Hunt for a DSLR
I have a habit of using my items until they are totally worn out. I never sold
anything I used or update in to new versions until I finish with what I already
have. Because of that when I buy something important, I spend weeks or months
searching what is right for me.
I used my Kodak DX4900 for longtime, finally I gave it to my brother - it still working like a baby after all the torturing. Now I'm looking for get a DSLR camera. Boy! This is pretty hard. I feel like a bride-to-be inside a sari shop.
A DSLR is not a necessity to me. I have taken my most valuable pictures using my P800 phone camera. I just want to have a better camera around my neck just to get out of broadness hovering over me these days. So I don't want to spend unnecessary on this. But DSLRs are dam expensive - at least in my world. Good things won't come cheap.
As usual I open up dpreview, read every single review about DSLR. Since this is my first SLR I have freedom to select a product line. That makes things very hard.
Konica and Minolta handover their camera business to Sony; Sony recently introduced their first DSLR - a100. I'm not a very big Sony fan. But this camera have CCD base steady shot (Minolta's Anti Shake) function. With that I have Image stabilization with any lens. All other manufactures fit that function inside lens and those lenses are pretty expensive. But this is Sony's very first DSLR and I'm pretty sure Sony product line will be expensive later on. So I erase out Sony form my list.
I love Nikon D80. It is 1000$ and it have all the needed functions form D200 - the expensive version (1700$). Most of all, Nokia have wonderful 18 - 200mm VR lens for around 700$. That pretty much all I need. I made my decision.
But For my disappointment, I found there are no stocks of 18 - 200mm lens in the market. Some order this lens all the way back June form Amazon and Amazon asked them this month, wait till January. Look like this lens is very hard to get. I don't mind waiting for a good lens - good things won't come easy. The world will stay beautiful till I can get my camera.
Again for my disappointment, I found out I can get the lens 18 - 200mm I wanted so badly, if I buy the expensive Nikon D200 - that is the kit lens of D200. That makes me totally disappointed at Nikon. If I want to buy a better DSLR I will go for Nikon D2x - not D200. After I explore more about this subject, I found out Nikon have a history like that. I get enough disappointment from my government; I don't want any extra disappointment form Nikon. So I turn to Canon.
Canon has EOS 400D (Digital Rebel XTi), 800$ - cheaper than Nikon D80. I still prefer D80 but Canon have the lenses I need and most of all I can buy them. Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens cost 400$ - that is a good everyday lens for me. May be later on I can get Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens - cost around 550$. This total system still cost less than Nikon D80 and impossible Nikon 18-200mm lens. Good Canon.
I think my long hunt will come to end very soon. But still I have to save the extra money for this. I'm always fascinated by Christmas time - hopefully I can take some Christmas photos with my new toy :-)
I used my Kodak DX4900 for longtime, finally I gave it to my brother - it still working like a baby after all the torturing. Now I'm looking for get a DSLR camera. Boy! This is pretty hard. I feel like a bride-to-be inside a sari shop.
A DSLR is not a necessity to me. I have taken my most valuable pictures using my P800 phone camera. I just want to have a better camera around my neck just to get out of broadness hovering over me these days. So I don't want to spend unnecessary on this. But DSLRs are dam expensive - at least in my world. Good things won't come cheap.
As usual I open up dpreview, read every single review about DSLR. Since this is my first SLR I have freedom to select a product line. That makes things very hard.
Konica and Minolta handover their camera business to Sony; Sony recently introduced their first DSLR - a100. I'm not a very big Sony fan. But this camera have CCD base steady shot (Minolta's Anti Shake) function. With that I have Image stabilization with any lens. All other manufactures fit that function inside lens and those lenses are pretty expensive. But this is Sony's very first DSLR and I'm pretty sure Sony product line will be expensive later on. So I erase out Sony form my list.
I love Nikon D80. It is 1000$ and it have all the needed functions form D200 - the expensive version (1700$). Most of all, Nokia have wonderful 18 - 200mm VR lens for around 700$. That pretty much all I need. I made my decision.
But For my disappointment, I found there are no stocks of 18 - 200mm lens in the market. Some order this lens all the way back June form Amazon and Amazon asked them this month, wait till January. Look like this lens is very hard to get. I don't mind waiting for a good lens - good things won't come easy. The world will stay beautiful till I can get my camera.
Again for my disappointment, I found out I can get the lens 18 - 200mm I wanted so badly, if I buy the expensive Nikon D200 - that is the kit lens of D200. That makes me totally disappointed at Nikon. If I want to buy a better DSLR I will go for Nikon D2x - not D200. After I explore more about this subject, I found out Nikon have a history like that. I get enough disappointment from my government; I don't want any extra disappointment form Nikon. So I turn to Canon.
Canon has EOS 400D (Digital Rebel XTi), 800$ - cheaper than Nikon D80. I still prefer D80 but Canon have the lenses I need and most of all I can buy them. Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens cost 400$ - that is a good everyday lens for me. May be later on I can get Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens - cost around 550$. This total system still cost less than Nikon D80 and impossible Nikon 18-200mm lens. Good Canon.
I think my long hunt will come to end very soon. But still I have to save the extra money for this. I'm always fascinated by Christmas time - hopefully I can take some Christmas photos with my new toy :-)
Labels: Photography
posted by Sam at
4:58 AM
3 Comments:
Hi mate,
I bought an EOS 400D a couple of months ago with the Sigma 18-200mm. I am really pleased with them both so far. If you want to see some pics just have a look at my flickr account. I think whether you choose the Nikon or Canon in the end comes down to personal preference as both companies make great cameras.
Olympus have introuced what I think is called the E500 which will be the first DSLR which allows you to frame pictures on the LCD screen. It maybe worth having a look at that. The A100 does look pretty cool with the anti-shake in the body but I guess Sony maybe a bit unreliable in whether they will stay on in the DSLR game. I have a Canon EOS 400D which seems pretty good to me, but I'd reccoment the 30D if you can afford it and a prime lens if you want to learn more about photography.
Good luck.
I just bought the Kiss Digital X in Seoul (the Japanese branded 400D/XTi) along with the 50mm f/1.8 to start out. It's an amazing camera especially for my first dSLR! I prefer Canon as I have used Canon p&s cameras in the past.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home