[Mary]

I seriously need some help I am about to buy my first Digital SLR and was going to buy the Nikon D40X but I have been advised against this by a couple of people as the focus is in the lens so I thought then about the Canon ,now the one I'm looking at comes with the 17.55 Lens now somebody has told me that is not a good Lens so now I dont know what to do .
I know the ultimate decision has to be mine but can somebody help ,oh and has anybody used Warehouse Express I have heard one good report about them
The other alternative is to spend more money and buy the nikon D80 but I think this may be too sophisticated for a first time Digital SLR Camera
Thanks Mary

[fionaB]

as far as the lens not being a good lens, you get what you pay for, it cvertainyl isnt nearly as bad as some folk make out, a huge amount of my shots in my gallery have been taken using the kit lens . yep its a slow lens and u really see it struggling at times in low light, but get to know it and use it in the c ircumstances it works in best and u wont have a problem

Fi

[Mary]

Originally Posted by Mary

I seriously need some help I am about to buy my first Digital SLR and was going to buy the Nikon D40X but I have been advised against this by a couple of people as the focus is in the lens so I thought then about the Canon ,now the one I'm looking at comes with the 17.55 Lens now somebody has told me that is not a good Lens so now I dont know what to do .
I know the ultimate decision has to be mine but can somebody help ,oh and has anybody used Warehouse Express I have heard one good report about them
The other alternative is to spend more money and buy the nikon D80 but I think this may be too sophisticated for a first time Digital SLR Camera
Thanks Mary

Sorry I meant 18.55 Lens

[Dabhand16]

If this is your first dSLR, the choice you have to make now is not between the D40 and the 400D, but the system. Once you have started down whichever path you choose, it is very expensive to jump ship if you think you have made the wrong choice in the first instance. You can't then just change the camera unless you stick with the same make and get a different body. That is not a problem for most people as the main makers all produce good cameras that will have lenses and accessories to support them. However, the third party manufacturers are much more likely to produce stuff for the more popular brands and systems than the less popular ones, no matter how good they might be. This leaves you with little alternative to the maker's kit, so might reduce your future options.

First draw up a short list of cameras that you are interested in. You need to handle the cameras to see which one feels the best and is the easiest to set up and alter the settings. Some will have you hunting through menus, others will need a button press and/or a tweak of a dial. Metering. Does one have better metering options (even if you don't need them right now). Will you be doing one type of photography such as sports/action more than other types? A camera that writes to the memory quickly will help here, as will a good frame rate.

Don't think you have to stick to the 'entry level' dSLR's either. A small step further up the ladder might give you a camera that will tick all of your boxes.

When you do buy, you can get a good deal by buying a kit, but you don't have to. You can buy the body and lens seperately, or look around for a dealer kit that might include a body, lens (or lenses) and more for a good price.

The Nikon 18-70 kit lens is good, and for a bit more money you can get an 18-135, or the 18-200 which is really highly rated, especially with the VR. Canon also do a good range os similar lenses, although I'm not so well up on them. The 18-85 and 24-105 are probably good ones to consider.

[Mary]

Hi Graham
Thanks for that ,as you said no good buying then regretting it so I will go to a shop before I order and handle the Camera's I'm interested in .If I'm spending this much money I might aswell get it right even if it means spending a bit more .
Thanks Mary

[photo-jay]

From my own experience, I bought the Nikon D50 (which has since been discontinued and replaced with the D40 and now the D40X).

I do agree with Graham, it is the system that is important at this stage. I purchased the kit 18-55 lens with my D50, but since then have bought the Nikon 18-135mm, a Sigma 70-300mm lens.... thus demonstrating that getting the system right is important.

I will in the near future be upgrading my camera, (I actually wish I had purchased the Nikon D80 at the time), with the knowledge that I can buy it body-only and use my current lens.

However, I do not think you can go far wrong with either Nikon or Canon. There are many opinions on which to go for, but my advice is to go into a shop and play with them, then make your decision...... (And Nikon tend to be cheaper!)

Good luck!

[Mary]

Hi Jay
Thanks for that I am going to go to a shop and handle some camera's ,are Lenses cheaper for Nikon ?
Mary

[Dabhand16]

I don't think that you can generalise the costs between Canon and Nikon like this. The Canon 40D can be bought for about £700 whereas the Nikon D300 is £1300. The Nikon D200 with a kit lens will also be dearer, and most likely will be discontinued when it will come down in price. The D80 will not be a fair comparison with a 40D.

When looking at different makes for 'equivalence' it is not so easy because each camera will have one feature or another that might sway you if it is important enough.

If you are going to look mostly at Nikon and Canon, you could start with the D80/D200 and the 30D/40D.

These cameras may well have features you will not use from the start, but that goes for pretty much everything we buy from DVD player/recorders, kitchen gadgets/appliancies to mobile phones.

Concentrate on how the camera feels and how easy it is to change the settings. Both makes have extensive systems and support from third party manufacturers. Try to get a lens that covers the 18-70 or 18 - 85 range to complement the body of your choice and you will be set up.

You might want to consider a good used camera to try out if you don't want to invest too much in the first instance. Nikon D50/D70 or Canon 20D/30D might be worth a look. A good Nikon D70 with a 18-70 lens can be got for about £300 - £330 for instance.