Help needed with which digital camera to buy!

I have been looking at digital cameras and have narrowed it down to 3.
I want to upgrade to a more "professional" camera. It is so hard to
decide! I would like something that I could take great pictures of my
grandchildren,
indoors and outdoors and also landscape photos. Do all these cameras
have
interchangeable lenses and also have filters available?


The ones I have narrowed it down to:
Canon EOS 350D/Digital Rebel XT
Nikon Coolpix 8700
Nikon Coolpix 8400


I would appreciate everyone's comments!


Karen

wrote:
I have been looking at digital cameras and have narrowed it down to 3.
I want to upgrade to a more "professional" camera. It is so hard to
decide! I would like something that I could take great pictures of my
grandchildren,
indoors and outdoors and also landscape photos. Do all these cameras
have
interchangeable lenses and also have filters available?


The ones I have narrowed it down to:
Canon EOS 350D/Digital Rebel XT
Nikon Coolpix 8700
Nikon Coolpix 8400


Since you know the model names it seems you could quickly and easily see
that the Coolpixes do not have interchangeable lenses.

You should be looking at the Digital Rebel, Rebel XT, Nikon D50, or
Nikon D70s. I prefer the Rebel XT but since it doesn't sound like you
have any lenses you've got a fresh start and need to do a feature
comparison. Either way, for me it would be the Rebel XT or the D70s.

Greg


--
"Destroy your safe and happy lives before it is too late
The battles we fought were long and hard
Just not to be consumed by rock and roll" - The Mekons

Don't forget Minolta ,Pentax and Olympus.They also make lower end dslr
cameras worth consideration!
"G.T." wrote in message
...
wrote:
I have been looking at digital cameras and have narrowed it down to 3.
I want to upgrade to a more "professional" camera. It is so hard to
decide! I would like something that I could take great pictures of my
grandchildren,
indoors and outdoors and also landscape photos. Do all these cameras
have
interchangeable lenses and also have filters available?


The ones I have narrowed it down to:
Canon EOS 350D/Digital Rebel XT
Nikon Coolpix 8700
Nikon Coolpix 8400

Since you know the model names it seems you could quickly and easily see
that the Coolpixes do not have interchangeable lenses.

You should be looking at the Digital Rebel, Rebel XT, Nikon D50, or Nikon
D70s. I prefer the Rebel XT but since it doesn't sound like you have any
lenses you've got a fresh start and need to do a feature comparison.
Either way, for me it would be the Rebel XT or the D70s.

Greg


--
"Destroy your safe and happy lives before it is too late
The battles we fought were long and hard
Just not to be consumed by rock and roll" - The Mekons

Benwa wrote:
Don't forget Minolta ,Pentax and Olympus.They also make lower end dslr
cameras worth consideration!

Only if you have their respective lenses. I'm sure she wants to spend
her money wisely.

Greg

"G.T." wrote in message
...

wrote:

I have been looking at digital cameras and have narrowed it down to 3.
I want to upgrade to a more "professional" camera. It is so hard to
decide! I would like something that I could take great pictures of my
grandchildren,
indoors and outdoors and also landscape photos. Do all these cameras
have
interchangeable lenses and also have filters available?


The ones I have narrowed it down to:
Canon EOS 350D/Digital Rebel XT
Nikon Coolpix 8700
Nikon Coolpix 8400

Since you know the model names it seems you could quickly and easily see
that the Coolpixes do not have interchangeable lenses.

You should be looking at the Digital Rebel, Rebel XT, Nikon D50, or Nikon
D70s. I prefer the Rebel XT but since it doesn't sound like you have any
lenses you've got a fresh start and need to do a feature comparison.
Either way, for me it would be the Rebel XT or the D70s.



--
"Destroy your safe and happy lives before it is too late
The battles we fought were long and hard
Just not to be consumed by rock and roll" - The Mekons

You could also buy a lightly used 20D for about the same price or maybe
a little more than the Rebel. Check out
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/board/10 for used equipment from
extremely reputable sellers. If you need help on lenses let me (us)
know.

Brian

I didn't see anything that says they own ANY lenses! What makes you think
they own a Canon or a Nikon? The Minolta and Pentax take lenses from their
film cameras.I own a Canon 20D,Nikon D70 and a Nikon D200, but I do own
Pentax and Minolta film slrs also!
As a matter of fact, you even reference the lens sitsuation.You say since
she doesn't own ANY lenses! The Minolta has built in "anti-shake". To get
that on a Canon you have to buy lenses at $1000 per pop!
"G.T." wrote in message
...
Benwa wrote:
Don't forget Minolta ,Pentax and Olympus.They also make lower end dslr
cameras worth consideration!

Only if you have their respective lenses. I'm sure she wants to spend her
money wisely.

