Nikon or Canon

[AceStallion]

I'm trying to decide between a Nikon D90 12.3 MP DSLR Camera with 18-105mm Kit and a Canon EOS Rebel T1i 15MP DSLR + 18-55mm lenses...the Canon is cheaper but should i go for the more expensive one? Is it really that much better?

I need it for freelance photography around Atlanta..so buildings at night, parks, golf courses, concerts-inside and outside-those kinds of places are where Ill be taking photos

I'm just looking for opinions from those who have these two camera..thanks!

 

[speedy2]

What exactly do you plan on taking photos of? What types of situations will you be in? And, what do you want out of the camera now and in the future? Both of these might be a good starting point, but maybe consider a more pro level body? Also, the kit lenses aren't going to be that impressive. You'd be happier with a used lens of better quality for sure.

 

[djnsmith7]

I have the Nikon D60 & really like it. It takes great quality shots & is pretty easy to work with. The controls aren't that complicated to figure out.

It pairs up nicely with the 70-300VR. I doubt you'd be disappointed with the D90. If you're going to be taking any high speed photos, such as any type of motorsports, you may want to compare the speed of the D90 to that of the D5000. I suggest that only because I don't know which is faster, but would be worth knowing in your situation.

 

[soydios]

/obligatory_Nikon_fanboy_plug

I <3 my D90.

But IMO, you're should shift some of your money from the body to buy lenses instead. A D5000 with 35mm f/1.8 is going to get you massively better concert shots than a D90 with the 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6. The sensors are the same between those two bodies. The price difference though enables you to buy a fast prime lens for low light.

Here's what I'd recommend for starter lenses, in the order you should purchase them:
AF-S 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G VR DX
AF-S 35mm f/1.8G DX
AF-S 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR

Buy a body at whatever price point enables you to get those three lenses as soon as possible (I mean without waiting a year to save up money, not paying for overnight shipping).

Remember: bodies are rendered inferior in a span of only a few years. Lenses are forever.

 

[corkyg]

A Canon fanboy says . . . I agree with soydios. The decision should be based on the glass family you intend to collect.

 

[AkumaX]

Consider the T2i instead of the T1i?

 

[phreaqe]

my feeling is this. both canon and nikon make great cameras. i went canon because my first p&s cameras were canon so i just kept going with them. i used a nikon when i took a photography class in college and liked it too. Basically They are both good cameras so go to a store and play with both of them and which even one feels right when using it(how easy are the button to reach, how does it feel in your hands, etc) should be the one you purchase.

 

[Anubis]

go to a store and play with both of them, how they feel in your hands and how you like the controls is the only really important difference between the two. lenses, pic quality,..... all other aspects are close enough to be called the same. but they do feel/operate very very differently.

personally i prefer Nikon

 

[firewolfsm]

Canon is doing better with video and ISO performance now (at least for mainstream products), but image quality and glass selection is no better.

 

[VorpalBunny]

Sound advice all. I had this decision to make last year. Not having any existing equipment made my decision hard. I went with a D90. Overall, I thought the lenses were a little less costly, but not by much. In fact, I think it was the way the grip felt. I have large hands and the larger grip meant I felt like I had a firm grasp and didn't shake as much. I also thought the menus and camera settings were easier to navigate.

Definitely go to a store and hold both in your hands and play with the menu settings. Image quality in low light situations is probably going to be toss up.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I like the Canon lineup for lenses. At least the 70-200 series is very nice. You now have FIVE freaking lenses to choose from ranging from $600 to $2500 for a professional L-zoom. You can even go cheaper and get a non L as there are 3 other choices (75-300, 55-250, 70-300).

Also, consider the T2i over the T1i. I have the T1i, but the T2i brings a lot of improvements that came with the top notch APS-C Canon 7D.

Btw, Canon's 18-55 IS kit lens is amazing. Don't' disregard it because it lacks some bells and whistles of say it's L-like brother (17-55mm f/2.8 IS). I own both and I have to say the optics of the 18-55mm can match the 17-55 quite well. Maybe some will argue that pop, color, contrast etc is better with the more expensive lens, but in terms of sharpness the kit lens does just fine.

