Canon Digital Rebel VS Nikon 50D

[Jasbeanie]

okay no cat fights.... i understand there are canon and nikon camps and both will say they are superior over the other but i need some tips.. this is an old debate i know .. but the beanie is slow.. im just thinking of upgrading my cam soon to a DSLR and looking at this 2 cams.

I like the canon coz of its size and i've heard lots of good things abt it. but im also drawn to nikon for other reasons.

so im torn.

any insights?

[Lauren]

This is pasted directly from Bob Atkin's review of the D50 (http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/nikon_D50_review.html)...

Which is better? Well, tests have shown that the 8MP Canon 350D gives sharper and more detailed images than the 6MP Nikon D50, which isn't very surprising givwn that it has 33% more pixels. The D50 noise level is pretty low, as good as that of the 350D, possibly even lower. While the frame rate of the D50 is slightly slower than that of the Rebel XT (2.5fps vs. 3 fps) it can store a few more images in the buffer(16 JPEGs vs 14 JPEGs). The Rebel XT has mirror lockup, which the D50 lacks, but the D50 has a 1/500s sync speed, while the Rebel XT only syncs up to 1/200s.

The Nikon D50 is about $175 cheaper though, at around $525 for the body. The Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D) is close to $700. The Nikon D50 is certainly a very capable camera at a very good price. It's also available with the Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX lens for around $650

Note that when choosing between cameras you really have to look at the whole system of cameras, lenses, flashes and accessories. New model camera bodies come and go (typically in 18-24 months for DSLRs), but you'll probably keep your lenses for a long time. If you already own Nikon gear, most of the time it will make more sense to stick with Nikon. If you already own Canon gear, most of the time it makes sense to stick with Canon. If you own neither, look carefully at what lenses are available and what features you need and look at relative pricing.

Camera choice also depends on how serious you are about photography. If you intend to evetually end up with a lot of expensive lenses and more advanced bodies, which system you buy into should be a careful and studied decision. If you just want a convenient, low cost, DSLR with a couple of lenses (maybe an 18-55 and a 55-200), then the choice of system doesn't matter so much and you can pick on features of the individual camera.I personally have read a LOT of reports that say that the Canon noise is a lot better than Nikon, but I also trust Bob's opinion and Phil (link below) seems to confirm this, so now I'm not sure. Although, most comparisons were between the 350D and the D70 and the D50 is supposed to be quite improved over its bigger brother - surprisingly enough!

Here's a direct image comparison (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond50/page23.asp) by Phil at dpreview. Although he is using a more expensive lens on the 350D - it would have been a fairer comparison to use the Canon 50mm 1.8 instead of the 1.4, but from every review I've read, the image quality out of those two lenses are quite similar, especially when it comes to sharpness which appears to be the main difference between the cams.

But I agree with his bottom line, either is a good camera - I would go to a store that has both, see which one you like the feel of most. I also strongly agree to look at the lens line up of both companies - the most common reason I've seen from people switching from Nikon to Canon is because of the wider range (and generally, lower cost) of the Canon lenses. On the other hand, Canon to Nikon switchers tend to prefer the ergonomics of the Nikon bodies. On that note, if you're ever planning on upgrading the body to something more professional, look at the higher model lines and see what you prefer as you go up and up. As an example, there is currently no match for my baby (the 5D) in the Nikon line up. That may not matter to you, but it mattered a lot to me!

BTW, I (and Bob, if it matters) prefer Canon. :)

[Jasbeanie]

hey lauren.. good insight. THANKS!!
i have held both in my hand and actually prefer the Rebel for its feel and weight.. and also coz it has a vertical grip accessory (BY CANON).. i think nikon only is supported by 3rd party ones.

i think D70 wld be a fairer comparison with the Rebel XT but well D70 is kinda huge for me.

very swayed to the canon side now.......

[Lauren]

Go ahead and get the Canon! I've since sold my XT, but I still recommend it to everyone.

