These are rankings of Consumer (<$1,000) and semi-pro/prosumer (<$2,000) DSLRs. 20+ MP DSLRs for professional photographers run from $8,000 to $32,000 for the Hasselblad HD3-39 with 39 MP.
See DSLR Information for general considerations in selecting a camera.
Looking at the Canon EOS 30D, Canon Digital Rebel XTi, and Nikon D80 cameras at philip.greenspun.com
Canon is the strongest competitor in the digital SLR market.
If you have a substantial investment in Nikon-mount lenses you might wish to stick with the Nikon system.
In virtually every photographic situation you'd end up taking the same picture with either the Canon or Nikon big lenses/small sensor body.
Comparison: Nikon D200, D80, D70, D50, D40, Canon 5D and XTi at KenRockwell.com
Get the Nikon D200 if you don't mind the weight.
Get a Nikon D40 for everything else.
Get the Canon 5D if you work on a tripod.
Magazine Ratings (very subjective) as of Feb. 2008
WhatDigitalCamera.com |
Consumer Reports |
C|net | Popular Photography
Camera | Price * | Mp | LCD (in) | fps | ISO | oz. | Rating |
c|net ZD | CR | WDC | PP |
Canon EOS Rebel Xti (400D) | $510-610 | 10.1 | 2.5 | 3 | 1600 | 20 | 7.8 | 70 | 89 | 9.42 |
Canon EOS Rebel XSi | $900 | 12.2 | 3 | 3.5 | 1600 | 17 | 7.8 |   |   |   |
Canon EOS 30D | $650 | 8.2 | 3 | 3.1 | 3200 | 28 | 8.0 | | | |
Canon EOS 40D | $1,150 | 10.1 | 3 | 6.5 | 3200 | 28 | 8.1 | 74 | 90 | 9.59 |
Nikon D40 | $470 | 6.1 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 1600 | 18 | 7.5 | 70 | 87 | 9.51 |
Nikon D40X | $525-680 | 10 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 1600 | 19 | 7.2 | 71 | 87 | 9.54 |
Nikon D60 | $750 | 10 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 1600 | 20 | 7.2 | | | |
Nikon D80 | $750-900 | 10.2 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 1600 | 24 | 8.0 | 74 | 91 | 9.39 |
Nikon D300 | $1,800 | 12.3 | 3 | 6 | 3200 | 29 | 8.4 | | | |
Pentax K10D | $750 | 10.2 | 2.5 | 3 | 1600 | 28 | 7.7 | 70 | 90 | 9.31 |
Olympus Evolt E-410 | $750 | 10 | 2.5 | 3 | 1600 | 16 | 7.1 | 70 | 89 |
Sony Alpha A700 | $1,400 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 5000 | 24 | 8.3 | | |
Nikon D200 | $1,200 | 10.2 | 2.5 | 5 | | | 7.8 | | | |
Canon 5D | $1,900 | 12.8 | 2.5 | 3 | | | 7.9 | | | |
* Price for body only, Prices with kit lenses (e.g. 18-55 mm) are about $100 more.
MP - Mega Pixels, LCD size in., burst mode - frames per sec., top ISO setting, weight oz., Ratings (CR- Consumer Reports, WDC - What Digital Camera, PP - Popular Photography
Consistency in Ranking -The rankings are fairly consistent except for Popular Photography rating the D40X higher than the D80 and "What Digital Camera's" high rating of the Pentax. Some of the differences may be from the weighting factor they used for different attributes.
You can also see the leapfrog effect. The latest Nikon D300 and Sony Alpha A700 would have come out ahead of those below, but had not been rated by several of the sources yet.
Camera | Average | c|net ZD | CR | WDC | PP |
scr | rnk | scr | rnk | scr | rnk | scr | rnk | scr | rnk |
Canon EOS 40D $1,150 | 85.2 | 1 | 8.1 | 1 | 74 | 1 | 90 | 2 | 9.59 | 1 |
Nikon D80 $800 | 84.7 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 74 | 1 | 91 | 1 | 9.39 | 4 |
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi | 82.8 | 3 | 7.8 | 3 | 70 | 4 | 89 | 4 | 9.42 | 3 |
Nikon D40X $560 | 82.6 | 4 | 7.7 | 4 | 71 | 3 | 87 | 5 | 9.54 | 2 |
Pentax K10D | 82.5 | 5 | 7.7 | 4 | 70 | 4 | 90 | 2 | 9.31 | 5 |
Ratings at Popular Photography (PopPhoto.com)
|
Speed is weighted double and Image quality triple in computing total.
Other Ratings:
Canon EOS XTi not a good point and shoot in doors at amazon.
DSLR discussion on cfsilence.com/blog
- You can't go wrong with Canon or Nikon
- Nikon d200 smoked Canon 30D
- I bought a Canon XTi this year and couldn't be happier.
Flash units:
Find the Best Camera Flashes - Reviews, TestFreaks.com
Model | Price | Guide # (mm) | Angle of converage | Test- Freaks | B&H |
Sunpak PZ42X best in PhotoPlus Mar. 2009 | $136 | 112' @ 50 mm | 84° - 23° | 9.2 | 4.4
|
Canon Speedlite 430EX II | $254 | 141' @ 105 mm | 84° - 23.3° | 10 | 4.7 |
Canon Speedlite 270EX II | $154 | 89' @ 50 mm | 28 mm, 50 mm | 9.5 | 4.5 |
Guide Number - The product of the maximum flash-to-subject distance.
Reviews:
The Latest Gear | Popular Photography
Recommended Cameras | Ken Rockwell
Magazines:
Camera & Gear Tests | PhotoPlus (Canon only)
Consumer Reports - Interchangeable & SLR lenses Ratings
Links:
Comparison: Nikon D200, D80, D70, D50, D40, Canon 5D and XTi at KenRockwell.com
Looking at the Canon EOS 30D, Canon Digital Rebel XTi, and Nikon D80 cameras at philip.greenspun.com
Digital Photography Review
Other Ratings at
BestInClass.com:
Sports | Children | Travel | Low Light
Dealer Ratings
Return to
DSLRs
last updated 24 May 2008
|