The Debate

[NYmama]

I am in the market for a camera, I am looking at the Nikon D60 or the canon rebel Xsi
thoughts?

[Ellette]

Have you held either of them?  I don't know anything about either of them anymore really, but your best bet is to hold them, play with the buttons and things, and see which feels best to you. 

[scoundrel1728]

 
 
 

Seriously, whatever system you choose, you will most likely be sticking with it for a while.  If you are serious, you will eventually be buying a bevy of lenses and accessories such as dedicated flash units for your camera.  Camera bodies go obsolete in a few years; good lenses represent a bigger and longer-term investment.  Changing systems means unloading your old stuff and buying new stuff, so whatever you choose, try to do it right the first time.

In my case, I went through a whole rigmarole deciding which system to pick, first researching Nikon to death - I had decided against Canon because at the time it had so much of the market that it appeared a threat to become a monopoly to me - but eventually eliminated it, went with what at the time was Konica-Minolta and is now Sony, had a brief fling with Olympus and almost went with the Konica-Minolta system but the model I was interested in was sold out, so eventually went with Canon.  I didn't seriously consider Pentax at the time.  Although I may - or may not - have made a different choice had I been choosing today, I do not regret having chosen the Canon system.  Others have chosen Nikon instead and are happy with their choice.  We also have a few Olympus, Pentax, and Sony users here as well.  And some initially chose one system, didn't like it, and changed systems.

In other words, look not just at the current camera bodies and their features, but at the lenses and other accessories available.  No one camera model can do everything well.  Keeping that in mind, just what do you want your camera to do?  What features are must-haves, what are nice-to-haves, and what don't you care about so much?  Will the camera do what you want it to?  Will the necessary lenses be available for what you want, even if you cannot yet afford them?  When you outgrow your current camera body and/or lenses, what is the upgrade path?  What does the future of your chosen system look like?

The good news is that unless your requirements are particularly specialized or stringent in some way, you will be able to do what you want no matter what camera system you pick.  If you know what you are doing, you can also do a limited amount of cross-system matching, e.g., mounting a Nikon lens onto an Olympus body.

[Steve Randles]

This may help you decide.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=canon_eos450d%2Cnikon_d60&show=all

Steve...

[NYmama]

Thanks very much, that did help me. I just need to find a store that sells both so I can hold both to play with.

[NYmama]

I did hold them  both and have decided on the rebel xsi

[Ellette]

woohoo...another Canon person...neener neener neener Nikonians.

I mean, I'm glad you've decided and I'm glad you did go and hold them.  It is amazing the difference between cameras I think and everyone likes different things.  The brand doesn't matter, it is how you use it, though having a Canon certainly helps.  Umm...sorry...don't know what has come over me.  I'm really being obnoxious today.  Someone stop me! 

[monty]

Ellette....stop!  There, did that help?   

[NYmama]

But now I am back to thinking about Nikon LOL>.. My husband is of no help. He figures he will proably never use it so he can care less. He figures if he takes a pic and you can distinguish a person he is good to go.

[RockArea]

I'm glad those of us that use Nikons are able to hold ourselves above all this

David

[Simon]

Well I have been on FLickr since december and I can honestly say, that there are Canon users moving over to Nikon, which strikes me as to how strong Nikon kit is in the market. In particular the D90 and D300 levels.

As has been said by Scoundrel and others once you decide, you tend to stick with it due to the investment in the glass.

Good luck with your choice it is a fine camera.

Simon

[ScottyBoy]

woohoo...another Canon person...neener neener neener Nikonians.

  You are too funny.

[samleo]

Its all down to personal choice and what you have invested in. You could say that there are no bad cameras these days; its a bit like the car industry,you could compare Canon as the Ford of the camera industry and Nikon as the Mercedes ,but its just a matter of opinion!

[Sheratan]

I think it's all down to size, balance and whether the buttons are easily accessible. You've really got to handle them and try them out. All good fun. 

I've got small hands, so  .............   and   

[scoundrel1728]

The original poster has gone with the Canon Rebel XSi, AKA the Canon 450D.

[brian]

The original poster has gone with the Canon Rebel XSi, AKA the Canon 450D.

my commiserations to the poor girl.


:-)   

[Sheratan]

What a very discerning photographer. 

[NYmama]

Yep it has been bought and paid for.. Waiting for it to arrive......    Does it count, I have the extra battery and the 50mm lens here for it already, but no camera.

[scoundrel1728]

Which lens did you get?  One of the several versions of the Canon 50 mm f/1.8?  The Canon f/1.4?  Canon f/1.2L?  Sigma f/1.4?  Sigma f/2.8 macro?  Or some other 50 mm lens?

[NYmama]

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens