Having been down the Canon road (currently own older Canon EOS 30D), Im looking now at the Nikon line up as an upgrade. Wife and I are really leaning towards a Nikon D7000 with Nikon 18-135mm lens
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Invest more in your glass and less in the body.

Have you considered the micro four thirds cameras, or the latest versions of the Sony Nex?

For me the Nex 5 or 7 would be on my short list.
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By the way, the talk of lenses brings up a good point.

Your camera body will only be as good as the lens you put on it. If you put a shitty lens on a $5000 camera, you now have a shitty camera. For the most part at least. The glass is what produces the image. The sensor merely captures it.
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Hmmm I've read Canon's are in the lens too. :-)
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I literally just bought the Nikon D7000 on Tuesday. Here is what I learned from reading multiple in-depth comparisons of Nikon and Canon.

On Nikon D5100 vs. Canon Rebel T3i: Overall the Nikon will be a little bit better camera at the moment. Their technology is just a little bit ahead of Canon. In-camera image correction, lower noise at high ISO, in camera HDR: the full list is in that link. The drawbacks to the Nikon are that this model has NO internal motor...so only the AF-S lenses will work with this camera (because they have motors in the lens). Also, one major bonus to the Canon is the ability to manually focus when taking HD video, so if you're wanting more control doing so, that's a plus.

Overall I thought Nikon was better right now, but I didn't want to replace all my lenses, so I went with the D7000 which does have a motor inside.

Anyway, hope that link helps. Also, if you're wanting a cheaper alternative, I'm selling my Nikon D50 + the 18-55 kit lens which are both still in great condition :-)
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Thanks Justin, I don't know much about Nikon, a friend of mine has one and he told me that about them.
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Yeah, Nikon does have some really nice VR lenses, but not all of them have VR, so watch which one you invest in because it might not have VR. I've never had VR on any of my lenses and I've managed fine, but it would be a nice bonus.
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They are. Nikon and Canon both are in the lens. :-)


If you buy online avoide broadway camera. Use Adorama or B&H. If you are not sure run the website though resellerratings.com
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NP I know you are a Canon Fanboy :-)

Look into the Pentax cameras too Erick. IS/VR is in the body. I almost picked one up this time around when I bought a D90, but I chose the nikon because my FIL has some Nikon lenses I can use in addition to mine. Check out some of the review sites like DP review.
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Ok I'm thinking of going with a used camera over a new one and spending the extra money on lenses. I definitely want a Nikon. Anything a few years old you would recommend?
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I'd suggest getting one that has a built-in motor so you have more lens options (also the lenses without the motors inside are cheaper). You'd be looking at the D50, D70, D90, etc. Used cameras I would avoid (because of the lacking motor) would be the D40, D40x, and D60.

You can pick up some really great used Nikon lenses for pretty decent prices. My favorite lens is my 50mm 1.8 prime that was only $100. Comparatively, the 50mm 1.8 w/ built in motor is $200 :-)
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I would like to suggest staying away from ebay and trying bhphotovideo.com
There is a used section there, and they are pretty good about rating the wear and tear on a turned in camera.
In fact, you might want to step HALFWAY from digital point and shoot to DSLR and dally a bit in the bridge lines
that ease you into the heavy gear and might be your last stop, or might be a learning camera for the next step.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...al_Camera.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...al_Camera.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...S_Digital.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...S_Digital.html

I have the last one, bought at B&H used. Shoots great photos AND 1080 HD video, has a great zoom range and while
it is not a DSLR, I think you will enjoy it as a bridge and might never sell it simply for the HD video.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/57220843@N08/

That's my Flickr page, I used both of my canon bridge cameras to shoot the various photos on it, though.
I also have the cheaper, less feature packed, but ironically higher-regarded S5 IS from Canon.
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When I went the DSLR Route a few years ago I got a Canon T1i and although a big improvement over the Canon A620 I have it never really "hit the spot" Now a buddy of mine got a Nikon D300 and I have been kicking myself for not getting a higher end body. I know this may not help except that I found after using his higher end set up, that it allows me to be more expressive with my pics as it is better in Low light, better color, sharper, etc. I don't know if a relatively priced Canon would've been as good but then again maybe it would. Try before you buy. I bought mine using specs and it's a start but doesn't tell the whole story.
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Time for me to chime in here.

I prefer the Nikon brand over Canon for various reasons, but honestly, it is going to be up to you and what you feel is best for you (and your wallet). I have the D7000 and a D90 as back up. I used to shoot strictly film until the late 90s and gave it up for about 10 years until the digital age was affordable and the up to par with film.

The one thing I will say is that you need to hold the camera in your hand with various lenses before you make the purchase. For some, the Canon will feel better, for others it is Nikon, and yet again for others it is something completely different. Personally, I prefer to give my money to the local shops, but B&H is a reputable online dealer. Also looks at Keh.com and Adorama.com. Both are equally as good of a resource. Fredmiranda.com is a good forum site for information as well. Go to your local camera store and ask to handle the cameras they have in stock with several lenses. See what feels best and how you react to the controls and weight of the set up. Of course they will try to sell you then and there, and sometimes you can get a better deal by haggling with them, but nothing says you have to buy from them at all. One friend was able to knock a few hundred off the kit price buy haggling and showing them a better deal on Amazon than their in store prices.

My basic set up for the D7000 body is the battery grip and a 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens that covers the most range for what I need. I have other lenses (50 f/1.4, 105 f/2, 80-400 f/4), but this one lens does most of the work for me. Everything I bought from a reputable local shop, either new or used.

I would recommend the D90 over everything else right now. It is the last generation, but it has a really good range for ISO (100 -3200), really good shutter speed and a higher MP rating. I used mine for quite a while and never had a problem. I only went with the D7000 because of the dual card slot, high ISO (100 - 6400) and a better MP rating. I would also go with 18-200 lens just because it should cover every range you will need for now. Also, get a Class 10 SD card (trust me, it will matter if you take a lot of photos in a rapid burst).
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Just found a D90 with the 18-105mm lens for $700. I'm going now to look at it and offer $600. Wish me luck.
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The D90 will be a great starter camera with a ton of features to grow into :-) Good luck! Hope it's a nice one.
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Erick go to used cameras dot com. This is where I got my d90 used. It comes with a month or two warranty. Check Google for coupon codes for them
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Very Interesting. They have some very nice stuff. hmmmmmmmm.
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Free shipping and 60 day warranty. They are legit and i had no issues at all. They are running a 5% discount code for the holidays buy you can most likely find a 10% code through google.
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Sorry Erick, seems like you know what you are looking for. B&H is still a good place to shop, but it looks like
there will be no bridge camera for you, lol.
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