Advice please??

[geiko]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum as I needed some advice before I head to the big city this weekend and possibly make my first ever DSLR purchase!!

I'm from the Gold Coast but currently living in Japan and 3 of the cameras I have been researching etc are around the same price and I just can't decide...

Here are the the 3 cameras:

Pentax K7 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax_K-7
Nikon D90 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_D90
Canon EOS 50D http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_50D

The Canon and Nikon come standard with 18-200mm lens while the Pentax comes standard with 18-50mm...

I can't decide which to get - all 3 of them have their pluses and minuses, and all 3 come out overall about the same according to the various reviews I've read...

Any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

[tommyg]

Hey there Geiko and welcome!

I'd suggest Nikon... but that's because I have Nikon, and am used to the controls

As you will no doubt be told shortly, the best is to go down to the shops and try them out for how they feel in your hands. They all have very different ways to do exactly the same thing.

My girlfrind has the D90, and has been very happy with it, she switched from Canon 350D to the D90, and never looked back (although to be fair... that might also be due to the fact we have some nice lenses vs standard Kit lenses )

With any of the ones you've listed you will find they are all pretty good.

+1 for Nikon from me

[Chica]

Hi and welcome

I cant speak for the Canon or Pentax, but I own a D90 and have been very happy with it. Maybe try physically playing with the 3 cameras and see which feels better in your hands.

[gstark]

Hi and welcome.

The most important thing to consider is, as has already been stated, how each of those bodies feels in your hands. Many prefer the feel of Nikon, an equal number Canon. What feels best, for you, can only be determined after you have a play with each of them, and determine how are the controls placed, what about the weight and balance ... does it feel right?

Pentax is not the manufacturer it used to be, which brings me to the second most important point, the range of glass available. Many of us consider that the camera body should be considered to be a disposable item; as you progress into this hobby you may want to get better quality glass, or glass with different properties for helping you to shoot more specialist images. Both Canon and Nikon have excellent ranges of very high quality glass. Pentax has some nice glass, but their range is not as extensive as it used to be, nor as extensive as that of the others.

Finally, and again as others have said, each of the cameras on your list are excellent. As the Nikon and Canon each come with 18-200mm lenses, that is a way greater and far more versatile selection than the Pentax offering. The Nikon kit lenses are noted as being excellent value for money, generally offering a higher level of image quality than the Canon.

The D90 is an excellent camera, and while it should not disappoint, I would encourage you to try the others and make your own, hands on, judgement.

[aim54x]

I have to admit that I have played with all three, here is what I thought of them

Feel (grip + button placement):
The K7 edged out the D90 in terms of grip with the 50D not far behind, but when you put button placement the Nikon's command dials just fell under my fingers (I am a Nikon user) and the K7 was close, I find the 50D a bit awkward (but this is because the layout is the most different).

Features
K7 wins outright on paper....but neither the D90 nor the 50D are missing anything that would worry me.

Image Quality
This is where people will argue, but I find that the D90 is the most pleasing at higher ISOs, followed by the 50D with the K7 further back. The D90 is better here by a decent margin. On the flipside, it has the fewest pixels (not something I am worried about, but you may be). Shooting in RAW means you can bypass colours and white balance, but the D90 is probably the best for AWB (if you want to use that) and the colours are nice out of all three.

Lenses
I have to admit that I dont like the 18-200mm lenses...if you were going to go with the D90 then I would opt for either the 18-105VR (another standard kit) or the 16-85VR, if you were going with the 50D then I would opt for the 17-85IS, and the Pentax probably the 17-70mm (one of the more expensive options for the K7, but probably a nicer lens).

Get out there and have a play with the three bodies and decide for yourself.

[geiko]

Some fantastic advice and comments so far thankyou very much!!

I've always been a Canon girl (all my previous point-and-shoots have been Canon and they've always taken great shots and been very sturdy, hard-wearing cameras and completely reliable)...

my husband on the other hand has always been a Nikon boy and has the Nikon D40 and it's a great camera (I use it often to practice on etc)...

I've had the chance to have a hold and a play with the Canon and Nikon and like elements of both of them, but the Pentax is not available in the rural area I'm living in so this weekend I'll finally have the chance to see it in person...

Any more suggestions/opinions/recommendations etc that anyone has would be fantastic thanks!

G

[DebT]

Hi I'm a Canon 50D big butt girl (battery pack) really happy but also highly respect the Nikon equivalent ,(sorry other brands not in the same league in my humble opinion), so here's my 20cents from perhaps a differnt perspective

- both will do a sensational job in all situations but think of what you mainly want to focus on and look at the tech specs from that perspective (that will affect your choice of crop factor and fps) and do you want HDR Video (ie canon 7D)
- how it fits - the decision maker for many ..but also think long term - will you want to add the battery pack ? and if so when you 'feel' the camera try it naked and big butt also , even consider renting one for the weekend and trying it out first
- remember you don't need to buy as a kit ,it may be a good option to buy body only and a better than kit lens for just a little more
- Bodies arn't forever, your needs and focus will evolve and technolgy changes quickly - don't discount a good second hand body from a reputable source (some shops provide small warranties) there is a lot of trade up activity with the release of every new model
-Good glass may be for life -investing in the best glass you can afford is a long term investment , know what to aim for what the best lenses are in your brand choice and don't forget 2nd hand also ( just do you research on what to look for)
- don't expect to get it all at once - is one ordinary 'do it all lens' really a good long term investment , be prepared to save and add to your collection over time
- think of you circle of friends - do you have a mate with one brand who is prepared to share knowledge or lend glass ?
- mostly remember that no matter what you choose, read the book, practice and really get to know your camera so you can get off the auto settings and use all the great manual settings that will make your shots better than the ordinary
Have fun
Deb

[colin_12]

If your husband has Nikon gear then you would not have to spend as much on lenses as you could share

As others have said, find what feels right for you.

