Best Digital SLR camera under $1400?

Question

so ive decided i want to make photography a big part of my life and am looking to go to school for photography and am looking to get a new camera...... ive been looking around and have some ideas but i decided i want to get peoples opinion on what cameras they have and have heard great things about .... Im looking for an all around great SLR camera below 1400$ any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

ive been looking at the Canon 5D also.? any good ideas on that?

also HOW DOES THE NIKON D80 STACK UP AGAINST THE NIKON D200? which in your opinion would you go for between the 2?

Answer 1

A lot depends on what kind of lenses you want to start out with.
For $1400 your best bet might be a Nikon D80 with the Nikon 18-135mm kit lens and a 2GB Sandisk Extreme lll memory card. That leaves about $200 for extras, like a camera bag, a lens cleaning kit, a protective UV filter for the kit lens and either a cheap tripod or a 50mm f/1.8 lens for low light situations.
The D80 is consistently reviewed as the best of all sub $1000 10-megapixel dSLR cameras. It beats the Canon 400D, the Pentax K10D, the Sony A100, etc. The 18-135mm kit lens provides decent image quality and the zoom range makes it a viable all-in-one lens. For marginally better image quality and build quality, replace the 18-135mm zoom with the Nikon 18-70mm zoom (about the same price.)
The Nikon D200 and Canon 20D/ 30D are tempting - you can certainly afford these bodies - but you can't put together a decent system for under $1800.
Another option is to get a cheaper body, like the Canon 400D, a discontinued 350D, or a Nikon D50 and spend more on lenses. This way you could also add an external flash and spend more on a tripod if you need one. These cheaper bodies lack a few features compared to the D80 but better lenses will result in better image quality. More lenses will result in more versatility. It's a trade-off you should consider.
Feel free to add details to your question for further suggestions. I'll check back later. You can also expect up to 10 more answers when more people in the UK and the USA start to log in. They won't all be usefull, but what do you expect for free ;-)
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The Canon 5D is a fantastic camera but it's $2500 for just the body.
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I use a D200 myself and my wife is thinking about getting a D80. First of all... most importantly... the image quality is exactly the same. They also have the same viewfinder - bigger and brighter than what you'll find on a Canon in this price range. They are both a joy to use.
Here's what the D200 offers in terms of extras compared the the D80:
* a rugged, metal body
* the shutter is rated to last 100,000 actuations vs. 50,000.
* it has a slightly more advanced AF system
* it does 5 frames per second vs. 3
* it has a better control layout (buttons & switches vs. having to dive into menus to change settings)
* it provides more info in the viewfinder
* minor improvements to features like bracketing, metereing, etc.
* it can also use manual focus lenses.
The D200 is a D80 on steroids. If you need heavy duty build quality, or if you need 5 FPS for sports, the D200 is your camera. Otherwise just spend the $500 price difference on your lens collection.

Answer 2

Have you looked at the various bodies that have the built in IS feature like Sony or Pentax? You wouldn't need to pay extra for built in IS in lenses with those brands. Just a thought. The 75 - 300 focal length will give you the reach if you are somewhat far away from the sports action, but you will need some kind of support if you use it at 300 MM without IS. But if you keep the shutter speed at or above 1/500 sec. with a steady hand you should get some (not all) decent keepers. For landscapes you might want to get a wider lens, at least a 35 MM lens at the wide end or wider.

Answer 3

I will disagree with the last poster. 90% of Profesionals are NOT using Canon EOS 350/400 cameras. They would be using 5D, 1ds MkII's, and 1d Mk III's if they are truley pro's.

however Canon does have the biggest market share right now.

My preferance (and my equipment) for that price range
Pentax K10D (better weather sealed then canon, better color with 22 bit A/D chip, Shake Reduction in body so no expensive IS lenses needed.)
18-55 DA Pentax
50-200 DA Pentax
AF360G flash
50mm SMC-A f2

for a bit more replace 18-55 with Tamron 28-75 DI SP f2.8 (I have both) and replace 50mm f2 with SMC 50mm f1.2.

Answer 4

The match is between Nikon and Canon, as always. Both have cameras in your price range. It all boils down to which one you're comfortable with. Try going to camera shops and test them in your hands.

Another reason to choose one brand over the other, is to look at what is easily available around you. Some places, it is easier (and cheaper) to get Nikon lenses (especially second hand ones), other places it is Canon. Look to see which service center is nearer to you too.

Personally, I'm a newbie in this. But I got a Nikon. So far it has not let me down. (and I hear that they have cheaper and more lens choices)

Answer 5

Since your budget allows it, I'll vote with OMG on the Nikon D80. Here's a list of links to reviews, in case any of these escaped your notice.

The 5D body alone would cost about exactly double your $1,400 maximum budget. Sorry.

http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3476/editors-choice-10mp-dslrs.html

http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3231/camera-test-nikon-d80.html

http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3157/nikon-d80-competitive-set.html

http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/2794/hands-on-nikon-d80-dslr.html

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_d80.asp

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond80/
(Note: There are 30 pages to this article. Don't stop after reading page 1.)

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/read_opinions.asp?prodkey=nikon_d80
(Note: There are over 60 owner opinions, including pros and cons in almost all of them.)

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/nikon_d80.html
(Note: There are 11 pages to this article. Don't stop after reading page 1.)

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d80.htm

http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3569/10mp-dslr-shootout.html

Answer 6

90 % of the professional photographer is using canon EOS 400 or 450.