Specific D50 / Rebel XT questions

[qooleot]

I'm shopping for a dSLR camera and have done a bunch of reading about the different cameras and am looking mainly at the D50 and Digital Rebel XT. I've gone to a camera shop and the size differences/build and speeds are not a big deal to me. I'm a big post-processor (ton of photoshop CS2 experience) so in-camera processing differences that can be later adjusted are not as crucial either. My last three things that are keeping me from choosing are:

1) I know the differences in regular-sized photos are not very big and photographer skill is probably just as important, but I am very interested in large sized prints. Does the Rebel XT have any major difference than the D50 at this - and does the 6 vs 8 MP let me make slightly larger prints (without adding pixellation)?

2) I'm well aware of the PMA show that is right around the corner and that there probably won't be any more new cameras, but will the prices in the next month or so be effected by this (such as effects trickling down from 30D being lower than 20D current price, which would put 20D lower than 30D, and maybe effect Rebel XT price)?

3) If I am investing in a dSLR, brand loyalty (and more specifically lens compatibility) is something I have been thinking about. From what I have read, Canon switches lense types more often - is this accurate? Are either planning on changes lenses anytime soon (5 years) that I should be aware of?

Overall prices are a major consideration (student at NC State) but I don't have a specific budget and would rather pay more money for something that fits all of my needs.

Thanks a ton for the help!

[capedeci]

The only thing I can say is that their EF-S lenses is not usable in FF cameras (full frame). So 5 years from now it's not impossible that all their cameras are FF.

Some rumors (clearly, just "RUMOR") even said that they stopped development 1.6x sensors, that made their 30D still uses the old 8mp chip. They are concentrating on FF. So EF-S lenses (which are expensive) are better to be avoided if you have any intention on getting FF, better to build collection on L lenses.

While Nikon is known to have lens compatibility to the max (said the salesman :p), they stick to 1.5x sensor on all their dSLR lineup, so it's easy for us to upgrade to better (pro) bodies, even if we have lots of budget digital lenses.

Just FYI, KM also has good backward compatibility, I just tried 10 year old Tamron 28-200 on my KM5D, and AF and AS works perfectly! Third party mades are usually have compatibility issues after 10 years:) . But KM did abandon some of their 21+ years old lenses though.

[jeisner]

RE above post: Well if you want backwards compatability pentax is the winner there... 30+ years of full backwards compatability (3rd part too) without any adaptor required, the old manual lenses still include metering support on all pentax dslr bodies, not just the expensive ones... :p Ohh and all the older TTL flashes work without voltage worries or TTL incompatability problems...

To original poster:
- If you are interested in Canon, keep an eye on the 20d prices, you should get a bargain after PMA...
- I doubt very much that either nikon or canon would have any lens mount changes in the next 5 years that you would need to worry about..

P.S. When you say 'larger prints' how large are we talking?

[capedeci]

whoa I dont know anything about Pentax. Their dSLR is not popular here. In fact nobody have it

[jeisner]

Pentax is pretty niche everywhere these days, except maybe Australia (we seem to sell a lot of them here)... Hopefully with the new lenses, D replacement, 645 digital and Samsung pushing the K mount too, Pentax may at least get close to its former glory ;-)

EDIT: They have also recently changed distributors in a number of regions, as most of them have been pricing Pentax out of the market... hopefully this will also make a difference for them?

[coldrain]

Lots of silly non-information above :rolleyes: .

I would suggesy to disregard the 2nd post, it is from a guy with a grudge against Canon.

Canon has not changed lens systems since the introduction of the Canon EOS series, in the mid 1980's. Same with Minolta, same with Nikon.
It was the time where they all switched from manual focus systems from the 60's to auto focus systems that we know now.

That you can not use an APS-C size lens on a 35mm camera is true for any camera you can think of. That Canon on the moment is the only one that offers full frame cameras is a plus, not a minus (and the rest of his "rumor" blah is nonsense).

How big are the prints that you call big? 6mp and 8mp are both enough for A3 size prints, and even bigger prints will be possible (you have to remember that the bigger the print, the further away you stand from them to look at them too, so you do not have to have as high a DPI for big prints than you have to have for small photo prints). Of course, the extra resolution gives you a 15% more room there.

The EOS 350D/XT is the more complete camera of the two. Besides its 8mp resolution advantage (3456 pixels horizontaly vs 3008 pixels, or 14.9% extra resolution), it comes standard with good RAW conversion software. You have to buy it as extra for the D50, 100$ in the US, even more in Europe.

The colour accuracy and white balance of both are very good. The white balance of the XT can be better fine tuned when needed. The D50 has a slightly higher tendency to over expose bright areas, it depends on what you want to do with your photos if that has any bearing on your choice.
The Canon has mirror lock up for long exposures, something that at times can be sorely missed. The Canon also has the possibility to check the aperture/depth of field through the lens, something that I have not used with it, but others may find that important.

Both are very good cameras (the best in overall image quality of the entry DSLRs), both are compact and sturdy... so it is hard to make a wrong choice.
What is important in your choice is what kind of lenses you want for your camera, do you have lenses already? Do you want tele lenses, light sensitive or not, do you want wide angle zooms, what are you looking for?

The choice of lenses may be a bigger deciding factor than the camera body, some lenses Nikon does not have, and some lenses Canon is not strong in... and some lenses both have great choices... so, tell us what you are thinking of lens wise.

[capedeci]

The above poster have a grudge against me, anything I say, he would say the opposite:rolleyes: .

If you have different post, just write it, no need to go personally against my post. Jeff quotes "everyone has a right to an opinion and that the opinions of others should be respected."

[britkev]

To your first question: there are so many different factors in making a good enlargement... number of dots is just one of them... a well exposed sharp 6MP shot will always blow up better than an underexposed/slightly blurry 8MP...

If all other factors are equal, the 8MP will theoretically print better, although in real life very few people will actually see any real difference.


As to developments in the future: who knows... but despite all the FUD, Nikon's DX lenses will continue to function perfectly well on current DSLRs for many years after they announce any possible new larger sensor size, just as many thousands of happy Canon DSLR owners continue to use EF-S lenses on their Rebel's, 350's 10Ds 20Ds etc despite the release of the full-frame sensor model.

Rather than worry about such things, I suggest that you need to at least get to a camera store and try holding and using the models you are considering... despite what you read on the internet their is no massive technical difference between any of the major manufacturers... ergonomics and feel of the camera are vitally important if you want to be taking consistently good pictures: there is no way to measure that - what is right for me will almost certainly not be the best for you.