checkin on stores and both salesmen/ladies from either Canon or Nikon say that the 550D matches the D5000 and vice versa. They also say that their product is better than the other's. I would just like to have a review that i am sure that came from a real person using the camera and not just someone on the camera's website trying to sugarcoat their product.

You definitely do not want to go by the camera manufacturer's website.

I would suggest dpreview.com. It has extensive independent reviews of most models.

here are the two you are interested in:

Nikon D5000: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond5000/

Canon 550D: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos550d/

In the 550D review one page has a through comparison of the features vs the D5000.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos550d/page21.asp

 

[Corny]

I own a Canon 450 D (=Digital Rebel XSi in the US) for three years now, took more than 15,000 pictures with it, and I'm still happy with it. There are just two things I miss: an exposure time longer than 30 seconds

doesn't it have a "bulk" mode if you set it to manually choose the time and choose the maximum time?

 

[Unidom934]

I own the T2i (A.k.a Canon 550D). My first DSLR camera.

I love the fact that I can use live view when shooting in any mode when I'm trying to get a 'unable to use view finder' position and I can still see the image of what I'm trying to take. It also allows video recording (not like you'd buy a DSLR for it) with 720p @ 60fps and 1080p @ 30fps, better than the T1i (500D). I've used the stock 18-55mm and just a 55-250mm telephoto lens with it. Really awesome camera. I have yet to go grab a prime 50mm lens though....that is my next lens on my list. I tried the Sony, Nikon, and Canon cameras before coughing up the money to buy one, but a coworker/friend of mines told me to get the canon. I liked the lay out a bit more than the Nikon and the built quality seemed better than the Sony alpha series. Either way, I'm really satified with my Camera. As mention before, once you do commit to a camera brand, your lens will then make you follow what brand of body you want to get.

As again, check out dpreviews




Before I forget, when you buy any DSLR, consider buying a fast SD stick, such as the Sandisk EXTREME. If you shoot in JPEG + RAW like me and want fast speed, you will need this stick. A standard SD stick will work, but you will have to wait for it between shots.