State of the DSLR market: Nikon vs. Canon vs. Sony/Minolta vs. Olympus vs. Panasonic/Leica vs. Pentax vs. Samsung vs. Sigma vs. Fujifilm digital SLR cameras, as of January 2009

i’ve got 3 of these of which my favorite ever has been the 20d. learning the 5d MK II now.

I have… none of them! My DSLR is a Nikon D50 (same res as the D40, still quite functional, if a little slow on the burst mode and grainy at high ISO), and my film SLR is a Nikon F4 (still absolutely awesome, and makes a great bludgeoning weapon in a pinch). Both no longer made, of course.

I’m not sure Nikon and Canon have enough cameras.

If money were no object I’d try out the Leica. However, my current idea is to someday switch from Nikon to Pentax, due to the quality/price ratio. Plus then my father can’t borrow my lenses anymore.

My favourite reaction was the comment Axl Van Goks made on my last collage: "I like the black one with the buttons and stuff."

Gillian, although it’s low-end for you, just to be contrarian you should get the "stormtrooper white" Pentax K2000D. I’m sure it’ll get scuffed up and discoloured way too easily, though, like a white MacBook. But you know, white cameras take better pictures!

This is great! I did a comparison for Canon Lenses:

Check it out –> flickr.com/photos/jasonphillipsdesign/3054031695/

Of course the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 is not a DSLR, but an EVIL (electronic viewfinder, interchangeable lens). The G1 has no R (reflex).

Ref.: http://www.dpreview.com/previews/PanasonicG1/

I would agree that the black one with the buttons and stuff is the best one.

The Leica M8.2 is a rangefinder, not an SLR

You forgot the Nikon D60 Black Gold! How could you!?

Fantastico!

That stormtrooper white K200D would be the perfect photo accessory for the Finnish Army’s ski corps.

Anyway, I like the one with the biggest, most masculine lens.

The Leica M8 is indeed not an SLR (I noted that in my previous collage, but didn’t here). However, it’s likely to be considered by people who would otherwise buy an SLR, something that’s not generally true of other rangefinder/point-and-shoot designs. It’s also priced like a high-end DSLR too! The Panasonic G1 is an interchangeable-lens design without a mirror (so it’s an EVIL or SLSR — single lens sans reflex), so it’s an outlier too.

The Leica S2 also might fit into the medium-format SLR category with cameras from Hasselblad, Phase One, and others, rather than the 35 mm-style cameras elsewhere here. But I decided to keep both Leicas and the G1 here because they’re of interest to the same audience as the rest of these machines. Plus, the Leica R9 no longer has a digital option available, and the R10 hasn’t been formally announced yet. If it is in six months, watch for it on the next version.

nice, i have the d80

Sd14 ftw!

Rarely has a "top left of the chart" item felt so damn good. Another D80 here, and I feel just fine having five more products higher in the range.

Hey, my D400 is still there. It’s not got too old to feature yet.

If technology were to stop advancing and this was the last refinement of the DSLR camera, it’d be ok. Sure, we all want new toys, but the state of the DSLR market can be defined in two words "just fine." What we have today is essentially good enough for a while.

Yes, I like new stuff and improvements, but it’s safe to say DSLRs are past where 35mm was when it died. Oh, and yes, 35mm is dead. Didn’t you get the memo?

Interesting, why did you chose to put the D40x in 2008 and "only" the D40 in 2009?
Great collage anyway.

In the last collage, both the D40 and D40x were still on sale (along with the D60), and to save space I only put in one of them because they look the same. (Same with Canon’s 1D and 1Ds, by the way, but I decided to include both this time.)

If you go to Nikon’s product page today, the D40x is gone, with the D60 entirely taking its place. So I put in the still-sold D40 but took out the D40x. And actually, if you look closely, it’s the same D40x image — I just Photoshopped out the x!

Nice work. It would be interesting to see the Megapixel and price info.

Here is a link to a straight on view of the Canon 1d Mark III i37.photobucket.com/albums/e76/MTKCAFE/1d_mark3.jpg

Are all those Canons really still in active production?

Even considering that the 5D is on the outs, that’s waaay too many choices. They really should just cut it down to four:
– the Rebel
– the 50D
– the 5DII
– The 1-series

Someone shopping online or walking into a camera store will see a range of models, and they might wonder if the Rebel XTi is different from the Rebel XSi — and it is. The 40D and 50D are different. The 1D and 1Ds are different. The D3 and D3x are different. Yeah, it’s a judgment call, but there you go.

I based my list on what appears on Canon’s EOS camera page. I did much the same for other manufacturers, though I did cheat a bit and omit the Nikon D200, even though Nikon still lists it on their SLR page. I don’t know anyone who would buy a new D200 now that the D90 and D300 are available.

Hey, wait a minute! I could have sworn the original 5D was still there yesterday, and now it isn’t! Jeez, things change too fast. And yeah, the Nikon D80 is on the way out too, some of the Panasonic, Fuji, Samsung, and Sigma cameras are really getting old… I’m not striving for perfection here.

The Mamiya ZD is missing.

I knew that Leica S2 would get in trouble. I’m not adding the medium-format digicams from Hasselblad, Mamiya, Phase One, etc. First, that’s a whole new can of worms. Second, I don’t know enough about them to make sure I don’t miss any.

You’re welcome to make your own collage if you like, though!

Haha, but the Mamiya ZD camera is an intergrated DSLR, not a camera+digital back (but also available as back). It’s the only medium-format intergrated DSLR until the Leica S2 becomes available.

Well, there you go, I had no idea. Maybe I’ll add it to the next iteration of the diagram… or maybe I’ll remove the S2!

It does look like the ZD uses a detachable back, however. Am I wrong?

The ZD back is a different product. Both share the same 22MP 48x36mm sensor.

This image had the expected effect on my blog and Flickr traffic, but really, that’s not the main reason I made it…

…and now my old collage is approaching 40,000 views from all the new traffic too.

Nice collage, gives a nice overview. I don’t really agree on where you placed the Sonys though. The alpha 700 isn’t better than a D90 imo, and the alpha 900 is no way close to a D3 or a 1D, I think even a D700 is a lot better. Anyway thanks for posting

I couldn’t squish the Sonys together much more at the top. As I said, positioning is not precise. The A700 is at least in D80 territory — or was, when they were both new. The A900 is a tough beast to position, yeah, probably more in 5D Mark II/D700 territory, but I bumped it down the chart because it out-resolves the D700 and D3, even though those are better cameras overall. The 5D Mark II would have been there too if the 1D weren’t.

You should make your notes links to the camera page on flickr for each model.

Neat idea. My previous image had links to reviews of each camera, so I may do one or the other, or both, when I get some time here.

very nice!

I think it’s nor right to compare a Canon 40d with Nikon D90!!

Why not? The pricing is similar and they’re in a comparable market segment (mid-level enthusiast crop-frame DSLR) . But please remember, POSITIONS ARE NOT EXACT in the collage. How would you change things so that they all still fit in the picture?

I agree with the sensor size, but I would’ve put the 40D between D200 and D300. Another thing that you can’t compare the 40d with D90 is that it doesn’t have recording at all like the D90(HD). And at last, if you hold a D90 and 40D you’ll see difference in size and material. I think the 40D is more professionally made, even though it’s older than the D90.

Ow, i forgot, the review thing that you are doing is great. It’s really attracting

Thanks!

the alpha 700 isn’t better than d90? Are you saying this because the a700 can’t record video?? HAHAHA.

I would say that the canon xs is better than sony a200 and a200 is better than nikon d40 and it seems that you put all of them in the same range. anyways this is a very very good job my friend.

Thank you and sorry for my english

I agree, canon 40d is just better than nikon d90. If you want a video recorder then buy a video recorder system.

at the moment video recorder cameras cannot replace a photo camera and a photo camera cannot replace a videocamera, just as a cell phone camera cannot replace a point n shot camera

im sorry for my english again.

No, I think the D90′s "video" option is pointless. Personally I even prefer my D80 to an alpha 700 but that is not the question.

The Alpha 700 is horrid to use, the ergonomics are terrible (doesn’t even have an upper screen !!! ) buttons are unpractical and badly disposed. The performance at high ISO is disappointing, it has no live view, it’s not exactly cheap and last but not least the shutter sounds sick!

In comparison the D90 has excellent ergonomics, very good ISO performance, live view, it has a reasonable price tag and sounds just right.

I’m a Sony fan but for now I really don’t like their cameras. Although they have some really cool features and some very good lenses, I think they’ve still a loooong way to go to become a serious contender.

D700/5D/5D2 = niceeee.

wish I could get one.

I just ordered 2 5D mark IIs best 6 and a half grand I ever spent.

Do you have them yet? Seems like a great camera, and the people I know who have one certainly like it — let us know once you get them in your hands how you feel about them then too!

ok thats the wallpaper sorted what i really need is a 2009 camera calendar can’t seem to find it anywhere. I love cameras. bring on the camera p0rn

Nice work on the collage penmachine, but I often wonder about those (few) of you out there saying this is better than that etc, on what evidence? None I guess just personal prefference or mag and lad top trumps talk! I would be prepared to offer my soul to anyone that could tell which is which or even much difference if presented with an A4 print of each…I don’t own a Sony (yet) but have had at one time or another had all the consumer Canon/Nikon/Oly’s listed here _ others D200, D70s 300D 350D (for reviewing purposes) – All great in there own right but not one stood out image quality’wise as better than the next. A friend has a A200 & A700 and the images she produces are amazing but she is a fantastic photographer and it wouldn’t matter what she was using, so concentrate on taking photos rather than slagging brand/models off to impress your mates!!!!

Hear hear, Oscar. That’s why they call this sort of stuff "camera porn." As many have said, it’s "not about the camera." And "98% of all lenses are better than 99% of all photographers" too.

Regarding the Lumix G1: Realize that getting rid of the SLR mechanism is a *good* thing. SLR mechs are something of an anachronism meant for film shooters.

I’ll be happy to get rid of that SLR delay and SLR vibration.
There’s no need for one ( SLR mech) in a digital camera, as long as the LCD is high quality. And the G1 supposedly has the higest res LCD out now.

Some of us have been waiting for a cam like this for YEARS. Lumix just needs to refine this proof-of-concept camera a little further.

….now which one to buy?

so if you buy a pentax k20 instead of a nikon d300 you have the same quality and save a lot of money..

A k20 is comparable to a d300, but not "the same".

Roman Schmiitz – try an image-stabilised A700 or A900 with a Zeiss 135/1.8 Sonnar and then tell me again you don’t like the Sony cameras. No top screen? Who gives a ****?

snack happy,
sorry to say but sony sucks regardless of what lens you use
yeah they have zeiss which are one of the best, but think about it

sony along-side canon has some of the worst problems an SLR can have
sony has bad color management,
bad color depth,
bad noise reduction (which i MUST EMPHASIZE)
and whats another thing?
hmm compatibility with everything?…. you either need to use sony/minolta mounted lenses and flashes otherwise…….

as for canon, god i can go on
canon has hot shoe problems (don’t anyone try to defend that its a fact)
aswell as the so called weather shielding (which fails at what 5?)
and last but not least the FAMOUS MIRROR FALLING OFF
canon is the only camera company to have this problem

LeKris, the K20 is comparable to the D300, sadly the D300 loses to it haha! but i’d still rather buy a D300 over the K20D for money saving in the future, if you buy a K20D it’ll break down on you where as a D300 will last you longer, all i can say is nikon’s are built to take anything, and if there’s anyone there who can prove me wrong then by all means do it

penmachine you do know that fujifilm and nikon work together right?

Yup, and Fuji’s DSLRs work with Nikon lenses (just like Samsung’s cameras with with Pentax lenses). But they use different sensors and firmware, so their cameras are different. Alas, the Fuji cameras are falling behind the Nikon equivalents — the S5 Pro is basically a last-generation D200 — but it’s worth noting them on the chart.

These Canon quality problems you note haven’t affected anyone I know personally, and there are a lot of Canon shooters out there, including many professionals, so they can’t be that bad on balance. Yes, the 1D Mark III had significant autofocus issues, and the 5D Mark II had "black spot" image issues with highlights (maybe fixed by the new firmware), but I don’t know of a rash of camera issues as you mention. And I’m a long-time Nikon guy!

I always recommend talking to people who’ve owned and used the kind of camera you seek, and trying out the model you’re considering in a store. Really, these days it’s hard to go wrong with any DSLR, especially at the intro and prosumer levels. They’ll all help you take good pictures.

I agree with you penmachine. Never heard that the canon has a hot shoe issue, well, not by people who own canon, like 5d or 1d mk III, or whatever version. In most cases all DSLR make great shots, and for the lasting we can only talk about for like lets say d100 or S2, or eos 350D, etc etc… So you can’t say that the pentax won’t last more than D300. You haven’t tested it.

I really like this collage! I’m still relatively new to the DSLR market but I started with an Olympus E-500 which was an ok camera but I never fell in love with it. After an unfortunate accident with the Olympus a pro photographer friend convinced me to switch to Nikon so I bought a D40 which I like much more than the Olympus in terms of comfort and what I want for functionality. Unfortunately I outgrew that camera pretty quickly.

Since I’ve already invested in lenses I figure I’m now a Nikon guy and I just ordered a new D90 body yesterday. I can’t wait to give it a workout. I personally don’t care about the video option but I’m pretty geeked about my new toy. I just hope it arrives before I head over to Rome in two weeks!

I have the opportunity to upgrade from my D40X (or change system!) but it’s so hard deciding.

Why can’t Nikon and Canon collaborate and put the workings of a 5D MkII in a D300′s shell… what a camera that would be!

If the D700x ever appears, that’s pretty much what you’d have. But Canon and Nikon haven’t really collaborated since Canon started making their own lenses and Nikon their own cameras (the first Canon cameras had Nikkor lenses, back in the ’30s), so I wouldn’t expect anything like that.

…no has puesto laD-40x!!!!no porque este descontinuada significa que no existe, eso se llama rasismo, jajaja, ta muy bueno de todas maneras, salu2

Ah yes, I’ve heard the D700x rumours etc.

There’s a competition also going on in quebler on what is the best camera.

quebler.com/results?q=1i

You mean, someone has set up a good fight at Quebler. There is no "best" camera — other than whichever one you actually have with you when you need to take a picture, and know how to use.

i have
nikon d70s

u seem to just go on the megapixels

Which camera is winner in this year?

There’s no one winner. It depends what you need. If you want low-light performance, a Nikon D3 or D700 is tops right now, but the Canon 5D Mark II, 1Ds Mark III, or Sony A900 give you more resolution (and medium-formats or the Leica S2 if it were available beat any of them). If you need small and quiet, the Leica M8.2 is your choice. Do you need video with SLR lenses? It’s the D90 or the 5D Mark II for you, because that’s all there is at the moment. Most important, what can you afford? What lenses do you already have? And so on.

Thank you…your page iis very informative …I have a Nikon D 90 with 18-105 Nikkor lens and 10-20 Sigma I’m going to buy 50 mm 1.8 f lens.
What is your suggestion ? do you confirm D90 as a good choice for photography or not…. most of people always talking about quality of Nikon but some people have another Idea they always confirm Canon as the best camera…

hey man thanks a lot for posting these…keep it up

the canon 40d is far better than the nikon d90… thare no comparision…..

u are wrongn on that

I agree with you Andreas

I like my Nikon : )

Wow

good job Mr. Penmachine, salute!! i’m newbie in photo hobbies, i use point and shot camera, someday i’ll try to switch into entry level DSLR.

the guns does matter, but the man behind it make the difference, isn’t it?

I finally got around to checking out the collage again. It looks great. I see my old K10D has been replaced by the K20D. It had to happen I suppose. I have no reason to replace it at the moment as it’s still going strong.

May I?
Which would you pick: Sony Alpha A350 or Canon Digital Rebel XSi (55mm)?
I appreciate your help!

@Sepideh! – I would suggest trying to get each one in your hands and seeing how it feels for you to use. No entry-level DSLR is necessarily hugely better than any other. So think of it in terms of what feels good to you now, AND as an entry into a system you might grow with later.

Canon, of course, is the biggest seller, and still the brand most pros use, so you’ll find it easier to get lenses, accessories, and so on no matter where you are, and there’s a big line of higher-end cameras you can migrate to in the future.

On the other hand, Sony has some great lenses too, and compatibility with Minolta Alpha stuff for some years back, and they’re doing interesting things with live view and in-camera stabilization.

Don’t write off Nikon and Pentax either — the D60 and K200D are extremely good value for the money.

Thanks for your help, your suggestion worked!

nikon d90 is missing?

It’s there! Fourth down in the first column, with the other Nikons.

i like Canon & nikon…. they are really great camera……… the important is…. how u use it/skills. i use canon 450d… i want to upgrade to 40d……but in the future i would like to have nikon…..not change canon to nikon… but i want to use both system…….Love Canon & nikon = Love Photography!

I have two of these.The Olympus E520 and E3.Brilliant cameras and completely under-rated.Still though, i wouldnt mind a full frame!

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmcmenamin86/3329061450/sizes/t/]

I don’t quite understand why the E-1 and E-3 are so big when they have that smaller sensor. The E-3 is bigger than the Nikon D300, for instance, while Olympus’s smallest DSLR, the E-420, is almost as small as a Leica. Personally, I like a big camera, so the E-3′s size is not a bad thing in my book!

excellent gear photo!

forte !!!

you guys seen the new canon T1i?
heres a link to it:http://www.dpreview.com/news/0903/09032504canoneos500d.asp

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0903/09032504canoneos500d.asp

sorry, the other one didnt work right

K

Sepideh! and penmachine
I am looking at this price range of camera. I have ruled out the Sony because I saw bad reviews. So I am deliberating between the Canon EOS Rebel T1i with the Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens (total 1,125 USD) and the Olympus Evolt E620 with the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 (total 1,160 USD)? (See http://www.bhphotovideo.com/WishList/28FB2232FE.) At the moment I prefer the Olympus because it does not have video (waste of a resource I ain’t gonna use), and the Sigma lens is (supposed to be) better than the canon f/1.4. Of course I could get the Canon with the Sigma lens but that would be out of my budget! I would love to hear your opinions.

Choosing Olympus might cost you more later. It’s much more easy and cheaper finding Canon stuff than Olympus, like lenses, battery grips and so on. Sigma has better contrast but it is not as fast on focus as the Canon, and what the hell, that is why we shoot RAW.
And another good deal is buying a used Canon on BHphoto, like a 40D with condition:9 for 799$, which should also have low number of actuation, cuz i would.

@kdaci: The Nikon F lens mount is decades older than the Canon EF lens mount. If you’re really frugal, you should buy Nikon and have access to something like 50 years of (semi-)compatible lenses … if you don’t mind manually focusing.

LeKriz, I agree that Nikon has even more options, but i do mind manually focusing. When you shoot birds with 200 mm or bigger lens, you really need autofocusing and have all the points of the camera on. You even need autofocus on portraits when you point it at an eye.
That is why i think manual focus is bad, mostly for commercial photos

@saul.davis – Both of those cameras are very interesting. You might also want to check out Nikon’s D90 with the old or new Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 designs, or (if you don’t mind a crop-sensor-only DX lens) the brand new 35mm f/1.8. Pentax’s K20D (about $800) with the Pentax 50mm f/1.4, which is only $200, is also a good deal.

Of the two you’re looking at, I find the Olympus a more interesting design, but if I were starting out I’d probably still get the Canon, because of the wider range of accessories and lenses (both past and present) available now and in the future. Nikon has a similar advantage. Lenses last far longer than camera bodies.

i myself love my oly gear and its perfect for what i do at the moment!Oh and on note on the oly glass, there is very little according to people who operate both an olympus and either a nikon/canon system in the range of lenses that can match let alone beat the 12-60mm f1.2-4 and 50-200mm f 2.8-3.5 SWD Zuiko lenses in terms of quality and speed!

Thanks very much for the useful advice everyone.

wonderful idea…

nikon<3

Just bought a Sony A350, and this was the first image that popped up when I did a search of flickr for same.

Have 2 Sony 717, and figure learning curve should be easy. I am going to have to get used to a mirror all over again. Ordered a prime condition 50mm f 1.7 on EBay, to have as a base lens for aerial photography and to see how bad the kit zoom is.

will now go look for group.

Please delete the useless notes from other’s. Such as "oo I have this one" "this one is my fav". It is impossible to read the information on the picture. I am trying to learn different cameras and this photo would help me out alot.

I agree with fouxdufafa, anyone else?