Greg

"G.T." wrote in message
...

wrote:

I have been looking at digital cameras and have narrowed it down to 3.
I want to upgrade to a more "professional" camera. It is so hard to
decide! I would like something that I could take great pictures of my
grandchildren,
indoors and outdoors and also landscape photos. Do all these cameras
have
interchangeable lenses and also have filters available?


The ones I have narrowed it down to:
Canon EOS 350D/Digital Rebel XT
Nikon Coolpix 8700
Nikon Coolpix 8400

Since you know the model names it seems you could quickly and easily see
that the Coolpixes do not have interchangeable lenses.

You should be looking at the Digital Rebel, Rebel XT, Nikon D50, or Nikon
D70s. I prefer the Rebel XT but since it doesn't sound like you have any
lenses you've got a fresh start and need to do a feature comparison.
Either way, for me it would be the Rebel XT or the D70s.



--
"Destroy your safe and happy lives before it is too late
The battles we fought were long and hard
Just not to be consumed by rock and roll" - The Mekons

wrote:
I have been looking at digital cameras and have narrowed it down to 3.
I want to upgrade to a more "professional" camera. It is so hard to
decide! I would like something that I could take great pictures of my
grandchildren,
indoors and outdoors and also landscape photos. Do all these cameras
have
interchangeable lenses and also have filters available?


The ones I have narrowed it down to:
Canon EOS 350D/Digital Rebel XT
Nikon Coolpix 8700
Nikon Coolpix 8400


I would appreciate everyone's comments!


Karen

Karen, as others have said, the Canon 350 is a DSLR making it different to
the others. More "professional"? Possibly yes. Nikon make a similar D50
model with a better standard lens.

For faster response, and a wider angle view for landscapes, I would
recommend the Nikon 8400 over the 8700. The 8400 has a wide-angle zoom
(24 - 85mm), compared to the telephoto zoom of the 8700, and this
telephoto zoom lacks image stabilisation (the later 8800 model has IS
[which Nikon call vibration reduction - VR]). You can get lens adapters
(not interchangeable lenses) for both the Nikon 8400 and 8700/8800. The
Nikon cameras offer you almost as much creative control as the DSLR. Yes,
you can get things like polarising and neutral-density filters - the
effects of coloured filters can largely be reproduced in software.

I have the fast Nikon 8400 for wide angle, and the lightweight but very
capable image-stabilised Panasonic FZ5 for telephoto. I have moved away
from SLR cameras because of the great weight and bulk of the lenses
(particularly telephoto) and the very high costs.

David

On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 12:39:06 GMT, John A. Stovall
wrote:



Go learn more about them and get back to us.


Go to http://www.dpreview.com to compare specifications, exam reviews
and read user comments.

Jack

Benwa wrote:
I didn't see anything that says they own ANY lenses! What makes you think
they own a Canon or a Nikon?

There just has to be a correlation between top-posting and poor reading
comprehension.

I'll spell it out a little clearer for you.

Since she appears to not have any lenses she should she spend her money
wisely and at this price level buy a Canon or Nikon.

Greg

"G.T." wrote in message
...

Benwa wrote:

Don't forget Minolta ,Pentax and Olympus.They also make lower end dslr
cameras worth consideration!

Only if you have their respective lenses. I'm sure she wants to spend her
money wisely.

Greg


"G.T." wrote in message
...


wrote:


I have been looking at digital cameras and have narrowed it down to 3.
I want to upgrade to a more "professional" camera. It is so hard to
decide! I would like something that I could take great pictures of my
grandchildren,
indoors and outdoors and also landscape photos. Do all these cameras
have
interchangeable lenses and also have filters available?


The ones I have narrowed it down to:
Canon EOS 350D/Digital Rebel XT
Nikon Coolpix 8700
Nikon Coolpix 8400

Since you know the model names it seems you could quickly and easily see
that the Coolpixes do not have interchangeable lenses.

You should be looking at the Digital Rebel, Rebel XT, Nikon D50, or Nikon
D70s. I prefer the Rebel XT but since it doesn't sound like you have any
lenses you've got a fresh start and need to do a feature comparison.
Either way, for me it would be the Rebel XT or the D70s.



--
"Destroy your safe and happy lives before it is too late
The battles we fought were long and hard
Just not to be consumed by rock and roll" - The Mekons

"Jack Dale" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 12:39:06 GMT, John A. Stovall
wrote:



Go learn more about them and get back to us.


Go to http://www.dpreview.com to compare specifications, exam reviews
and read user comments.

Jack

Those who are considering a DSLR for "snapshots" should consider the higher
maintenance of DSLRs. If you change lens anywhere but a "clean room" you
will have to learn to clean the filter that covers the sensor or
periodically shell out $75 or more to have it cleaned. I find it easy to
clean the filter using Eclipse fluid and Pecpads, but many people find it to
be more of a challenge than they want.

Ron