[tommyg]

If you husband is already using and happy with Nikon, then I would suggest you go with that.

Then, when you buy lenses, accessories etc you can both get them, and he has to pay half of it as well , especially if you are planning on some good lenses as this is where most of the cost will end up being rather than the camera

it was exactly for this reason I converted my other half to the nikon side away from the dark side of Canon

Good luck

[geiko]

Hmmm that's an excellent point... to be honest, I hadn't even thought of lens and equipment sharing but of course that makes perfect sense...

Is there any reason an 18-200mm lens is not a good idea?? Will it compromise the quality of my photos??

The reason I'm considering that lens is that we're going on a 6-8 week backpacking trip around UK and Europe next year and for ease and convenience I was going for an all-in-one lens so that I didnt have to be changing lenses while dealing with my backpack etc as well...

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions so far - very helpful and useful info!

I can't wait to get down to the big city tonight and look at the cameras in person! It's one thing looking at them and researching them on the internet, but quite another to actually hold them in your hands - I cant wait!!!

I'm also impressed by how nice and welcoming you all are!! This is one of the nicer forums I've visited recently!!

[Marvin]

I like my 18-200. It's on my camera a lot of the time. It's not the fastest or sharpest lens I own, but you trade that for convenience. I took it to Europe and all over Canada/USA with me and have been happy with the shots. I have several friends who went out and bought one after trying out mine. It's just so convenient, especially for travel if you don't want to cart several lenses around.

[tommyg]

We've just returned from an 8 week trip around Europe and took 6 lenses I think , which was great fun. But that also meant we had at least 1 if not 2 backpacks everywhere we went lugging the damn things around.

I would suggest the 18-200 would be a great all-rounder lens for this type of trip plus a good flash unit, with possibly 1 or 2 specialty lenses if you really needed them (wide angle, and longer zoom if needed

[biggerry]

Is there any reason an 18-200mm lens is not a good idea?? Will it compromise the quality of my photos??

nope, just be aware of its limitations, like any lens, be a 300 or 3000 dollar one!

This was the first lens I got with my first and only DSLR, it is great in my opinion, here is a comment from another thread soemtime ago

I can definitely recommend the 18-200, as a jack of all trades it has probably spent the most time on my body (during the initial periods anyway) and without a doubt got me some excellent shots. As a travel lens, I reckon you would be hard to beat it....when your out walking the rainforest in FNQ and need to capture a landscape or nail the croc, the 18-200 is the one I would choose. Just be aware of the limitations and disadvantages of it (as you would with most lens) - lens creep, softness at the extremes and certain apertures, dust ingress are just a couple that come to mind.

The build quality on the 18-200 is pretty good i reckon, for a modern lens anyway, given the extreme zoom it is still a pretty tight setup and I have had no issues with mine even with some more than a few bumps against tree's etc....

check these threads out for more detail about the 18-200

http://www.dslrusers.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=35281&p=378888&hilit=+200#p378888

and

http://www.dslrusers.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=35116&p=377411&hilit=+200#p377411

[Mr Darcy]

To the comments above, I will simply add that I no longer have my 18-200. My wife now has custody, & I miss it terribly.
A great travel lens.

For travel, I would just add a fast fixed lens - a 50mm 1.4 or 1.8, or possibly the 35mm for indoor shots, and just maybe an ultrawide (e.g. Sigma 10-20 or Tokina 11-16) but I have travelled with just the 18-200 & haven't missed the others.
If you and your husband are both going, perhaps 18-200 on one body & the 10-20 on the other.

[photomarcs]

Ho ha!

Like everyone has been pointing out.. go for the d90..i've got a 7D and i'd probably say the D90 feels alot safer to hold in the hands.

the 18-200mm.. hrm... I'd just say great travel lens. =D very convenient, but when it comes to going above and beyond for those "pho-natics" it does lack in a few areas.

Other than that, i'd say go grab yourself the lens! =D make sure its VR II though, although the only difference is the gold paint and the lock switch... its still a benefit =)

Marcus

[surenj]

It makes no sense to have TWO different systems under one roof unless you guys are pros.

Go for nikon or convert your hubby to canon. As already mentioned you will be able to afford much better lenses and accessories.

When you are shooting your kids B'days, you can use two or three speedlite wireless crosslighting on a room with two bodies? [Can this be done with nikon CLS?) You can shoot wide and he can shoot tele.

[Mr Darcy]

you can use two or three speedlite wireless crosslighting on a room with two bodies? [Can this be done with nikon CLS?)

Yes it can. You need a master on each camera. (can be the popup if the camera supports it)
Just set both masters and all slaves to the same channel (A/B/C)
Each camera will assume it has solo control of the speedlights.
YOu will need to pay careful attention to recycling though.
OTOH if you want to have each camera controlling its own set of speedlites, you can do that too. Just set Camera A & its slaves to Channel A and the second camera & its remotes to Channel B THey will then work fully independently

[geiko]

Thanks so much for all of your advice everyone!

Had great success at Bic Camera in Nagoya this weekend and finally am a DSLR owner!!!

For $1600 I got the Nikon D90 with 18-200mm lens and all other necessities, plus thanks to Japanese electronic shop point-card systems I also got 2 x 8GB platinum memory card (one for my husband), 2 x fantastic Lowepro $90 cases (1 each for us), a second battery, lens hood, 2 x cleaning kits and second lens cap all for free!!!

VERY happy with my purchase and can't wait to get out and start taking shots!!

Thanks again everyone!!!