First DSLR - Which camera to get + when?

[bugmenot]

Since I first played around with my uncle's Nikon D60 during the summer, I became interested in photography. I'm also taking a course, and I think it's time to decide on a camera. So far, I think a Nikon D5000 and Canon XSi would be good as they seem to be commonly sold. I've looked around on the internet and found out they're pretty similar, but the D5000 will not autofocus without buying new lenses? I don't know much about lenses or their costs.

So far I've seen these prices from a local flyer.
D5000: 799.99
XSi: 749.99

The difference doesn't matter much, but are there any better alternatives? I prefer a Canon or Nikon, and yes, I'll try them hands-on. Also, when should be the time to buy? Now, or should I wait til Boxing Day or around Christmas?

[OsmosisStudios]

The D5000 autofocuses with all of Nikon's NEWEST lenses, but it wont with some of the older designs.
The Nikon AF mount uses a in-camera screw-drive mechanism, similar to an electric drill driving a screw into wood. The latest lenses use an in-lens focusing motor to drive the Autofocus. The D5000 doesnt have the screw-drive mechanism in the body (it doesnt fit) and therefore only autofocuses with the newest, electronic drive lenses.

That being said, there are TONS of AF-S lenses out there and Nikons updates all include this new motor in the lens. You shouldnt have to worry except for a few instances.

The XSi, as with all Canon EOS cameras, uses in-lens motors to drive the autofocus: the old FD mount is manual focus only.

The advantage to the Nikon system is that the mount hasnt changed in 60-70 years, so just about any lens (especially so on the D5000) can mount and be used: you just wont get autofocus and likely will have to work in full manual.

Also keep in mind that the D5000 is a full generation newer and more advanced than the XSI and compares more directly to Canon's T1i. It gives you a considerable amount more features and capabilities.

My suggestion would be to find a good local dealer and try them both out. That may be the clincher. I know of alot of people that go in and try them out and change their minds simply because of the ergonomics.

As for when to buy: many stores now are saving themselves and their customers the headache and having their sales before christmas. Many have 30-day price match guarantees as well. Just ask first,

[kirbinster]

The D5000 is a great camera! Go for it!

[dcclark]

Let me add to what OsmosisStudios said: try out both cameras in your hands!

Things to look for:

- How does the grip feel? Too small? Too big? Are your hands cramped or stretched?
- Can you reach all of the controls easily, without having to totally rearrange your grip?
- How is the weight? Could you imagine carrying it around for a long time?
- How do the menus and controls work? Does one make more sense to you than the other?

You will almost certainly find that one "works" better for you. Choose that one.

[inkista]

One more consideration: you say your uncle has a Nikon. That means if you buy a Nikon camera, and he likes you chances are good you could borrow lenses from him. This is not a trivial consideration, given the price of lenses. You may want to factor that in.

[bugmenot]

Thanks for the information everyone. So the lens that comes with the D5000 should be able to autofocus, right?

inkista: Distance problem :P

[dcclark]

Originally Posted by bugmenot

Thanks for the information everyone. So the lens that comes with the D5000 should be able to autofocus, right?

Yes. It'll be the 18-55 AF-S VR. "AF-S" means "contains an internal focusing motor" which will let the lens autofocus correctly on your camera.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by bugmenot

Thanks for the information everyone. So the lens that comes with the D5000 should be able to autofocus, right?

When you're looking at Nikon lenses, you'll see the code goes something like this (example is the Kit Lens that comes with the camera about 90% of the time)

AF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 VR

AF-S means the lens has its own autofocus motor and will AF on anything digital and most late-model film bodies.

18-55 is the focal length range

f/3.5-5.6 is the maximum aperture for that focal length range. So at 18mm the maximum aperture is f/3.5 and at 55mm the maximum aperture is f/5.6

VR: Vibration reduction. Helps stabilize the image from camera shake.

As long as your lens code has AF-S in it somewhere (and not something like AF, AF-D, Ais, Ai or F) you're guaranteed full functionality.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by bugmenot

inkista: Distance problem :P

Ah. Then get a Canon. If you're worried about lenses autofocusing or not and you want an entry level camera, I'd say look at the T1i. It's $699 on Amazon kitted with the 18-55 IS. And every Canon EF/EF-S lens will autofocus on it. (BTW, Nikon's the only brand with this kind of issue. Sony, Pentax, and Olympus will also autofocus with all their current lenses).

Or consider getting a used D80, which will do away with the focus motor issue.

Most of the current Nikon zooms are AF-S, so you really only have to watch it if you plan to shoot with a prime (fixed focal length) lens, or the 80-400. And you only have to worry about autofocus function if a) your eyesight is bad, b) you're shooting fast-moving subject matter (like kids or sports). Manually focusing is how photography got done for about a century or so, so it's not like it'll stop you from taking pictures altogether.

OTOH, I shoot birds in flight. I like my Canon autofocus.

I'd also say that pre-Xmas or Boxing Day, it's not going to matter much price-wise. Current dSLRs are desirable enough that their prices rarely drop for specials. They do drop over time, though, and their new prices will be at their lowest when replacement models come out. I'd recommend being aware of the release cycles for both Nikon and Canon, so you can judge how "new" a model is in the lineup. The T1i is a year in on its 18-month lifespan. The D5000 about 9 months.

[bugmenot]

Amazon.com doesn't ship to Canada, and .ca doesn't have them . The T1i/D80 may be a bit expensive for me. I don't really plan on buying many lenses - I'll maybe buy one to three, after I learn more about them of course. How long should a 2009 model last ('til I would need to upgrade to a better model)?

Do you think I should wait?