Camera Labs

EOS 400D/xti with kit lens now and wait until the new ef-s 55-250 IS lens comes out
and
the D40/x with kit lens and get a 50-200 dx with VR.

I am leaning towards getting the XTI based on it having some.. dust reduciton and the 9pt autofocus.
as well, I guess I'll have to make an assumption that the new canon IS lenses will be a decent .

I guess we won't be able to see the speed differences between this USM lens and a comparable USM lens.. I know someone will do that comparison somewhere on the wonderful web.

is the USM really that important?
I havent seen, nor really looked to see if there was any comparisons between the USM vs non USM , if anyone can put up a link to that'd be great.

The thing which would put me off the XTi kit you've mentioned is that both the EF-S 18-55mm and new 55-250mm IS are not USM models, whereas both the Nikkor DX 18-55mm and DX 55-200mm IS have Nikon's version which is called SWM. So if it's the choice between these two bundles and you want fast and quiet focusing, then go for the Nikon.

Of course you could always buy an XTi with a USM lens if you prefer the Canon... but I just wanted to point out both Canon lenses you mentioned were not USM models...

As for USM versus non USM Canon lenses, it depends on the model. But genrally the USM versions are noticeably quieter and quicker - some much more so.

And as we've said here or elsewhere, don't choose a DSLR solely on anti-dust capabilities as none of them work 100%.

Gordon

I thank you for your comments about the anti dust and the Great site and reviews
we have a canon 350 right now, but my wife finds it takes time to track and autofocus on the two little sub 4ft tall creatures (we call our son and daughter) that tear around our house
and I've found that there is some hunting by the camera in low light.

I was looking at returning it and seeing what else was available.
I can get a nikon d40x at a reasonable cost as well as the d40 at a reasonable cost.

I may just return the 350 and get the d40x and play with that to see how that works out

I am quite intrigued by the Image stabization and would like that to be part of the features I can use
I guess the olympus is always an option

Stabilisation won't help tracking the kids, and a body with powerful AF is of no use without a decent lens.. so if this is the problem, you want to get yourself a nice fast lens both in terms of AF and aperture. This will work much better for low light and fast moving subjects.

If you can, go into a store with your 350D and ask to try the 50mm f1.8, the 50mm f1.4 USM, the 17-85mm IS USM and the 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM. They're all options worth considering.

Ultimately if you want faster AF under low light, you'll need to change your lens, not your body.

Gordon

So I now have gone out and got a d40x to play with.. I got at the local Costco, so the return policy is quite lenient

It feels more solid than the Canon, I now see what people say about build quality. it even felt more balanced than the canon
The viewfinder was IMHO much nicer than the canon in terms of size and brightness

However I did find that the AF was not the same as the 350D i.e 3pts vs 7pts.. (i read the other thread where tombomba2 said this shouldn't be an issue)
Maybe thats just a mental thing i've gotta get over. Logic tells me that the more AF points the better. plus having kids that will sit still for split seconds doesn't help either.

as well i liked the menu system a little better, it seemed easier

I will play with the nikon tommorow and see how it performs vs the 350D in the same situations. I am tempted to see how the d40x compares to an XTI/400d

I am also trying to weigh the lens family differences. part of my budget is to get a telephoto lens in the future and would like to get a fast prime lens for fun ( Gordon mentioned the canon 50mm 1.8, and I've read is a very good deal for the quality you can get) I've also read that Nikon has a lens that is comparable but it doesn't work with the d40/x

As well the warranty for nikon 2year body, 5 year lens is much better than theskimpy 1 year canon warranty.


I guess if Nikon made a middle brother of the D80 and d40x i.e. a 10megapixel with 9pt focus that would aaccept cheap fast prime lens near the same price point of the XTI, I probably wouldn't be mulling over this so much.. it would just be the ol Canon v Nikon debate
(when does nikon announce it's new lineup? )
does anyone here have enough pull for them to build a camera like that for me in the next week or 2?

Thanks again for the advice

Prices may not fall quite far enough but if you are interested in Canon glass then it might be worth keeping an eye on the semi-pro EOS 30D. With the 40D now flying off the shelves there may be some real bargains to be had.

Just a possibility - the D40x is a fine camera by all accounts.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

It's maybe out of your budget at the moment but I'm expecting (hoping) to see Nikon D200 prices dropping soon too. A second-hand D80 might also be worth considering.

Zorro.

_________________
http://zorrofox4.deviantart.com/



Various lenses, SB800 & Manfrotto 190 with 460MG head

ACK!, this is reminiscent of me buying computers.. i.e. you can get the base model for X but for just a little more you can get something much better..
, so i may just keep the budget to a certain amount with thoughts that in the future i make use of the current lenses in new bodies.

Wish I just had lots and lots of money and i could just go get a new 1D or a
D3 and a 40d and a D80 for a fun cam.. .. hmm what is the obession with Nikon and Canon and the use of the letter D?

I think i can get the xti/400d a little cheaper than the d40x
well I guess i'll have to try the 400d and see how that works.

I wasn't meaning you to change your budget. All I was pointing out was that with the 40D now released and being much superior to the 30D there might yet still be a further downward move in 30D prices. I guess you are right that generally the price of a 30D is still unlikely to fall as low as current 400D prices so my suggestion wasn't that helpful. Sorry.

As for the 400D, I have enjoyed using mine over the last year. It is certainly another option. Good luck.

Bob.

_________________
OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Not a problem Bob.
I am just trying to keep my budget in line, I understand your comment about new technology coming out and displacing old. so the old gets cheaper.
not to say that old technology is bad.

does anyone know if there is going to be a cheap fast prime that will autofocus on the d40 anytime soon?

After playing with both the cameras, I am at a standstill.. I could flip a coin to make the choice and it could be easier.

hi there,
I went shopping a little while ago and saw a display of a 30d
it is on sale for about 1200 bucks. This included Canon's 28-135 IS lens
I presently have the d40x and it works pretty nice,takes nice images, but sometimes wants to focus on things Idon't want to focus it on..
this cost me about $800

I've heard good things about the 30d and it does feel better in my hands as than the d40x and much better than the xti/400d

does anyone here have any experience with the 30d?
I am not looking to spend the $$$ for the 40D since it is so new. however the body is on sale for under around $1250 this weekend

I guess this will probably spark a 30d vs d80 why/whynot, but the d80 is still higher priced here.

anyways, back to the question, any thoughts on the 30d vs the 400d and d40x?

We have a review of the 30D here if it helps!

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Canon30D/

But remember it was written when it came out and the bar in terms of features has since moved-on...