Digital Still SLR Camera Choice???

[Deep C]

Ok, digital snap shot cameras replaced after multiple drownings... Took Box's advice and picked up a sony trv280... Have a sony device to take Analog tapes and turn into digital dvd...
Now, there was a time I was absolute death with a slr camera... Its closing in on getting back into that. One with a simple zoom and manual focus... One that when I push the button, IT TAKES THE PICTURE RIGHT THEN! Multiple shots if necessary... None of this delay crap.
Keep in mind as I ask for your selections that I am indeed Deep Cheap... Money is an object...

[Glenn W]

Nikon just introduced the D40 SLR---- made for idiots like us. It's retailing for $599 w. a 18-55mm lens, but for the same price you can get the D50 (same as Arkster has).
It's amasing how much digital SLR's have come down in price and also how fantastic their resoultion have become.
The Nikon "D" series and Canon SLR's have virtually all of the low end hobbiest market share, I'm told.

If it sounds like I know what I'm talking about, be forewarned--- I don't know squat. But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night and have been researching them, as I am also in the market for a Digital SLR.

I was hoping Nikon would introduce a scaled down D80 this year ( a bazillion pixels), but it didn't happen. I'm going to get a D50. I hope I can also find the very hard to find 18mm - 200- mm lens soon. ( at a fair price)

[Bite Me]

I hope Mr Pino jumps in here. He has that SLR camera thing goin on. Probably some good buys on first generation stuff right now at the Best Buys for the holiday thing.
I don't know Deep. That girly picture seemed to come out alright.

[Finesse]

Here is one of many sites that you can review and compare different brands.

http://www.dpreview.com/

Canon loyalists love their cameras .... as do the Nikon folks. Nikon does have some great lenses.
As for which one ..... Chevy vs Ford ... Shimano vs Penn

Each has good points and weak ones too. Got to get one in your hands to see how it feels .... I picked up a Canon EOS 350 and it just didnt feel right. Yet its a popular camera ( great pictures and $ 700)

They all take good pictures, alot depends on who's taking the photos. Plus more than one person has told me to spend the money on the glass. Some folks have said to skip the " kit " lens, however gets you snappin pictures for not alot of money.

[Squidnation]

I use the D50 which came with the 18-55 lense. I later purchased the 55-200 lense. I would much prefer to have the 18-200 lense that Glenn is talking about. I find myself changing lenses in mid-fish. Here are the pluses to the
D50 and this is coming from someone who hasn't read the book yet.

High resolution pics which mean I can crop down somewhat to get a decent pic from a far away fish. I think it is 6.1 mega pixels.

3 frames per second on the speed setting

manual and auto focus setting. Funny thing but as I learn to use it more I tend to go with the manual setting. Especially in low light conditions.

The down side is that I do lose some resolution when cropping way down. The new D80 will cure that somewhat. it has 10.1 mega pixels.

Eventhough it is 3 frames per second I still seem to lose quite a few acrobatic shots. The new D80 shoot 5 frames per second from what I understand.

The D80 will also have a large screen on the camera.

D50 - $599
D80 - $900-1100

If you buy either I would buy without the lense and buy one seperatly. Try to find the 18-200.

[Double D]

Ok, just to add some confusion... I have been looking as well and have a couple ignorant questions..

Why is the Nikon D80 twice the price of a Canon XTi? The specs seem similiar

Has anybody dealt with this outfit? The prices seem good, but almost too good

http://www.bestpricecameras.com/prod...3741&up=713225

http://www.bestpricecameras.com/prod...6522&up=679296

[flatbottom]

DD I tink the Nikon 18-200 mm F/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF DX VR Lens is priced @ $$750,00 all by it self

[Squidnation]

DD - Keep all this in mind when you are snapping away. Don't drop that sucker overboard next week

[Double D]

DD - Keep all this in mind when you are snapping away. Don't drop that sucker overboard next week

The odds go way up if you have me swapping lenses

[Sterling]

Spent too many hours doing the research on which one and where to buy. I ended up getting the Canon 30D withg 17-85 and 70-300 lenses. She does 5 pics a sec and I've been amazed at the quality (and yes, it's the camera not me). Very happy with this purchase...although it was a budget breaker after adding in the lenses.

One major thing I read, as a consumer alert, is to be very careful of the places with prices too good to be true. There are 5 or so places on the Net that advertise prices that are a good step below everyone else. I did some research and found a lot of consumer complaints that included non-delivery, hidden charges, and identified several of these sites as belonging to the same company.

As a side note, I purchased mine through Amazon.com's main store which I found to be a good, reputable place with competitive prices and price comparisons. Marketsitelive.com has links to that, as well as their auction and outlet stores.

As far as which one to pick, I would stick with Canon or Nikon as they both have great reputations and your investment in lenses may have a better future there. As you probably know, the lenses are what really get you, and from what I have seen can be more important than the body. Canon's Rebel xti is in the 7-800 range and was my leading choice in that price range.