Nikon D80 or Canon 30D ?

[ctSnap]

Currently own a Nikon F50 with AF Nikkor 28mm-80mm (standard) zoom len.
Thinking of upgrading to DSLR and turning semi-pro. Hopefully pro in future.

Which camera should I buy ?
Nikon D80 or Canon 30D ?

Need advises...

tanya_oh@hotmail.com

[Ally]

Well, it really depends if you wanna maintain the use of your current system, such as interchangeable lens between your film SLR and future DSLR..

Most Nikon users will stick to Nikon, and Canon users to Canon..
Each system is just as good as the other, final decision will have to be yours..
Sorry, can't help you there..

[cannonball]

D80 is entry-level DSLR for nikon
and 30D is semi-pro level DSLR for canon.

For a few hundreds more, I would say Canon (since you have the intention to make photography your ricebowl)

But, there are both pros and cons to both brands/models..
And to make it out there, its the man behind the body+lense that matters the most.

[roticanai]

I hate to be rude ... you are going to semi pro and you do not have any idea about choosing the camera? You didn't even specify what are your key decision making criteria and I am not sure how people going to give you any feedback. Go and try out these two (and others as well) and make the decision yourself.

[chanxj]

Originally Posted by cannonball For a few hundreds more, I would say Canon (since you have the intention to make photography your ricebowl).

who ever said u need canon to go pro ? This is a very bias viewpoint. Canon, Nikon, Olympus, sony...... They all have their good and bad points. Most importantly is U the photographer who choose the camera which suits u best. An Example is that divers may choose the olympus due to the live view functions. Also take into account your budget.
The camera is only a tool. You are the factor that determines how to photo comes out(neglecting technical aspects).

I noe people who shoot using film and D70 as backup and they are season professionals and they dun have a problem. So just choose what you think suits u best.

[Liew]

Originally Posted by roticanai I hate to be rude ... you are going to semi pro and you do not have any idea about choosing the camera? You didn't even specify what are your key decision making criteria and I am not sure how people going to give you any feedback. Go and try out these two (and others as well) and make the decision yourself.

agree actually. and between D80 and 30D is comparing cameras from a different class. like should i get a D200 or a 1DMKII. you'll need to change lenses once you go digital. i'd stay with film if i were you.

[irrelevance]

Originally Posted by chanxj who ever said u need canon to go pro ? This is a very bias viewpoint. Canon, Nikon, Olympus, sony...... They all have their good and bad points. Most importantly is U the photographer who choose the camera which suits u best. An Example is that divers may choose the olympus due to the live view functions. Also take into account your budget. The camera is only a tool. You are the factor that determines how to photo comes out(neglecting technical aspects). I noe people who shoot using film and D70 as backup and they are season professionals and they dun have a problem. So just choose what you think suits u best.

I think he was actually talking about the topic from a financial/price point of view - "ie: If you can afford the extra hundred dollars, choose the 30D instead of the D80, cos on the whole, the 30d is a better camera for professional use". I didn't see any brand bias there, but yea, I agree alot of the shot depends on who's behind the camera.

Cheers
Sing

[irrelevance]

Originally Posted by ctSnap Currently own a Nikon F50 with AF Nikkor 28mm-80mm (standard) zoom len. Thinking of upgrading to DSLR and turning semi-pro. Hopefully pro in future. Which camera should I buy ? Nikon D80 or Canon 30D ? Need advises... tanya_oh@hotmail.com

Like someone said before, the canon and nikon cameras can't exactly be compared on an identical feature-set/cost level. It's kind of strange (or maybe not, depending on your POV), but the majority of Canon and Nikon dSLRs all fall into different price brackets. A D80 seems to have a better feature set than a 400D, but costs more, and a 30D seems to have a better feature set than a D80, but again costs more, and so on and so forth....

Cheers
Sing

[panzerpunk]

Winners of Canon Photomarathon were only using 350D, 20D, 30D and D200. My point is, you do not need pro body for good pictures.

Ultimately, anyone can take good pics even using PnS, regardless of Canon or Nikon or Panasonic etcetc.

[Moonstone]

Buy the one you within your budget; inclusives of flash, telezoom lens, accessories and etc.

[waynem]

Why not rent or borrow each one for a day and see which you like more.

I went for the D80 myself.

[Final_depth]

Originally Posted by waynem Why not rent or borrow each one for a day and see which you like more. I went for the D80 myself.

yup.. agree.. with u waynem y nt just go rent and try it out.
no harm tryin...

both camera hav they advantages...
its basically up to the user to decide

[vince123123]

Do take some test photos and compare. There has been some reports here that Nikon D80 and D200 pictures kinda look soft - could be isolated cases.

[adamadam]

Try them both and get the one you like,
If you really can't decide (because they are both great cameras ), then flip a coin or ask someone who doesn't know what a camera is "which one sounds better?"
Either way, I think you'll win, because they are both wonderful.

[bwilly]

best is to read review if budget is not a problem.

I read intensive review on the D80 n tried hands on with my fren 30D.
Both has their plus n minus.

eg. D80 has 10megapixel, 11AF, compare to 30D 8 + 9AF.

If moneywise matter, goes for Nikon. (since u got the lens, n body is abt $1.6k)

Before that, check out the lens that you can afford too..

[cannonball]

Originally Posted by chanxj who ever said u need canon to go pro ? This is a very bias viewpoint. Canon, Nikon, Olympus, sony...... They all have their good and bad points. Most importantly is U the photographer who choose the camera which suits u best. An Example is that divers may choose the olympus due to the live view functions. Also take into account your budget. The camera is only a tool. You are the factor that determines how to photo comes out(neglecting technical aspects). I noe people who shoot using film and D70 as backup and they are season professionals and they dun have a problem. So just choose what you think suits u best.

i am not bias against any brands, my friend.
i have a nikon SLR, canon DSLR, fujifilm PnS...

as the price between a D80 and 30D is less than $500 different (sorry, if i am wrong on this figure), why not chose a semi-pro body then?
If you intend to use it for shooting at arab street, chinatown on weekends and join canonmarathon once a year or shoot free models at car show...keep that $500 in the bank.
but since you have the intention to go semi-pro, i personally think it will be good to start with a semi-pro body.

he is deciding between nikon and canon now, so that is why i am not mentioning brands like olympus, pentax, sony, etc..
why OT for him? I am just answering his question.

[duckalas]

hmm me too having the same problem... =)... i compared D80 and 30D...and it seems like d80has advantages over the 30d...11pt af and 10mp.....if i choose either model...that's it..im gonna stick to that make forever... but again....i'm still considering.... =)..hope the pros here can enlightment TS and me =)...

[cosycatus]

if u realised, none of canon or nikon camera overlapped each other.
IMHO D50 is no fight for 350D ( or 400D) , but D80/D70 is a better deal than 350D/400D, however a 20D/30D is better than a D80/D70 while a D200 beats 20D/30D ( but some pple say sensor wise still lose, but the body od D200 is damn good)....and so on.

BUT i loved my 20D/30D because it is rather rugged. Have not failed me once during any shooting. I'm not so sure about a D70/D80.....

[ctSnap]

Hi Folks,

Appreciate all the feedbacks and contributions given. This what makes a forum beautiful and functinal itself.

Actually, I did read about the technical specifications on both cameras.
Just need different views and comments on such cameras so that I can make a more precise decisions before I purchase it.

BTW, any comments on a lady being a Semi-Pro photographer? hehe..

Cheers to all!

[ortega]

get the D80 + 12-24 and reuse your 28-80