Should I buy a Nikon or Canon SLR camera?

Canon for co;pact, Nikon for SLR, that’s the rule.

canon all the way. Nikon is just overly priced and somewhat weird to use, it isn’t set up quite as user friendly as other cameras.

I have a Vivitar SLR and a Nikon digital. I love both. The Vivitar wasn’t as expensive as the Nikon, but worked for school and for fun.

Nikon SLRs are really nice, but Canons are good too, so either way you can’t lose.

(I would get the Nikon though. )

Canon (Rebel XS / 1000D) entry-level DSLR

Actually, both brands will give you the best quality photos for a good price.

Here are some simple rules:
1) Any dSLR will take a better picture than a compact, anytime.
2) The body on an SLR system doesn’t really matter. The lens does.
3) When looking at megapixels, too much doesn’t necessarily mean better.

If you pair up the cheapest Nikon or Canon body with a good, yet inexpensive 50mm f/1.8 lens (the standard portrait lens), you will get excellent quality pictures. The kit lens that come with these consumer cameras (18-55mm f/3.5-5.6) are also good in terms of sharpness and optical quality, but won’t be of great use under low-light conditions.

If I were you, I would go to a local store and try out both Nikon D60 and Canon XSi (or XS if you will), and buy the one that feels the most comfortable in your hands, and you feel is the most easy to operate. Bear in mind button placement and camera menus.

With the camera you will get a 18-55mm lens. Don’t forget to get a 50mm f/1.8 lens as well. You will want/need one sooner or later.

You might wanna read this as well: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkyYilVVRzyXz.TUKKaeBaHty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20081204230555AAQelWD&show=7#profile-info-D7ccD7WYaa

Nikon better & shaper images.

I recently picked up a copy of consumer reports in the store, and the Canon xsi was rated No.2, but pentax was first.
I have the xsi, its really very good, most people are so far to one side or the other but I would have been happy with a Nikon as well. Nikons seem a bit more expensive, the D80, which is the most parallel to the xsi in my opinion was a little more expensive. The xsi gets great reviews on Amazon and from other sites as well, but so do Nikons. Its going to (and should) come down to what you think you need, look at the features and read some reviews, it won’t be long until you find exactly what is good for your specific needs. Pricing them out also helps to narrow them down.

I would go for a Canon. Possibly the EOS Rebel XSi, or if thats too much, then the EOS Rebel XS.

Reviews:
http://the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-Digital-SLR-Camera-Reviews.aspx

Unfortunately the Nikon and Canon DSLRs with interchangeable lenses do not have:

1. Image stabilization built into the body and you have to pay extra for auxiliary image stabilized lenses which in often fairly expensive;
2. The initial normal lense is not a long focal length zoom lense so in order to make up for the shortness, you have to purchase another telephoto lense;
3. Video movie with sound capability;
4. Low light sensivity is limited because the ASA is limited to 3200 at best.

A bridge point and shoot digital camera provides all the features listed above and is a far better bargain than a Nikon D-Series or a Canon Rebel DSLR.

If you are really on a budget and want the best quality for the money, check out the P&S Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 which has more features than most pro DSLRs that require auxiliary lenses not even equal to the single initial full-range lense that comes with the FZ28. It is reviewed at:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2008_reviews/panasonic_fz28.html

It just came out on November 4, 2008.

It’s an all-in-one 10.1 megapixel DSLR camera which includes (i) built-in image stabilization; (ii) HDTV quality video [Quicktime]; (iii) a 18x zoom [27 - 486 mm (35mm equiv.)] “Leica” lense for nature photography; (iv) up to 0.39 inch macro option; (v) up to 6400 ASA; (vi) takes up to 380 pictures per 120 min. battery charge; (vii) has a “burst speed” of 13 fps; and sells new for $ 270 at amazon.com.

Here’s an actual handheld picture of the moon:

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/bf/1b/a83ac060ada0881604bad110.L.jpg

Good luck!