The DSLR Thread

[suman]

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

If the cam was high on Rudy's recommendation list I am sure it must be good. I would trust the old man blindly on anything related to Canon.

And why do you think I eventually bought the 450D?

[tsk1979]

Amitoj, from a picture quality point of view 1000D and 450D will give you the same thing. Infact 400D is same as 1000D as 1000D is just a "reduced function" version of 400D.
However, 400D/1000D are not very great focus heroes. 450D AF mechanism is faster and slightly more accurate, esp if you use center focus point with a fast lens.

However the ultimate bargain in the market now is the 40D, and it costs just as much as the 450D. So if you have a 450D budget, get the 40D, its a gem of a cam. Amazing AF, and great picture quality. Its actually a better buy than the 50D at current price

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

However the ultimate bargain in the market now is the 40D, and it costs just as much as the 450D. So if you have a 450D budget, get the 40D, its a gem of a cam. Amazing AF, and great picture quality. Its actually a better buy than the 50D at current price

sigh. the more i delay the more i get confused.

40D is 15K more than 450D!!

[tsk1979]

Actually abroad its just a 100$ diff, and this reflects in grey.
Anyways, if you are not an avid birder the 400D and 1000D are good enough.

[extreme_torque]

Guys, Nikon D300 or the Canon 40 or 50D considering this would be my first DSLR?

[Spitfire]

Ok i am in this too. I dont know how to load a roll in a camera and the Digital camera's have been a God's gift for me. I have a point and shoot Sony DSC W5 (small thing that does the job for me quite well).

But my wife is an avid photographer, started very young and managed to be quite good at it. Even did some professional photography before an unexpected personal calamity took away everything, even the camera. Which if i remember from the pics she showed me looked like a bazooka. Costing about 3 lakhs in the late 90's (Mind Boggling and Unbelievable for me).

I want to gift her a DSLR for her Birthday in January and i am following this thread quite closely. Let the discussions continue.

[finneyp]

Welcome E_T to the dSLR hunt!

If you have the moolah, go for Nikon D300 or Canon 50D.
If on a budget, go for Nikon D90 or Canon 40D.

I have finalized on Nikon D90, but in a dilemma over the lens, stuck between:
Nikkor AF-S 18-105 VR or 18-200 VR!

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Which if i remember from the pics she showed me looked like a bazooka. Costing about 3 lakhs in the late 90's (Mind Boggling and Unbelievable for me).

If she is such an expert, don't make the mistake of choosing the gift yourself. Experts will be very picky about equipment, you don't want to present something that doesn't match her needs. But if you insist on it, first find out what kind of photography she used to do.

[akshay1234]

Originally Posted by finneyp

18-200 VR!

picked up the 18-200VR for my d300. yet to try it out.

[finneyp]

Originally Posted by akshay1234

picked up the 18-200VR for my d300. yet to try it out.

Congrats Akshay!

Please try it out & post a review asap!
I can then decide my lens too

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by Samurai

If she is such an expert, don't make the mistake of choosing the gift yourself. Experts will be very picky about equipment, you don't want to present something that doesn't match her needs. But if you insist on it, first find out what kind of photography she used to do.

Thanks for the suggestion Samurai, appreciate it.

She used to shoot professinally for lot of print ads and some projects with WWF and BBC. After what she had to go through, gave up photography completely and has after a lot of years got into it after we had a baby.

I am not sure whether its the right gift. It might bring back memories of incidents she might have left behind. But she keeps complaining about shooting better and i thought instead of going the whole hog, get a decent enough camera suiting our very basic needs but gives her some happiness to shoot they way she could have liked.

[amitoj]

Nice thoughts there, Spitfire. Looked like a bazooka? must be a telephoto lens?

So, a 1000D with 18-55mm IS and a tripod. Seems like a winning combination for me right now.

[gd1418]

While I agree with what Sharath said about avid photographers being finicky about their gear, it shall also do good to you if you can find out what brand she used. It is like once a Nikonian, always a nikonian and similarly for Canon & Olympians..

If she is/was a Nikonian, and you have no budgetary limits, then a D700 with a 80-200mm VR should be an ideal gift..

Originally Posted by Spitfire

But my wife is an avid photographer, started very young and managed to be quite good at it.

I want to gift her a DSLR for her Birthday in January

[Samurai]

Guru makes a good point. That would be a safe gift. Don't get her entry level stuff, she will find it inadequate fast enough.

Make----------Big Budget-------Small budget
Canon----------5D Mark II---------40D/50D
Nikon-----------D700----------------D90
Minolta(sony)-----A900-------------A700

Just get her the body and let her have fun planning the lenses herself.

[tifosikrishna]

Originally Posted by gd1418

While I agree with what Sharath said about avid photographers being finicky about their gear, it shall also do good to you if you can find out what brand she used. It is like once a Nikonian, always a nikonian and similarly for Canon & Olympians..

If she is/was a Nikonian, and you have no budgetary limits, then a D700 with a 80-200mm VR should be an ideal gift..

Very true.

Spitfire, do you by any chance remember what brand she was using? Or can you find out from someone who might know that. It will be great if you buy her the same brand.

There is a remote possibility that she might be able to reuse some of the old accessories, if she has anything leftover.