which one? whats the main differences?

[starscream]

So 17-85 + 28-135 or 10-22 + 28-135? Hope I'm not confused again. Thanks for your help. Every so often I change my SLR plans but it helps to have someone focus my thoughts by giving advice on what lenses are good from the range I'm considering.

Not quite!

17-85mm OR
10-22mm and 28-135mm

If you have the 17-85mm there isn't any point in getting the 28-135 as there is too much cross over

 

[nolimit]

bang for buck I would choose the Nikon D70/s

For the following reasons

- Very nice to handle
- Strong body
- Better control functionality (then Canon)
- Grid View (you can't even get grid view on 30D)
- Better flash sync rate then any of the camera you listed
- Spot metering

Some of the downsides to consider

- ISO goes only from 200 to 1600
- Bit noisy ISO 800 and above
- 6mp (but honestly, I've printed 30"x20" and it looks awesome, also eats less memory )


I think the Nikon D80 is awesome camera but when u start adding decent lens you might be looking at £1000+.
On the otherhand you can have D70 with a decent lens like 18-200VR under £1000.
Or you can have 2 third part lens e.g Tamron 28-75 and Tokina 12-24. You can't beat that level of quality for under £1000.

 

[MarcLister]

Not quite!

17-85mm OR
10-22mm and 28-135mm

If you have the 17-85mm there isn't any point in getting the 28-135 as there is too much cross over

Ah, finally I gets ya. Sorry for late reply but I'm not getting update emails. So if I test out a 350D or 30D with a 17-85 and I'm ok with the width, just get a 17-85. But if I want more width then get the 10-22 and 28-135. Hmm. I think I need to think about what kind of photography I would like to do. General walk around photography or landscapes.

As an "improving" amateur photographer, I'm comparing this topic to an Intel vs AMD or an nVidia vs ATi debate.......everyone's a winner!

Whatever you pick, whatever advice you recieve, go to a real, live camera shop, and physically handle the cameras before you buy anything. I bought a D50 over the 350D mainly on the handling.The 350D just did not feel comfy to me.... I'm now planning to upgrade to the D80.

You're buying into a system, not just a camera. Whether it's Nikon or Canon (and do try the Sony Alpha, and Pentax equivalents if you can, so you can form a balanced opinion) The lenses are the main part of the system IMO, as you can change the body on a whim

Whatever you choose, have fun!

Good advice. One reason for ditching the 350D was because people said it wasn't as easy or comfortable to hold as the 300D. By all accounts the 30D is better to hold. However I suppose I need to go and test some 350D/400D/30Ds and see what they feel like in my hands. I might also check out some Nikons but I heard they were quite NOISY! Sorry for shouting but I wasn't sure if you were able to hear over all the NOISE!

 

[brocksta]

Good advice. One reason for ditching the 350D was because people said it wasn't as easy or comfortable to hold as the 300D.

Remember, this is just certain people's opinions. Personally i find the 350d fine to hold, and i prefer that its slightly smaller compared to its counterparts. I think you should think about the money side of things to. Is it really worth spending 600+ on a 30d if your only just starting out?

 

[MarcLister]

Remember, this is just certain people's opinions. Personally i find the 350d fine to hold, and i prefer that its slightly smaller compared to its counterparts.

Yes I do know about this. I've been researching digital SLRs for over a year now. I want to make the right decision and so I keep checking prices, reading reviews, reading people's own opinions. Isn't it accepted that the 350D is a bit uncomfortable for people with bigger hands? Well I think I might need something more comfortable to hold. As I've said when I've made my mind up I will go down to a camera shop and try some cameras out to see how they feel in my hand. Doing that may consolidate my opinion or it may change my mind and push me towards another camera.

I think you should think about the money side of things to. Is it really worth spending 600+ on a 30d if your only just starting out?

I am thinking about the money side of things. I've got a spreadsheet full of prices which I check regularly. I think I've already said that I won't be using the 30D or even a 350D at its maximum when I get one. However I've read that the 30D has a better button layout and is easier to use. I've also read that the 30D feels sturdier and better made in your hands. So whilst I can understand that getting a 30D to begin with might seem mad, if I get an SLR I'd like to spend a lot of time taking pictures and learning to improve. I would then use Photoshop a lot to learn how to tweak pictures and make them look better. I'd like to learn as much about photography as possible. Perhaps even make it a skill or a qualification to broaden my job prospects after Uni.

Now I may not even get a camera. It depends on whether I think I can afford it. I also need to think how much time I could devote to it. If I can't afford the money or the time then I won't bother. I'm not that stupid (enough! ) to spend almost £800 on a camera and another few hundred on lenses if I don't have the time or can't really afford it in the long run.

If however I can afford it and I have the time then I would like to get into photography as much as possible. I've also got other things I would like to buy. Namely a widescreen monitor for my PC, a MacBook, an iPod and a beginner's electric guitar. Buying either an SLR or a MacBook would pretty much mean I couldn't buy anything else. So I need to decide what I really want and prioritise that. And anyway I've been researching the 350D and then 30D for quite a long time now. I won't be making a final decision on SLRs for another few months yet. Possibly early next summer.