As far as cameras go, I would go for the Canon 20D. Though older, it is much more camera than the D40x. However, neither of the lenses your friend offers are up to too much. The 18-55 kit lens is a good value when bought with a new camera and is a good all-round lens it is $80 new. The 75-300 can be had for less than $150 new, and is not a great lens..

Unless you would be thinking about buying a non-IS 75-300 mm anyway, I would not view this lens as an added value..

Ask your friend how much he wants for the 20D and kit lens, without the tele zoom. Let him sell the 75-300 mm on EBay..

Brian A...

Got it, thanks, but could you please elaborate on the "much more camera" bit? Cheers...

Westlites wrote:.

Hello, am looking to buy a digital SLR, am familiar with the basicsas I own a Canon A1 which I have not touched in decades and this willbe my first foray in digital SLR. Have the option of picking up froma good friend his very nice Canon 20D with the 18-55 kit and 75-300(not IS) Canon lenses, or for the same price, I can go for somethinglike the brand new Nikon D40x and kit lens with either a small Nikonflash or extended battery pack thrown in. Have handled both, they arequite nice though the Canon seems to be more sturdily built and isbigger, even with the Nikon extended battery attached. The Nikonsbig LCD is great, though..

Two totally different classes. The 20D retailed for about $1500 with kit lens back in 2004. The D40 (no real point in getting the x) retails for about a third of that..

What should I get, if I want something to carry me through the nexttwo years or so? I know the Canon is a bit dated, but it seems tohave more features (5 frames per sec is sweet) and does have the 2lenses included, while the Nikon will be brand new and has the highermegapixels thingy and in-camera foto retouch (or does the Canon havethis, too?)..

No in camera retouch on the Canon. That's a typical beginner feature. The higher megapixel count is important to impress friends and family..

I want to use the camera for family photos, portraits of my toddler(so capability to use with remote flashes and lights would be great),perhaps shlepping around the golf course while looking for myfrequently-lost balls (he he)and to shoot my cheerleader daughterfrom the stands during ballgames. My wife will also be using thecamera a bit, I think, when our Lumix wont do..

Nikon is beginner friendly. Nikon (don't know about canon) does have a very nice wireless flash system but not on the D40..

If only for the last, I am leaning towards the Nikon. But there isthe chance that I may get into photography again in a bigger way. Iknow this may be apples to oranges, but what can I do with the Canonthat I wont be able to with the Nikon, and vice versa? And whatother similarly-priced and -featured choices are out there? Pleasehelp, my head is spinning from info overload after some hardcoreinternet research. Cheers!.

Compare features. Go to a shop and hold a pentax. Borrow that canon for a weekend and see how you like it.Don't wait for the Nikon D-whatever, have fun now!http://www.flickr.com/photos/j_wijnands/..

Westlites wrote:.

Have the option of picking up froma good friend his very nice Canon 20D with the 18-55 kit and 75-300(not IS) Canon lenses, or for the same price, I can go for somethinglike the brand new Nikon D40x and kit lens with either a small Nikonflash or extended battery pack thrown in..

The 20D is a fine camera. The 30D is more or less the same thing but with a spot metering option..

If you go the Nikon route, I would recommend the D80 over the D40x. The D40x lacks an in-body focus motor (needed for full compatibility with many Nikon prime lenses and third-party zoom lenses). The D80 has a large viewfinder and it can act as a wireless controller for an off-camera SB-600 or SB-800 flash..

What should I get, if I want something to carry me through the nexttwo years or so?.

Any of them can get you through the next two years. 8 vs. 10 megapixels isn't all that significant ... 100 * (SQRT(10/8) - 1) => 11.8 percent more linear resolution for the 10 megapixel system. In-camera retouching sounds cute, but I believe that it may be more of a checklist feature than anything else..

I'd focus more on fundamentals: lens compatibility, autofocus system (speed, no. of autofocus points), metering system, viewfinder image size, controls that let you change common settings without going into the menus all the time..

Then you can look for a few "nice-to-have" features to use as tie-breakers...

You know, was actually eyeing the D80 as a higher-cost, but better option. But this would still be some price points down from the 30D range, I think. Just a while ago, was taking a few with the 20D and must tell you it is growing on me. I like the way it fills my hands, and the accompanying 70-300, though perhaps not premium seems adequate for my initial requirements. Still wondering though if in the 3-year gap since the 20D came out, it may have lost ground a bit to even some of the newer but lower-end competition. Btw, does the 20D allow me wireless control of an external flash, or will I have to use a synch cord? Aside from the cord, any other way I can also control an external flash with the 20D? Going to the store a bit later and will check out the D80. Cheers!..

Take a look at the Oly E510, has built in IS, 10mp, and Oly has some great lenses!.

Image control:Zoom outZoom 100%Zoom inExpand AllOpen in new window.

God bless our troops!...

No brainer buy the Canon and get the second lens thrown in..

But before you do that, look at the Caon Rebel XTi, too, and compare it's new price with the Nikon D40X new price..

The extra pixels of the Nikon compared with the 20D don't really matter until you make 16x20 enlargements, and even then, you probably won't notice the difference..

BAK..

Thanks, but could you pls elaborate a bit on why it's a no-brainer? Hope you don't mind, Cheers!..