1st DSLR purchase: 400D / D80?


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gkevin

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Sep 17, 2006
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Hi there

newbie here thinking of getting a DSLR soon with a budget of $2k but can stretch stretch abit more to $2.5k

Any advice on which DSLR to get? 400D/D80?

400D:
Read up post saying that the Canon Kit lens 17-55mm ain't that good. any recommendation for lens with abit more zoom to buy if let say i buy just the 400D body? (pls advice on the price of the lens too)

Pros:
Compact / Light
Cleaning system
CF card(Cheaper)

Cons:
Body could be too small for a comfortable grip
small viewfinder

D80:
The D80's kit 18-135mm i think would be of a better zoom range yeah and i din really see much comments abt it so assuming it will gd.

Pros:
Better built
comfortable grip
bigger view finder
D-light

Cons:
SD card(higher cost)
greater damage to pocket

The price that i gathered from a popular seller here is $1480 for 400D kit, $1500 for D80 body & $1900 for D80 kit
 

Hi there

newbie here thinking of getting a DSLR soon with a budget of $2k but can stretch stretch abit more to $2.5k

Any advice on which DSLR to get? 400D/D80?

400D:
Read up post saying that the Canon Kit lens 17-55mm ain't that good. any recommendation for lens with abit more zoom to buy if let say i buy just the 400D body? (pls advice on the price of the lens too)

Pros:
Compact / Light
Cleaning system
CF card(Cheaper)

Cons:
Body could be too small for a comfortable grip
small viewfinder

D80:
The D80's kit 18-135mm i think would be of a better zoom range yeah and i din really see much comments abt it so assuming it will gd.

Pros:
Better built
comfortable grip
bigger view finder
D-light

Cons:
SD card(higher cost)
greater damage to pocket

The price that i gathered from a popular seller here is $1480 for 400D kit, $1500 for D80 body & $1900 for D80 kit

Bro, SD card is cheaper... CF is more expensive.
Tried the D80 at comex, found that the kit lens auto-focusing not so good.
D80 going for $1900 nett at quite a few place.
 

Bro, SD card is cheaper... CF is more expensive.
Tried the D80 at comex, found that the kit lens auto-focusing not so good.
D80 going for $1900 nett at quite a few place.


Moreover... SD Card is getting more and more application, problably have more functions with it, PDA, MP3 and etc....
 

Thanks for the replies!

hmm so i assume both angrypiglet and devilboy will go for D80 too yeah?
 

hey pingo..are you using the D80 now?

so far the cam had been working well for u i supposed?

any shortcoming? how any the kit len's auto focus?
 

Go for D80! You will not regret...

I am a D80 user.

:)
 

Thanks for the replies!

hmm so i assume both angrypiglet and devilboy will go for D80 too yeah?


Price is the issue. For 20D, 30D u can get this prices (USD$980, USD$1180 respectively) from reputable online shops, but excludes air freight, body only

So far, review for D80 is quite comprehensive and rated good in dpreview. Other reviews in the net oso highly rated the cam. But nobody knows how reliable are those review or if they are paid to write good reviews on the camera. So far in CS, no one did a review on it. (one Cser previously did a hands-on product test on his Sony A100) Perhaps u can do a detailed review when u purchase the cam k :thumbsup:

Some finds SD card is the main turnoff. Some feels tat SD is unstable, slow read/write and regard it as stuff amateur uses. :sweat: I dunno whether if they had read them from some comments ppl posted and start citing them as facts or did they really did some intensive tests on both CF and SD and concluded this as their findings.

Why not go to HN or Best and do some test on both 400D and the D80. Bring ur own CF and SD card, take some pics and bring home compare pics quality, handling of the camera and etc.
 

Hi there

newbie here thinking of getting a DSLR soon with a budget of $2k but can stretch stretch abit more to $2.5k

Any advice on which DSLR to get? 400D/D80?

400D:
Read up post saying that the Canon Kit lens 17-55mm ain't that good. any recommendation for lens with abit more zoom to buy if let say i buy just the 400D body? (pls advice on the price of the lens too)

Pros:
Compact / Light
Cleaning system
CF card(Cheaper)

Cons:
Body could be too small for a comfortable grip
small viewfinder

D80:
The D80's kit 18-135mm i think would be of a better zoom range yeah and i din really see much comments abt it so assuming it will gd.

