[Cav]

Hello all,

Here in New Zealand it’s nearly half eleven on Saturday night and I’m still flicking between here and DP Review in the eternal dilemma, which camera for my first DSLR….? Only now it’s worse, now I have permission from her-on-high to actually go and get one (only took five months but I’m not bitter…).

I’m buggered if I can make my mind up. At my skill level it’s academic really which camera I go for, I’ll be learning from minute one. I love the 20D, (well, idea of) but I’ve handled and used the D70 and thought it was superb. It’s like this, the 20D is the best camera I can afford, but I’ll only walk out the store with a 20D and the kit lens. If I get a D70s I could have camera, a GOOD kit lens and maybe a longer zoom or wide-angle and even possibly a tripod. A couple of answers could help me out here before tomorrow (in NZ!)…

1. As a beginner, am I going to miss any technical brilliance from the 20D if I go for a 350D or miss out on image quality (tech. Quality, i.e. noise at high ISO’s, etc)?

2. Exact same question for Nikon, as a beginner, am I going to miss any technical brilliance from the D70s if I go for a D50 or miss out on image quality (tech. Quality, i.e. noise at high ISO’s, etc)? Is the D50 better?

3. Gut responses to this only please, no thinking allowed! Best camera with kit lens or one camera down from best and more lenses, what would/did you do?

4. Am I asking the right questions, lol?

Cheers peeps, enjoy your Saturday up there!

[CT]

Just go and get one before she changes her mind.

In my honest opinion you wont go wrong with any of those cameras, but beyond what's most sensible, there's your gut feeling which I don't think should be ignored, so if you have an instinctive preference then go with that.

Get down to a camera shop where you can handle all of them, and see which suits you best, but just get one.

[SammyC]

I would suggest looking at the slightly cheaper options (D70, 350D) and a decent lens rather than blow the lot on a 20D. You WILL need/want more lenses and considering its taken 5 months to get the green light for the camera then I think saving money for lenses is going to be a slow process!

[noah]

i'd buy my d70 again and again. the 20d is a slightly better camera but like they said above if your lens budget is going to be small you'll have more fun with one of the cheaper but very capable models like the d70 or 350d and a couple of different lenses then you will with a posher body and not great lens.

go play with the 350d and d70s in the shop, they're both as capable as each other but after holding them i had to have the d70 personally.

[minimeeze]

I'd go for the D70s - you sort of answered your own question there in that you can get the camera, kit lens, maybe another lens and a tripod I have a D70 (bought on impulse as my introduction to photography ), and wouldn't swap it for anything else.

[CT]

If the 's' in D70s means it has the larger preview screen which everyone is doing now, then that has to be a serious consideration. It makes reviewing shots and scrolling through menus far easier and much more pleasant.

[Glen]

As with yourself I'm also new to dslr and photography in general. But as the guys have said go into a shop and try. I've got a 350d and if i had listened to the write ups where people were saying its too small, light, not a 'proper' slr I never would have got it, but I've never held an slr before I got the 350d, so it didn't effect me about these issues, as soon as i picked it up it felt good, hence I bought it, I didn't even consider a nikon.
A cheaper body would be good as with any left over money you can go get some more glass and then your laughing.

You then just need to save for tripods, memory cards, photoshop, more ram 'cause your burning your computer with all the post-processing, 'L' glass if you go the canon route, flashguns, bigger bag....its never ending.

[asd]

I know how you feel trying to decide on what to spend your money on.such a big choice,had the same dilemma with lenses.

its best to buy something that you can grow into rather than grow out of in my opinion. any D SLR will take reasonably good photos, for example a guy at college bought the minolta 5D,and to be honest i thought why buy that its the last camera i'd look at, the shots he showed me blew me away(because he's a great photgrapher) the bugger! check out the minolta 7D(anti-shake in body), the LCDs on theses two models are massive compared to the canons (my 10D inc) just go with your gut instinct...not had any experience with Nikons so cant comment on them..20D 's mag alloy body better build than the D70 i think from what i've heard..what about new 30D? too soon to tell if its a winner yet i suppose.Good luck in your choice of camera

ps New Zealands netball team are hot...............(the womens team that is)

[Cav]

Thanks very much peeps! Today I went in firm in mind to walk out with a D70s and left with a 350D twin lens kit and a thrown in tripod. I'll post more tomorrow as it's so late but for now, chuffed to bits to be finally on the road...

asd, I know what you mean...Van Dyke, her legs go on forever, lol.

[CT]

Well done!

[Steve]

I am sure that you won't be disapointed. I look forward to seeing your first shots