Camera Labs

My mate has decided that he can afford a good 2nd hand camera and has seen a Canon 40d and a Nikon d90 for around the same price for the body only.

He said he looked at both and liked them both!

Which would you choose and why?

Im a huge fan of the Canon 40D, it was probably the camera that made me think Ill get a DSLR

However the Nikon has newer technology, better image quality, and is probably what Id go for.

Neither is a bad choice though, although actually Id probably rather have something like a D3100 or Canon 550D or something

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Nikon D5000 and D300 with 12-24mm, 35mm f1.8, 50mm f1.4, 60mm f2.8 Macro, 18-200mm, 17-55mm f2.8 (all Nikon)

Think about which company's lenses are more desirable, and also the 40D can't shoot video. The 40D is faster and better for action, and built tougher. But like Jeremy said, the D90 is newer with higher resolution and slightly better IQ. Ultimately I would (and did) stretch to a refurbished 50D, but if you can't afford that I'd probably go with the Nikon between these two. The 40D is still good, but probably beyond the investment stage.

One important factor to consider when buying a DSLR is ergonomics. Tell your friend to try each camera out in his/her hands, navigate the camera's menus, and see which one feels better snapping photos and controlling the settings with.
It's also important to think about what lenses he'll/she'll use the most. Canon seems to have a bit of a better selection of telephoto lenses, so if your friend will be shooting sports, action or wildlife the 40D may be a better choice. However, Nikon has an excellent selection of wide angle lenses (plus, the Nikon has a slightly higher resolution), so the D90 may be a bit of a better choice for landscapes.

If I had to choose, I'd go with the D90, as it's newer, shoots video and has better image quality. However, if your friend prefers the ergonomics of the 40D it should be his/her choice.

Another option to consider is buying a brand new entry level camera, such as Nikon's D5100 or Canon's 600D (or the 550D to save some cash). Generally, they'll offer the same IQ (Image Quality) as the higher end camera like the 60D or D7000, but you're paying a lower price because they leave out features like a magnesium alloy body, a top LCD display, dedicated control buttons and generally have a smaller, dimmer viewfinder. If at the end of the day all that your friend really cares about is the IQ of his/her final photos, I'd definitely consider an entry level body. Also remember that if you buy a new body as opposed to a second hand body, you're guaranteed that the camera hasn't been dropped or abused, plus you get a warranty in case you get a lemon.

By the way, is video something that matters to your friend? If so, definitely go for Canon, something like the 600D would be perfect.

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

What about a D80? Still a good camera?

I'd skip the D80, it's lower resolution 10.1 MP CCD isn't a very good performer in low light, it doesn't have any sort of live view functionality, no video mode (if it matters to you), a smaller, much lower resolution display and it's 1.5 FPS faster. Besides, a D80 would quickly become outdated by today's standards, while a D90 won't become outdated for a few years now.

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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

ive got a d90 and its awesome , great all round camera, excellent image quality, vast amount of settings to choose from,

biggest factor is going to be the lenses and where you want to go in the future, if you wanted to switch from nikon to cannon or vice versa you would have to sell all the lenses and buy again for the other format.

ill probably keep my d90 for another couple of years then upgrade to a d3s

Wish i could upgrade the wife!! lol

Which would be the right one to go for.

Nikon D90 with the kit 18-105 lens £470

or

Canon 40D with a 50mm lens £385

Both are from people locally

Er, I think that then Id go for the D90. While you can have a lot of fun with a 50mm lens, the 50mm as only lens could be a bit frustrating.

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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