After much deliberation, I finally made a purchase...

[Wingnut330]

First let me thank all of you for your help in purchasing my first DSLR. I will post my first picture with it tomorrow!

After much deliberation, many sleepless nights and numerous trips to websites and stores, I settled on a....Canon Rebel XTi.

I went to the store today to buy a Nikon D40. I told my wifey we would be in and out. Over an hour later, I left with an XTi. They did nothing to talk me into a Canon or out of a Nikon, they just educated me a little more. Basically it came down to more lense choices. I was a little concerned about only being able to use AF-S lenses on the D40. I was excited about the 18-200mm lense, but after that I'm not sure what my options were - especially in the short term. You folks all gave me the same advice but were suggesting more upscale Nikons. Long term, I think Nikon will likely have tons of AF-S choices and eventually so will the aftermarket, but I want to shoot now, not 2 years from now. I considered the D80, but it was $300 more than the Canon and significantly bigger in my hands and more importantly my wife's!

The Nikon was cheaper, as are the lenses, but there were a few key features I liked about the Canon:

1. More lense choices both with Canon and off brands
2. Internal Cleaner
3. More Focus Points
4. Slightly Faster
5. Slightly Lighter
6. 10MP - although that is likely a bigger hinderance than benefit due to file size, data transfer and storage.

I'm super excited to have it. I have wanted a camera like this for years. The cute thing is that my wife is more excited than I am. As I write this, she is in the other room with her laptop watching online tutorials about how to use the camera. This will be a fun toy for our whole family!

Thank you all again for your assistance - this forum was very helpful!

 

[nicoritschel]

Great choice
I'm sure you'll get some wonderful shots!
Enjoy the new camera

 

[Westside guy]

I was excited about the 18-200mm lense, but after that I'm not sure what my options were - especially in the short term. You folks all gave me the same advice but were suggesting more upscale Nikons. Long term, I think Nikon will likely have tons of AF-S choices and eventually so will the aftermarket, but I want to shoot now, not 2 years from now.

Hi,

I'm sure you will be very happy with your Canon - they are great cameras. But I do think you were given a rather odd bit of bad advice regarding Nikon lenses. It's not like there aren't many AF-S lenses out there (they've been making them since 1999 or so); and even the third-party manufacturers are very rapidly moving their lens offerings over to in-body motors - quite a few have been announced, especially in the last two months or so.

Most every recent Canon lens also uses an in-lens motor, simply because focussing is faster (and quieter!) than if the lens relied on the camera's in-body motor. It's the (silent) wave of the future... and the present. Nikon and Canon aren't putting the motors in the lenses to save money on the camera body! They're doing it because it's a better technology.

 

[Digital Skunk]

First let me thank all of you for your help in purchasing my first DSLR. I will post my first picture with it tomorrow!

After much deliberation, many sleepless nights and numerous trips to websites and stores, I settled on a....Canon Rebel XTi.

I went to the store today to buy a Nikon D40. I told my wifey we would be in and out. Over an hour later, I left with an XTi. They did nothing to talk me into a Canon or out of a Nikon, they just educated me a little more. Basically it came down to more lense choices. I was a little concerned about only being able to use AF-S lenses on the D40. I was excited about the 18-200mm lense, but after that I'm not sure what my options were - especially in the short term. You folks all gave me the same advice but were suggesting more upscale Nikons. Long term, I think Nikon will likely have tons of AF-S choices and eventually so will the aftermarket, but I want to shoot now, not 2 years from now. I considered the D80, but it was $300 more than the Canon and significantly bigger in my hands and more importantly my wife's!

The Nikon was cheaper, as are the lenses, but there were a few key features I liked about the Canon:

1. More lense choices both with Canon and off brands
2. Internal Cleaner
3. More Focus Points
4. Slightly Faster
5. Slightly Lighter
6. 10MP - although that is likely a bigger hinderance than benefit due to file size, data transfer and storage.

I'm super excited to have it. I have wanted a camera like this for years. The cute thing is that my wife is more excited than I am. As I write this, she is in the other room with her laptop watching online tutorials about how to use the camera. This will be a fun toy for our whole family!

Thank you all again for your assistance - this forum was very helpful!

So the sales associate sold you a Canon... was it a Ritz Camera Center? If it was then I am so sorry, but look at it this way... you were helping the associate get more money for his next paycheck.

It really doesn't matter which body you choose. As a Nikon shooter, I rather like the Canon P&S models. The "key features" that you listed are all wrong by the way.

 

[Wingnut330]

Key Features is probably the wrong terminology. I should have said Key Differences.

They didn't sell me the Canon, they were making a sale either way. There were 2 gentlemen helping me - one a Canon shooter and one a Nikon shooter. They both thought that at my price range the Canon was a better camera. They both agreed that if I were to upgrade or spend $1,000+ that I would be better off to get a Nikon as the upper ends of the line is better than Canon.

As for their commission (if they even earn one), they actually lost money because I only bought the Canon kit and told them if I were to buy the Nikon I was also going to buy the 18-200mm AF-S VR lense for another $700. So, they could have doubled their money if they sold me the Nikon.

It's a shop I trust and a place I have bought numerous cameras, but I appreciate your cyinicism nonetheless and can see where your monicker comes from.

 

[marclapierre13]

Congrats on your new cam.