I'd take a 18-55mm and a 55-250 which was what I started out with. Very cheap setup, and you can grab it off Slickdeals as they had some T1i or T2i deal with 3 lenses. Figure out what you like and then you can invest more into say a Canon 10-22 or Tokina 11-16 UWA lens, or a better zoom.

Also those 18-105s (at least for Canon) aren't that great. They're great all around zooms where you don't have to swap, but you will typically get better results from 2 lenses.

 

[Munky]

I'd go with the D90, it's a step above the Canon Rebel series in terms of features, handling, and lens compatibility.

 

[vshah]

don't know if the t1/t2 has a lens motor built in, but the built in motor on the d90 will allow you to get cheap used AF nikkor lenses. if the canon's have a motor too, then the same thing holds.

 

[MotF Bane]

Get your hands on both of them.

 

[mrSHEiK124]

Get your hands on both of them.

This. If you don't already have any glass, this a thousand times this. Just play with both and see which one you like more, because at the end of the day they're both great cameras.

I recently bought a T2i (first SLR) and I love it. I handled a few Nikons in the store and simply liked Canon's menu system/controls more - then again, most P&S cams I've ever used, 35mm or digital, were Canon.

 

[intogamer]

This. If you don't already have any glass, this a thousand times this. Just play with both and see which one you like more, because at the end of the day they're both great cameras.

I recently bought a T2i (first SLR) and I love it. I handled a few Nikons in the store and simply liked Canon's menu system/controls more - then again, most P&S cams I've ever used, 35mm or digital, were Canon.

I was going to takeover my friend's XTi rebel for a starter cam, but unfortunately my his friend dropped it. Now, I am leaning towards the T2i because of the video capabilities, which adds another layer of versatility for a starter user like me. 550D/T2i 1080HD videos on Vimeo are spectacularly gorgeous.

 

[Silenus]

Everybody has given good advice. Since you don't have any existing brand specific gear you really need to FEEL both. Pick whichever feels more natural. either brand is capable of stunning photos and both have excellent glass. I like the feel and controls of Nikon myself. I have a lowly D40...but I have some nice glass to go with it, which for a lot of casual shooting makes a much bigger difference than a new body would.

 

[BigSmooth]

I love my Canon but I have recommended Nikon to people as well. As others have said it's just personal preference.

Also, this might seem like a silly reason but if you have friends or relatives that already have SLRs, it's not a bad thing to use the same brand. My father in law also shoots with Canon and I've borrowed lenses and a flash on a few occasions.

 

[BeauJangles]

I ended up going with Nikon simply because their camera layouts made more sense to me. Honestly, it doesn't matter that much. Just pick one and go!

 

[speedy2]

Another tip. Whichever brand you go with, do not skimp on glass just to save some money. You will regret it. If you don't know a good lens, get on some photography forums. I'm on POTN. It's a canon site. They've got Image Archives from users with each specific lens. Good way to tell the results you'll see with each lens.

 

[JimKiler]

Canon is doing better with video and ISO performance now (at least for mainstream products), but image quality and glass selection is no better.

Have you see the Nikon D3S photo gallery on engadget? Their photos at ISO 10K and 12K look better than mine at ISO 800!

I want this camera but alas I do not have $5K burning a hole in my pocket.

 

[Anubis]

Have you see the Nikon D3S photo gallery on engadget? Their photos at ISO 10K and 12K look better than mine at ISO 800!

I want this camera but alas I do not have $5K burning a hole in my pocket.

when he said for mainstream products im pretty sure he meant consumer level

 

[Munky]

when he said for mainstream products im pretty sure he meant consumer level

Even in consumer products, I find the claim that the t2i has the best high ISO performance debatable. You can argue that the jpeg's come out slightly "cleaner", but from the sample image's I've seen, they also lose more fine textured detail due to noise reduction.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

5D2 vs D700 in high ISO?

 

[jpeyton]

Video is clearly in Canon's favor right now. If you shoot video, you want a T2i, 7D, 5D2 or 1D4.

ISO performance in still images is a wash. Nikon had a leg-up at the consumer level until Canon released the 7D and T2i, and now the difference is negligible. It's a wash at the semi-pro level as well (5D2 and D700). The only outlier is the D3s, which is in the class by itself.