Any Digital SLR Users Out There?

[Dirk W]

Was wondering if anyone has made the switch to a digital SLR camera for their outdoor photograghy and what camera they chose? I've always had a interest in photograghy and I'm thinking of taking the leap. A guy could obviously spent thousands and thousands on lenses. I have researched the Cannon Digital Rebel and the Nikon D50. Anyone have any experience with these cameras? How about Pelican Cases? Any thoughts would be appreciated?

[Steve Foss]

Hi Dirk:

Many here have made the switch. Frequent DSLR posters here are about evenly divided between Nikon and Canon.

Either the Rebel XT or the D50 will be a great entry-level DSLR choice. The relative merits and disadvantages between the two could fill up a book, and there have been many discussions about these cameras over the last year on this board and on the bird watching board.

So, to prevent us from replowing old ground, please use the FM search feature and let your computer do the walking through old posts on both boards. The search feature is like FM's own reference library. You will find devoted Canon users and equally devoted Nikon users. However, there has been a lot of straight comparison talk absent of any brand loyalty, so do the search, type in key words like DSLR and Nikon and Canon and see what you can find.

You'll find it in the toolbar toward the top of this board, the one with the categories: Admin · Main Index · Search · My Home · Who's Online · FAQ · Calendar

If you have more questions after that, we'll be happy to help you as much as you need.

[WCS]

Absolutely! Many of the regular posters on this site are using digital SLR's. As for Canon vs. Nikon, it is hard to beat either one. There have been many discussions regarding the issue. If you search the archives, you'll find a ton of info. I personally use the Canon Digital Rebel. It is a good entry level into the DSLR world. My main reason for a Canon DSLR is due to the fact that prior to that, I shot Canon film SLR's and my lenses were compatible. In hind sight of my purchase, my only regret is that I didn't purchase higher level equipment. The Rebel takes decent pictures, but there are several functions missing that I now wish I had. If I had spent a little more, I could have had a 10D which had the same sensor, but more features available. The same is true with todays Rebel XT and either the 20D or the new 30D. If your more than just a very casual photographer, you'll be wanting more than the Rebel down the road.

As for the lenses, again, it is hard to beat the Canon and Nikon high end glass, but it comes with a price. You can find some decent lenses made by Tamron and Sigma, just to name a couple, at a fraction of the cost. There are also cheap lenses out there that are just that...Cheap. If you do some homework, you can find a good lens at a resonable cost.

[Swimmer]

Just like the posters above said! There are some very good recent posts that cover everything from the Canon 30D to other "older" models. I kind of came in here like you are doing and ended up purchasing a 30D and Tamron combo two weeks ago...which I love. Careful, you might get the bug...I'm now looking at a longer peice of glass...$, but "neccessary". Huum...maybe Steve will part with his 100-400 L? (just kidding Steve -- out of my range). Do the research and I'm sure the very knowledgeable folks on this forum would be happy to answer ssspecific questions.

PS, if you are looking at entry level DSLR cameras don't forget about the Pentax DL. I tried one out at Ritz and was amazed at the viewfinder and the "feel" of the smaller body. I went with the 30D for the extra features that I thought I would "need" in the future (but it was more than twice the cost!). Good luck!

[Dirk W]

Thanks for the help guys. I appreciate it. When it come down to crunch time I'm sure I'll have more questions.