Five years ago i said I will not easily go for digital photography, now I can’t stop snapping away with my Canon EOS 50 D.

Do you guys and girls know who Robert Capa was??

He had the saying,

"If your photo is not good enough, you were not close enough to the action."

I doubt if he would have choose a digital camera,regardless the make and model.

You can have the top camera of all specs, but if you don’t understand the camera with all it’s functions,a toddler will take better than you on Auto mode.

It is not the camera that makes the photo, it is the photographer behind the camera that makes the picture. The camera can’t do all by itself, you do the settings you want and must be happy with the outcome.

My very first camera was the Richo KR10X (see picture http://www.butkus.org/chinon/ebay/ricoh_kr-10x.jpg) and must say if all things have to go back to film photography, I will take on anyone hands down. The reason is that I know the camera in and out with all the settings on and know what it is capable of. I used it in different scenarios and learnt every day about photography. The only drawback I had ,was the NOISY grip with motor taking birding pictures and scare them away when I needed a silence camera.

I never speak negative about a picture, only if it offends me. I saw poor quality pictures taken with very expensive cameras, just because the owner didn’t know the settings.

Henning Ras
http://www.gnldadvance.com

UK
0944 7763113535

Okay, I’ve deleted superfluous notes to make the camera models easier to identify.

Hi, I’m an admin for a group called Photos of Cam(s), and we’d love to have this added to the group!

i want everything at the bottom!

Well as you may be aware the new Pentax K7 has been announced.

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/a4pentax/3546182025/in/pool-pentax-k-7]

I guess it will replace the K20D but then with Pentax you never know for sure. This photo has the accessory battery pack attached by the way.

I plan to update the collage sometime this summer, to reflect all the crazy changes that happen every six months or so.

i want to comment also

Hi, I’m an admin for a group called The A-Mount, and we’d love to have this added to the group!

Very Nice!

Compared to your former collage, Sony shows a wider offering – looking forward to your next version – I guess it will be "due" soon.

SONY may announce one or two more DSLRs just after summer too.

It seems like everyone just talks about which one is better and the differences, but no one is telling us why!!!!

I want to buy a new dSLR but I’m totally confused, how do I know which one’s right for me?

I’m thinking about getting a Nikon d60 because I heard its lens has a fast multipoint autofocus or something like that.. hope that didn’t sound dumb… and also it’s obviously okay for landscape or urban night photos.. right?

First, figure out your budget, then plan to spend most of your money in the long term on lenses. That will help you decide.

It’s hard to go wrong with any of the SLRs on the market right now, especially on those systems that are updated frequently, like Canon, Nikon, Pentax, and Sony (formerly Minolta). Olympus and Panasonic have done something interesting with the cross-compatible Four Thirds system, but personally I’d go with one of the first four. Nikon and Canon are the two biggies, but there are also lots of good lens choices for Pentax and Sony.

The D60 is a very fine camera, and so are comparable models from other manufacturers. One of the best things to do is to go to a local dealer and see how the models in your price range feel in your hand and work for your approach. Maybe borrow an SLR from a friend (and, if you have nice friends, maybe get a same-brand SLR so you can borrow lenses later…).

My quick advice on my blog is a little out of date, but still applicable.

@ henningras1999 – I more than agree with you (and am old enough and interested enough to know who Robert Capa was). I got into photography many decades ago when digital photography was not even a dream. Someone asked me then "which is the best camera?". I’ve been giving the same answer since – "there isn’t one". Only which one best fits the job to be done.

However, I have now fully embraced digital photography and whilst I am probably ignorant of the more obscure settings on my Nikon D300, I find myself just as capable of taking pictures with it as with any of the multitude of film cameras that I have previously used.

thats an excellent job …well done!!

i’m just a newbie and got interest in the DSLR only few months ago. Should I start with a D60 first or just get a latest D5000? My seniors all adviced that as a newbie, you wouldn’t be able to cover all functions of a semi-pro cameras anyway. So the lens are more important. Can someone give me some advices please?
Very appreciated.

Este un peisaj foarte frumos

Newentry, I would recommend the D60 to you as a new user. The D5000 is also a fine camera, but for the money you save you could get an extra lens. I discuss this topic a bit on my blog, although talking about slightly higher-end gear:

http://www.penmachine.com/2008/06/buying-your-first-serious-digi...

There’s a D60 double-lens kit with an 18-55mm (wide angle/normal zoom) lens and a 55-200mm (telephoto zoom) that would do you very well. Alternatively, I might recommend the stock 18-55mm and the new Nikon 35mm f/1.8 lens, which has an aperture that opens much wider for use in low light. I think you would very much enjoy that combination.

If you can still find a D40 kicking about (many places still sell them new, though it looks like the model is probably being discontinued), it is an astounding deal, and you’ll have even more money so you could get all three lenses with that. It’s "only" 6 megapixels, but with the large sensor that is all you need — and what I was using on my D50 for three years until a couple of weeks ago when I bought a D90.

Thank you very much for the adviices. ^^

Another question, does a VR-lens worth the price? As a newbie, it’s a doubled-price difference. Do you recommend me to buy a VR lens or just a non-VR is fine?

Thank you.

It might be double the price on some lenses, but not most of them — almost all of Nikon’s newer designs include VR, so sometimes what you’re paying for is a more modern lens design as well. It’s worth paying a little more for, but not a lot more for, all other things being equal.

VR is more useful for telephoto lenses than wide-angle, and much more useful for slower lenses (those with maximum f-stops of 3.5, 4, 5.6, and so on) than faster ones (f/2.8, 2, 1.8, 1.4). Here’s why.

What VR permits is sharper photos in low light, at smaller apertures, or at long focal lengths than would otherwise be possible with the same lens — as long as your photographic subject isn’t moving very much. So, for the lenses I mentioned before, while the 18-55mm includes VR, the older 18-55mm non-VR version is just about as useful. The 55-200mm benefits much more from the VR feature. And the 35mm f/1.8 lens doesn’t need it, because the wide 1.8 aperture lets you take sharp photos in low light without needing to be stabilized, because you can use a faster shutter speed to freeze motion.

nice analysis, but my recommendation to anybody looking at Nikon, don’t get a D80 unless you plan to do full manual work ALL THE TIME, it overexposes as the firmware is defective for metering, Nikon has refused to issue a firmware update to fix this problem so those of us foolish enough to buy a D80 (myself unfortunately included) have to piddle with the exposure comp every time we shoot Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Program Auto, and all the other automatic and semi automatic modes that depend on metering, if ur going Nikon, get a D90 or a D300, all the Canon’s work fine

My D50 overexposed by about 1/3 stop, so I just set the exposure compensation to -0.3 permanently. That worked okay.

I agree, though, the D90 is a significantly superior camera to the D90, which is why I bought one.

Very interesting line up

the leica s2 has a medium format sensor, it beats all, especially with its lens

Well, Kody, maybe it would, if anyone could get one. But Leica hasn’t started selling them yet, so no one knows. And as the expression goes, the best camera is the one you have with you.

i own the canon 10d which isnt up there.
but i was wondering in canon whats the smallest slr camera they have?

Remember, this is (or was, it needs updating) a current list. I think the smallest Canon right now is the XS or XSi, which are about the same size. They are still both considerably larger than the Olympus E-420, and the Nikon D40 and D60 are also smaller.

is my canon 300D dead then?

Well, I’m sure it works as well as it ever did, but the 300D/Digital Rebel has been discontinued for quite some time now. The current models are the 1000D (XS), 450D (XSi), and 500D (T1i). Even the 300D’s successors the 350D (XT) and 400D (XTi) are old models.

That said, if your 300D still works well for you, keep using it! I was using a Nikon D50 until last month, and that design was more than four years old.

thank you penmachine,
its kind of frustrating how canon doesnt make smaller slr cameras like nikon,
im tired of having my canon 10d, my father gave it to me.
i want my "own" slr camera, thats lightweight, and not big,
do you think you can give me advice on what kind of slr camera
i should buy?

The XS, XSi, and T1i aren’t large, certainly smaller than the 10D, and worth looking at if you have a collection of EF or EF-S Canon lenses.

