Help me choose!

[Moredhel]

I'm looking at an "entry level" digital SLR. And I've pretty much narrowed my choice down to either the Canon EOS 400D or the Nikon D80. My main questions are firstly, is the D80 worth the nearly £200 extra? I can't see that many added features over the 400D, but is its CCD etc better? Secondly are the lenses they come with any good? What other lenses would you guys recommend or will they be fine for just learning the ropes? I've only ever used my trusty FinePix F401 up to now, which produces lovely noisy images at ISO 200 in normal lighting, I've no real experience with "proper" photography at all, so this really will be a learning from scratch experience. Suggestions would be appreciated.

Oh and another thought, will they both accept a tripod? Is a tripod even necessary with these things? On my F401 at the slowest shutter speed (1/4 of a second) I always produced really blurry images when holding the camera, I imagine that's even worse for exposures of up to several seconds for night shots etc with these cameras. Do all tripods use the same kind of fitting? Or will I have to make sure I get a compatible one?

Cheers.

 

[SteveOBHave]

I've been looking at the same situation and after comparison have decided that the D80 is the better option. The thing is that if you use your camera as much as I do then the overall feel of the camera is a big thing. The D80 just feels better, more solid and when you combine it with the 18-70mm kit lens you get a pretty stonking camera.

I'm going to wait till after Christmas to see if there is a reduction in the price tho.

Here is a direct comparison with the 2 cameras:
http://www.dcviews.com/reviews/Canon-Rebel-XTi-Nikon-D80/Canon-Rebel-XTi-Nikon-D80-review.htm

I'd also have a good read of the two cameras reviews on www.dpreview.com

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond80/
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos400d/

Here is a spec comparison also:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos400d/page21.asp

 

[Shoei]

When i was first looking, i tried a D50 and 350D, the 350D felt like a toy in my hands. Far to small.
Settled on a D80 after mucho reading up from as many places as possible.
It has a real solid feel to it.
Now all i need to do is to get out and use it, but weather has been naff round here recently every time ive wanted to go out.

 

[Moredhel]

Thank you for the recommendations and the links, but in the end after much deliberating I've decided to go for the 400D, simply because it IS nearly £200 cheaper, and I'm very very much an amature, the extra £200 will go towards a tripod / case / flash cards etc. And if the need arises in the future I can get new lenses etc.

Where's a good place to get cases / tripods etc from? Without linking to competitors of course, does the 400D come with a case even? I assume not from reading the canon site, but I could be wrong. And again, are tripods all the same mounting or is there a specific type I should be looking out for? I feel I'm asking some really stupid questions, as none of the review sites etc mention this sort of thing, so it's probably supposed to be common knowledge.

 

[SDK^]

All tripods share the same mounting interface to the camera
Unless you go for the kit lens package (18-55mm) then the 400D won't come with a lens and you'll also need to buy memory and a case.

 

[Simonnn]

I was also looking at the same two cameras but in the end couldn't justify the extra cash for the D80. I did find the 400d felt too small compared to the d80 but I think now that was just because I was comparing the two right next too each other, now I've had the 400d for a few weeks I'm completely used to its size with no problems at all. Which ever you get you will get a damn fine camera! People do say the kit lens on the 400d is pants but to start off with I think its fine