Nikon D80, Nikon D200 or Canon EOS 400D?

Question

I'd read their reviews, specs and etc. and they are almost the same and it's hard for me to decide what to buy on these three DSLR cameras. really need your help! tnx..

Answer 1

Sam, Is Yahoo! Answers now keeping you up nights?

These three cameras provide identical resolution and image quality. They also all have a good AF system. (The 400D uses the same AF system as the more expensive Canon 30D - which you don't list.) In short, whichever camera has the best lens on it, will produce the best pictures.

Here are some considerations that you've probably already read in the reviews. They aren't listed in the specs however, so it's easy to overlook these differences:

The higher price of the D80 vs. the 400D is justified by the larger viewfinder, larger grip, availability of a spot meter, and one or two small things that make it a nicer camera to operate. This is the key, really - it's a nicer camera to use.
At least I think it is. Try them yourself in a shop before you commit to a brand.

The D200 has the extra features of the D80, plus 'industrial build strength': a metal body, weather sealing, and a shutter rated for 100,000 actuations vs. 50,000. It also does 5 FPS vs. 3, and it has more buttons & switches so you don't have to dive into menus to change settings. As a bonus, you can also use older (manual focus) Nikon lenses with the D200. All of this makes the D200 a better camera for sports photography, rugged conditions, and for people that need to customize settings on the fly.

Like Sam, I bought a D200 before the D80 was available. And if I had to choose again today, I'd still get the D200. But like I said, between the 400D, D80 and D200, the camera with the best lens will win in a shoot out. If money is an issue and you don't absolutely need 5 FPS, economize on the body and spend on lenses. (Canon and Nikon are equal in that department.)

Answer 2

Comparison between the Nikon D80 and the Nikon D200:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=nikon_d80%2Cnikon_d200&show=all

If you want to compare current models, compare the D80 to the D200. This is a tough call. Here is the recent Popular Photography review of the D80. They make comparisons with the D200 throughout the article. They also have capsule summaries comparing the D80 to the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi (400D), the Pentax K10D, and the Sony Alpha 100. In the conclusion, they suggest that Nikon has "gone crazy" releasing this camera for $700 less than the D200, stating that the D80 is nearly the same camera without a few features and without the industrial strength of the D200.

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

I own a D200 and a D70s, which should feel quite a bit like the D80. The D70s by no means feels "cheap," but it is lighter and somewhat smaller than the D200. If I had all of the image quality of the D200 available in the D70s, I doubt I would have spent the money for the D200. In other words, if you are looking to move up from a point and shoot, the additional price is probably not worth the difference unless you need the superior construction and all the subtle features of the D200.

Answer 3

You may be overlooking the fact that neither the Nikon or Canon cameras will meet your needs should you opt to acquire telephoto lenses down the road. Even though Nikon offers a special set of telephoto lenses with built-in shake reduction, these specialized telephoto lenses are not inexpensive. Perhaps there is another camera manufacturer who has thought out this issue of "shake reduction" thoroughly and has produced a product which is reasonably priced and works on all their accessory telephone lenses. So who's the competition. The answer is Pentax and its K series, beginning with the K100D through the K10D series with "shake reduction" built into the camera "body." Check out the Pentax K Series camera line and you will discover a whole new line of professional cameras. Remember that the real value is the end product and if you cannot make out which picture is "better" than another when using either a Nikon or Cannon or a Pentax, then why all the fuss about having bought top-brand cameras. An even smarter option overall, is to never "buy" and instead "rent" all your camera equipment. Using the "rent" strategy means that you never have to say that "I made the mistake of buying old technology." Good luck!

Answer 4

go for the D80. D200 has a few extras but not worth the upgrade. The Canon is a bit heavy. All take excellent pictures.

Answer 5

Two factors.

Nikon used two different technologies for auto focus. Motor in the lense (most current and widely used) and motor in the camera (via a pin). Not all cameras have the pin and thus can't use the older Nikon lense in auto focus mode, only manual focus.

Nikon uses softening to save the picture, making the color saturation smoother but cutting down edge sharpness on things like text.

Canon uses sharpening to save the picture, making the colors mottle somtimes, but making text sharper.

Also the Canon uses a Compact Flash card and the Nikon and SD card.

Answer 6

These are all great cameras no doubt, and you have done your homework. You really need to go to the store, hold them, use them, play with the menus etc. Comfort is key when buying a SLR, if you dont like the way it feels when you shoot with it you most likely will not use it at much.