Steve'sDigicams

photo man · Sep 3, 2006, 6:05 PM

Hi all

I started with my parents Vivitar slr in high school (some of you may not know Vivitar made an slr) I then bought a K1000. Then after getting a job in a photo shop, I ran the 1 hour photo machine. The first one in the state. (dating myself just a bit) That is where I saw my first Nikon. I must say it was love at first sight. I've had my FM2 ever since, and still love it. After many years as an amature I would really like totake my passion to the next level, getting paid to take pictures. I started reading about the D80 and I was ready to buy one. I should have stopped looking. Well more research led to a concern for dust. Enter Rebel XTI. It looks like a nice camera, the smaller sensor and the view finder (pentamirror vs pentaprisom) concern me a bit. Please help!

Edvinas · Sep 3, 2006, 10:23 PM

Wait until people will start to use those cameras and will provide some feedback. Also wait wor professional reviews. And the third thing to wait is Pentax K10D -- it will be announced on 12-14 September and rumours say that it will be a killer camera for it's price of $1000.

swgod98 · Sep 3, 2006, 10:55 PM

If you're like me, you've got the patience to wait 3 months before finally buying one! :lol: Not really the best thing to do, considering what everyone says (if you don't have a camera, what good is it to you?).

Well, I went to Best Buy today and low and behold, they had the D80 AND the XTi. The salesman said they got them in FRIDAY! Dammit, if only I knew then I would have been there Friday!

Anyways, check out your local Best Buy store (if you have one). If they have them on display, you'll get a chance to touch/feel. I think that is a big factor in buying a dSLR. If it wasn't, I'd have left with an XTi tonight :-) Instead, I came home with this bad boy...

I'm sure I'll be posting and giving my input as the days go by. Good luck on your decision.

P.S. Dust may be a factor, but from what I've heard, cleaning the CCD isn't that difficult and only takes a few minutes. As a professional, you should always check your camera before a shoot. If it's dirty, clean it :-)

starstreak · Sep 5, 2006, 8:27 PM

Aww I cant believe it I didnt see this post. Crap, I called my best buy and they had both sold out on both. shoots. I could've tried some quick pics.

I think I'm liking the xti more but the d80 might be the better deal since it has the 18-135(something like that) zoom. where the Canon doesnt.
Then again $1299 vs $899...

swgod98 · Sep 5, 2006, 9:15 PM

Sorry you missed out on the Best Buy boat! Maybe there is another Best Buy near you? I swear I must have like 10 (probably more!) within 40 miles of me.

The XTi seems really cool. It actually seemed easier to hold than the XT (ie. a little bigger grip or something). It is still very small for a dSLR. This can be a good thing, though. Size and weight were a big factor for me and when I felt the D50, it just felt perfect. Knowing the D80 was nearly identical, I decided on it...but damn...that kit lens makes it feel HEAVY (guess I'm just a newb dSLR user!) :G

Anyways, there's a lot of people on both sides of the fence. Most of them are throwing rocks at each other :lol: Rest assured you'll like what you get. Just buy what you feel is best for you, but I don't recommend going with one camera or the other simply because of the kit lens that comes with it. Each manufacturer has loads of lenses (some good some bad).

Buy the camera.

I don't know when I'll have time to really get to know my camera :sad:but, I'll post pics eventually! In the meantime, check the reviews, look over the supplied images, and try your best to get each in your hand before you buy.

starstreak · Sep 5, 2006, 10:22 PM

Can you take some low light pictures with the stock lens? I'm really curious on how well the noise holds up.

swgod98 · Sep 7, 2006, 12:36 AM

Here's a quick shot I took tonight. ISO1600, Exif should be intact, only resized:

A 100% crop can be found here: http://www.danshobbyshack.com/temp/d80/DSC_0029crop.jpg

It's a little blurry and the white balance seems off (was auto), but you get the idea of the noise levels.

Here's a flash shot, ISO1600, only resized:

Here's the full image (Photoshop made it smaller filesize (quality 8)), otherwise untouched (1 meg file): http://www.danshobbyshack.com/temp/d80/DSC_0027full.jpg

Personally, I think the noise levels are pretty good. I don't have any direct comparisons at the moment, though I do have a few dSLR's at work (in particular, a 20D) I could borrow

I find that the ISO1600 noise is nearly nonexistant in images viewed on the PC at full screen sizes (not 100% image size). The images also seem to react well to neat image (noise reduction software). This is onlya small test and probably not the best at that...But, I'm happy with the turnout.

Oh...the lens does have some vingetting.

swgod98 · Sep 7, 2006, 12:43 AM

Alright, I actually got another pic to show. It's only ISO400, but it's kinda neat. We have a Dove inour backyard that had 2 babies a month ago. They still reside there, butthey're hidden well...

100% crop (the rest of the images was a bunch of leaves anyways)...Looks sharp to me

starstreak · Sep 7, 2006, 1:24 AM

Thanks!

DIGuy · Sep 7, 2006, 3:10 AM

Definetely not questioning your judgement for buying the D80 over the XTi but was there any other reasons you purchased it other than the grip?

What is the huge difference between $800 for the XTi & $1300 for the D80? From what I've gathered the lens is the biggest difference but at the same time you can get a 75-300 lens for $200 & change & still end up cheaper....Just trying to get the facts, not bias towards any brand...

