Opinions Nikon D90 v Canon 40D v 450D

Fstop11 said:
easy
40D

period.
Click to expand...

Stupid answer!

I was in the very same position as you waspy and it was comments like the above that made the whole process a million times harder/time consuming.

My best advice is go and have a little try of both the cameras. Sit down think about what it is you want from the camera and choose based on your own impressions and needs. Their both excellent cameras and im sure whichever you choose you be really happy.

I was new to DSLRs and went and had a play. I loved the idea of weather proofing on the canon, but the undeniable digital punch the D90 had in low light at high ISOs/and really easy menu system did it for me and i havent looked back.

If you need any answers about the Nikon D90 id be happy to give you them.
 
Thanks for your input XERO, and everyone else.

Xero, on using the Nikon have you found shooting in RAW a bit of an issue? I have read that the raw software for the NIKON is not that good, but should that be an issue cine I have Adobe PS CS3? Do they do a plug in for PS as was the case with Canon?

From the comments above, and researching further I have found that the D90 does have a gorgeous ISO response. From the reviews it looks good even at 6400, where even the 50D starts banding and looking like a camera phone.

The other thing from reading around is how good are the lenses by Nikon? Are they as good as the USM range for the Canon?

From the above I have pretty much ruled out the 450D as the ISO perfomance looks awful in review, am I correct in thinking that it only extends to 1200?

Thank you all for your help guys :)
 
waspy88 said:
Thanks for your input XERO, and everyone else.

Xero, on using the Nikon have you found shooting in RAW a bit of an issue? I have read that the raw software for the NIKON is not that good, but should that be an issue cine I have Adobe PS CS3? Do they do a plug in for PS as was the case with Canon?

From the comments above, and researching further I have found that the D90 does have a gorgeous ISO response. From the reviews it looks good even at 6400, where even the 50D starts banding and looking like a camera phone.

The other thing from reading around is how good are the lenses by Nikon? Are they as good as the USM range for the Canon?

From the above I have pretty much ruled out the 450D as the ISO perfomance looks awful in review, am I correct in thinking that it only extends to 1200?

Thank you all for your help guys :)
Click to expand...

As you've got CS3, you won't need to go near the Nikon software, although I also use NX2 which is pretty good for RAW conversion.

Adobe issued an update to Adobe RAW to include the D90 sometime ago so you can use that.

Nikon lenses? Well, like most manufacturers, the more you spend, generally the better they get!

I've got the 18-105 lens on my D90, and I like it. It has been generally very well received in reviews, and for the money you can't really go wrong IMO. Although a Nikon 24-70 f2.8 would be a bit better....! (but not if you need less than 24, or more than 70 clearly!) ;)

As for the 450d, for its class, it has pretty good noise performance, but then people can get a bit hung up on that to be honest. Noise can actually look pretty good, and is like 'film grain' which nobody used to complain about!

But, it's in a different ballpark to the 40d and D90 to be fair.

As others have said, do your research and go and have a play to see how they feel in your hands. Have a muck about with the menu systems, and see what lenses you're likely to need and work out how much they are going to cost.

When I first got my Nikon kit, the 24-120 VR and 70-300 VR I also purchased covered most bases, and I've subsequently added the 18-105 VR, 50mm f1.8, 85mm f1.8 and also a Nikon 300mm f4. But lenses are a whole different kettle of fish!
 
It would be hard to be dissapointed with the variety and quality of either Canon's or Nikon's lenses, as the above poster says, the more you pay the more you get.
Some great third party lenses out there too.
Sigma
18-50 F2.8 EX
50-150 F2,8 EX
105mm Macro EX

Tamron
17-50 F2.8 Di
90mm Di Macro
70-200 f2.8

etc etc

available for both Canon and Nikon (as well as Sony and Pentax) and at much better prices than the OEM equivelants.
 
Fstop11 said:
easy
40D

period.
Click to expand...

Agreed, if you went for the 450D, you will regret it very quickly.

I bought my dad the 40D (went through the same thing as you are now) and its amazing. My brother went on to buy a Nikon D300 which is just amazing.

I would prefer a Nikon over the Canon in future, but the Canon is definately a better starter camera.

TM
 
Xerohour said:
Stupid answer!

I was in the very same position as you waspy and it was comments like the above that made the whole process a million times harder/time consuming.

My best advice is go and have a little try of both the cameras. Sit down think about what it is you want from the camera and choose based on your own impressions and needs. Their both excellent cameras and im sure whichever you choose you be really happy.

I was new to DSLRs and went and had a play. I loved the idea of weather proofing on the canon, but the undeniable digital punch the D90 had in low light at high ISOs/and really easy menu system did it for me and i havent looked back.

