The weak US Dollar and the strong Euro is making my credit card itchy. For just US$686.35 (518.928 EUR) one can get, including shipping to Ireland, a Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L lens, Canon 67mm UV filter and a Hoya 67mm Circular Polariser. That is a bargain (and about 300 EUR less than the same on the usually cheap Pixmania.ie)
Late Christmas present to me? Must resist!
If it weren’t for the L grade price tag of $1600 the new Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens would be on my shopping list. We all already know of the brilliant 50mm f/1.8 ($74) and 50mm f/1.4 ($300) lenses and this new one puts a 50mm in the bag of professionals. Apart from the great max. aperture of 1.2 and the useful though hardly neccesary USM focusing the main selling point to me would be the build quality. The 50mm f/1.8 is a flimsy affair and the 50mm f/1.4 not that much better.
Well done to Canon for providing a prime in this day and age, I hope it sells with the pros.
The popular 70-200mm f/4 got an upgrade to IS (Image Stabilisation) as well in the Canon EF 70-200 mm F4L IS USM lens. Personally I am spoilt on f/2.8 lenses and so am saving for the 70-200m f/2.8L but this new f/4 is welcome all the same. At $1250 though it is not so well priced when you can get the aforementioned f/2.8 IS for $1600.
Canon officially announced their Canon EOS 400D (Canon Digital Rebel XTi in the States) today. 10 megapixels, anti-dust system, 9 point AF and a bigger LCD. The dual LCD on the back of the 350D is gone, replaced by one 2.8″ LCD. No spot-metering but it does have a RGB histogram. Frame rate and buffer size is up. Size and weight remain nearly identical to the 350D. Recommend retail price is $100 less at $899 for the body or $999 with the 18-55mm II kit-lens.
All in all a decent upgrade on the 350D, more so than the 30D was to the 20D. Current 350D owners need not rush to upgrade however, your baby is quite adequate. New buyers intent on a Canon camera would do well with the 400D though.
And this brings me to the Nikon D80. I own a Canon EOS 20D but my advice to people looking for entry level DSLRs is to go with Nikon. The D80 seems the better camera to me. You’ve got a better grip, a top LCD and more physical dials for control. Otherwise it is a much of a muchness compared to the 400D, any discussion on CMOS vs. CCD is pixel peeping at this stage.
Then you have the dream lens for any entry level user; the Nikon AF-S DX 18-135mm. 18mm to 135mm, that is one lens that covers the entire range most users will ever need. It is exactly the range that three potential 400D buying people have asked me if Canon have in their line up, and they don’t.
And on from the D80 you have the D200 which is really something wonderful to behold.
If you must get a Canon then wait till the end of September and get the 400D. What about the 30D? I’d go for it because of the extra physical controls and size that fits in my hands better. But really if you have to ask yourself “400D vs. 30D” then 90% of you should get the 400D. Those that a 30D suits know already.
If your requirement is an entry level DSLR though then head for the D80.
The Nikon D80 looks like a decent DSLR camera. A good resolution upgrade on the Nikon D70s, up to 10mp now. What really impresses me though is the kit lens; an 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6. The aperture range is not great but 18mm to 135mm (27mm to 202mm on the DSLR) is fantastic. A couple of lads at work have recently been asking me about DSLRs and getting a lens that they didn’t have to keep swapping when doing wide-angle and telephoto work. I can only assume the quality of the optics will be good as Nikon generally release only good glass.
Daily bits...