Nikon or Canon?

[Zerstorer]

But lenses with aperture rings still hold a firm place in my heart. I can do w/o AFS, VR and most of all G but not the aperture ring . To me, the F80, F75 and F65 w/o the Ai tab are "crippled" cameras and I would personally never consider them.

I can see your point. Personally, I've used F801/F90x before, but I've adapted quickly to using the command dials and never looked back. IMO a F90x is the oldest camera to be considered as it at least have AFS compatibility while boasting several nifty features >4fps, 1/8000, Manual HSS/1/250x-sync, 1/3 EV...etc.

To a new user, legacy compatibility issues may not be as important as compatibility with current or future products since they have nothing to start with. Thus it might be prudent to tailor advice to suit the enquirer in question rather than to enforce a personal preference.

 

[Snoweagle]

You may want to plan ahead.

Consider film SLR then DSLR.

Body is not a major investment, the lens are.

Try 2nd hand body with good lens then upgrade body but keep lens will be major saving.

Start either brand will likely continue, changing brand will be very costly.

Is not the brand, is the person behind the cam.

BTW, I used a F70 with a 3rd party 28-70mm F2.8 lens. Very happy with the results.

I agree...i used to have a EOS 500 before i upgraded to EOS 30.

 

[Snoweagle]

Exposure speeds exceeding 1/4000,Higher flash sync speeds, 1/3 EV compensation, Higher continous Shooting rate.

Basically, finer features that normally aren't required for normal shooting situations, but prized by people who push the limits of photography.

A beginner is better off with a newer camera that is compatible with most lenses in available in market today than an older body that can't function with AF-S, G, VR lenses which are prevalent and easily available.

Higher flash sync speeds may be useful but speeds exceeding 1/4000 sec are very hardly used.

 

[Tetrode]

I can see your point. Personally, I've used F801/F90x before, but I've adapted quickly to using the command dials and never looked back. IMO a F90x is the oldest camera to be considered as it at least have AFS compatibility while boasting several nifty features >4fps, 1/8000, Manual HSS/1/250x-sync, 1/3 EV...etc.

To a new user, legacy compatibility issues may not be as important as compatibility with current or future products since they have nothing to start with. Thus it might be prudent to tailor advice to suit the enquirer in question rather than to enforce a personal preference.

Nicely put. But now that you can pick up very nice/fast Ai lenses at bargain basement prices, and the fact that new midrange dSLRs like the D200 now come with Ai compatibility and Matrix metering with Ai glass (albiet with some programming). It might not be such a bad thing investing in legacy equipment.

So starting with a camera that doesn't support AFS/VR is no longer an issue and you don't have to worry that the Ai lenses you buy are not forward compatible. Also you don't have to hock the house to buy into some seriously nice glassware.

Plus cameras like the 601/801 are as cheap as chips now.

 

[Andy Ang]

Now, that's some very expensive CHIPS!

 

[Tetrode]

Now, that's some very expensive CHIPS!

Check Ebay for bargains. They do come up quite often nowadays.

 

[Zerstorer]

Higher flash sync speeds may be useful but speeds exceeding 1/4000 sec are very hardly used.

Shooting at f2.8 on a sunny day at the base ISO of 200 would exceed that easily.
Sunny 16 rule, 1/200 f16-> 1/6400 f2.8

When I was shooting assignments with my F90x in the past, I'd use ISO400/800 film as most events happen indoors, occasionally you would have to venture outdoors for some shots and the shutter speed easily exceeds 1/4000 when that happens. Thankfully I had 1/8000 to use.

Of course you can pop on a polarizor or ND filter to help, or switch out the roll of film, but its alot more convenient when the camera is able to switch to a higher shutter speed seamlessly and avoid the trouble.

 

[Snoweagle]

Shooting at f2.8 on a sunny day at the base ISO of 200 would exceed that easily.
Sunny 16 rule, 1/200 f16-> 1/6400 f2.8

When I was shooting assignments with my F90x in the past, I'd use ISO400/800 film as most events happen indoors, occasionally you would have to venture outdoors for some shots and the shutter speed easily exceeds 1/4000 when that happens. Thankfully I had 1/8000 to use.

Of course you can pop on a polarizor or ND filter to help, or switch out the roll of film, but its alot more convenient when the camera is able to switch to a higher shutter speed seamlessly and avoid the trouble.

I always shoot using an ISO400 film so speeds exceeding 1/4000 on my EOS 30 is very rare.