Nikon D90 or Canon 450D with 18-85mm lens - Any comments?

NeilF

NeilF

NeilF

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My other half is looking to get a DSLR. Seems the two choices we've whittled down to are:-
- Nikon D90 with s18-105mm DX VR (kit) Lens
- Canon 450D with EF-S 17-85mm IS USM Lens (instead of the kit lens)

They're both in the £600-£700 price range.

We're after the camera with the best image quality for general people/places photography. Any comments, experience, etc would be most appreciated.



And a noob question! The two lenses are as follows:-
- Canon 17-85mm f4.0-5.6 IS USM EF-S Lens
- Nikon 18-105mm f3.5-5.6 G ED AF-S VR DX Lens

Now from my noooooob understanding, apart from the Nikon lens offering a bit more zoom, it also offers a lower aperture (f). Does the lower value of the Nikon lens means it would be easier to get the classic blurred background when taking shots?
 
NeilFawcett said:
My other half is looking to get a DSLR. Seems the two choices we've whittled down to are:-
- Nikon D90 with s18-105mm DX VR (kit) Lens
- Canon 450D with EF-S 17-85mm IS USM Lens (instead of the kit lens)

They're both in the £600-£700 price range.

We're after the camera with the best image quality for general people/places photography. Any comments, experience, etc would be most appreciated.



And a noob question! The two lenses are as follows:-
- Canon 17-85mm f4.0-5.6 IS USM EF-S Lens
- Nikon 18-105mm f3.5-5.6 G ED AF-S VR DX Lens

Now from my noooooob understanding, apart from the Nikon lens offering a bit more zoom, it also offers a lower aperture (f). Does the lower value of the Nikon lens means it would be easier to get the classic blurred background when taking shots?
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First, the D90 is way ahead of the 450d. I have just got a 450d, and managed to get it with lens for £300 brand new. You could go for a 40d, 50d, etc which are streets ahead.

And yes, a lower f means a more blurry background.

Edit sorry. I didn't see your bit next to the 450d. But to be fair i still wouldn't go for that in your price range
 
I'm a Canon buyer myself, but you'd be mad to get the 450D out of those. That's a lot of money for a 450, I paid about £500 for mine (450 after rebate)
Skeeny was evidently one of the lucky ones who got it when Boots (iirc) were selling them all off! Oh I wish I knew about that!
 
The D90 is a truly excellent camera, though I can't help but feel the kit lens isn't too great. It's fine to start on, but then the D90 is more than fine to start on...so they feel a bit mismatched.
 
I've owned a D90 for a week and am delighted with it - it is however my first DSLR (or SLR for that matter) so I really have nothing to properly compare it to, although I did research and try out many cameras over the last couple of months.

As others have stated though, the 450D is not really in the same league as the D90. If you're looking for the Canon alternative then that'd be the 40D and even then the D90 is superior in nearly every way.
 
The Nikon 18-105 lens bundled with the D90 is a huge improvement on anything Nikon have badged as a 'kit' lens previously.

Yes, there are of course better lenses around, but outside of lab tests most people aren't going to notice that it has slight pincushion and barrel distortion at each end of its zoom range.

I've found it a nice lens to work with, and have delayed replacing it as I normally would with kit lenses as it's doing such a good job for me at the moment.

Something I thought I'd never use, but have quite a lot now, is the hd video function of the D90. That might be a factor in your decision as it offers up new opportunities in short film making etc?

I own the D90 and a D300, and in all honesty, I prefer the D90 for 90% of my photography, and I'm convinced the D90 sensor has a higher dynamic range and slightly less noise than the D300 too.

The higher fps (7.5fps with grip) on the D300 only really comes into play for action shots, but the D90's 4.5fps isn't exactly slow either.

My mate has a 450d, and he also creates some great images with it, so I guess what I'm saying is that most DSLR's these days are good, you just need to decide what's important to you, and what system/brand you/your girlfriend are happy to be locked into for the next few years!
 
Tooks said:
The Nikon 18-105 lens bundled with the D90 is a huge improvement on anything Nikon have badged as a 'kit' lens previously.

Yes, there are of course better lenses around, but outside of lab tests most people aren't going to notice that it has slight pincushion and barrel distortion at each end of its zoom range.

I've found it a nice lens to work with, and have delayed replacing it as I normally would with kit lenses as it's doing such a good job for me at the moment.

Something I thought I'd never use, but have quite a lot now, is the hd video function of the D90. That might be a factor in your decision as it offers up new opportunities in short film making etc?

I own the D90 and a D300, and in all honesty, I prefer the D90 for 90% of my photography, and I'm convinced the D90 sensor has a higher dynamic range and slightly less noise than the D300 too.

