Sony or Canon SLR? [Archive] - Kiwi Biker forums

Darkman

17th January 2007, 19:12

Dafe

17th January 2007, 19:23

Personally dude, I'd get the Nikon D80.

Conincidently, I'm getting a price of Pex for one at present.

But of the two listed, I'd go the Canon for sure.

Darkman

17th January 2007, 19:26

]Personally dude, I'd get the Nikon D80.

Why????

They are about $2k5 with one lens only 18-135mm and only 6megapixel.

wilber

17th January 2007, 19:28

Keep a look out the canon 8mp 350d still some available ,some good deals going as wont be around long only as stocks last ,been superseded by the 10mp 400d ,most shops I have spoken to will do a twin lens kit .

Dafe

17th January 2007, 19:31

The Nikon D80m is 10.2 Mega Pixel.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond80/

It's quality is fantastic. The defence force photographers have tested the 10MP range of cameras and their findings are all supporting the Nikon, coincidently with a better lens than the standard one offered.
The standard Canon lenses are also shit!

ZorsT

17th January 2007, 19:41

When it comes to SLRs, I quite like the look of the Gewehr 43, but each to their own

Dafe

17th January 2007, 19:43

When it comes to SLRs, I quite like the look of the Gewehr 43, but each to their own

Nah mate - I'd take a PSG-1 over that, any day!

ZorsT

17th January 2007, 19:45

8.1kg is a wee bit heavy for a camera, don't you think?

Darkman

17th January 2007, 19:46

I don't really care if the on will last 10 years and the other 20 cause i will most probably only keep it for about 2 years max.

Dafe

17th January 2007, 19:50

8.1kg is a wee bit heavy for a camera, don't you think?

GSG-9 don't think so.

ZorsT

17th January 2007, 19:54

I suppose the optical zoom more than makes up for it.

Darkman

17th January 2007, 19:56

Sorry man, I forgot build quality don't mean shit.

Buy the Sony!

or have you checked whether transonic are selling any 10mp cameras?

I had my sony for two years and still the same condition as when i bought it..so don't really know what you are on about.

Dafe

17th January 2007, 20:09

Sony TV vs Grundig TV. Same thing - Onions.

All the onions grow better on the western hills.

wilber

17th January 2007, 20:18

The_Dover

17th January 2007, 20:18

i'd buy the cheapest one and spend the difference on piss

Dafe

17th January 2007, 20:20

yes the 20d is a very good camera but I dont see spending 3grand or so for the odd weekend use worth while when a $1500 camera will do ,and comes down to the $$$$ , I found 20d to big for my liking where the 350/400d yes lighter and smaller the 20d's the next level up again.

$3000????

I brought a 20D brand new less than a year ago for $2,100 from Harvey Normans.
I didn't get extra lenses though coz my standard SLR had the transferrable good quality ultrasonic lenses.

Kendog

17th January 2007, 20:24

Be wary of the Canon 350D.
The build quality is crap. That is why I purchased a Canon 20D instead.
Try holding the 350D body and then the 20D body afterward.
You'll notice the 20D is virtually twice as heavy. In SLR photography - Quality weighs more.
Realistically, the 20D has nearly double the expected lifetime as the 350D.

However, I've not held or compared a 400D yet.

The 350D still takes good photos and right now is a bargain (end of series prices)

Pretty big price difference up to the 20D, but certainly the 20D is a better camera.

The kit lenses for the 350D and 400D are a bit crappy, but if just getting into the DSLR world are good for learning. Using these for a while will give you a good idea what lens ranges you want to use if/when purchasing new lenses.
The good thinking about investing in quality lenses is they can be used on upgraded cameras when the time comes.

I have found the optional battery grip has made a world of difference to the camera. It fits is the hand perfectly now where previously my little finger was hanging off the bottom and feels better balanced.

I still have much to learn about DSLR photography but sure do enjoy taking pictures of bikes, my favorite road and track pictures are below.

Oh, and in case my biased discussion above has not given it away my vote is for the Cannon :yes:

Darkman

17th January 2007, 20:25

Sony TV vs Grundig TV. Same thing - Onions.

All the onions grow better on the western hills.

well thanks for your expert advice Dave. You said earlier that the 20D is about double the weight of the 350d so making it way better in quality and saying that the 350 was bad quality. You also said that the Nikon is better than the lot, but it only weighs about 45 grams more than the 350d..so now i'm confused.I guess i will go for the Nikon but will ask for the one with the lead body.
Whats the view like on your grundic tv mate? Must be real nice I bet.

The_Dover

17th January 2007, 20:28

anyone would think you guys were David fuckin Bailey or something.

isn't this like debating the difference between litre sports bikes when you ride like JSG?

Darkman

17th January 2007, 20:29

The 350D still takes good photos and right now is a bargain (end of series prices)

Pretty big price difference up to the 20D, but certainly the 20D is a better camera.

