Canon XSi or Nikon D3000?

Nate15 · February 5, 2010

I am a very new photographer and am looking for a new camera that I can take better pictures than I am getting right now. I have up to $600.00 to spend on one. Which camera do you think I should get? Canon XSi or the Nikon D3000? I am interested in landscape and floral photography.

Thanks for your help!

ziggy53 · February 5, 2010

If you're coming from the Samsung SL202 (in your profile), there is plenty of opportunity for improvement.

The first thing you may find interesting is that the camera itself has relatively little to do with ultimate image quality. More important is the lighting and the lenses, in that order.

What sort of landscapes are you interested in?

Vista
Panoramic
Nature
Sea
City
Alternate perspective

Is the floral photography natural or indoor? What sizes are the flowers? What is the emphasis? (Personal enjoyment, promotional, ?)

Nate15 · February 5, 2010

Thanks so much for the reply Ziggy! I am very interested in nature photography and outdoor flower shots. I also like to take photos of things that most people would not think of to take. I have gotten some GREAT shots off of my Samsung. But I feel the need to upgrade.

Nate15 · February 5, 2010

This is the type of photos I like to shoot. To give you an idea.

ziggy53 · February 5, 2010

Nate15 wrote:

Thanks so much for the reply Ziggy! I am very interested in nature photography and outdoor flower shots. I also like to take photos of things that most people would not think of to take. I have gotten some GREAT shots off of my Samsung. But I feel the need to upgrade.

Is the zoom range of your Samsung camera sufficient?

Do you need to photograph very small flowers individually? (Like flower heads the size of a dime or smaller?)

Nate15 · February 5, 2010

When I shot this photo, I had to do a lot of cropping and editing. I don't think the range of zoom on my Samsung is enough. Do you think it is? Do you think I do not need a new camera? Thanks again for all the help!

Nate15 · February 5, 2010

This is a good example of what I am talking about. I took probably 25 or so photo of this cactus. This is the best one of the bunch. I had to do a BUNCH of editing to get it to look this good. And it isn't impressive. I would like MASSIVE macro capabilities with the purchase of a new camera.

NikonsandVstroms · February 5, 2010

I know it is not one of the options you listed but I just checked and the Olympus E-620 will fit the price range (about 570 with the 14-42 lens currently).

The reason I did this is out of all my cameras for macro work I prefer the Olympus even with my E-420. The 620 has a tilt and swivel LCD which is great for macro work, plus the sensor is slightly smaller giving you more magnification for a given focal length. Plus they put a lot more features into the consumer Olympus cameras then Canon or Nikon. You also get a better sensor than mine, and built in image stabilization.

The issue with Olympus and the 4/3 system in general is the smaller sensor but against the XSi it will be about even and the low light performance should be better than the D3000 if it is similar to the previous cameras with that sensor.

Also if you are not shooting RAW the JPEG's from Olympus are much better than Canon or Nikon, and well anyone but Fuji in my opinion.

Brett1000 · February 6, 2010

Nate15 wrote:

I am a very new photographer and am looking for a new camera that I can take better pictures than I am getting right now. I have up to $600.00 to spend on one. Which camera do you think I should get? Canon XSi or the Nikon D3000? I am interested in landscape and floral photography.
Thanks for your help!

Nate15 wrote:

This is a good example of what I am talking about. I took probably 25 or so photo of this cactus. This is the best one of the bunch. I had to do a BUNCH of editing to get it to look this good. And it isn't impressive. I would like MASSIVE macro capabilities with the purchase of a new camera.

Both will do the job, (I prefer Canon!) but with either model for "massive macro capabilities" you will need a special macro lens which can get expensive - lens + camera will definitely break your budget!

Grainbelt · February 6, 2010

With that budget, you are looking at a last-generation SLR and a dedicated macro lens, probably both used.

Edit: I did some browsing at B&H while having my morning coffee, and was a bit surprised at what 600 can get you brand new.

They have the E-520 with 14-42 lens for 418 and the 35mm Macro for 184. Puts the total at $603. Incredible value. 35mm won't give you much working room, but if you are shooting stationary flowers and not moving bugs, that shouldn't be an issue. The E-520 has stabilization in the body and live view, which would be an asset for macro shooting.

Buying used opens up a whole other avenue of options. Older macro lenses that do not autofocus are often inexpensive, and since manual focus is commonly required for macro shooting, they can be a great option as well.

Just one of many options. Happy shopping.

Bubba Satori · February 6, 2010

Nate15 wrote:

I am a very new photographer and am looking for a new camera that I can take better pictures than I am getting right now. I have up to $600.00 to spend on one. Which camera do you think I should get? Canon XSi or the Nikon D3000? I am interested in landscape and floral photography.

Thanks for your help!

In that price range I would recommend the Pentax K-x over the XSi or the D3000. Better image quality, high ISO low noise and value.

You can compare sample images at different ISOs here. The K-x is significantly better at higher ISOs than the Canon or Nikon, for less money. The K-x also has body stabilization

http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM

Amazon has the K-x 18-55 & 55-300 kit for $653.

http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-K-x-2-7-inch-18-55mm-55-300mm/dp/B002OEBTCS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1265474696&sr=8-2

Hth and good luck.

NikonsandVstroms · February 6, 2010

Grainbelt wrote:

With that budget, you are looking at a last-generation SLR and a dedicated macro lens, probably both used.

Edit: I did some browsing at B&H while having my morning coffee, and was a bit surprised at what 600 can get you brand new.

They have the E-520 with 14-42 lens for 418 and the 35mm Macro for 184. Puts the total at $603. Incredible value. 35mm won't give you much working room, but if you are shooting stationary flowers and not moving bugs, that shouldn't be an issue. The E-520 has stabilization in the body and live view, which would be an asset for macro shooting.

Buying used opens up a whole other avenue of options. Older macro lenses that do not autofocus are often inexpensive, and since manual focus is commonly required for macro shooting, they can be a great option as well.

Just one of many options. Happy shopping.

It's actually not that bad since it is equal to 70mm, but if you choose to go this way I recommend if at all possible going for the 620. That roughly hundred dollars gets you a much better AF system, bigger viewfinder, and a better sensor, all in a smaller package.

Canon XSi or Nikon D3000?

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