But, can you wait 9 days?? Canon are supposed to be making new model announcements on the 24th and everyone is expecting the XT to be replaced since it's nearing the end of it's product cycle life (18 months old). Can't say for sure whether it will happen or the new one will be worth waiting for, but I'd hate for you to kick yourself for not having waited a week if the rumours turn out to be true.

[Jasbeanie]

yep not getting it too soon... so i can wait.. hehehee

[Deb M]

I'm a d50 fan. I have it. I love it, but I think that review is dead on.
If the Canon is better, I haven't noticed it because I take crappy pictures, but the Nikon d50 has just improved my photos tenfold.

I did end up with the d50 because of cost, but I also loved how it felt in my hands. Someday I will probably upgrade to the d70, but for now, I couldn't be happier with my camera. I've had it since Feb and have taken over 3500 pictures with it! (and have only had to charge the battery 5 times, which is awesome!)

Anyway, thought I'd throw in an opinion from a regular Joe. If I had had the means, I probably would have gone with the Canon, but I love my Nikon.

Deb

[mamakimberly]

Make sure you lookie around on ebay for some sweet package deals :)

My package will be arriving tomorrow..... I got the Rebel XT and I got a ton and I do mean a TON of goodies in the package :)

[Cherie Shields]

I think in the end it comes down to personal preference, $$ you have to spend upfront and how serious you are going to be with expanding your collection of gear etc. I went for canon in the end because I've always had canon compact cameras and was lucky enough to have enough $$$ to invest in the basics of a DSLR after my last compact died from overworking. The one thing I didn't tak into consideration is that the bigger the lens length - the heavier it can be *eep* so that takes some getting used to!

[debbie.pearson]

Not to throw a monkey wrench into this, but I just read the full article on the new Sony yesterday and was quite intrigued, particularly given what it was compared to and the fact that the body, not the lens, has an anti-shake sensor for sharp photos. The link below is the condensed version, but might be worth looking into. (I'm a Nikon D70 owner myself, and I find it to be a bit big and awkard at times, even a bit on the heavy side when it has a telephoto lens on it; but I do love the quality of the pictures.)

http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/content/2006/sept/sr_sony.shtml

[Jasbeanie]

i havent heard much good things about the new sony.. i think you also need to buy their memory card .. unlike the universal CF or SD card.

[Lauren]

Not to throw a monkey wrench into this, but I just read the full article on the new Sony yesterday and was quite intrigued, particularly given what it was compared to and the fact that the body, not the lens, has an anti-shake sensor for sharp photos.

Debbie, the pros tend to agree that it is far superior on the lens itself, especially on large telephotos, so it can better adjust for lens movement and not just general camera shake. I've never been that impressed with Sony's anti-shake system on their P&S (I've had three over the past five years and still have one that hubby uses) and while otherwise good cameras, the anti-shake hasn't been worth anything so I'm not expecting wonders out of their dSLR version.

The thought of Zeiss glass without having to use an adapter is the only tempting thing about the Sony for me. I love Zeiss glass, it's why I used their P&S models for as long as I did. Also I know this shouldn't affect the purchase, but I had a look at it in the store the other day (while buying my 5D ;)) and I think the thing is butt ugly!! :lol:

And yes, Sony are famous for locking you in to their expensive proprietary formats.

[debbie.pearson]

Butt ugly, hahahaha. Well I'm glad some of you other ladies had heard a bit about it. I don't like any company that requires me to purchase proprietary (aka expensive) parts that only work on their schtuff. It doesn't matter what the technology is.

Well Jasbeanie, sounds like the Canon is winning out :)

[Hom74]

:D I love your honest reviews :D. I was also gonna PM you to thank you for all the insightful comments/reviews/advice you've given in threads all around.

Also I know this shouldn't affect the purchase, but I had a look at it in the store the other day (while buying my 5D ;)) and I think the thing is butt ugly!! :lol:

And yes, Sony are famous for locking you in to their expensive proprietary formats.