If you need any answers about the Nikon D90 id be happy to give you them.
Click to expand...
Its not a stupid answer at all. Reading the OPs post you can clearly see that he is obviously in the Canon ball park. Not much point switching on the basis of those small feature differences. He's already stated that MP count isn't an issue.
I doubt hes gonna want ISO6400 pictures of his baby, would more prefer ISO100 which the Canon delievers.
He is mainly comparing the 450D to the 40D and the difference is a lot. The 40D doesn't at all feel anything like the 450D. Not even in the slightest. I presume from him having a 300D he might have some lenses to carry across to the new camera.
The Canon is also a much bigger camera. Easier to hold.

I never said the D90 was a crap camera, its very good but the 40D is built more durable.
 
Well guys thank you all for your input. I went with the Nikon D90 with Kit Lens VR 18-105.

The 40D was just a bit too pricey for my liking, plus reviews of the 450D draw too many similarities between that and it. So, I decided I will shed my Canon affliction and get a Nikon. I will take some pictures later on of the bambino and post them up. I find it quite hard to work at the moment, but I guess that is the case with most DSLRs.

Oh it was £714.99 from Currys digital, I know it is cheaper on-line, but I wanted it for the weekend.

Thanks again for all your advice on this.

Regards

Waspy
 
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I was asking myself the exact same question last week, going with D90. As soon as I can offload this A300 that is.

Priced up the bits and bobs I currently want and the D90 works about £160 cheaper than the 40D. That was me sold. :)
 
I have only been using auto and programme functions, but thus far I am very impressed at the detail this is churning out. I am so glad it blows my crappy A620 out of the water.. I justified the purchase to the wife the moment she saw a couple of pictures.

Anyway here are some samples.

hyui003.jpg


19-dec-08009.jpg


I didn't have VR on the second one, I am sure with a tripod this baby is going to deliver some really nice night time piccies.
 
I'm getting a d90 in the new year, hope you like yours. I tried a lot of cameras to decide but just loved the d90, felt like a seriously good camera in my hands.
 
Cute kid! :)

Congrats on the purchase, and that's a good price from Curry's actually.

I really like my D90, and I find myself grabbing it over the D300 a lot of the time, and I find it slightly more intuitive to use than the latter too. The 18-105 lens is a corker as well I reckon, and it constantly surprises me with the pictures it produces.

I've just picked up a 12-24 lens, and I'm hoping to get out over Christmas and do some landscapes with the D90, as another thing I prefer over the D300 is the way live view works on it.
 
got my d90 last week end and i love it. i've not had a chance to really get out and use it, but i should be free this sunday so i might dedicate a whole day to photography, which would be nice.

only minor thing for me is the size of the body, i thought it was the same size as the d70, which fitted my hands perfectly but on comparison its quite a bit smaller, which leads me to the question of battery grips.
as far as i know the d90 takes the same grip as the d80? i've seen lots of cheaper grips on the bay, and was just wondering if its worth spending double the price for the offical nikon one?
can any one reconmend one of the cheaper grips?
another question i have is about the use of AA batteries in the grip. i've seen instead of using two camera batteries you can use 6 AA batteries, which i would prefer as i have loads of re-chargeable AA's. i presume that the AA's would not last as long? but my main use for the grip is the extra size and easy of use in portrait postion, which i use a lot.
 
famas said:
got my d90 last week end and i love it. i've not had a chance to really get out and use it, but i should be free this sunday so i might dedicate a whole day to photography, which would be nice.

only minor thing for me is the size of the body, i thought it was the same size as the d70, which fitted my hands perfectly but on comparison its quite a bit smaller, which leads me to the question of battery grips.
as far as i know the d90 takes the same grip as the d80? i've seen lots of cheaper grips on the bay, and was just wondering if its worth spending double the price for the offical nikon one?
can any one reconmend one of the cheaper grips?
another question i have is about the use of AA batteries in the grip. i've seen instead of using two camera batteries you can use 6 AA batteries, which i would prefer as i have loads of re-chargeable AA's. i presume that the AA's would not last as long? but my main use for the grip is the extra size and easy of use in portrait postion, which i use a lot.
Click to expand...

Yes, the D90 uses the same grip as the D80.

I have had Hahnel grips in the past, but to be honest I don't really like them. They don't seem to be built as well, or match perfectly in terms of colour/texture. If you shop around, the D80 grip can be found quite cheaply, I seem to remember paying about £85 for mine off the bay. You can use 6 AA's, and as long as they are decent capacity ones, you should get a days shooting out of it dependent on flash usage/lens type etc.

RoleyBirkin said:
Out of curiosity, for how many of you d90-ers, is the d90 your 1st camera?
Click to expand...

Not my first camera, but my 6th DSLR, after a number of Pentax's and a Nikon D200. I'd put it up there as one of the best I've owned though.
 
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