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Which dSLR to buy? Pentax K100D, Nikon D40 or Canon 350D?

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Hi,

About two weeks ago I bought Panasonic Lumix FZ8 mainly due to my shoe string budget. Now I have more budget so I have sold my FZ8 and I am looking at buying dSLR. This is what I will be using dSLR for in order of priority:
  • Landscape photography
  • Macro photography (flowers, bees, insects, etc)
  • Low/bad light pictures (e.g sunset, sunrise, caves, rain forest)
  • Indoor pictures
  • Pictures of items to be sold on Ebay like phones, computer parts, etc.
  • Indoor portraits
  • Outdoor portraits
From the current dSLRs only 3 are in my budget Nikon D40, Pentax K100D and Canon 350D. The thing that is making my decision painful is that all three of them have highly recommended rating from this website and all three of them have strengths and weaknesses. This is how I compare the three dSLRs:

Pentax K100D
+ Camera has shake reduction
+ The cheapest option for me ($AUD 688 from a local retail store).
+ If I buy locally I get local warranty
  • Not really lightweight but I guess this doesn't matter much as I will be upgrading lenses in about 6-8 months and lenses are pretty heavy anyway
Nikon D40
+ Good lightweight design
  • Need to buy AF-S and VR lenses which can be fairly expensive
  • No status LCD (not sure how useful these are but I like the idea especially when using the camera with tripod)
  • Can't purchase from B&h as they don't ships Nikon's to Australia so will have to buy from Adorama :(
Canon 350D
+ Higher resolution than other two cameras.
+ Good lightweight design
  • Need to buy IS lenses which tend to be fairly expensive
  • Old (not sure if this matters in dSLRs. I am from computer and phone background so I cringe when I have to buy a product 2-3 years old :))
Since I am coming from Lumix FZ8 so good indoor and low light performance would be highly appreciated :)

Any opinions which dSLR I should buy?

Many Thanks
 
IMHO, the in camera image stabilization should not be over emphasized. It really doesn't work that well when it really matters, with longer focal lengths.

Of the models you list, the Canon offers the best camera for the money. The Nikon D40 is somewhat crippled in features and lenses (the D80 is a better buy if you can afford it), the Pentax is limited by lens selection – but otherwise a good buy.

As with most beginners, you are looking at a camera rather than a system. You should really look at the selection of lenses and accessories available with each system. Both Nikon and Canon offer a huge array of lenses, which you will only come to appreciated when you start to decide on your second lens.

For example, if after a while you decide that you really like macro work, Canon offers 50 mm, 60 mm, 65 mm, 100 mm, and 180 mm macro lenses – the 65 mm lens being unique in that it achieves 5x magnification without bellows or extension tubes. Canon offers three tilt and shift lenses, in 24 mm, 45 mm, and 90 mm focal lengths. These are not lenses that everyone will need, but there may be one in your future needs.

Pentax, Olympus, and Sony/Minolta offer some excellent optics, but nothing near the range that is offered by Nikon and Canon, and the third party vendors like Sigma and Tamron offer in Canon and Nikon mouints.

Brian A.
 
Hi Hugowolf,

I am wondering if I should pay the extra 200 or so and get a Canon 400D? I have never owned a camera before so it is very difficult for me to tell the difference in image quality between 400D and 350D. However, I would like to ensure I get the best possible SLR for my budget so I don't regret purchase later on. Do the new features of 400D warrant a purchase?

Last question, I am a bit hesitant at purchasing 350D as it is fairly old. Is this a valid concern?

Thanks for your help!
 
I have the 350D, and have used 400D from my friend frequently. I didn't see enough compelling reason to upgrade, even though the price difference isn't much in the US (about $150). You can look at the 400D review on this website and see all the enhancements.

Personally I think new people who weren't stuck on Canon lenses should go buy other brands that offer innovations and less expensive price tags. Canon refuses to include in-body Image Stabilization so that they can make more money from IS lenses. You won't see features like configurable dynamic range (Sony, Fuji S5), live view (olympus), AutoISO (Pentax) on a Canon.

However, if you want to be a professional, or want to be the best of the best some day, it's hard to beat Canon. Its selection of high-end lenses and pro camera bodies are unmatched by any other brands. Canon is now focusing its innovation only on high-margin professional products, and less so for the enthusiast crowd.