If not, the Olympus E-420 is the smallest of the bunch, almost as small as the mirrorless Panasonic G1 and GH1. Check the size comparison with the small Canon and Nikon (D60) bodies here at Jeff Keller’s excellent DCResource site (scroll down past the software screenshots to see the cameras side by side):

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/olympus/e420-review/

thank you so much for the information (:
ill probably buy one of canon slrs.

the shutter speed of nikon d80 is 1/4000, while the canon 40d is 1/8000… big difference isnt it?

It’s a tiny difference: one stop. And how often do you use a 1/8000 shutter speed? My guess is, not very often. I have it on my old Nikon F4, and I’ve probably only ever fired a few frames at 1/8000, while even then I doubt any of them NEEDED to be that quick. In the real world, if you need such crazy-fast shutter speeds, then you probably also need some of the extra performance you’ll get out of a 5D or 5D Mark II, or a Nikon D300 or D700, or a pro model like the 1D or D3. It’s basically a bonus on the 40D and 50D.

Remember, the position of a camera in this collage is a very rough estimate of its relative position in the market, not an exact calibrated location based on every feature compared to every other camera. That would be impossible.

Excellente idée !

Rejoindre le groupe
?????La Taverne Photo????? >

I use the Sony a700 D-slr.

I also own the Konica Minolta 7D.

I’ve been thinking about purchasing the Nikon D300 or D700, what do you all think, should I make the switch now? Or, just purchase the Sony a900, since I already own a lot of glass, that will fit this particular Digital Sony a900 body.

Keith

If you already own some good alpha-mount Sony/Minolta/Zeiss lenses, I’d suggest you stick with that and get the A900, which is a fine camera. On the other hand, if you can get a good price for what you have already, trading in your current gear will probably net you enough to get a full-frame D700 (which I’d recommend if you’re thinking full-frame A900) and some Nikkors to go with it — but not enough to match the selection of lenses you have with your current system, I suspect.

Please come and check out the new Micro Four Thirds Forum, which I’ve just created.

http://www.m43forum.com

how it is Nikon D60??

Just fine, though it is now being replaced by the new D3000.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39965709@N04/3873792039/
new
may be not full

Nice! Thanks for the update:

where do Nikon D5000 should be?

Between the D3000 (which is replacing the D60) and the D90.

hello,
Can you add the EOS 7D,
Good work!
http://www.engadget.com/tag/Eos7d/

There are tons of things to add, including the new full-frame Leica M9 now too. This chart is way out of date, but I might wait until closer to the end of the year for a full refresh.

I still don’t know wich one I should buy … please help … lol

Here’s another great update from Billy Wilson, with a helpful grid, new Micro Four Thirds cameras, and medium-format SLRs too:

So what does everyone think about the new Canon EOS 7D?

good

can I take them all xD

Nice work!

Mantap jdi br gairah

This Rocks!

i wish one day..
i will get this all camera..

Wow thanks for all the work and posting it here on flickr.

I’m just getting into digital SLR (after 30 years of Canon SLR film and a couple of digital point and shoots) and have been a little confused with all the brands and models. This helps a lot.

Sony A350 FTMFW

I have:

Nikon d70, that is not there

Panasonic lumix g1, is small and very good in color.

Pentax K20 D that is very good in color, dinamic range, in size and shooting in the rain.

Canon 5d mark 2 that is poor in color, especially skin color. Bad JPG files. Is good to make BW photos and reddish color photos… AWB is there for nothing, works bad or maybe don’t works. The high ISO are faked: 3200, for example, are not truly 3200…

I am looking for a 5d mark 1 to downgrade

Even though this collage is more than a year out of date now, the Nikon D70 and D70s were long discontinued by January 2009, so I did not include them. Billy Wilson is working on updated versions now:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/billy_wilson/4030503232/

I have a quastion about Olympus: Is it blend?
http://www.blendtec.com/willitblend/videos.aspx?type=unsafe&...

woooooooooooww……how many??

where would the canon 30d go on here?

It wouldn’t. Even when I made this collage, the 30D was a couple of models old. The 50D is in the rough market spot where the 30D might have been previously, but if I included obsolete cameras this grid would have been even larger and more unmanageable than it is already.

Another user has made a more up to date version still, although even that one needs a refresh:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/billy_wilson/4030503232/

NIKON ALL WAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![http://www.flickr.com/photos/raphaeldani/4734484058/]

766333 beers on the wall. sck was here