What type of SLR camera should I purchase ??

I am just starting to take some shots from inside the boat and loving the idea of capturing some of my buddies riding. Not sure what type of SLR would be the best! Looking at the Canon EOS 30D, the Canon Rebel XT, and the Nikon D200. Not sure what lens to go with either. Any insight would be great. Thanks

We have the canon and love it. My wife is the photographer and has started working with the manual settings and the pics are great.

I'd wait another 2 weeks to see if Canon and Nikon aren't still hiding aces up their sleeves for Photokina.

Either way expect prices for both the 30D and D200 to drop another $100-200 after the show.

Thanks for the great advice. What are your thoughts on the Rebel XTi with some good glass?

I just picked up the XTi on Tuesday. Awesome, let me repeat awesme camera!!!!

I bought an XTi a week ago. Excellent purchase.

I am loving my XTi so far. Easy to use and great pics.

canon xt w/ 70-200 4/L glass

If any one is looking for a lens 100-300mm F/5.6-6.7AF zoom lens Pheonix with soft case $150 shipped used only 2 weeks (lens on a budget)
fits canon SLR

I have heard mixed reviews on the xti (in relation to the price). You should really do some research and see what sounds like your best choice. FredMiranda's site is great for this. If you want to shoot wakeboarding I would suggest AT LEAST a 30D based on the burst mode. The rebel, xt, and xti wont have fast enough burst modes to really do a sequenced shot.

With that said I personally own a rebel xt. I chose this camera based on it being my first DSLR, not having a ton of money to drop, and wanted good glass (70-200 F4L). All together I think it was about 1500 for the whole deal. The main complaints I still have about the rebel xt is the lack of fps, and poor viewfinder. The only way I was able to make the viewfinder "decent" was to add an extender and an eyecup.

Edit: If I could do it over, I would probably do the same, based on funds. Hopefully I can upgrade to a 30D some day.

Good Luck!

(Message edited by liquidmx on September 08, 2006)

i completely agree with matt, i too have a rebel xt, which has been good for the first 4 learning months, but im afraid i'm ready for a new and better body. The rebel is lacking the fps and burst as matt said, so when you try to take a sequence pic of wakeboarding or soccer you sometimes miss key frames.

depending on the results of photokina, i will most likely buy a 30d in the next couple months.

$1300 will soon buy you 6fps. (and no this isn't something I got from DPreview)

sean, are you hinting towards a 40d?

6 FPS is good...is there an SLR that has that or higher FPS more economiclly priced? I dont need "top notch" quality. But a high FPS would be dope.

As of Sept. 12, 2006 that would be "No"

I dont think that Canon will ever make a "budget" camera that shoots faster than 5fps. They obviously have the technology to do it, but if they made a 40D that shot 8.5 fps like the 1D, I think it'd steal a lot of sales away from the 1D. But on the other hand if Nikon were to make a "budget" camera with 8fps non-crop, then it'd be a different story.

I don't think you'll ever see a FF sensor from Nikon A) they don't know how to make one and B) they're featuring lenses now designed to provide superior optical quality with 1.5X sensors (which are smaller physically and thus a lot less forgiving then what is required for traditional 35mm glass).

Try making an 18-200mm for a FF sensor (or even a 1.3X sensor) and you'll see why Nikon can get away with it for their sensor, you're going to get crap around the edges.

As far as 6 fps goes they can get 8.5 fps at 8mp out of a digiic II chip now so 6fps at 10mp is possible from a bandwidth standpoint and more then probable given what the Nikon D200 is currently offering. Canon is the 800lb gorilla in the digital SLR market right now and it's just a matter of time (probably a short time) before the D200 get's sat on as well.

Nikon D70 w/Sigma zoom, w/ telephoto. This camera kicks ass, check out the shots I posted on Tips/Tricks HS 180. I had a rebel, it was a good intro camera, but the features & quality on the Nikon are far superior. It cost more, but just like anything thats quality. It costs more when you own 2 cameras

I think Canon is going to cause quite a stir in the next 6-12 months. Canon has the R&D resources to do whatever they want and aren't going to allow the recent advancements by Nikon, Sony, and Pentax* go unchallenged. I believe that Canon will soon change the dynamics of the entire EOS line.

*(the K10D looks like it's going to be a very sick camera for the price)

Marc, the cheapest Nikon I could find with 5fps or faster is the D2X. Maybe there is one with a lower tag, since I am not a nikon fan, but the D2X is Approx $3500. Which Nikon Model is made to compete with the 30D?

I am not a camera guy, but I thought the D200 and 20/30D were competing cameras. Or at least that is what I decided between??????

The D200 does shoot 5fps at the cost of @ $1699. There might be a few used ones for less now that the D80 is out ($999- it replaces the D70 and 10.2mp but only 3 fps)

(Message edited by phantom5815 on September 19, 2006)

yeah what he said, (phantom5815) just plan on spending about $1500. whatever you buy will be made better in 6 months to 1 year.