quick camera question

D

dustin_P74

Reef enthusiast
for you guys. which camera do you think would be better for aquarium shots, nature shots, or action shots. i dont plan on blowing anything up to poster size so huge megapixel counts dont really matter. the nikon d40, nikon d60, canon rebel xti, or the canon rebel xsi? they are all within a hundred dollars of each other and i have heard good things about all of them
 
Last edited:
Consumer reports has them rated like this...

Canon EOS Rebel Xsi - 66 and 2nd rated behind Pentax K200D
Rebel Xti - 61
D60 - 60
D40 - 57

not sure why consumer reports always has low ratings but I 67 was the highest for the SLR's
 
Altohombre said:
I thought you had a Canon Powershot and couldn't be happier?
Click to expand...
because these are two totally different beasts we are comparing, i couldnt be happier with the powershot because it is the best point and shoot i have owned. but now im talking about DSLR's which is a whole different ball game . i want to get into the world of photography and you cant do that with a point and shoot no matter how good it is
 
I've got the Canon XSI. I bought Canon because I've got a ton of Canon equipment already and you've got better compatibility with your equipment when you stay with the same brand. I think all of these cameras are wonderful! Nikon has a terrific site and lots of videos about the features of their cameras. I strongly recommend you visit and view their stuff. Personally, I like the optics of the Nikon over the Canon. The difference is subtle and if you are just beginning your photography hobby, you probably won't notice the difference. I like the software that comes with the Canon but it's nothing compared to the Adobe stuff that's out there. Good editing software and the knowledge of how to use that software will make your shots fabulous no matter what camera you're using (as long as you know how to use that camera!) Heres an article about using lights and lenses to get some wicked special effects shots: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-11/feature/index.php


You'll be happy with any of those cameras.

Catherine
 
i have decided on the xsi for numerous reasons, the live view on it is a huge plus for me since i like macro shots. and youll get better macros at cheaper prices with canon. after i posted this thread last night i went onto rc and this guy asked the exact same question i did and he also only had four choices of camera and they were the d40 d60 xti and xsi
 
I would be leaning towards the canon for one reason only.... at that price point, canon's sensors do an amazing job with handling noise. For aquarium shots where you need a quick shutter speed but the light is very low, this comes in REALLY handy. Jack up the iso setting and you are good to go. Nikon has too much noise at high iso's in their lower end cameras. Other than that I'd say get the Nikon D60. But you may want to do some research and see if you can confirm my statements specifically with the Rebel to make sure this is still correct.
 
i have also heard the with the d40's and d60's that you need specific lenses with moniters in them because there was something wrong with the d40's and 60's but i dont know if this issue was resolved or not
 
Motors, not monitors.
The D40 (not sure about the D60) doesn't have an internal focus drive motor and hence no mechanical focus drive pin, instead it only has CPU contacts which means it can only Auto Focus with AF-S and AF-I lenses (those with built-in focus motors). So some of the old but awesome lenses will be only manual focus. The newer digital lenses will work fine.

And Live View??? C'mon man! You are entering the world of REAL cameras! Look thru the viewfinder like you are supposed to! ;)
Seriously... i have it on my D700 and don't even care to know how to activate it. I leave that "feature" for my point and shoot.

Seriously though, you should be very happy with the Canon.
 
I'd go for the canon. I'm using a 300D which is old now but still manages some good shots. I'd always go for canon tbh, Nikon just don't fit with my hands but canon lenses (in my eyes) are far superior to Nikon or the others. JMO of course, but canon all the way for me!
 
d2mini said:
And Live View??? C'mon man! You are entering the world of REAL cameras! Look thru the viewfinder like you are supposed to! ;)
Seriously... i have it on my D700 and don't even care to know how to activate it. I leave that "feature" for my point and shoot.

Seriously though, you should be very happy with the Canon.
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more!!!!! LOOK THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER!!!!!! You get such better focus and a better "framed" shot! The only time I use my live view is when my camera is some place I can't get, around a corner, over the head of a really tall person, under something I can't crawl under... Your shots will be MUCH better! I thought everyone did that! Live view causes your eyes to dialate in low light conditions which makes you unable to see your shots clearly. PLUS, it runs your battery down ever so fast.

I have the Canon XSI. I love this camera. I am one of those photographers that can really use all the aspects of their camera, I set the aperture, light quality, shutter speed and all that stuff. The Canon XSI's only limitations is MY imagination. It can do anything I want it to and more. Those shots I just posted were all taken on portrait setting, ISO 1600, shutter priority @ 125. My photoshop is down right now (it has lost the ability to load because I moved it) so I only used Lightroom for my editing. I still say if I were buying all over again, I like the optics of the NIkon. The Canon is a quality product and you will love this camera.

Still, learn how to use your camera, learn how to use good editing software. The best shots come from people that know how to use their equipment, not people that just buy good stuff. Well, if you're talking about digital SLR's. I could point you to a couple of cameras in the 20,000-25,000 thousand dollar range that will take good shots no matter how bad your camera skills are!

I would love to help you learn camera skills, I have taught online classes in camera and composition before. I don't charge any money but I ask all my participants to donate some money to the charity of their choice. If you want to put a class together, let me know!

Catherine
 
I never thought about the viewfinder changing the actual way you see the shot.I'll have to remember that.
 
Picasso said:
I couldn't agree more!!!!! LOOK THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER!!!!!! You get such better focus and a better "framed" shot! The only time I use my live view is when my camera is some place I can't get, around a corner, over the head of a really tall person, under something I can't crawl under... Your shots will be MUCH better! I thought everyone did that! Live view causes your eyes to dialate in low light conditions which makes you unable to see your shots clearly. PLUS, it runs your battery down ever so fast.
Click to expand...

Looking through the viewfinder does help your focusing but don't sell Liveview short. You can get awesome POV shots with it that you could never get looking through the viewfinder. People that say the screen is for amateurs are just like the ones that said digital photography is garbage compared to traditional methods of darkroom development. Don't hate on technology just cause it's new.
 

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