Camera Ideas

Hi dreamr. Every single day someone asks this question on MyLot, or a variation of it. What do you mean "has the lens"? Except for pinhole cameras, every camera has a lens: do you mean interchangeable lenses, or long-zoom lenses (like 10x or 20x compared with the 3x that most have); or do you mean something different, like the quality of the lens fitted? "Affordable" is a bit hard to recommend since I do not know what resources you have: to me, affordable is up to $2,500 without a lens; to my grandson, affordable is $200 if grandma gives him $50 for his birthday. What kind of photography are you going to get into? That makes a big difference, and so does what you plan to do with your pictures: if they are never going to be printed (for on-line use or on a monitor), or only printed up to postcard size, then you can spend a good deal less. If you want photos that look good at A4 (about 8x10) you want something better; and if you hope to ever see anything published in a magazine, then you need to look at a different kind of camera altogether. Do you want to shoot sports or action, or active kids? then a fast response and good burst rate are important; landscapes make different demands, and benefit from a wide-angle lens, while close-up (macro) and table-top photography needs a close-focus ability. Why not log onto www.betterphoto.com and use their camera selection tool to narrow down your search before you try to figure which brand or model you want?

I've never really had a Nikon, but I absolutely love Cannon. A lot of people I know use Cannons and they love them. They're good cameras, pretty sturdy, and they take nice pictures. :)

I personally use Nikon, but both brands are excellent quality and you'll be happy with either one of them. I think what it really comes down to is what feels more comfortable for you to use. For me, Nikons just feel right! I can easily find where everything is. Canons are more difficult for me to figure out. So I would recommend going to a camera store and asking to hold and try out both a Nikon and Canon DSLR. Learn where the features are that you'll use the most, play around with the menus, and see which version feels right for you!

One of my good friends bought a Nikon DSLR last year, and has fallen in love with it. From the perspective of my friends, Canon is the more reputable brand. I've heard that Canon has the edge when it comes to lenses, so if you are looking to make a big investment that lasts a long time - they may be the way to go. As far as features, etc. you will probably get similar quality with either. best of luck !