For the rest of us, who just wants to take better pictures of our kids and a few photos in a local competition, any brand will do fine. The truth is that we are more limited by our skills than by the camera. Cameras don't take picture. Photographers do.
 
nah, if the 350d lays comfortable in your hand, it remains an excellent choice. And for example the Nikon d50 i would still choose over the d40.

unless you decide to go pro or have money to burn, the lens system is a hugely overrated issue. Even the fairly limited four thirds system (Olympus) has more than enough lenses for the average user.

I would love to here average hobby users that couldn't do specific photography because their brand didn't have a particular lens...

And IS is a very convenient thing, especially when you are a novice.

For all cameras there is enough to say, just choose the one that is most comfortable and intuitive to you.
 
Stick to Nikon or Canon. I personally shoot with canon 20d and 30d and have never used nikon SLRs. By no means am I going to tell you that canon is better than nikon either because its all subjective to your taste. They both offer a nice lineup of less expensive bodies with an array of lenses... try, in your hands at a camera shop, several different bodies and see how you like how they feel. dpreview has all the technical information to look at as far as reviews of each and you can explore both DSLR forums and look at samples, common issues etc. Just plan that whatever you choose determines what lenses are available to you more than anything and that is what you will spend most of your money on in the future, so turning back later will be a little more expensive.
 
It offers most useful features within the lowest price between cameras you've mentioned.

Major drawbacks of K100D are small buffer and lack of fast tele lenses. However these shortcomings are irrelevant to you because you don't plan to do sports photography.

Also, looking at your budget it is clear that you won't buy Canon 300mm f2.8L USM IS anyway :)

Some poster suggested poor Pentax lineup. Well, yes, if you're pro and want all those weather sealed telelenses with max aperture f2.8, costing several thousand USD, then yes -- Pentax selection of such lenses is non existent.

However if you are just hobbyist with a tight budget, there are more available budget and middle class lenses than you would want (that includes third party offerings).

IMHO you can dismiss as an argument against Pentax K100D lack of full pro lens line-up. It's irrelevant for man on a budget.

Shake reduction really works on K100D. For some reasons the only people who claim that it doesn't work are Canon IS and Nikon VR lens owners, who have never used K100D. Is it a wish to justify huge price they've paid for those lenses? :)

K100D is very well built and good ergonomically, it feels like a solid camera.

Image quality of all those cameras you're choosing from is excellent, IMHO it's not a factor deciding between them.

--
Edvinas
 
Just another think that I've been considering since I am also trying to make a decision between a D40 and K100D. Pentax will be releasing some new high level SDM zoom lenses which I think will fill the current gap in their lens lineup. They will probably cost decent money but I don't think they will be nearly as outrageous as the Nikon and Canon offerings. And I'm sure Pentax is smart enough to notice the gap in their lens lineup and I'm sure one way or another they will rectify it.

Yes the K100D won't be able to take advantage of the SDM feature (only K10D and K100D Super) but they will still work on the K100D. And down the line you'll be able to upgrade and these lenses will show new life on your new camera body!

The thing I've noticed about Pentax through my research is although they don't have as extensive of a lineup as Canon or Nikon, they offer better compatibility with their old lenses because they care about their long time customers and they don't offer many lenses that are complete junk. Most of their stuff is either good or great. And they offer it at a price that is far better then the competition. Price verse performance is a big deal when 95% of the time those more expensive lenses don't show any noticeable differences. Pentax seems to take a slower, more conservative approach to upgrades. Just compare the amount of bodies available to Canon and Nikon. But when they do come out with something new it is a real upgrade. They don't seem to tease you with as many mild upgrades with a few new features (super's being an exception).

I'm having a difficult time since I can get a D40 for less the $100 more then a K100D so the price gap is closer then for others. Nikon has great tele-zooms that I can use now and thats really what I like. But I also have faith is Pentax to fill this gap in their lens lineup soon with great quality products. In the end I'm probably going with the Pentax, learn on it, and eventually upgrade to the K10D or it's successor. If only they could fix the damn smal buffer in the K100D it would be the no brainer for me!
 
Hugowolf said:
IMHO, the in camera image stabilization should not be over
emphasized. It really doesn't work that well when it really matters,
with longer focal lengths.

Of the models you list, the Canon offers the best camera for the
money. The Nikon D40 is somewhat crippled in features and lenses (the
D80 is a better buy if you can afford it), the Pentax is limited by
lens selection – but otherwise a good buy.

As with most beginners, you are looking at a camera rather than a
system. You should really look at the selection of lenses and
accessories available with each system. Both Nikon and Canon offer a
huge array of lenses, which you will only come to appreciated when
you start to decide on your second lens.

For example, if after a while you decide that you really like macro
work, Canon offers 50 mm, 60 mm, 65 mm, 100 mm, and 180 mm macro
lenses – the 65 mm lens being unique in that it achieves 5x
magnification without bellows or extension tubes. Canon offers three
tilt and shift lenses, in 24 mm, 45 mm, and 90 mm focal lengths.
These are not lenses that everyone will need, but there may be one in
your future needs.

Pentax, Olympus, and Sony/Minolta offer some excellent optics, but
nothing near the range that is offered by Nikon and Canon, and the
third party vendors like Sigma and Tamron offer in Canon and Nikon
mouints.

Brian A.
Click to expand...
Hi firstly to the op try all cameras you can find and by whats right for you ...they are all good.(this is a recording).

Hugowolf...I am sorry but i have to disagree with almost everything you wrote.

Is....there have been NO tests yet on Is/vr/as at longer focal lengths as to which is better....both work...and the only test done at all has the Pentax K10d on top (not the K100d which was not tested)...but works fine for me at ALL focal

lengths...if one works better by a few percent than the other ...so what....BOTH WORK....one system is just MUCH cheaper.

As for best camera for money...that is opinion and as they are all good the best for the money to me would be the least expensive.

I use Pentax with ....what am I missing?
17-35 2.8-4 Tamron (stabilised)
28-105 2.8-4 Sigma (stabilised)
28 f2 Vivitar (manual focus stabilised)
50 1.2 Pentax (manual focus stabilised)
135 1.8 Promura (mf stabilised)
300 2.8 Tamron (manual focus stabilised)

a few others 70-200, 28-200 etc other 50s, bellows, extension tubes, macro convertors

Oh and I can autofocus those manual focus lenses with a 1.7x afa
eg the tamron becomes a 510mm 4.8 autofocus stabilised lens

This ENTIRE kit would be less than one single Canon super tele lens

If I was taking photos for a living I may very well go with Canon but i am not so i think i get much better value for money. somethings may be harder to find but if you want it you will get it sooner or later.

neil
 
I ended up biting the bullet and bought Canon EOS 400D. I liked the image quality of 400D better than the image quality of K100D and D40 especially ISO performance. Another thing was the extra 4 MP of Canon EOS 400D I know I won't be able to tell the difference but its hard to get over years of MP brainwashing :)

Thanks to all those who helped me make a decision!
 
Congratulations, great camera, now read the manual while the battery is charging, Then put those award winning photos on the canon 400D forum.
Welcome to the Canon Club!
 
I recommended other brands to you, but the truth is Canon isn't bad. What you'll like is that there's a lot of Canonnites in dpreview. The 400D forum has the most traffic. Great community for you to participate in and improve in your techniques.

And remember to post pictures once you've got some decent ones. We all love to look at them.
Camera N00b said:
I ended up biting the bullet and bought Canon EOS 400D. I liked the
image quality of 400D better than the image quality of K100D and D40
especially ISO performance. Another thing was the extra 4 MP of Canon
EOS 400D I know I won't be able to tell the difference but its hard
to get over years of MP brainwashing :)

Thanks to all those who helped me make a decision!
Click to expand...
 
It's a great camera. I like the feel of the Canon D400 better then the previous offerings...feels much better in your hand. The quality is great even after being around for a longer time then other offerings.

But I have to say, I don't understand how the D400 could even be in the equation when speaking about the K100D and D40. Price and feature wise they are on completely different ends of the spectrum. A good deal on a D400 body and it's mediocre 18-55mm kit lens will run you $700+? A 2 lens K100D kit cost $550? The K10D is more on par with the D400.
 
Hugowolf said:
IMHO, the in camera image stabilization should not be over
emphasized. It really doesn't work that well when it really matters,
with longer focal lengths.
Click to expand...
Wow. I'm glad someone finally did a scientific test on this.....

You did test it right??

Or are you just talking out of your backside???? : )

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.flickr.com/photos/djmsmc/
 
Yes, you are right D400 is on different level when compared with K100D and D40 which is precisely the reason why I purchased it. I was seriously considering getting 350D so I thought I might as well spend the extra $100 and get 400D.
 
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