Would anyone like to help me decide?

[heathersrt]

Hi,

This is my first post on DPS, but I have been lurking for a few weeks. I really love photography and I am looking into getting my first DSLR. I'm trying to decide between the Canon Rebel T1i or the Nikon D5000. I will mainly be shooting children, I have a 9 month old son and a 3 year old niece. I don't plan on trying to be a professional or anything, it's just a hobby. I'm not completely sure what to look for, it is all very new to me, but I know that I have outgrown my Kodak EasyShare. Thanks for any help!

Heather

[Quo Fan]

What you need to do is get out and hold each one and see how it feels in YOUR hands. I have big hands, and my Canon 30D fits well. I've tried the smaller cameras, and they don't feel "right" like my 30D does.

Find a store where you can hold the cameras without the anti-theft devices attached. That will enable you to truly feel the camera. Flip around through the menus, to see how easy or hard it is to navigate.

[dcclark]

Either camera will be great for you. They're both very good entry-level cameras, in fact, slightly above entry-level.

At this point, here are my recommendations: go to a local store which has both cameras (a camera shop, Target, maybe WalMart). Try them both in your hands. Pay attention to how comfortable it is to hold the camera (is the grip too big? too small? do you feel cramped or stretched?). Try using the menus and controls. Do you feel comfortable reaching everything?

One thing you should NOT worry about, in the store, is how good the images look. Demo models in stores may be beat up and not representative -- you'll get great images out of either camera.

After you've found out which one feels better, start working on the really important things: composition, use of colors, lines, shapes, how to pose people, focus, and generally make a good image (it's more about you than your camera!). After that -- after a long time of that! -- you might start thinking about new lenses. Until then, don't worry about any more equipment.

Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps!

[inkista]

This is just me, but I say, figure out if 35mm is going to be a good focal length for taking pictures of your kids. Because the Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.8 is the only affordable Nikon fast prime that will autofocus on the D5000. If 35mm isn't going to be a great go-to lens for you, then I'd suggest weighing whether you want to pay $450 for a 50mm f/1.4, get a D80/D90, or go with a Canon.

The one thing you need autofocus for is a quickly moving target. And the one thing you need a fast prime for is shooting indoors without a flash. Chasing toddlers about the house tends to be one of the things where you either need to use a flash, or a fast autofocusing prime.