First DSLR: Canon Rebel XTi vs Nikon D40

December 21, 2007 @ 10:59 AM
owensA

Post: 2346

Join Date: Jul 2006

Location: Live from 215

Hey,
I'm considering purchasing an entry-level DSLR camera and have read up a bit and narrowed it down to the Canon Rebel xti (400d) and the Nikon D40 as both are within my price range. Both are quite a bit of money for a college student like myself so if anyone can offer any advice or opinions I'd greatly appreciate it. Thx.

(Mod: if this is too specific a question please merge with the Q&A thread, sorry just noticed that thread)
December 21, 2007 @ 12:05 PM
realignant

Post: 1607

Join Date: Jan 2007

xti.
December 21, 2007 @ 01:02 PM
KICKROCKS

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Join Date: Jan 2007

Location: 8(31)0

They both have their +/-; for example, if pursuing HDR work, the XTI > D40...xti has exposure bracketing [automatically taking differently exposed shots with one release of the shutter--the D40 doesn't.] Just read around dude..
Also, the D40 has limited lenses....but i loooove my d40 &)
December 24, 2007 @ 06:04 PM
chhuntastic

Post: 32

Join Date: Sep 2007

xti... its compared more to the d80 than the d40. but if it were me, id save and get a d80. canons feel uncomfortable in my hands and their ergonomics=bad.
December 25, 2007 @ 12:47 PM
MrLakitu

Post: 15

Join Date: Sep 2007

Location: London.

I'd recommend the Nikkon, but thats mainly because im a Nikkon user/fan, but most people will say go for the Cannon, technically this Cannon is better then the D40 but it feels like a toy camera rather then a DSLR to me.
December 25, 2007 @ 02:35 PM
Medasyn

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Location: London

Nikon FTW.

i use a D70s.
it just feels much better than those "other" brands.
December 26, 2007 @ 02:02 AM
HoyItsjacoBUH

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Join Date: Apr 2007

Location: Bay Area

personally i love canon better. There more sturdy and tough feeling.

I believe that if your a beginner and just learning, then id say go with the D40.
But i still think canons better.
December 27, 2007 @ 08:33 PM
GrainBelt

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Location: Minneapolis

personally i love canon better. There more sturdy and tough feeling.

I believe that if your a beginner and just learning, then id say go with the D40.
But i still think canons better.

what the fuck?

have you ever physically held a d50 vs a canon xti. I've never held the d40 but the choice is obvious. the canon feels like a little piece of plastic.
December 28, 2007 @ 01:07 AM
realignant

Post: 1607

Join Date: Jan 2007

it's not about the camera or what not, it's about your own preferences and lenses.

i would choose the d80>xti>d40x>d40.

what exactly are you looking for?
December 28, 2007 @ 03:03 PM
c.lopez

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Join Date: Sep 2006

so my mom gotz a Canon Rebel, a digital one. SHould i be excited?
December 29, 2007 @ 02:36 PM
Whizz

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Location: UK Baby

Not a lot to choose between them to be honest. If I was in the market i'd have it down to those two. Personally I chose the Canon because of my experiences with other stuff by them and I can't fault them so i'd say go Canon but it's up to you.
December 29, 2007 @ 02:42 PM
Medasyn

Post: 1182

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Location: London

what the fuck?

have you ever physically held a d50 vs a canon xti. I've never held the d40 but the choice is obvious. the canon feels like a little piece of plastic.


Super Cosign.
December 29, 2007 @ 04:03 PM
HoyItsjacoBUH

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Location: Bay Area

what the fuck?

have you ever physically held a d50 vs a canon xti. I've never held the d40 but the choice is obvious. the canon feels like a little piece of plastic.



ive never held a d50, but ive used a d40 and a d40x and THEY feel like cheap ass plastic.
The thing with canons are there heavy and thats kinda what i like. I guess its the whole sturdiness that the heaviness causes which makes me feel more comfortable with it.
I guess its also whatever u started out with is what ur most comfortable with, which in my case is canon.
December 29, 2007 @ 06:53 PM
chhuntastic

Post: 32

Join Date: Sep 2007

yeah, the d40 and d40x feel pretty weak. however, the d50 and up are larger and fit better in the hands. i've used an xt and xti, and both feel sturdy but the size of it is uncomfortable
December 30, 2007 @ 07:51 AM
grug01

Post: 413

Join Date: Oct 2006

Location: Perth, West Australi...

personally, for an entry level camera I would go with a canon. The company as a whole has the advantage of being large enough to produce all its components in house and as a result you are getting somewhat better/higher spec components (sensors etc) than what you're getting with the nikons in the same price bracket, which outsources a lot of its components for entry level products. Like someone already said, as far as features go the Xti/400D is more readily compared to the D80 rather than the D40.
Basically this all adds up to a higher potential from the camera body you get.
Lenses of course are another story and both companies have their pros and cons, so with that in mind you if you're looking to upgrade further down the track take some of the other advice already offered and perhaps chose your camera based on not only the camera features but also the lenses, which you'll be hanging onto for much longer. And of course the higher end models offered from each.
Agreed though, the 400D does feel a bit flimsy
December 30, 2007 @ 12:27 PM
owensA

