Is the Canon EOS 400D any good as a starter SLR?

The D60 is available from Purely gadgets with the Nikkor 18-55 for £429 + £40 cashback offer - taking the price down to £390, not bad at all.

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Lockhart:
Trevor,

Buy some comfy shoes.....



Tony

Wise words indeed! I got caught up in the magnificent technology of Nikon AFS f/2.8 constant aperture zooms which, when combined with my F5, just about broke my back when out walking! I'm now dappling with Leica rangefinders...

Peter

quote:

Originally posted by Diccus62:
The D60 is available from Purely gadgets with the Nikkor 18-55 for £429 + £40 cashback offer - taking the price down to £390, not bad at all.

...To be honest me old mucka even as a Canon user for for getting on for 30 yrs that price for a D60 seems a really good deal to me ..

....The current image quality of modern DSLR's is increasing all the time ....another mate of mine has just bought a Fuji "bridge" Camera (like an DSLR but smaller and with a fixed zoom lens) and I was amazed at the quality of his "amateur" photos given that that type of camera isn't regarded as having the picture quality of a specialist DSLR.

...I'm sticking with my Canon 300d for now as a/ I can still use my old EOS lenses and b/ I can't afford to change it yet!

Also bear in mind that Canon have a refurb outlet on Ebay. It might be worth watching some prices on there for a few days. There are plenty of 400Ds there right now.

Tony

quote:

me old mucka

Jet, have you suddenly moved to the Country and got a job with Cattle?

It is very easy to get anal about specs of camera bodies. I use Canon because that's what I'm used to and I like the way they handle. Guys I work with only use Nikon for the same reasons.

As previously mentioned getting the best quality lenses is important. This will affect image quality more than the sensor.

Until Nikon released the D3 and D300 they were way behind Canon on high ISO noise handling. Under normal lighting conditions either Canon or Nikon would be adequate. I shoot a lot of equestrian in indoor arenas. My 1D mk2 and 1D mk3 bodies work just fine. Nikon D2H/D2X are useless. These are extreme conditions.....

When I get asked what I recommend I suggest people visit a dealer and see how they handle. The image quality from all current DSLRs is stunning compared to a few years ago and none of them will disappoint.

Invest in lenses. Look after them and they will last a lifetime. Digital bodies will come and go. That's technology...

It is worth bearing in mind that Nikon DX lenses are designed for DSLRs which are not full frame. Put a DX lens on a D3 and it will not give you full resolution. Nikon have been very good at forcing their customers to spend lots of money each time they release a new body. They used to have 3 different wireless transmitters for each DSLR!!! Canon had one that worked with all their bodies. OK, now Canon have a second for the 1D mk3 and 1DS mk3. It is not clear what Nikon's plans are for full frame and what their lens strategy is. At least Canons lenses work on all bodies. The EF-S lenses are an exception because they only work on the "entry level" bodies.

Unless you are going to produce studio quality prints through professional labs I really wouldn't worry about which manufacturer you choose. Base your decision on what handles well and which horse you want to back in the long term.

Getting the best from any digital image requires some fiddling on a computer. Digital workflow is now an important part of producing the best quality final image. Clients are now paying for our workflow knowledge in addition to our photography skills. Many top photographers employ technicians to process their images for them as they don't have the required Photoshop skills.

Make sure you have budget to additional disk capacity. Digital photos chew up disk space!!!!

Graham.

Graham

Great post.... absolutely spot on. Go to the top of the class!

Cheers

Jim

quote:

Make sure you have budget to additional disk capacity. Digital photos chew up disk space!!!!

I just buy seventy quid's worth of external hard-drive when I need it. As time goes by I get more space for my money!

Tony

I get frustrated by having to retire working but small drives that cost a relative fortune a few years ago. What does one do with 9gb SCSI drives - they are the most expensive door stops that I am aware of

quote:

Originally posted by Exiled Highlander:
Graham

Great post.... absolutely spot on. Go to the top of the class!

Cheers

Jim

Thanks Jim. This is one of the few things in life I actually know something about

When you have to pay your mortgage from the photos you sell, you soon wise up to what works, what I marketing bullshit and how to maximise profits!!

Graham.

Hi
I too am considering buying a 400D, mainly because I kept my 75-300 tele zoom after I sold my EOS300 35mm camera. It seems daft to now change systems. I too have read various reviews which say that the 18-55 zoom supplied with the kit isnt brilliant. Typical kit price seems to be around £389. Are those of you saying buy the body with a "better" lens referring to the IS version of the same lens? The body with the IS lens seems to be around £349 + £119 = £468 i.e. £79 extra. Or are you meaning a third party lens? £468 would be at the absolute top of my budget so any advice would be appreciated. I suppose the alternative could be to go for the body plus 50mm fixed focal for around £420? Thanks all

quote:

When you have to pay your mortgage from the photos you sell,

Well, that and the day job!

I purchased a Nikon D40 in the way Graham has described. I went and had a play, it was surprisingly small and light, but with a decent sized screen.

Having spent a lot less than I thought might be the case (£200) - I splashed out on the 18-200 VR lens. It delivers great images and has turned into pretty much a one camera/lens solution for me.

Steve