 BetterPhoto Member |
Nikon d70 vs. Canon 20d or any other suggestions?? hi, I am nineteen years old, I am a college student and I work as a sports photographer for a local newspaper, I usually cover area high school games. I am (and have been for months) in search for a new camera, a dslr easier said than done, right? I feburary of this coming year, I have the opertunity of going into partnership in opening a small portriat and sports studio, people pay big bucks to have pictures of their kids playing sports. I have and olympus c-740 which is great, with its 10x zoom for day time pictures at a baseball game, but when I hit the lights on friday night, its not so hot. Although it worked with a slave flash, I looked rediculus with a flash almost as big as my camera!! I shot a fuji s pro for football and volleyball this year, but any dslr would be an inprovemnet for those situations. Anyway the skin tones with the Spro were amazing, right on, even with African-American skin tones, which I know can be hard to match sometimes. That camera is a little pricey for me, plus there were several features that I didnt like about it. When reviewing the photos after you took them, you couldn't zoom up on them on the LCD screen (to see if they were completely focused) and that it was difficult when I and on the feild and I know that I need at least 10 excellent pictures. I found myself going to the next game, thinking that I had good pictures and some were out of focus. I noticed that in the store, the canon 20d and nikon d70 would focus alot faster than the fuji that I was shooting. I have been researching both of these cameras on this sight and on others for over two months and in the long run all I seem to get is the nikon people telling me to go with the nikon because it is a NIKON and the canon people telling me to go with the canon because it is a CANON, I just don't know what to do. I know the canon has 8m and the nikon only 6, but I am not sure if that is a real concern to me or not? The canon shots 5fps and the nikon only 3, but again, I am not sure if that is a really goin to matter either, plus the flash can't keep up anyway at this level of camera. I am concerned about the skin tones and how good they turn out, I would like to take portraits with the camera, that I choose and eventually weddings. Another thing was the lens, I know that with whatever camera I buy, I will be stuck for life because I will start to buy lens, which I dont have any yet, another reason why this decision is an important one! I also know that the nikon d70 kit has a very nice len included, where the canon kit not so nice, or so I was told by several people. The three camera shops I was in all lead me to the cheaper nikon d70, and I didnt know why? I thought it was possibly because they wanted to sell me some lens??? I was aming to have one by Christamas but, if I wait until after, I could possibly get a better deal. I would like to think that nikon d70 would be more than enough for a nineteen year old, but I am just scared that this isnt enough for what I want to use it for. Or maybe I am in the wrong ballpark alltogether? E-1? I just need some advice. I have about $2000 max, (if I work overtime haha) to buy a body, battery, card, case..... stuff like that and at least one nice lens, I would eventually like to have more but for right now that would satisfy me. I hope, or soon I am going to have to drop out of school to buy new lens, hahaha!!!!
|
|
|
|
||
|
John P. Sandstedt |
Go the library and read the December and January issues of Pop Photo. The December magazine named the D70 Camera of the Year - then in the section on "Gear" indicated the 20d was the camera to beat. Janauary's issue did a longer review of the 20d.
|
|
|
|
||
|
anonymous A. |
Your problem hasn't been solved, but at least you held out long enoough for the new models to come out! Now it's the 30D or the D80! No more issues about the resolution: they are both 10+ megapixels. No worries about comparing the fps...they are the same, too. What really counts is how they feel in your hand: does the control layout seem natural; can you alter the settings quickly and efficiently settings without having to take the camera from your eye; is it tiring to hold; does it feel as comfortable vertically as horizontally; does all the software you need come with it or are you up for extra cash for essential programs. Get your hands on one, with the lens you are going to use in place and try them out; don't worry about the specifications...they are both great cameras.
|
|
|
|
||
|
John P. Sandstedt |
David - In my humble view, pixels aren't everything and the Canon 30D has an 8.2 MP sensor. I think you're thinking of the new Canon Rebel XTi, which is the direct competitor of the Nikon D80. Of course, Pete Burian doesn't think the new Nikon measures up. Certainly, I think he said in BP, it's not a slightly stripped down D200! But, I agree with you completely, Andrea [and anyone else] shouldn'y worry about the specifications. Almost all SLRs have more features than we'll ever use and, perhaps more importantly, DSLRs introduced just a few years ago and available for hundred [not thousands] of dollars on the Used Marketplace are perfectly adequate for most images up to maybe 11X14.
|
|
|
|
||
|
anonymous A. |
You are right, of course, John; I did mean the XTi (400D). Which reminds me, the Canon does have one advantage...automatic sensor cleaning...I don't think tht's available on the Nikon. Also, I seem to recall seeing, on the Australian market at least, that the D80 costs as much as the 30D, and if that is true, the XTi and the 30D are bargains!
|
|
|
|
||
|
Mark Feldstein |
Greetings Andrea: Getting all the info you can get before making a major purchase is, of course, being a prudent consumer and very wise. In this situation, however, I'd go to some publications for product reviews that aren't necessarily photo-related. Primarily, the one I have in mind is Consumer Reports, rather than Pop Photo, or Shutterbug or Rangefinder or any of those ilk. Why? Because about 98% of the info you receive in those publications I think is called "advertorial" or articles placed at the expense of the manufacturer. Although it looks and feels like a real unbiased product review, often it's just not. Remember the greatest sources of revenue for those publications are likewise the advertisers whose products are being touted in reviews in the very same publication. Personally, I've always had a problem with that type of "journalism". But I think it's a reality you should be aware of in doing your homework. BTW, I'm not saying that any products reviewed by consumer mags like Pop-Photo, etc., aren't worthy of high marks. All I'm saying is that their placement in those publications should give rise to a certain amount of skepticism that should lead you to look to less potentially biased sources for info. ;>)
|
|
|
|
||
|
Pete H |
Hello Andrea, I'll try to cut to the chase. Firstly; the difference between 6MP and 8 MP isn't worth discussing..It is minimal at best AND any one claimiing 8 over 6 is the way to go (20D vs D-70) is simply out of their mind. The math between the two does not lie. The 20D and the D-70 are so similar in their 1) abilities and 2)image quality, one would be hard pressed to make a decision based on those attributes alone. I noticed you have about $2,000 to spend? All the best, Pete
|
|
|
|
||
|
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here
Report this Thread |
||