The higher fps (7.5fps with grip) on the D300 only really comes into play for action shots, but the D90's 4.5fps isn't exactly slow either.

My mate has a 450d, and he also creates some great images with it, so I guess what I'm saying is that most DSLR's these days are good, you just need to decide what's important to you, and what system/brand you/your girlfriend are happy to be locked into for the next few years!
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Damn you all! I think I'm veering towards the D90... :) I've not handled one, so I'll go and check it out...
 
Tooks said:
The Nikon 18-105 lens bundled with the D90 is a huge improvement on anything Nikon have badged as a 'kit' lens previously.

Yes, there are of course better lenses around, but outside of lab tests most people aren't going to notice that it has slight pincushion and barrel distortion at each end of its zoom range.

I've found it a nice lens to work with, and have delayed replacing it as I normally would with kit lenses as it's doing such a good job for me at the moment.
Click to expand...

I agree, and were it the kit lens with my D60 I wouldn't have changed it either, for the additional money over the body-only package it's worth it for the flexibility it affords. My feeling is just that I'd much prefer the Nikon 18-200mm if I were going for super-zooms in the kind of price-range of the D90, which is perhaps too obvious to have been remarked upon given that the D90 body is ~£550, the 18-105mm is ~£170 and the 18-200mm is ~£420.
 
RE the Nikon D90 - John Lewis are offering it at £710 with a 2yr warranty! I assume the standard warranty is only 1yr? So an extra £17 (the cheapest I can find it is £693) for an extra years warranty seems good!
 
Very useful thread for me, as I've always been swayed towards getting a 450D as my first DSLR but have realised that the D90 is significantly better and probably still affordable :)
 
D90 all the way.

Will be purchasing one myself probably tomorrow.

Couple of things to note is that the 2 year warranty is standard now.

Taken from here -

http://www.europe-nikon.com/support/en_GB/local/broad/432/1.html

"Cameras distributed by Nikon UK Limited and purchased in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland after September 1st 2007 (and during the duration of the scheme) qualify for a free one year extension to the Nikon Manufacturer's Warranty, if the purchase is registered with Nikon UK Limited within 30 days of purchase.

Any second year warranty claims must be made to Nikon UK Limited or one of its Authorised Repair Centres before the extended warranty expires"

Also note this article that is likely that prices are going to increase after the 12th Jan.

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.u...ike_prices_as_pound_plummets_news_274636.html
 
booyaka said:
D90 all the way.

Will be purchasing one myself probably tomorrow.

Couple of things to note is that the 2 year warranty is standard now.

Taken from here -

http://www.europe-nikon.com/support/en_GB/local/broad/432/1.html

"Cameras distributed by Nikon UK Limited and purchased in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland after September 1st 2007 (and during the duration of the scheme) qualify for a free one year extension to the Nikon Manufacturer's Warranty, if the purchase is registered with Nikon UK Limited within 30 days of purchase.

Any second year warranty claims must be made to Nikon UK Limited or one of its Authorised Repair Centres before the extended warranty expires"

Also note this article that is likely that prices are going to increase after the 12th Jan.

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.u...ike_prices_as_pound_plummets_news_274636.html
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I think for the sake of only £17, I'd get it from John Lewis. I'd rather deal with them if the camera breaks after 18 months instead of some faceless internet address...

Thanks for the warning about prices!!!
 
NeilFawcett said:
I think for the sake of only £17, I'd get it from John Lewis. I'd rather deal with them if the camera breaks after 18 months instead of some faceless internet address...

Thanks for the warning about prices!!!
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tend to agree - i think jessops have it for £714 or there abouts at the moment. Will be heading there or John lewis to purchase (assuming final sign off from "she who must be obeyed!!!"
 
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The cheapest I found it, and where I bought it from, was tax free at the airport for £620.

By the way, I'm pretty sure the stores mentioned above are competitors so you may want to remove them :)
 
thor said:
The cheapest I found it, and where I bought it from, was tax free at the airport for £620.

By the way, I'm pretty sure the stores mentioned above are competitors so you may want to remove them :)
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I checked the forums before mention JL, and found it mentioned a lot - so I assumed it's not considered a competitor. That is assuming of course Overclockers haven't moved into curtain material in the meantime :)
 
NeilFawcett said:
I checked the forums before mention JL, and found it mentioned a lot - so I assumed it's not considered a competitor. That is assuming of course Overclockers haven't moved into curtain material in the meantime :)
Click to expand...
Well they do sell PC's, laptops, TV's, cameras, games consoles etc but if overclockers don't mind then I certainly don't :D
 
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