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Author Topic: One off purchase contest between d50 and 350d  (Read 5025 times)

willie45

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One off purchase contest between d50 and 350d
« on: May 12, 2006, 12:20:12 pm »

Hi

I know this is the sort of thing that makes you groan but could you advise if I should buy the Nikon D50 or the Canon 350D. I mainly would use it to take a lot  landscape pictures and would be mainly interested making A4 sized prints with the option of the odd 15inchx10 inch print of family etc.

I will probably not buy many other bits and pieces such as lenses and would probably only buy another lens of around 70-300mm lens, so I am wondering which of the kits ( canon or nikon) with the 18-55mm lens is best.

I hear that the canon lens is poor and the nikon is slightly better though the canon camera gives better image quality. I have also heard that beyond around A4 size, the nikon image deteriorates rapidly compared with the canon. Is this true?

I suppose my question is if I stuck with one lens only (the kit  one) which offers better picture quality.

I should point out that handling or body quality etc are not issues for me nor is the cost of the initial kit. I am mainly interested in image quality of the starter kit as sold.

Willie
« Last Edit: May 12, 2006, 12:24:07 pm by willie45 »
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DarkPenguin

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One off purchase contest between d50 and 350d
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2006, 03:03:16 pm »

Which kit lens?  The canon 17-85IS is nice.  The 18-55 not so much.
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boku

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One off purchase contest between d50 and 350d
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2006, 03:08:21 pm »

Quote
Which kit lens?  The canon 17-85IS is nice.  The 18-55 not so much.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65256\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

You should be able to pick up a new 20D body right now (while remaining supplies last) for a greatly discounted price.

Given that, I would prefer the 20D with the 17-85 IS over the 350D or the D50.

I have this equipment and do not hesitate to recommend it. I still use it even though I have a 5D and an assortment of L glass.
« Last Edit: May 12, 2006, 03:09:00 pm by boku »
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Bob Kulon

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willie45

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One off purchase contest between d50 and 350d
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2006, 03:08:41 pm »

Quote
Which kit lens?  The canon 17-85IS is nice.  The 18-55 not so much.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65256\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
The Kit lens I have in mind was the 18-55mm in each case

Willie
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DarkPenguin

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One off purchase contest between d50 and 350d
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2006, 04:15:15 pm »

Have you considered the Pentax *-DL?  $550 with lens.
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willie45

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One off purchase contest between d50 and 350d
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2006, 07:08:45 pm »

Thanks for the advice folks. I did not consider the pentax because I have been under the impression that C and N were offering best value and performance at present. I did have a Pentax ME SLR a while back and liked it though.

I'm not really that much of a connossieur of photo gear and really just want a camera and lens that will let me get on with it and give reasonable results for my outlay.

I like the 20D and will consider it along with all advice given here. Thanks again

Willie
« Last Edit: May 12, 2006, 07:10:24 pm by willie45 »
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larkvi

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One off purchase contest between d50 and 350d
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2006, 07:26:46 pm »

Quote
You should be able to pick up a new 20D body right now (while remaining supplies last) for a greatly discounted price.

Given that, I would prefer the 20D with the 17-85 IS over the 350D or the D50.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65257\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

There is really very little reason to get a 20D over a 350D for landscape work, unless you are just keen to spend extra money. The 350D is an excellent little camera, lighter, and has all of the same general features. Unless he really needs a PC cable interface or larger buffer--portrait photography features, imo--there is nothing to not recommend the cheaper 350D.

The 17-85 is indeed a better choice than the 17-55 (which is still usable, but makes small detail difficult to come by--I rarely use mine).
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Yakim Peled

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One off purchase contest between d50 and 350d
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2006, 02:47:56 am »

>> I know this is the sort of thing that makes you groan

If you know, why do you make us groan? Have you searched? Also look at photo.net and photozone.de.

