photography buffs, help me buy a DSLR camera

[cwsiggy]

dpreview.com

the ultimate photography review site - just like avsforums.com - the forums there are full of neurotic people but a wealth of info. Great camera reviews.

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...part=1&vc=1

[DING-DONG YO]

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http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...part=1&vc=1

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good stuff in that thread, sure, but it's a year old. A lot has changed.

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

what has changed? the cameras you are considering all more than a year old.

[DING-DONG YO]

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what has changed? the cameras you are considering all more than a year old.

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no they're not. D40x and XTi are new versions. I figured a new thread to discuss this (buying a camera) might be in order.

Nevertheless, if the powers that be diagree, they may feel free to lock this and I will bump the old thread and humbly apologize for creating a new one.

[kmak]

I chose the Nikon D80 over the D40 because of lens compatability - I have a significant investment in Nikor lenses that would not work on the D40.

I was also concerned about the "digital zoom" but, in reality, you can do a digital zoom on the optical image when you edit in your photo management software.

[DING-DONG YO]

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I chose the Nikon D80 over the D40 because of lens compatability - I have a significant investment in Nikor lenses that would not work on the D40.

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That's my only real problem with the Nikon. Apparently, there is no auto-focus inside the body of the camera. That means that every lens you ever use with this camera must have an auto-focus built into the lens. I'm wondering if this is going to be a problem in the future.

Other than that, I'm leaning towards the Nikon. I like the way the camera feels better and it seems to focus a little faster.

Does anyone have any insight into the zoom question in my OP?

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I heard that Canon lenses are better

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I've heard that same thing. But I also read in more than 1 place that the lens that comes standard with the XTi (I know you said you got the XT) sucks. I'm worried about having to drop another $500 on a lens a month after I buy the camera.

To be fair, I probably wouldn't notice that much of a difference. I'm starting to notice a lot of comments on these cameras from pros and amatuers since both of them use these lower end SLRs quite extensively. Obviously, things that pros hate are not even going to be noticed by the more casual photographer. That makes it kind of tough to sift through the comments/reviews to figure out which complaints are a big deal and which aren't.