 

[Wingnut330]

Well, here it is - my first picture. This was taken with my new camera ,directly out of the box at about 10PM last night. It's a shot of my new 52" Sony Bravia LCD / Mac Mini combo. I still have some wiring work to do, but it looks great so far. My plan is to hide everything in the new console, I just haven't gotten up the nerve to cut into it yet!

 

[pdxflint]

Well, here it is - my first picture. This was taken with my new camera ,directly out of the box at about 10PM last night. It's a shot of my new 52" Sony Bravia LCD / Mac Mini combo. I still have some wiring work to do, but it looks great so far. My plan is to hide everything in the new console, I just haven't gotten up the nerve to cut into it yet!

Wow! Nice toys! Enjoy your new camera. I've used Canons for years (all film cameras) and they will give you years of great production. I also have a Nikon D50 (my first Nikon) because when I bought it, it was the least expensive camera kit (dSLR) available at the time, and I was impressed with its build quality compared with the "Rebel" line from Canon. But, the entry level Canons have a faster autofocus than the entry level Nikons, hands down. Image quality is comparable, lens systems both have lots to offer. You will be happy, I'm sure. Just wondering if you can keep the camera out of your wife's hands...

 

[Eauboy]

Congrats, and enjoy. And take lots of pix.

 

[epicwelshman]

Congrats on your purchase.

I think people put too much energy into the Nikon vs. Canon etc. debate. They're both as good as each other, really. The camera is just the tool that the artist uses. A Canon won't take better photos than a Nikon, and a Nikon won't take better photos than an Olympus.

Enjoy your Canon, I'm sure you'll love it.

 

[Wingnut330]

I think people put too much energy into the Nikon vs. Canon etc. debate. They're both as good as each other, really. The camera is just the tool that the artist uses. A Canon won't take better photos than a Nikon, and a Nikon won't take better photos than an Olympus.

I couldn't agree more. I find that I get in 'analysis paralysis' mode when making purchases. You should have seen my trying to decide on a TV - MUCH worse! At the end of the day, I love the TV and the comparisons to others in the store don't matter because you having nothing to compare it with once you get it home.

It's the same with this camera. I have it now. I love it now. I have taken 100 or so pictures already. I am taking pictures that I never tried to take in the past and have more flexibilty than I had with my P&S cameras. My wife is taking tons of pictures and our family is having a blast with it. We're taking more frequent, higher quality pictures and having fun doing it. At the end of the day, THAT's what it's all about! Not name plate etc.

 

[JNB]

Good for you! First thing to learn is to move the mode selector from the little green square to "P", so that horrid little flash doesn't come into play.

Those online Canon tutorials (if you're speaking of the ones from the Canon website) are really a great introduction, if you've the patience to sit through them all. I suggest you watch a couple, and immediately go out and practice what you've just learned, and keep building on that. Also, use the same basic subject area over & over (not to exclude other stuff, natch) as you learn, and compare those early shots with later ones to gauge your progress.

 

[martinmartin]

I have the same camera. Keep an eye out for a bit of underexposure (especially in Auto mode). This is my only gripe with the camera thus far...

Enjoy

 

[saltyzoo]

Congrats on your purchase.

I think people put too much energy into the Nikon vs. Canon etc. debate. They're both as good as each other, really. The camera is just the tool that the artist uses. A Canon won't take better photos than a Nikon, and a Nikon won't take better photos than an Olympus.

Enjoy your Canon, I'm sure you'll love it.

QFT

Personally, I took back my Canon after one shoot with it. I despised just about everything about it.

What matters is if you are comfortable with it. It's just a tool.

 

[darfel]

Congrats on you DSLR. Use it and have fun.

 

[Andrew D.]

I personally went with the Nikon D40 and don't regret it all. Both cameras are great as it is, it really does come down to personal opinion and if it feels right in the hands, haha. I hope you enjoy your camera just as much as I am enjoying mine!

 

[Wingnut330]

Yea - I am. It's been great so far. Very easy to use and it takes great shots for me. I'm a casual shooter and this may likely be the fanciest camera I ever own. I'm not a serious photographer - just having fun. The pictures seem very good for us and we are having fun with it.

A couple of nights ago my wife said 'wow the sunset looks really nice'. So I ran outside to snap a few pictures. I was out there for about 1 min when a flock of geese flew over in a V in the pink sunsetting sky. It was awesome! It made my hair stand up. I'll have to post one of the shots. They didn't come out great and I have no editing software, but they still look ok.

 

[rogersmj]

I personally went with the Nikon D40 and don't regret it all. Both cameras are great as it is, it really does come down to personal opinion and if it feels right in the hands, haha. I hope you enjoy your camera just as much as I am enjoying mine!

Me too! It came down to the XTi or the D40, and I just bought my D40 on Monday night. Felt great when I held it. Got a great deal on it too.

Yea - I am. It's been great so far. Very easy to use and it takes great shots for me. I'm a casual shooter and this may likely be the fanciest camera I ever own. I'm not a serious photographer - just having fun. The pictures seem very good for us and we are having fun with it.

I'm the same way. I'm trying to learn a little bit about photography but I'll never be anything more than a casual shooter. I'm enjoying mine a lot but I haven't had the opportunity to go outside with it yet -- it's been raining here for two days!

Be sure to post some of those cool pics you took of the sunset.