Digital SLRs - The Battle for #1

Wonder what it looks like in the marketing think-tanks at Nikon and Canon right now. Is anyone getting any sleep? What should we, the camera buying public look for before making our purchase?

The Battle
If you check the sales in Entry Level Digital SLRs right now, you will find that Nikon is holding a slight edge over Canon at the number one sales spot on Amazon. But right behind is Canon at the second and third spots. Number four and five are... Nikon, again.
Here are the ratings:
1. Nikon D3000
2. Canon EOS Rebel T1i
3. Canon EOS Rebel XSi
4. Nikon D5000
5. Nikon D90

It does appear that the marketing departments are working overtime as we approach the biggest sales period of the year. And there is good reason. There is much at stake here. If you watch prime time TV, it is clear that both manufacturers are investing major $$$ in advertising right now, and it is targeting their top sellers in the Digital SLR market.

The Breakdown
So how does that affect us, the consumers? How do we evaluate the cameras?
It's really a crazy situation because the differences are difficult to find. But let's focus on the top 4 sellers.
There are two categories - Inexpensive:hereafter referred to as Cheap and Very Inexpensive: aka Dirt Cheap.
When you are looking to buy in the semi-pro market, cheap equates to something under $1000, and Dirt Cheap is under about $700.

A closer look:
Dirt Cheap - Nikon D3000 vs Canon XSi - similar feature sets, excellent image quality, NO video mode
Cheap - Nikon D5000 vs Canon T1i - slightly better image processor than the Dirt Cheap models, but the major difference is that they include HD video.

Does it matter which brand you choose? Absolutely not, unless you already have lenses for one or the other. If you do have some lenses, it will benefit you to stick with that brand of camera.

The Bottom Line
So the bottom line is that the advertising gets your attention. Buying a Digital SLR based on the advertisement that impresses you will not be a problem. You WILL get an excellent camera and a good deal. No second guessing necessary here.

Side-by-side comparisons
CLICK - Cheap DSLRs
CLICK - Dirt Cheap DSLRs

Looking for a GREAT Walk Around Lens - the New Sigma 18-250mm Could Be Your Best Bet

When buying your first (second, or third) DSLR camera, you may want to consider getting just the camera body along with a lens other than the recommended kit lens. There are a few reason for this:

• Get a wider focal range than what is offered in the kit lens
• Get better image quality than what is offered in the kit lens
• Save money by not having to purchase more than one lens initially

Sigma has just released a new lens that is excellent for the "walk around" lens category. It is the Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM Zoom Lens. It is made specifically for APS-C cameras such as the Canon Rebels and Nikon D3000 or D5000.

I know that is a mouthful of lens, but it has already made an impact on DSLR owners because of its quality and performance.

This is from the B & H Photo Lens Description:

"The Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM Zoom Lens utilizes an anti-shake compensation function, with a 13.8 times zoom ratio. This lens's Hybrid Optical Stabilizer provides not only an anti-shake function for the camera body, but also compensates for image shaking in the view finder as the Optical Stabilizer is built in to the lens.

Four special low dispersion glass elements and three aspherical lens elements, results in excellent image quality throughout the entire zoom range. With a minimum focusing distance of 17.7" at all focal lengths and a maximum magnification of 1:3.4 reproduction ratio, this wide-range zoom is great for close-up photography as well as for telephoto shooting.

Note! This lens is only for APS-C / DX sensors (not full frame).

• Optical Stabilizer
• Low Dispersion Glass
• Super Multi-layer Coating Inner Focusing System
• Magnification of 1:3.4 For Close-up Photography
• Petal-type Lens Hood"

And here is just one comment from a happy buyer:

"I recently bought it (Sigma 18-250) to replace my Sigma 17-70mm and Canon 55-250mm IS lenses. This 18-250mm is very much like the 17-70mm in overall quality. It is of high quality! I've used it mostly so far for night photography and also for fast action, and wildlife (crocodiles in Jamaica; can't trust that ear to ear smile of theirs). All the pictures I shot with it were hand held and the OS system performed flawlessly. I DID brace myself against columns, trees, etc... when necessary for some night shots. So I was relatively stable, though not 100%. The OS took care of the rest and my exposures were blurr-free. I use it on my EOS 40D and it complements very well the speed and low light capabilities of the camera. It is fast and quiet. The zoom action is quite precise though smoothness varies over the range... understandable for a 13.9:1 zoom range! It shows virtually no play when fully extended. Also, I've checked its macro ability, and found it to be approx. 1:2.5, far better than Sigma's very conservative spec. Very highly recommended!!!!"

I am waiting for delivery of my new Sigma 18-250 right now. I will post a personal review at www.digital-photographic-resources.com as soon as I have tested it. If you are looking for a great digital camera, please look here.

Canon Rebel XSi has a new Rival - Nikon D3000

The Canon Rebel XSi continues to draw lots of traffic and sales. The main competitor to the Rebel has always been the two Nikon entry level DSLRs, the D40 and the D60. The Nikon D40 has been extremely popular right from its original release. Now, Nikon is pulling the manufacturing plug on the D40. The replacement is the Nikon D3000.
I'm guessing that the D3000 is going to take over right where the D40 is leaving off. Nikon has purposely brought their new "cheap" camera in at a price point below the Rebel XSi. The D3000 with the 18-55mm kit lens is being advertised at $599 while the Rebel XSi continues to sell for about $650.
Of course there is still the age old Canon/Nikon debate that will keep many of the proponents of either Nikon or Canon from jumping ship to go over to the "other side", no matter how good the newest release is.
Personally, I struggled with that decision before buying my first Rebel, but I am in no way a naysayer of the Nikon brand. Some of the world's best photographers are using Nikon (Moose Peterson is my very favorite) while others use Canon, and yet others use some of the less popular brands of cameras and still manage to come up with great photos.
Much more info at www.digital-photographic-resources.com/blog.