Pros:
Better built
comfortable grip
bigger view finder
D-light

Cons:
SD card(higher cost)
greater damage to pocket

The price that i gathered from a popular seller here is $1480 for 400D kit, $1500 for D80 body & $1900 for D80 kit


2.5K??:think: side issue a bit... If u gonna spend 2.5k for a camera,u might as well buy a semi-pro body D200 Nikon.. D80 is merely a upgrade version of D70S. So if u already don't mind spending 2.5k,so why D80 or 400D?? U can feel the weight of 400D,80D & D200...Compare everything that u want.. I'm sure buying D200 will not makes u regretted. And with that vertical grip,it will make u feel even more powerful.. Looks liked a pro-body.Furthermore the price of D200 had already drop so much..So don't hestitate anymore.. D200 with your budget is definitely or apparently the best choice..:thumbsup:
 

2.5K??:think: side issue a bit... If u gonna spend 2.5k for a camera,u might as well buy a semi-pro body D200 Nikon.. D80 is merely a upgrade version of D70S. So if u already don't mind spending 2.5k,so why D80 or 400D?? U can feel the weight of 400D,80D & D200...Compare everything that u want.. I'm sure buying D200 will not makes u regretted. And with that vertical grip,it will make u feel even more powerful.. Looks liked a pro-body.Furthermore the price of D200 had already drop so much..So don't hestitate anymore.. D200 with your budget is definitely or apparently the best choice..:thumbsup:
guess he meant 2.5k including body+lens setup
 

Will the price of D80 cut after the inital "hooha" and given that it costs much more than canon 400D?
 

The price definitely will drop at some point of time. However, D80 is not marketed as the entry level DSLR. The price will never be at the same level as the 400D. Probably, the successor or the D50 will compete with the 400D in that arena.

Albeit higher price of the D80, it is better in built and comes with a number of features which photo enthusiasts will wish for: large viewfinder, spot metering, creative lighting system (remote flash), etc. Without going into the nitty gritty, the photo quality of both D80 and 400D is comparable. At the end of the day, one have to decide whether he/she wants/needs the build and the extra features of the D80.

Of course 400D has the new anti-dust feature built-in too.

As for me, the reason I buy the D80:
- large viewfinder (I do manual focusing when I shoot macro)
- better build (I simply love the feel of the D80 in my hands)
- fantastic flash system (time-to-time I use remote flash and multiple flashes)
- exposure system (I find the spot metering/AE-lock useful in tricky lighting situation, the FV-lock(flash value) is also extremely useful when I control the flash exposure of my subject.)

Now... it's up to you to determine what is useful for you and what is not...
 

Hi there

newbie here thinking of getting a DSLR soon with a budget of $2k but can stretch stretch abit more to $2.5k

Any advice on which DSLR to get? 400D/D80?

400D:
Read up post saying that the Canon Kit lens 17-55mm ain't that good. any recommendation for lens with abit more zoom to buy if let say i buy just the 400D body? (pls advice on the price of the lens too)

Pros:
Compact / Light
Cleaning system
CF card(Cheaper)

Cons:
Body could be too small for a comfortable grip
small viewfinder

D80:
The D80's kit 18-135mm i think would be of a better zoom range yeah and i din really see much comments abt it so assuming it will gd.

Pros:
Better built
comfortable grip
bigger view finder
D-light

Cons:
SD card(higher cost)
greater damage to pocket

The price that i gathered from a popular seller here is $1480 for 400D kit, $1500 for D80 body & $1900 for D80 kit


the most important i feel to to hand test both cameras and find out which you are more comfortable handling. If you do not like the feel of the camera, you will not be so inclined to use it.

One important aspect for me is the design of the camera, both the egonomics and the looks. If i'm ashamed of the design, i would not use it often enough. Technically boths cameras are rather alright.

SD or CF cards, doesn't matter as both as equally common in the market.

The other factor is to look into the lens system and see what may interest you and the price range of the lenses you intended to purchase.
 

Hi there

newbie here thinking of getting a DSLR soon with a budget of $2k but can stretch stretch abit more to $2.5k

Any advice on which DSLR to get? 400D/D80?

400D:
Read up post saying that the Canon Kit lens 17-55mm ain't that good. any recommendation for lens with abit more zoom to buy if let say i buy just the 400D body? (pls advice on the price of the lens too)

Pros:
Compact / Light
Cleaning system
CF card(Cheaper)

Cons:
Body could be too small for a comfortable grip
small viewfinder

D80:
The D80's kit 18-135mm i think would be of a better zoom range yeah and i din really see much comments abt it so assuming it will gd.

Pros:
Better built
comfortable grip
bigger view finder
D-light

Cons:
SD card(higher cost)
greater damage to pocket

The price that i gathered from a popular seller here is $1480 for 400D kit, $1500 for D80 body & $1900 for D80 kit

If no hurry to buy then wait for November Sitex Show. should have more freebie bundle in.
 