The kit lenses for the 350D and 400D are a bit crappy, but if just getting into the DSLR world are good for learning. Using these for a while will give you a good idea what lens ranges you want to use if/when purchasing new lenses.
The good thinking about investing in quality lenses is they can be used on upgraded cameras when the time comes.

I have found the optional battery grip has made a world of difference to the camera. It fits is the hand perfectly now where previously my little finger was hanging off the bottom and feels better balanced.

I still have much to learn about DSLR photography but sure do enjoy taking pictures of bikes, my favorite road and track pictures are below.

Oh, and in case my biased discussion above has not given it away my vote is for the Cannon :yes:

thanks Kendog..that is the sort of opinion that i am after.

Dafe

17th January 2007, 20:37

well thanks for your expert advice Dave. You said earlier that the 20D is about double the weight of the 350d so making it way better in quality and saying that the 350 was bad quality. You also said that the Nikon is better than the lot, but it only weighs about 45 grams more than the 350d..so now i'm confused.I guess i will go for the Nikon but will ask for the one with the lead body.
Whats the view like on your grundic tv mate? Must be real nice I bet.

Sorry bro, I ain't a expert. I don't have a Grundig TV and a "virtually" doesn't equal a "definate".

But as I pointed out from the start - Take the Canon.

I'd ask Jimbo600 too. He's bound to have a better idea than most here, he is an expert! Don't forget, Pex can obtain cameras cheaper than most shops. (Dodgy bugger) He should also have my price for the D80 by now. I'll PM it to you FYI. Coz I'm a cunt!

skelstar

17th January 2007, 20:47

If Skunk were here he'd post this:

:corn:

go skunk!

tide

17th January 2007, 21:34

Personally I'd go for the Nikon D80, I have the D50 and it is an awesome camera...

Out of the two listed I'd go for the Cannon... I've had mates that have used the 300 and the 350 and been very impressed. Cannon are also very aggressive in the entry/mid level market.

The Sony (rebranned Minolta) has Image stabilization but I don't know how good it is, a mate at work has one but his camera has been in the shop twice as it stopped recognising the lens... rather frustrating when you out taking pictures in the middle of nowhere...

have a look at the following site... http://www.stevesdigicams.com
the reviews are very good and unbiased.

Dafe

17th January 2007, 21:47

Heres an in-depth review of the Sony A100 Vs Canon 400D Vs Nikon 80D.

The same one I referred to when deciding which camera to buy.

http://www.cameralabs.com/features/10Megapixel_DSLR_test/index.shtml

Skunk

17th January 2007, 21:52

If Skunk were here he'd post this:
:corn:
go skunk!
Skunks here and he says take the 400D out of those two choices. The lens on the Canon ain't great, but the lens you replace them with will fit your next camera anyway.

I got the Canon 20D as I wanted the alloy body, not a plastic one. The 20D is also larger which suited me better. A friend has the Nikon D70 and it came with a better lens but it's not one he uses for his style of photography. Also a good camera.

:corn:

Darkman

17th January 2007, 22:09

mm..cheers for all the advice. i think I might flag the idea of buying a kit and just buy a body and a good lens.so lets start again..what is a good lens for under a grand if there is such a thing?

Beemer

17th January 2007, 23:00

I've got a Nikon D200 - damned good camera and 10 megapixels. They are bringing out a new digital camera in the near future, think it is something between the D80 and the D200, so it may be wise to wait. The Canon 350D got great reviews and takes excellent shots, but the build quality of the camera isn't that great. The 5D had the build quality but it's even dearer than the D200. Depends on what you want to do really, if you don't need the greatest build quality, a D70 or similar would do you fine. As for dust, I've never had a problem, although if I got back into rallying photography, I'd probably avoid changing lens in dusty conditions.

awesker

17th January 2007, 23:14

Go canon mate! Love those cameras, software, lenses and build quality are just awesome for the price!

Kendog

18th January 2007, 05:35

mm..cheers for all the advice. i think I might flag the idea of buying a kit and just buy a body and a good lens.so lets start again..what is a good lens for under a grand if there is such a thing?

Have a look here (http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-70-200mm-f-4.0-L-USM-Lens-Review.aspx) for plenty of canon lenses reviewed.

idleidolidyll

18th January 2007, 06:07

I have just sold my old Sony digital camera and am on the hunt for a new SLR. There are two that I am interested in but just can’t decide on. Was wondering if anyone here has experience with either of the two and that would be able to give me some input. Basically I am looking for something that is easy to use and takes good quality pictures of motorcycles at speed..like on trackdays and racing. The reason I am looking at these two is that they come standard with two lenses..a 18-70mm and 75-300mm.Also looked at the Canon EOS30D but that looks more of a professional camera and is only 8Mpix where the other two are 10.How big of an issue is the dust getting on the ccd..some people act like you have to change lenses in a vacuum in order not to stuff it.
If there is something better than these two in the same sort of price range ‘I’ll be keen to know. Links;
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydslra100/

