Ok, Last weekend was a blur of firsts for me. One, it was my first PAID photography job- YIPPEE! And two.. it was my first WEDDING photography job– YIKES! Ok, I admit, it’s a bit insane to do a wedding as my first photog gig, but hey, I was offered the chance and I leapt at it. Of course, it was “only” my uncle’s wedding… I figure if it’s in the family, he cab’t get too mad at me for screwing up the pics.
The third first was that I got to actually use an SLR. My palms itched in anticipation of this- I could not WAIT to get my hands on that camera. The said camera belonged (well, still belongS to- although I tried my best to sneak away with it), said uncle (aka the groom), BUT for four hours during the wedding it was all mine (insert evil laughter.. mwa-ha-ha). The camera in question is a Nikon D80 and although it’s not a model I’m likely to purchase myself, it was a good oppurtunity to get my hands on something similar to what I’m looking for. My budget is tight, so I’m pretty much between the Nikon D40 or a Canon Rebel (likely an XTi, possibly just an Xt or the Xsi). I’ve been doing my research, poring (or is it pouring- whatever) over untold reviews, comments, and blogs- trying to put my finger on exactly whch one is THE camera to buy. My conclusion? They are about equally loved- almost every comment I have read has said the same: I have the {insert camera make/model} and I absolutely love it. Good to know, but not really so helpful, if you know what I mean. I have yet to find a side-by-side comparison that pits features of one against the other or really states which is the best camera for different purposes. A few sites have a few features listed, but not enough to help me make this decision.
Part of this is my own personality of course- I have yet to confront even a slightly major-ish purchasing decision without hemming and hawing and fretting and thinking- usualy for months. When my last car died suddenly and I had to make a rush decision on a new one, it just about killed me to do it (and it still took me weeks to make the final decision, much to the chagrine of those around me). So, for know, I am still thinking and contemplating and researching and most of all wishing I had my very own SLR to hold in my very own hands. Sigh. But until I do figure this one out, my plans for beginning a new career are pretty much on hold. If only someone would let me borrow their Rebel for awhile.. maybe then I could decide.
Hey- if anyone wants to give me some feedback on this one, they are more than welcome to- I need all the help I can get.
myckul Said:
on June 5, 2008 at 2:10 am
I would go with the XTI and invest in a Canon 24-70 f2.8 Lens… It is an excellent lens for weddings and portraits…. The picture quality is excellent and the 2.8 aperture is ideal if you are going to be indoor and causes a great background blur to bring attention to your subject incase you are outdoors with allot of distractions in the background.
nathaliewithanh Said:
on June 6, 2008 at 12:49 am
My two cents: if your budget for a camera is about $500, you probably are not in a position to invest in $1,200 lens. If money was irrelevant, I would suggest the same lens.
An excellent site for you to consult:
http://www.dpreview.com
Good luck!
Greg Said:
on July 4, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I will recommend the Canon all day long until I am blue in the face, its a great camera, only “issue” is needing to replace the battery every year or two. The quality is awesome. Next would be a pentax camera, they have started to get better in the DSLR field. I have a site that has video reviews and written reviews on a lot of cameras if that would help you out. Good luck.
http://buyadigitalslr.com
merryarts Said:
on August 26, 2008 at 11:26 pm
I would not recommend the Rebel – have you actually fondled (ok, held) one up close and personal yet? It is quite heavy. I am a purist and still use my SLR for most of my professional work and have a nice little Kodak 7.1. It has a 12x telephoto built in (as well as a built in flash) and the lenses are German made – they still make the best, in my not so humble opinion. This little camera is deceptive, it takes great photos and weighs almost nothing, great thought when you are lugging it around on a photo shoot. Also, a Canon Rebel is going to cost considerably more than $500 if that is what I understand you have in your budget. The Kodak I have cost me about $250.00 and even as a purist I have to admit that this digital is really good and ok, digital does have some nice features, like you can see what you just photographed instantly (and delete the disasters right away). I know everyone is going to have a different opinion and all the different answers will probably make you crazy (sorry, really not my intention) but the weight issue of the Rebel turned me off to it, plus I don’t like overly complicated and it has, let’s say a definite learning curve. I hope this helps, some?