Brad on 06/17/2004:

I recently bought a Nikon D70 and I love it. I know that you don't want to spend nearly that much on a camera ($1300), but I think that it's a much better camera than the Rebel, definitely worth the extra $$. It just feels better, more solid than the Rebel. Then again, I'm trying to become a serious photographer, and you're not (at least I don't think so).

Brice on 06/17/2004:

I once spoke to some one who is really into photography, so much so that her and her husband take vacations/tours that are specifically for professional photographers. Before I got my digital rebel, I spent a fair amount of time talking with her about the differences between Nikon and Canon. She was a Nikon person, like Brad, but what she had to say was that of all of the photographers on her last trip, about 50% had Canons and 50% had Nikons. Both groups swore that their cameras were better. Her opinion of it all was that the two companies are very, very close and choosing between them is usually just a function of what you bought first because then you already have invested money in lenses, etc. So either way you go, they both make great SLR cameras and lenses.

Joshua Zika on 06/17/2004:

Good choice mate.

Richard on 06/17/2004:

Definitely a better choice than the G5 but now you've got to buy some lenses. Be aware that the lens or lenses you get will influence the pictures you take as much or more than the silicon and many people spend much more on their lenses than they do on the body (me for instance in my SLR days). I've heard (and read) very mixed reviews of the "standard" lens that you can buy bundled with the digital rebel. I'd save a bit more, buy the body with no lens and buy a Canon Prime lens or two and add more as you need them.

Of the two, the Nikon D70 gets better reviews than the Rebel and Nikon certainly has great lenses.

Something tells me you're in New York so why not hop down to B and H and handle everything in this class and even the higher end cameras: D70, Rebel, 10D, and other brands. Once you make the leap to an SLR there are a lot of variables to consider. They also have a great selection of used equipment upstairs there and everything I've ever bought used there has been excellent.

Jez on 06/17/2004:

It's definitely the best decision i've made. I absolutely love my digital rebel (eos 300d). It takes great pics and you can do some really neat stuff with it. The battery life is fantastic and you can snap heaps of photos (i think 200 or so) without needing a recharge. You focus through the viewfinder rather than the LCD so you get a more accurate image and it's just how a true SLR is. I'll stop rambling now :)

Jerf Heindershaw on 06/17/2004:

while you are waiting, but away more cash so you have $850 to spend if it doesn't go down

Mike Wilson on 06/18/2004:

Hi,

I'm going to chime in late here, but I think you might want to check out the Cannon Powershot S60 (if you haven't already). You can read a full review of the camera here. This is a very nice camera that falls just inside your $500.00 mark and I think you might find that it suits your needs. The above review also includes some sample images taken with the camera. The DR is a much nicer camera for sure, but if you find it is still outside your budget, this might be a solid alternative.

Good luck,

MW

David Collantes on 06/18/2004:

I will not settle for less than a Cannon 10D or higher, Garrett. I have been saving for two years towards something similar. I have one more year to save, but when the time comes I will get an excellent camera and lens.

"If you like to race cars, do not buy a Ford Festiva" :-)

Stew on 06/18/2004:

One thing I meant to mention in your previous post:

Remember whatever manufacturer you choose today is the one you will be stuck with for a logn time, it's very expensive to move manufacturer once you start buying lenses for one.

Just something to be aware of before you make your final purchase.

oh and a black D.Rebel shoudl out in the US & Europe towards the end of the summer - same camera jsut different body colour.

Stephen on 06/19/2004:

I've gone through the same research process and will soon be getting a digital SLR - the Nikon D70. This is a fantastic camera and although more expensive, I think it is more than justified - the kit lens on the D70 is better than the DRebel's. As Brad said, the D70 is better than the Canon DRebel in a lot of ways - looks, feel, features. I'm not trying to start the old Nikon vs. Canon war here and some will disagree but the D70 is a newer camera and Nikon have really done well on this one. I've held both cameras and I just don't like the cheap, toy like feel of the Canon. Buying a camera is a very personal thing so I'd advise you handle both well before you fully decide.

As Stew points out, once you choose and invest in lenses, changing camps is not cheap. I like the way Nikons work and I think they will always have great gear so I'm happy to go with them. In terms of image quality, not a lot separates the two cameras so you need to decide based on features like ease of use, flexibility, build quality etc. DPReview.com is great for reviews and the forums are also very useful but you need to be careful not to believe too much of what you read (there are some very fanatical people there and also a lot of mis-information on both sides...).

So if you go Nikon, I would recommend the D70. If you decide on Canon, the DRebel will also do you well but I think the 10D is worthy of consideration because it offers quite a bit more.

One final thought: photography is 50% photographer, 40% light and 10% equipment (can't remember where I read that but it is true - gear doesn't make a huge amount of different in the scheme of things...)

Good luck for when you do get your camera :-)

Stephen

David Siegel on 06/20/2004:

I bought the D70 after researching for weeks the differences between that and the Rebel. I can't express my love for the D70 enough - you need to buy it to experience it. I've owned film SLRs, teeny tiny digital pocket cameras, and Elphs, but the D70 is by far the best camera I've ever used. This may sound unbelievable, but I love my D70 more than my iPod!

heather on 06/21/2004:

I have a Canon Digital Rebel and a Canon S500, and I adore both. I use the Digital Rebel for my serious photo shoots, but I love carrying the S500 with me, in case I see something that catches my eye. I've heard some good reviews of the new Nikon, but I'm biased since I'm a Canon girl. Waiting to get the Digital Rebel is a good idea if you're used to film SLRs or just want good photos.

Good luck on the camera hunt!

Jblount on 06/21/2004:

not that i researched this comapny at all, but here's that camera for 550 or so.

scott allison on 06/21/2004:

$540?!?!?! damn!

Ed Hidden on 06/28/2004:

Garrett: I was going to echo the things said by a number of people here previously. I consider myself a serious amatuer photographer/rookie pro (I make some money from my stuff .)

I have a 10D and love it. I seriously debated between that and a Digital Rebel. I've always have Canon's and have been a pretty die-hard Canon guy for a long time now. I choose the 10D because it had a couple features that I had wanted in a camera that Digital Rebel didn't offer and I had always gotten a camera one step below the one that had all the features I really wanted (Specifically, rear-curtain synch flash... great for action photography)

Having said that, I've played with a couple D70s and if I were faced with the same purchase today, I'd probably get a D70. I'd seriously take a hard look at that camera. It's very nice.

A few co-workers have them (and even more are purchasing them... at least 3 more people). They say that the higher-ISO settings have VERY little noise to them. If that is indeed the case... I think it would be a more versitile camera (and you get more of the 10D features in the D70 that the Digital Rebel just doesn't have!)

I look forward to hearing what you end up doing.

• Ed (camera geek)