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos400d/

Darkman, I am a photographer and I'd always choose between Canon and Nikon.
To start with the difference between 8MP and 10MP is tiny. Lets compare the new Canon 400 with the older 350. Printing at full resolution on both, the 10MP camera will only give an image that is 432x288 pixels bigger. That's about 3cmx2.4cm more.
As a pro photographer, I don't see any point trading up to get that slight an advantage.
Both the Canons use the same CMOS chip as their much more expensive big brothers and effectively the price difference between these and their 'pro' big brother (30D), is not down to quality of photos, it's down to extra features and speed. With the same lens, you'll not be able to tell the difference.
The new Sony DSLR looks good on paper and I'm sure it would do a fine job. However, I have to wonder about the extra equipment available and whether it's up to the support standards of the Canons and Nikons. I wouldn't take the risk as a pro. I'd wait for the 2nd or 3rd generation and listen to customer feedback first.
Frankly, If I was you, I'd look for a good used Nikon or Canon , something like a Canon 350D or Nikon D70. Spend the extra money on a better quality lens andyou'll get better quality photos.

For race shooting something like an 18-200 lens would give you pretty much all the focal length you need. On the D70 and EOS350 that would be equivalent to 28-300mm on a 35mm camera. Don't worry too much about getting an f2.8 lens, the f3.5-5.6 aperature will bu just fine at 400ASA and you'll save lots of money.

Spend a few extra bucks on a dedicated speedlight though. There's nothing like a good flash mated to the right body.

Hope this all helps

good luck

What?

18th January 2007, 06:17

Topical subject. I am thinking similar thoughts, but tossing up between Canon and Nikon (Prob D50).
Reading reviews is an interesting and confusing pasttime. Generally, the Nikon D50 is rated slightly better than the EOS350/400 as far as I can make out, and the D80 comes out far superior (albeit at a price)
One thing that worries me a little is that the NZ Canon distributors do not have a good reputation for service or support - I've even had a few dealers tell me that - whereas the Nikon people are rated reasonably highly.

Beemer

18th January 2007, 10:39

We used Canon digital cameras at work (I worked on a daily paper as a photographer) and I found the cameras took great shots, but I was used to Nikon so they never felt instinctive to use. As for service, can't really say, but I did email Canon about a year ago to ask about the 5D and I'm still waiting for a response! Whereas with Nikon, my emails get answered usually the same day.

Both Canon and Nikon make good cameras, but price is a factor in the quality. The lenses are the same (unless you go for really expensive, wide aperture pro lenses) but the camera build quality varies significantly. I had a Nikon F301 many years ago and upgraded it to the F90X when I got into rallying photography in a big way. I wrecked two of them in six months (one was a loan camera while mine was being repaired!) because the latching mechanism to close the camera got filled with dust. I ended up upgrading again to the F5 and I've never had any problems with that.

I was seriously considering the 350D from the reviews it got, but as soon as I picked it up, I knew it wasn't the camera for me - it felt really cheap and not very durable. I did like the 5D but as I had Nikon lenses and a flash unit (although I upgraded the flash and bought an 18-200 digital lens), it would have meant buying a whole new kit, which is why I went for the D200. Its layout is very similar to the F5 and it is quite a rugged camera. The lens is okay, but if you are photographing objects close to the ground (like flowers or similar), the zoom does slide a bit. And the best thing, the new flash can still be used on the F5, and the remote control I have for the F5 fits the D200, as do all the lenses I already have.

Kendog

18th January 2007, 16:20

Spend a few extra bucks on a dedicated speedlight though. There's nothing like a good flash mated to the right body.

Would the flash make a difference taking track photos?

The_Dover

18th January 2007, 16:22

Would the flash make a difference taking track photos?

only if it was dark.

Kendog

18th January 2007, 16:25

only if it was dark.

blindingly obvious really :pinch:

beyond

18th January 2007, 16:56

Nikon D80 by miles mate.

Megapixels aren't everything either. How the camera calculates it's information with the brain is far more important for good all around images.

NIKON!!!!

Street Gerbil

18th January 2007, 20:04

I have a Canon 20D w/ 17-85IS and I can't stop drooling over it.
Anyhow, whatever you buy, invest some money in a decent polarsing filter (and don't forget to tune it). The difference is breathtaking.

idleidolidyll

18th January 2007, 21:45

Would the flash make a difference taking track photos?

yes it would, it would help by providing a fill light and help to stop the action

What?

22nd January 2007, 06:22

Nikon D80 by miles mate.

Agree, but it's a substantially bigger investment than I can justify.
Right now, it's looking about 90% likely to be a D50 (funny that the replacement model seems to be a lower spec??).

Krusti

25th January 2007, 19:28

Just bought me a Canon 400D, came with a 18-55 lens and a 90-300 plus a 2gb card.

Is replacing my G1.

Stupid part is that it is way cheaper than my G1 was a few years ago. Progress eh?

Will see how it goes.......all we need now is to win the mx5 we went into the draw for.

What?

26th January 2007, 06:09

anyone would think you guys were David fuckin Bailey or something.

Please ask The Dover to fuck off. Most of the KB guys are much better photographers than me.

:Punk: :lol: :dodge: