i won't go into which camera is better, as at this level, it's likely a toss up. nikon and canon are the "classic" DSLRs. i've shot canon for the past 20 years and i've never missed a shot because i didn't have a nikon/sony/whatever. what will make you miss a shot is poor glass, slow auto focus, poor low iso capability, and not knowing how to properly use the camera. both of the bodies above will provide excellent shots although the iso specs aren't that great. yes, they are expandable, but the quality usually takes a big hit. i agree with the above statement about buying a body and separate glass as the kit glass is usually pretty entry level at best. there are lots of options for decent glass. i personally don't think 28mm is short enough for all your close up shots. i shoot a 17-40 on a 1.6x camera, and i find even that is not short enough sometimes indoors. if you can only get one lens, you can learn to work around it, but you will like the camera more with a shorter and longer lens combo. yes, i realize i'm spending your money. the nice thing about glass is that good glass will retain its value much more than the body will. as listed above, you can even buy used glass to save some money. the benefit of better glass is almost always a larger aperture and a faster/more reliable focus mechanism. whatever you decide to go with, i'd recommend a prime lens as well. canon makes a 50mm f/1.8 for less that $100 new. its not the best glass, but at f/1.8 you can capture lots of low light shots that the f/5.6 lenses will never see. its also a great learning tool to help you master depth of field and exposure. another recommendation is to get a book on photography. personally, i think the most helpful book on cameras i ever read was one that went through the basics of shooting an old school SLR camera. understanding the basic physics of how light enters the lens and how the size of the aperture, shutter speed and film iso all play a part in the final exposure is crucial in understanding how to get the most of your DSLR.
|