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I’ve been wanting a Digital SLR camera for a long time, and since Mr. Bee and I are going to Costa Rica, I think it’s finally about time to purchase one. I’m a picture freak and there’ll be too many gorgeous photo opportunities there to pass up!
The two cameras I’m considering are the Canon Digital Rebel XTi:
or the Nikon D80 (body only)
I’m going to purchase a lens other than the one the camera comes with. Photography is definitely going to be a lifelong passion, so I want to learn how to do it right. (I recently bought a great book called Understanding Exposure that helps you understand aperture, shutter speeds, ISO, and more. It has beautiful photography and great tips for taking pictures with film and DSLR cameras. Highly recommended!)
I like the Nikon better, but if I upgrade to another camera in the future, it’ll most likely be a Canon. And any lenses I buy now, I can use on future cameras of the same brand name.
Those of you who are more knowledgable about DSLR’s, I could really use your advice. Which do you think I should go with - the Canon or the Nikon?
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There is some great info in this recent thread http://talk.theknot.com/boards/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=22060944
Have fun! I’m very jealous and can’t wait to see some fab pics!
i vote Canon (but i’m a canon fan so i might be biased)
that model is light weight and REALLY durable (my sis has dropped her countless times and never once had an issue)
versitility of lenses if you are going to upgrade.
easy to deal with customer service (i’ve had 2 of my other cameras serviced by canon and never had an issue)
would also recommend the book How To See
http://www.dwr.com/productdetail.cfm?id=4755
oh and while your at it sign up for http://www.photojojo.com/ newsletter. Amit is awesome and his newsletter is great.
I don’t have anything negative to say about Nikon, but I’ve been a huge fan of Canons for years (long before I had a digital camera). In addition to our point and shoots (mine - a canon), my FI has the canon digital rebel and I have the canon eos 20d and we could not ask for more in terms of photo quality, functionality and ease of use. I would definitely recommend these cameras. Let me know if you want to see sample pics.
When traveling to different places you want a light camera. I used to have an old Nikon digital camera and it was are pretty bulky and heavy. That is why I got rid of it. I heard that Canon SLR cameras are better because they are lighter and easier to carry. I always wanted an SLR camera too hopefully some day I will own one.
I’m struggling with the same decision! I want to buy one for my fiance so that he can learn to use it before our honeymoon… I’ve heard great things about both. I think I’m leaning towards the Canon simply because I have always loved their digital cams in the past. I believe the Nikon is “ranked” higher in terms of overall photo quality, ease of use, etc… but either one would be a great choice.
You can check out dpreview.com for more in depth reviews too.
My FI is a huge camera freak/nerd (I think it is his Japanese half coming out in him 
and before our last trip we just purchased the Nikon D50.
He absolutely loves it. It has taken incredible pictures and the FI has already bought a few lenses for it.
He got it for a good deal since Nikon is no longer making them and moving on to the D80.
If you were interested.
I saw a D50 on Overstock for only $400 bucks. We bought ours from Best Buy though because I don’t think Overstock had them at the time (it is the body only but it looks like that is what you are looking for any way).
I can tell you the FI spent many hours debating cameras and reading thousands of reviews and this is the one he picked.
overstock link
http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PROFRAME&PROD_ID=1879162
So I vote for the Nikon.
That Canon one is the one I’m planning to get my fiance! Either for his bday gift, or wedding gift. But I’ve heard the separate (good) lens alone is about a $1000! Yiiiiikes! I can’t buy him the camera and expect him to buy the lens. So I’m saving up accordingly. Thx for the link to Amazon.
Karen Russell (a designer for Creative Imaginations scrapbook line/well known scrapbooker and photographer) just did a huge post on her blog about Canons…I thought it was VERY helpful:
http://karenrussell.typepad.com/my_lifejust_not_on_the_ro/2007/01/camera_and_lens.html#comments
The rest of her blog has great photography tips/recommendations. Hope that helps! 
You’re brave asking this question. In my experience with digital cameras, everyone has a favorite brand they swear by. It’s like the Ford vs Chevy debate. I think either will serve you well. I recommend laying your hands on both and playing with the features and set-up. One is bound to feel more comfortable for you.
Go with the Canon (for above mentioned reasons like portability, ease of use, etc), but take this advice as you wish:
I would actually buy the 20D, not the Rebel. The Rebel has a really small viewfinder while the 20D has a huge one - may seem minor but it makes taking photos so much more fun. It also doesn’t have features that you can grow into as much as the 20D does. If you are going to fork out that kind of cash, you may as well buy something that you aren’t going to bore of quickly. All the bells and whistles of usually fancy SLRs aren’t something I’m that into on my film camera, but I find that with my digital I have to start using them to make the photos turn out as fabulous as I’d like them to be.
Mind you, I’m a 20D user, so I’m probably very very biased!
Whatever you do, start playing around with it a lot before you leave. I was shocked at how different it was than my film SLR. The second to last time I was in Paris I took my film camera and got rolls and rolls of great shots. This time I took my 20D, and it was a rough transition. I think I only had one or two pictures that were worth framing. You wouldn’t want your honeymoon photos to be less than perfect!
Good luck and can’t wait to see your pics!
my BEST advice on picking a SLR…..
HOLD IT! see which one is most comfy. the Nikon and Canon have similar features, but get the one that is more comfortable to hold.
I have that exact canon rebel! It’s fantastic, you can check my xanga to see the shots I’ve taken with that beauty — I say Canon all the way! Plus, the newer model is smaller, lighter and honestly — girlier. I have the older, hunkier model =( So enjoy that smaller Canon rebel while you can!
My vote definitely goes for the Canon. In my experience, I have found that Canons tend to be more user-friendly than Nikons, a good thing to keep in mind since this is your first DSLR. Also, like others have said, the Canon is much lighter than the Nikon, making it a much better option for travel and basic comfort.
the age old debate. i started with the nikon d200, and now i’m using the canon 5d and 30d. both cameras are great. i loved my nikon, and that is why i kept it even though i switched to mainly canon gears. the nikon was very fast, and i really like the nikon lens. the AF was, again, very fast. a lot faster than canon lens. canon lenses are more expensive too. however, i only switched to canon b/c i wanted the 5d, which is a FF camera. canon is lighter in body, but feels cheaper to the touch compare to nikon.
(take a breath)
in conclusion, both cameras are great. can’t go wrong with either.
moderngirl… the 5d is what i really want, but it’s just way out of my price range.
This might be of use to you although it’s mainly about slrs. There’s a section about dslrs also. http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/
I just got the Nikon D80 from Mr Apple last Christmas and I love it love it. The camera is bulky and heavy but the picture quality is awesome. I try not to take it with me since I am afraid it will get lost or dropped so I bring my canon p&shoot everywhere I go. He got the nikon camera plus lens so it was a little pricey but worth it. I don’t know how much the Canon Slr’s are.
But from my experience thus far with the Nikon, I am loving it. After the wedding, I def plan to read up on photography and use it to its max potential.
I’ve got the Rebel and I think it is great. I’m sure there are many, many, many great photography supply stores in your neck of the woods (we have Samy’s camera in LA) so it would not hurt to go and ask the employees lots of questions.
Both Nikon and Canon are great. From what I’ve learned, Nikons have better wide angle lenses and faster. Canons have better telephoto lenses and richer color.
I have Canon so… The Canon 5D is great with its full frame, but it is rather expensive for me, so I’d recommend a 30D. You might want to wait a couple of months coz Canon usually comes up with new models around March. You can either choose to get the newer model or the older model for a cheaper price.
I definitely recommend visiting dpreview.com.
Have fun in Costa Rica! We’re also planning to go there so I can’t wait when you come back and see your photos and read your review!
When are u leaving for Costa Rica? I heard the new Canon 40D might be coming out in a month? That is something to consider. Although I’m more of a Canon fan, I say go for the D80 if price is not a big concern. Imho, the D80 is better than the rebel.
If you want GREAT un-biased reviews of ANY camera, check out http://www.steves-digicams.com This site has been soooo extremely helpful for me!
Here is another site. One of my friends have this camera and she loves it, only thing is, you would need another flash.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/canon_eos20d.asp
I’m so excited for you! This will be a great investment =) I prefer Canon. It’s lighter to carry esp when you’re on vacation. It’s user-friendly and it has the biggest range of autofocus lenses that are affordable unlike Nikon. I think it’s a better camera to start off… you can always upgrade when you become a pro =) Good luck!
Enjoy your new camera! I purchased a Nikon D50 at Christmas and enrolled in a photography class at the local CC and have been having a great time. The guy at Wolf Camera recommended a Nikon over a Cannon and said that he was in the process of selling his Cannon and buying a D80. He thinks that the Nikon lenses are superior to Cannon’s and that Nikon is, overall, less expensive. I’m sure either camera will be great!
Both are good cameras. Nikon is known to be better with lens and images oftely come out more naturaly; Cannon is user friendly and richer picture. However, I think you should compare these two cameras on http://www.cnet.com, and see what other users write about the cameras.
I’m struggling with the same decision but I am a Nikon fan but overall, I want what is best fo rmy buck - reasonably priced but good product. :o)
i love my canon rebel xt! i wish i got the xti but it wasn’t out when i got mine. my buddy is a semi-pro photographer and he told me the rebel would be a great camera for someone like me…a beginner who wants to learn to take great photos and keep up with it forever. =) i love photography!
I had the Rebel XT, but later got the XTi when it came out and I love both of them. Some of my friends have Nikon and they like it, but it’s kinda like mac and pc users. When you like one, it’s hard to use the other one. Personaly, I am a Canon person. I have a NIkon point and shoot and it’s a lot harder to set settings according to my atmosphere where as my Canon has everything i need. I would def go Canon.
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Mrs. Bee, New York
Age and Occupation: 29, Weddingbee Publisher
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Internet
Engagement Date: May 7, 2004
Wedding Date: March 5, 2005
Venue: Westside Loft, New York
About Me: Yes, my name really is Bee! I love my blogging, wikis, and tabasco sauce!
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