Camera Labs

Hi, I am new here. I have a Canon Rebel EOS 350D and want to upgrade. I am not sure whether to stick with Canon or go with Nikon? Which model ?

Be prepared, cherylann.

Be very prepared!

I have a feeling you may be...

...Nikonfreaked!

I'd be more specific.

What subjects are you shooting?
What focal lengths and lenses do you use (i.e. how invested in Canon are you?)
What is your budget?
Are you printing your images?
Do you find yourself lacking something with the 350D/outgrown it?

This will help people give you considered advice, rather than the 'buy this brand, because it's better than that brand' brigade.

Budget and usage will help define what's realistically available to you

I shoot a lot of landscapes and portraits. My canon is very slow on the shutter. I want to use a 18-105 or 18-135 lense. I have looked at Nikon D7000 and D90. Started to read reviews and now I am totally confused.

You just want a faster AF-system?

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Ruben

Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Canon G5, Canon 350D, Canon 50D + BG-E2N
Tamron 17-50 2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM,
Canon 18-55 II plus lots of Minolta MD/M42 lenses and bodies

Why not a <<edit>>60D<<edit>> or something higher-end Canon? You already have at least one lens, I presume.

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Olympus e-620 / 14-42mm / 40-150mm
Metz 48 AF-1
Kata 3-N-1 20, LowePro Orion Mini, LowePro Nova 2
My Flickr

Don't confuse them - there are the EOS D60 and the EOS 60D.
The D60 is from 2002, has a 6.3 MP sensor, an impressive 1.8" 114k screen and is the predecessor to the EOS 10D. It doesn't even take EF-S lenses.
The EOS 60D is from 2010, has an 18 MP sensor, a movable 1040k 3" screen and is some generations newer.

But yes, if you stay with the same system you save the money for the lens(-es) you already have.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

Thanks for catching me out Jiko -- I let my fingers do the walking far to quickly and never noticed my freudian slip.

Post now corrected.

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Olympus e-620 / 14-42mm / 40-150mm
Metz 48 AF-1
Kata 3-N-1 20, LowePro Orion Mini, LowePro Nova 2
My Flickr

The most important part is

What is your budget?

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Canon EOS 500D
Lenses: EFS 18-55mm IS, EF 50mm F/1.8 II

I agree with Canon 500D we really need a budget before we can help you.

Otherwise I would suggest a Canon 1ds Mk3

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Camera: Canon 550D with battery grip
Lenses: Canon 24-105mm f/4L, Canon 50mm f1.4, Canon 18-55mm, Tamron 70-300mm,
Accessories: Manfrotto 055XPROB with 808RC4 head, Canon 430ex II speedlite, Lowepro Nova 180AW and Lowepro Pro Runner 450AW

Oh that is so lame, every hot girl who can aim a camera thinks she’s a photographer -Stewie Griffin

I have a budget of AUS$ 1800.00

Considering that you do a fair bit of portraits and landscapes, I'd recommend a body with its kit lens (either Nikon's 18-105 or Canon's 18-135, depending on which system you end up with), plus a wide angle lens such as a Tamron 10-24mm for landscapes, plus a 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4 lens for your portraits.

If you decide on Nikon, for $1800 you could get away with a D7000 plus 18-105 for around $1400, the new 50mm f/1.8 AF-S for another $250 and perhaps an SB-600 flash for your portrait work. If you want a lens a bit higher quality than your 18-105, you could go for the D7000 with Nikon's 16-85mm, but you'd have either no money left in your budget for a portrait lens, or a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 AF-D at the most. Alternatively, you could try a D90 with the 18-105 for about $1000, a Tamron 10-24 for another $550 (Not the greatest wide angle lens, but it's pretty inexpensive) plus a 50mm f/1.8 G, for a great all around kit.

If you stick to Canon's system, you'd already have a lens for your camera from your 350D (the 18-55 I'm assuming?), so you could save a fair bit of cash buying body only. The 60D, Canon's equivalent of Nikon's D7000 is slightly cheaper and will run you around $1000 brand new, body only. You could add the Tamron 10-24mm to that kit, a Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens for portraits and top it off with a 320 EX flash. Tha t would pretty much get you ready for most situations. If you're looking at upgrading from your 18-55mm, you could add another $300 or so onto the package and drop the flash, or you could add another $700 onto the package and buy the excellent 15-85mm zoom if you want improved optical quality and drop the wide angle and the flash.

Whether you should go Canon or Nikon is more of a personal choice. Feel out both manufacturer's cameras in your hands, and whichever's ergonomics you prefer should be your choice.
If you'd be willing to stretch your budget a bit, I'd recommend replacing the Tamron 10-24mm zoom with the Tokina 11-16mm zoom, which performs much better optically but costs $300 more than the Tamron.

I hope that I helped,
-Evan

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-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams