Another tough decision on which one?????

[Tringa]

Bill, apologies if I have misunderstood you, but you don't have any current Canon or Nikon equipment that would influence your purchase. Is that correct?

If so, and at the risk of confusing the issue even more, can I suggest you have a look at the Pentax K5? I am biased because I have one and have not had a Canon or Nikon.

The K5 is a solid, easy to use, but well featured camera (but I admit that could be said of the 7D and the D7000) and I think it has the same sensor as the D7000. The range of current lenses is not as great as with Canon or Nikon, but all Pentax K mount lenses from 1975 onwards will fit, so there are lots of lenses around at reasonable prices. Some (or all) of the auto functions may be lost with an old lens, which may, or may not be important to you.

I don't know the pricing of cameras in California but in the UK the K5 is cheaper than the 7D or the D7000.

Dave

[Gold Coast]

Dave; I did own some years ago a Pentax MX series camera. Never did have a problem with it that I can remember. It was a solid camera. I had It in Europe when I was there in the Air Force. By the way I spend alot of time in England also in the late 60s and early 70s. I was mostly in Lakenheath and Mildenhall at the air bases and some time at Upper Hayford. Beautiful country. I used to love to ride the tubes all over London. I miss the fresh fish and chips and the ale beer. Thoses were the good old days.
I did a little research and the Pentax K5 body averages about $1200.00 to $1500.00 the Nikon D700 right at $1300.00 and the Canon 7D $1600.00 and the Canon 60D around $899.00. These are average prices you might find them cheaper on sale. These are body only. Some of them come in a package with lens and some with 2 lenses. The prices change it seems like every week and you have to shop carefully.
I have looked at the Pentax line also. I have at this point not rulled out any one camera. That decesion will come probally the day I decide to buy. I have to look at the total picture on what is available for the one I buy for accessories etc. There are so many thing to take into cosideration.
Some of the stores I have bought from previously here in the US are B&H photo, Adorama, and Amazon shopping. Never have had a problem with these stores so far.
It will not be too long before I have to pull the trigger and get it done.Then the fun starts all over again.

Bill

[Letrow]

Lots of opinions here already, so I would probably add that the most important part is which camera feels best to you (layout of the buttons, weight, etc.). I would also have a look at the lenses that are available for both brands and their price and availability in your homestead. Make sure that you know what DX and FX is when you look at Nikon.
For myself, I am a happy Nikon D7000 user, but there is lot of happy Canon people as well apparently.
Look at Thom Hogan's site as well. It will give you some good reviews and opinions on both brands.

[Gold Coast]

Peter; I will check out his web site also. I will consider the lens selection as well. Thanks for the Info.

Bill

[MrB]

I would probably add that the most important part is which camera feels best to you (layout of the buttons, weight, etc.).

Bill - Comments of this nature regularly seem to appear in threads of the "which camera" topic type (and I have probably said something similar in the past), but I now think they are not really that much help. Having had a new dslr for a few months, it now seems obvious to me that you cannot appreciate the ergonomics, etc., of a camera until you have been using it regularly for quite some time.

Therefore I would suggest that the other factors mentioned by members and reviewers should influence your camera choice, rather than how it feels compared to others that you might be allowed to handle for a short time by either a friend or a dealer. It seems likely that you will come to enjoy most aspects of the handling of your camera, whichever one of those suggested here becomes your choice.

They all seem pretty well-designed to me, especially my K-5, naturally!

Philip

[Gold Coast]

Philip; I fully understand your point about knowing how the camera feels and works. I have been around Canon and Nikon for some time in the past. There are many good cameras out there on the market. Like what you said it comes down to what fits the budget and what you want out of a camera and what you expect out of It. The person behind the camera is what makes it all happen. This takes time trial and error to learn by doing. Cameras today are complicated and a challange. That for me is part of the fun learning what it can do. This for me is a hobby and that is all I want it to be.

Bill

[thequacksoflife]

Well, as you say Hero, AF isn't crucial, the lens still takes pictures, but its not something you want to discover after purchasing a lens and similarly, or when buying a camera body, expecting a full range of lenses, then discovering there's possibly only half that number that will AF, is going to be a disappointment and later, a frustration.

I knew (before I bought my D5000), but convinced myself the AF-S lenses are better anyway and it wouldn't matter, but it is still a frustration because half the affordable lenses aren't available with - you try finding a fast Nikon AF-S wide angle prime in the 20-28mm range that is less than £/$1000. They (Nikon) have a gap in their range; there are affordable f1.8 35mm and 50mm lenses, but where is the equivalent 24mm or 28mm? beyond my budget, that's where. I can live with about £600 - £700 (GBP) for a decent prime lens, but over £1100, nah. There are zooms, but these are bigger and inevitably have design compromises in the £800 area that show at the edges of frame. Climbing down off my hobby horse ...

Hence my desire that the limitation is fully recognised in reviews and comparisons.

Cheers,

Dave

totally agree that Nikon has a hole in the range (I'd like a 16f2.8 please Nikon) BUT

yes Zooms have compromises but then saying don't buy a D5100 because the AF-D 24 f2.8 won't autofocus over looks the fact that the AF-D lenses were designed for film not digital.

" The 24mm f/2.8D doesn’t fare quite as well on digital bodies as it does on film bodies (a trait that continues for most of the older-design prime lenses as we move up the focal length chart). "

this is an article worth reading and he does update it http://bythom.com/rationallenses.htm