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Copped the D40x and am loving it. They're really both great cameras but I grew up using my pop's Nikon film cameras so I opted for the brand I know, not to mention the Nikon just felt better to me than the Canon when I held em both in my hands.
January 21, 2008 @ 01:37 PM
DunkPunk

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Join Date: Jun 2006

Location: L.A.

i bought the d40 a week ago.... its doing me just fine.
i don't think the Rebel xTi is superior....

if ur just looking for an entry level camera that is easy to use and manipulate, get the D40.


cosign. i have the D40. and i held an XTi and they feel like plastic.

CURRENTLY IN LONDON.

January 28, 2008 @ 01:25 PM
staySubmerged

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Join Date: Jan 2008

Location: Houston, TX

i actually have an XTi.. im really happy with it..
i think its better than the d40..
d80s definitely the best.. but at the time i bought it was like 6 bills more than the XTi (in canada).. n im just a beginner so i didnt wanna spend too much..
January 28, 2008 @ 02:32 PM
GULLY MONSTER

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Join Date: Nov 2006

In the end it's up to the user and not the camera. I know people with xti's and i shoot better pics than them with my d40. And vice versa.
January 28, 2008 @ 06:19 PM
HoyItsjacoBUH

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Location: Bay Area

i just got my xti and i like it much better than the d40.
as alot of you say how it feels like plastic, i totally disagree. From all the d40s ive ever used they feel more light and plasticy than the xti. I like my cameras heavy and sturdy and thats what i feel when i hold canons.

as picture quality goes, its really personally preference, skill of the photography, and lens.
But i dont know, i think what you start out with has a great affect to what others thinks.
January 28, 2008 @ 07:06 PM
GULLY MONSTER

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Join Date: Nov 2006

i just got my xti and i like it much better than the d40.
as alot of you say how it feels like plastic, i totally disagree. From all the d40s ive ever used they feel more light and plasticy than the xti. I like my cameras heavy and sturdy and thats what i feel when i hold canons.

as picture quality goes, its really personally preference, skill of the photography, and lens.
But i dont know, i think what you start out with has a great affect to what others thinks.


That's def not true at all, people could care less about your camera and care more about the end product.
January 28, 2008 @ 07:33 PM
HoyItsjacoBUH

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Location: Bay Area

well i meant it as what there more comfortable with
A lot of people i know who started out with canon like canon more, and people who started with nikon like nikon better

but yet again its just an assumption of what opinions ive heard from various people.
January 28, 2008 @ 08:30 PM
gamesnacks

Post: 379

Join Date: Jan 2008

That's def not true at all, people could care less about your camera and care more about the end product.


I agree with that 100% and for anyone to think that putting more emphasis on what they have over their end-product is the worst thing any artist can do.

That's not what art, specifically photography, is about.
January 29, 2008 @ 09:35 AM
staySubmerged

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Location: Houston, TX

what do u mean ur talking about the rebel and not the xti..
the xti is the rebel.. confused..
January 29, 2008 @ 10:50 AM
Peter Suh

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There's the Rebel, Rebel XT and the Rebel XTi smile
January 29, 2008 @ 01:38 PM
staySubmerged

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Location: Houston, TX

cool beans.. thats my bad..
January 29, 2008 @ 01:55 PM
HoyItsjacoBUH

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Location: Bay Area

maybe the xti is way better built than the Rebel....

but i know for SURE that with a speedlight and sigma (18-200mm) lens mounted, the REBEL is top/front heavy.... meaning the camera body is too light to support it's own attachments.

This is the REBEL i'm talking about, not the xTi... unfortunately I can't speculate on the xTi but if its anything like the Rebel, its topsy-turvy at best even with a firm grip by both hands.

The D40 does no such thing... I can attest to that.

And what does this mean "all the d40's i've ever used" -- Have there been different d40's??? LOL. Why would one d40 feel any heavier or lighter than another? I'm very confused now (and I own one - have noooooo clue what you're talking about there, brother)


its kinda like a figure of speech... "like from all the ones ive tried" "From my experience of the d40s ive used" Not that all d40s feel different.
January 29, 2008 @ 06:12 PM
realignant

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you like the d40 cause you own a d40, lol.
January 29, 2008 @ 06:33 PM
HoyItsjacoBUH

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Location: Bay Area

ok, gotcha. i still disagree. it may have felt 'different' in your hands... but to suggest it's light and plasticky feeling is to stretch the truth (feels great when i hold it actually)

but w/e, we all buy what we buy.... and we all buy what we like, in the end! lol


ha yeah its basically personal preference. What you like is what you buy.
No one can change that. You have your reasons to why u like things and others have there reasons.
January 30, 2008 @ 05:26 PM
FlashinLeather

Post: 252

Join Date: Sep 2007

Location: Montreal

shouldn't it be d40x vs. xti?
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