Help me choose an slr camera please!
 

I am trying to decide between these cameras:
Canon Rebel XS
Canon Rebel XSI
Nikon D3000
Nikon D5000

Can anyone tell me the difference between them and advice on which is the best? I'm just a beginner.... HELP!:)

I think deciding either you like Nikon Or Canon better will Help with the choice a lot. I played with a few canons & didn't like them at all But a lot of people prefer canon. Go to best buy & mess around with the cameras Them choose which xs or D you want.

I went to Best Buy and played with them and got the Nikon D5000 and I love it!

You may want to go to websit digital camera reviews - they have lots of info on there about diff cameras.

My hubby has the D300 and I have the D200 - we both think these cameras are great.

Thanks! I actually am going to the mall today and will check out best buy!
Good idea!

I can't be much help on the Canons bc I don't use that line, so I hesitate to say much there in terms of details - but I do know it's a *great* camera line and people love it just like they love the Nikons. I really don't think you can go wrong w/ either line, just depends on which feels right to you.

As for the Nikon D3000 vs. D5000 - the *real* differences as far as I can tell are Movie Mode, Live View, and a Tilt Screen -- all of which to me really means..."movie mode" at the end of the day (again, to me). So, how important is having video to you? Or Live View?

They are both wonderful cameras -- one thing to be aware of on both the 3000 & the 5000 is that you will have lens limitations due to the fact that neither of these camera bodies has a lens focus motor --> therefore, you have to buy more expensive lenses that have their *own* focus motors IN the lens itself. This can be more limiting, and sometimes a little frustrating.

Other Nikon cameras, like the D70, D80, D90, D200, D300 etc etc are more pricey...but they do not have the lens limitations - and they also will have almost all (and more) of the camera features of the D3000/5000.

Argh...hope that helped and didn't just confuse :p...

Wow! This does get more confusing for me! :p I am having the worst time just trying to get a cheap point and shoot but really cautious about the SLR I choose. I don't particularly care about the video, I guess. It would be nice but not necessary.... at least I don't think so! UGH! See how I am? I drive myself crazy!

I hear you...I was soooo confused when I was buying. It can really be frustrating bc the technology was (and still is, for me) rather overwhelming to get my mind around.

Well...hmmm...there are great p&s cameras out there too...and they have nice pre-sets like "portrait" or "flower/macro" etcetera. If you're still interested in a P&S - what about this one or its upgraded version (less $ AND smaller! :)), this one .

Whadya think? Are you leaning more toward a P&S or a DSLR?

Well, I really really want an SLR. Have wanted one forever so I'm going to buy one for myself for my birthday. :) But in the meantime, I want a cheap point on shoot so that I have something. My last camera broke and all I have to take photos is my cell phone. :( I wish I could take a class on the SLR too but haven't seen any around here locally..... but maybe you guys will be able to teach me a thing or two! :p

Ah! Okay, well that's good, bc it sounds like you know whatcha want, ya know? That's part of the battle!

Before I went the DSLR route (I also had a 35mm film SLR before that, those are fun too), I had a Canon Elph (loved) for my P&S, which broke - so then I got (about 2 years ago?) the Panasonic Lumix on eBay for about $75-100 -- don't know why it's this $$ price now on Amazon. The great thing about the Lumix is it actually has a Leica lens...which is pretty great...it would be a dream to own a "real" Leica lens...they're really nice, to put it mildly.

How do you feel about a used DSLR? I know that can be touchy and some people are totally against it...but depending on if you could find a great seller (maybe even locally)...you could def. get more camera for your $. But that really depends on your comfort level too. Btw, almost all DSLR cameras will be able to tell you how many times their shutters have been clicked, which is nice :).

I think someone here on YT uses the Canons you're thinking about though...so hopefully you'll hear more reviews/thoughts about them...

I did read the user reviews on Amazon about the D3000, and it does appear that the 1-2-3 star reviewers seemed to be mostly unhappy with the noise in the pictures, usually at high ISO settings -- and you won't want to sacrifice ISO, when you really need it. You might want to read the user reviews on Amazon...I didn't read the D5000's reviews there yet though...

That said, perhaps they received cameras where something was wrong? I mean, that does happen w/ electronics...

Do you know where to find this count on a Nikon, particularly the D90, although I'd guess it's standard throughout models?

It's stored in the "EXIF" data. One simple, but not totally accurate way, to tell is to just snap a pic and look at the picture count. But the real way to get an accurate feel, esp. if you're going to buy a used camera is go the extra mile and do something like this -- the comment section is good too. :)

Honest sellers/photographers will give the accurate # of actuations - like "3,000 actuations" or whatever...but how they arrived at that number might be good to know too...

I'd really like to go with the d90 but I really can't afford it and I want to make sure I really like using an slr as well since I never have before. But I'm amazed with some of the photos some of you have taken with yours and I've always wanted one. I wish I could take a class locally!
Thanks for all your help!

The Nikon D5000 is the poor mans D90 (my husband just read that online last night). I just got one for my husband for Christmas. It is a WONDERFUL camera! A big difference between the D3000 and the D5000 is the 3000 is a 10.1MP and the 5000 is a 12.3MP the 5000 also has the tilt screen and take 4frame per second where the 3000 take 3frames per second.

I got a great deal for the D5000 on www.ritzcamera.com it was $799 with free shipping, no tax and an extra lense.

I LOVE the Nikon cameras. It is a fact that they have the best lenses and that makes a large difference when taking photos.

Good luck.

Congratulations. Looks like a nice set of lenses.