Has anyone bought a digital SLR (thinking of the Canon EOS and Nikon lines) and have any feedback on either?

I just made decisions/purchases in this area.

For everyday snapshots, pictures of the kids/family events, and general purpose stuff, I picked up the Minolta DiMage XT.
Here's the Steve's Digicams Review. The XT is small enough that you can carry it in your pocket without knowing it is there. It is just over 3mp, and takes great pictures, as well as mpeg movies. About $300 on Ebay

For my more "serious" stuff as a amateur photographer, I also just bought a Canon EOS 10D. It is without question, the best digital camera that I've used. Fabulous color, quick response, great autofocus, and configurable as all get out. Only downside is that it is big (which is why I think you need two cameras). $1400 + cost of lenses (I bought a 28-105mm and a 75-300mm)
Review is here.

I've heard great things about the Canon EOS Digital Rebel. Just coming out now, and should run $800-900. It uses the same internals as the 10D, with a few of the customizable edges knocked off. More can be found here.

A good chunk of the above was paid for through the liquidation (on Ebay) of all of my film cameras (Canon A1 35mm, Canon EOS Rebel 35mm, Canon APS Elph, Nikon Pronea 600i APS), and my old digital Sony Mavica FD81. Given the current quaility of online picture printers (like snapfish.com, ofoto.com, etc) and the high quality of HP and Epson inkjets, I really don't see the need for film cameras anymore.

Regardless of your camera, I cannot recommend Adobe Photoshop Elements enough. It does 90% of what Photoshop does for about 10% of the price. Truly a "digital darkroom" for the amateur. Well worth it!

Let me know if you have any questions...

[This message has been edited by skofarrell (edited 09-29-2003).]

I think you've convinced me. More importantly, I've convinced the wife!

Goodby EOS Elan, hello EOS 10D.

Now to shop for the best price ...

Terenz--- seek no more, here is the answer:

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/profe...14nIndex.jhtml

An excellent camera, but a). the amateur does not need 14mp, and b). its $4300!

I'm also very happy with the Sandisk Ultra 1.0gb CF card. Coupled with a decent USB 2.0 reader, you're good to go.

Who says Terenz is an amateur....?

I've been eyeing the 10D for a while and just saw the digital Rebel out the past few days. I'm waiting for several reasons:

1. Don't really need the camera until middle of next year

2. Price will probably keep dropping

3. Capture area of the Canon digital SLRs (unless you go for the very pricey EOS 1D) is limited so lenses are all multiplied by a factor of .6 so a 20-100mm lense for example is effectively a 32-160. Cheap telephoto but not good for wideangle.

4. Trying to avoid/minimise paying sales tax so I want to buy it when I am down in the U.S. and have a C$750 duty-free exemption for Canada.

The Eos Rebel comes with a lense for that price (10D is body only) but the range is limited.

Yes, forgot to mention the 1.6 multiplier. My 28-105mm is the film equivalent of a 44-168mm.

I've been considering a ~15-60mm lens, but the Canon glass is too expensive right now. Maybe a sigma or Tamron will be in my future...

[This message has been edited by skofarrell (edited 09-30-2003).]

One note: The digital Rebel lense cannot be used on a 35mm EOS but the digital rebel can use all the 35mm lenses.

I use the EOS D60 and think it's a fantastic camera.

You need to make sure that you have enough storage, though. I use a PC Card hard drive with an iPAQ -- I can copy pictures from my CF cards directly onto the HD and that gives me the ability to have a couple thousand pictures in large jpeg format.

Is this the 12MB or so resolution one that has a capture area the size of 35mm film? or is that the Eos 1?

Was thinking of a laptop(!) for the job. Could you tell me how this works? Does the iPaq have a CF reader? I use a Sony mavica currently and the storage advantage is the mini CD-R/CD-RW media but the lense sucks.

Keep in mind that decent 1.0gb CF cards are running $200 these days. My 10D in "large jpeg" mode (about 2.5-3mb per image) saves 360 pics to a 1.0gb card. I've got 2 of 'em and have yet to fill one up (even when on vacation for a week).

Bought a Canon D30 a few years back, will probably spring for a 10D and a D-1s early next year to replace it and my film cameras.

Note that the D-1s has a full-frame sensor.

I'd love one but not at $5,700+!