You should go for a 400D!!!!
From the review it shows that the 18-135 aint tt terrific afterall. With alot of barrel distortion and vignetting problems. Furthermore for tt price you are paying for a plastic mount!!! super not worth it.
The review url: http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/nikon/d80-review/
 

so sad, nv consider the A100.

anyway, if i have to make between both of them, i would choose 400D.
 

wow! thats alot of replies..

I hope to keep my budget within $2k for a complete set of body + lens but will still be ok(but hope not) to go to $2.5k.

D200 would be quite out of my budget alr @ $2.9k for body only. Actually I have in mind 30D too but i realise that the only more prominent difference of it with 400D is the spot metering which i duno much abt it so not sure of its usefulness..:dunno:

was tempted by the A100 when it was 1st launched but din quite like the grip..it seems rather pointed for me on the fingers part when holding it.

hmm prob you ppl mind help recommend me a "general" lens with hopefully a gd range of zoom while i get the body onli package instead of getting the kit package since most comment on kit lens producing images that aint sharp enuf.

would appreciate if you ppl can advice on the price of the lens and exact model as i'm still rather confused on the XXmm-XXmm thingy cos gotta take into consideration on the sensor crop 1.3/1.6x etc.

btw I prefer to take pics with natural lighting instead of using the flash and i read somewhere that it is recommended that the lens to be f2.8? will this range of lens be ex? rough price range?

Pardon me for asking this kind of noob q as i really duno much abt lenses.

thanks in advance! :)

Cheers to mid week!!!;p
 

wow! thats alot of replies..

I hope to keep my budget within $2k for a complete set of body + lens but will still be ok(but hope not) to go to $2.5k.

D200 would be quite out of my budget alr @ $2.9k for body only. Actually I have in mind 30D too but i realise that the only more prominent difference of it with 400D is the spot metering which i duno much abt it so not sure of its usefulness..:dunno:

was tempted by the A100 when it was 1st launched but din quite like the grip..it seems rather pointed for me on the fingers part when holding it.

hmm prob you ppl mind help recommend me a "general" lens with hopefully a gd range of zoom while i get the body onli package instead of getting the kit package since most comment on kit lens producing images that aint sharp enuf.

would appreciate if you ppl can advice on the price of the lens and exact model as i'm still rather confused on the XXmm-XXmm thingy cos gotta take into consideration on the sensor crop 1.3/1.6x etc.

btw I prefer to take pics with natural lighting instead of using the flash and i read somewhere that it is recommended that the lens to be f2.8? will this range of lens be ex? rough price range?

Pardon me for asking this kind of noob q as i really duno much abt lenses.

thanks in advance! :)

Cheers to mid week!!!;p

for all focal lengths, you have to make the 1.6x conversion, even for EFS lenses. and a nice GP lens would be either 17-40L if you shoot wide, or 28-135 IS if you no need that wide end.
if your budget is higher, change them to 17-55 IS and 24-105L IS respectively.
if you are like desperate need all focal length yet no money, you are left with sigma 18-200, and all rounder lens.

if you are just plain confused, get the 17-85 IS, it is sufficient for many many many shoots.
 

wow! thats alot of replies..

I hope to keep my budget within $2k for a complete set of body + lens but will still be ok(but hope not) to go to $2.5k.

D200 would be quite out of my budget alr @ $2.9k for body only. Actually I have in mind 30D too but i realise that the only more prominent difference of it with 400D is the spot metering which i duno much abt it so not sure of its usefulness..:dunno:

was tempted by the A100 when it was 1st launched but din quite like the grip..it seems rather pointed for me on the fingers part when holding it.

hmm prob you ppl mind help recommend me a "general" lens with hopefully a gd range of zoom while i get the body onli package instead of getting the kit package since most comment on kit lens producing images that aint sharp enuf.

would appreciate if you ppl can advice on the price of the lens and exact model as i'm still rather confused on the XXmm-XXmm thingy cos gotta take into consideration on the sensor crop 1.3/1.6x etc.

btw I prefer to take pics with natural lighting instead of using the flash and i read somewhere that it is recommended that the lens to be f2.8? will this range of lens be ex? rough price range?

Pardon me for asking this kind of noob q as i really duno much abt lenses.

thanks in advance! :)

Cheers to mid week!!!;p

d80 body + tamron 17-50 f2.8 + sb600 is around 2.5k. :thumbsup:
but you go no tele lens for this case... if you prefer tele over external flash then
d80 body + tamron 17-50 f2.8 + sigma 70-300... will be close to 2.5k as well...
 

Bro, SD card is cheaper... CF is more expensive.
Tried the D80 at comex, found that the kit lens auto-focusing not so good.
D80 going for $1900 nett at quite a few place.


wah kaoz...at that place the lighting so bad...even D200 and D2Xs might have problem

in short PLBV
 

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