Sep 3, 2006, 10:55 PM	#3
swgod98 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 245	If you're like me, you've got the patience to wait 3 months before finally buying one! :lol: Not really the best thing to do, considering what everyone says (if you don't have a camera, what good is it to you?). Well, I went to Best Buy today and low and behold, they had the D80 AND the XTi. The salesman said they got them in FRIDAY! Dammit, if only I knew then I would have been there Friday! Anyways, check out your local Best Buy store (if you have one). If they have them on display, you'll get a chance to touch/feel. I think that is a big factor in buying a dSLR. If it wasn't, I'd have left with an XTi tonight :-) Instead, I came home with this bad boy... I'm sure I'll be posting and giving my input as the days go by. Good luck on your decision. P.S. Dust may be a factor, but from what I've heard, cleaning the CCD isn't that difficult and only takes a few minutes. As a professional, you should always check your camera before a shoot. If it's dirty, clean it :-) Attached Images

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Sep 3, 2006, 6:05 PM	#1
photo man Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1	Hi all I started with my parents Vivitar slr in high school (some of you may not know Vivitar made an slr) I then bought a K1000. Then after getting a job in a photo shop, I ran the 1 hour photo machine. The first one in the state. (dating myself just a bit) That is where I saw my first Nikon. I must say it was love at first sight. I've had my FM2 ever since, and still love it. After many years as an amature I would really like totake my passion to the next level, getting paid to take pictures. I started reading about the D80 and I was ready to buy one. I should have stopped looking. Well more research led to a concern for dust. Enter Rebel XTI. It looks like a nice camera, the smaller sensor and the view finder (pentamirror vs pentaprisom) concern me a bit. Please help!

Sep 3, 2006, 10:23 PM	#2
Edvinas Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 150	Wait until people will start to use those cameras and will provide some feedback. Also wait wor professional reviews. And the third thing to wait is Pentax K10D -- it will be announced on 12-14 September and rumours say that it will be a killer camera for it's price of $1000.

Sep 5, 2006, 8:27 PM	#4
starstreak Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 58	Aww I cant believe it I didnt see this post. Crap, I called my best buy and they had both sold out on both. shoots. I could've tried some quick pics. I think I'm liking the xti more but the d80 might be the better deal since it has the 18-135(something like that) zoom. where the Canon doesnt. Then again $1299 vs $899...

Sep 5, 2006, 9:15 PM	#5
swgod98 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 245	Sorry you missed out on the Best Buy boat! Maybe there is another Best Buy near you? I swear I must have like 10 (probably more!) within 40 miles of me. The XTi seems really cool. It actually seemed easier to hold than the XT (ie. a little bigger grip or something). It is still very small for a dSLR. This can be a good thing, though. Size and weight were a big factor for me and when I felt the D50, it just felt perfect. Knowing the D80 was nearly identical, I decided on it...but damn...that kit lens makes it feel HEAVY (guess I'm just a newb dSLR user!) :G Anyways, there's a lot of people on both sides of the fence. Most of them are throwing rocks at each other :lol: Rest assured you'll like what you get. Just buy what you feel is best for you, but I don't recommend going with one camera or the other simply because of the kit lens that comes with it. Each manufacturer has loads of lenses (some good some bad). Buy the camera. I don't know when I'll have time to really get to know my camera :sad:but, I'll post pics eventually! In the meantime, check the reviews, look over the supplied images, and try your best to get each in your hand before you buy.

Sep 5, 2006, 10:22 PM	#6
starstreak Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 58	Can you take some low light pictures with the stock lens? I'm really curious on how well the noise holds up.

Sep 7, 2006, 12:36 AM	#7
swgod98 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 245	Here's a quick shot I took tonight. ISO1600, Exif should be intact, only resized: A 100% crop can be found here: http://www.danshobbyshack.com/temp/d80/DSC_0029crop.jpg It's a little blurry and the white balance seems off (was auto), but you get the idea of the noise levels. Here's a flash shot, ISO1600, only resized: Here's the full image (Photoshop made it smaller filesize (quality 8)), otherwise untouched (1 meg file): http://www.danshobbyshack.com/temp/d80/DSC_0027full.jpg Personally, I think the noise levels are pretty good. I don't have any direct comparisons at the moment, though I do have a few dSLR's at work (in particular, a 20D) I could borrow I find that the ISO1600 noise is nearly nonexistant in images viewed on the PC at full screen sizes (not 100% image size). The images also seem to react well to neat image (noise reduction software). This is onlya small test and probably not the best at that...But, I'm happy with the turnout. Oh...the lens does have some vingetting.

Sep 7, 2006, 12:43 AM	#8
swgod98 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 245	Alright, I actually got another pic to show. It's only ISO400, but it's kinda neat. We have a Dove inour backyard that had 2 babies a month ago. They still reside there, butthey're hidden well... 100% crop (the rest of the images was a bunch of leaves anyways)...Looks sharp to me

Sep 7, 2006, 1:24 AM	#9
starstreak Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 58	Thanks!

Sep 7, 2006, 3:10 AM	#10
DIGuy Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 31	Definetely not questioning your judgement for buying the D80 over the XTi but was there any other reasons you purchased it other than the grip? What is the huge difference between $800 for the XTi & $1300 for the D80? From what I've gathered the lens is the biggest difference but at the same time you can get a 75-300 lens for $200 & change & still end up cheaper....Just trying to get the facts, not bias towards any brand...