>> I will probably not buy many other bits and pieces such as lenses

A DSLR is a SYSTEM, for better and for worse. If you do not want to "buy many other bits and pieces such as lenses", I suggest you re-consider your purchase. Have you considered a P&S? Some modern P&S have very good image quality.

>> could you advise if I should buy the Nikon D50 or the Canon 350D.

Go to the store and try them out.

>> I am mainly interested in image quality of the starter kit as sold.


The starter kit lenses rarely have a worthy image quality. Buy some good lenses.
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Happy shooting,
Yakim.

DarkPenguin

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One off purchase contest between d50 and 350d
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2006, 10:00:39 am »

Good points.  If the OP is only going to get the one lens the Sony R1 might be the way to go.
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Lisa Nikodym

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One off purchase contest between d50 and 350d
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2006, 10:49:33 am »

Quote
The starter kit lenses rarely have a worthy image quality. Buy some good lenses.

You must be thinking of Canon starter lenses, which pretty much everyone here agrees are pretty poor.  I'm not familiar with Nikon's fairly new 18-55mm kit lens, but their 18-70mm DX "starter" lens (which used to come with the D70 kit) is actually quite excellent.  It's considerably easier to make inexpensive lenses good quality when you're making them for a smaller sensor (like the DX line does).  We had this discussion a couple of months back in another thread here, and I posted a detail of a sample image from it.  No complaints about it from anyone.

Lisa
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willie45

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One off purchase contest between d50 and 350d
« Reply #10 on: May 15, 2006, 09:07:04 am »

Quote
>> I know this is the sort of thing that makes you groan

If you know, why do you make us groan? Have you searched? Also look at photo.net and photozone.de.

>> I will probably not buy many other bits and pieces such as lenses

A DSLR is a SYSTEM, for better and for worse. If you do not want to "buy many other bits and pieces such as lenses", I suggest you re-consider your purchase. Have you considered a P&S? Some modern P&S have very good image quality.

>> could you advise if I should buy the Nikon D50 or the Canon 350D.

Go to the store and try them out.

>> I am mainly interested in image quality of the starter kit as sold.
The starter kit lenses rarely have a worthy image quality. Buy some good lenses.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65387\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Hmm...

Well thanks for the advice. I suppose the reason I posted on here after searching some other sites and postings was to ask the specific question. I would say it was worthwhile because I have now had the benefit of many people's opinions on the subject including your answer. If it made you groan too much then you have my sympathy but I would have said your best policy was to ignore it and get on with your life.  

Regarding P&S cameras, I saw fairly soon that there was a general concensus that the sensor size made image quality inferior to a DSLR even if used with only one lens. I therefore  discarded that idea almost immediately. It simply means that I have the option later of adding to the system if I so choose but does not in the meantime saddle me with a camera which is of relatively limited quality. The two I suggested actually are not particulary more expensive than a reasonalbe P&S as far as I am aware.

I have been to stores and handled both of these cameras but as someone fairly new to digital photography I hoped to learn from the experience of other more experienced photgraphers rather than just blindly shooting a few shots. There are things which you grow into in photography and it seems reasonable to assume that others further down the path will be able to contribute pieces of information that as a beginner, I would hardly have considered.

Anyway thanks for the web page references which I hadn't noticed before and which look helpful.

All in all I am taking Boku's advice and going with the 20D which I had a look at over the last couple of days. Thanks boku and all of you others who posted helpful replies.

Willie
« Last Edit: May 15, 2006, 09:10:17 am by willie45 »
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boku

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One off purchase contest between d50 and 350d
« Reply #11 on: May 15, 2006, 09:53:32 am »

Quote
Hmm...

All in all I am taking Boku's advice and going with the 20D which I had a look at over the last couple of days. Thanks boku and all of you others who posted helpful replies.

Willie
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65513\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
You are quite welcome. FWIW, I have owned a Digital Rebel (300D), 10D, 20D, and 5D (although not the 350D). I consider the 20D to offer a lot compared to the Rebel series. In my opinion, there are meaningful differences.
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Bob Kulon

Oh, one more thing...[b
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