Do I need an SLR? Nikon D40 or Canon G7?

Question

I was going to buy a D40 the I saw the Canon G7.. I realize this is not an SLR but it almost seems to have the features of one. Full manual control (complete with little knobs on top).. plus I would actually carry it around with me. The D40 on the other hand is an SLR.. I really like it but it's a little bulky to be throwing in the backpack..

If you don't plan on buying lenses.. do you need an SLR? The G7 seems to be just that.. without the interchangable lenses.. It even has a hot shoe for external flash? Any opinions?

Answer 1

You sound like you have done some research, so I will just address a couple of points. First, although the G7 is a 10 MP camera (vs. the D40's 6 MP), the D40's sensor is about ten times bigger than the G7's. This will translate into better image quality overall, regardless of the difference in pixels.

Second, although the G7 lens covers from 35-210 mm, you can get the 18-135 mm lens which will cover the same range, once you do the lens conversion. It is most likely a better lens, also.

Just a thought.

Answer 2

Canon have been making the G series of cameras for about 7 years, so the hot shoe for an external flash is not a new idea, nor is the EOS based click-wheel, which was first added to the G3 (which I still happen to own, but lies dormant in it's bag somewhere).

The advantages of an SLR over the G7...better photo quality, faster shutter response, faster lens, better high ISO performance and you also have the option of shooting in RAW if you wish (this has been omitted from the new G7). Obviously, the ability to change lenses is a great advantage, but quite costly.
If small size is of most importance to you, then even Canon's A640 should be good enough (it has 10MP, full manual controls and comparable photo quality to the G7...but no hot shoe).
If you intend to spend extra on a good external flash (which is definitely not cheap), then why waste it on the G7?

The Nikon D80 is probably a better choice than the D40. It costs a little more, but you're getting extra MP and more features.
Canon's 10MP, entry level 400D (Rebel XTi) is another good choice and it's a small size...too small for some hands, though.
But...if you don't plan on buying a good extra lens or two...then a prosumer type of camera might be all you need.
Good luck...

Answer 3

I have the G6, and love it, but it is no replacement for a SLR. Having the manual controls won't give you the same results as you'd get from the D40, largely due to the depth of field difference. You just can't get shallow DOF on a digicam, even a high end one like the G6 or G7. Also, the SLR can use different lenses, a big plus if you shoot diverse things.

The G7 should be a very capable camera, I have captured many good and some great images with my G6. But it does not have the versatility of a SLR. You will have to decide if the difference makes any difference to you and your style of shooting. For many people, the G7 would be as much camera as they want or need. For others, it would be confining. You make the call.