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Am moving from point & shoot to DSLR - need all round long term buy
sanjeevrai | Asked  a year ago | Last response was 8 months ago

While Nikon D90 makes more sense from all reviews I read - the 18-135mm zoom range of Canon attracts me. In case of Nikon lens bundle the long zoom lens is non VR whereas VR or IS is more critical for long zoom

Also 18-135 gives a decent range for not needing to change lenses often

I am a beginner or enthusiast - moving from Canon S90 to DSLR - need an All Rounder decent long term DSLR - can spend few bucks extra

Need good Low Light capability as I prefer pics without flash and good portraits plus good zoom range for travel / adventure

Please advise best options

Which camera do you recommend for sanjeevrai?

Nikon D90 - $675
12.2 MP|APS-C CMOS|3" LCD
Canon 60D - $699
17.9 MP|APS-C CMOS|3" LCD
4 Answers
  1. Intermediate I
    cameras Community
    Fair Minded
    2
    Score
    8 months ago Archan-Mukherjee recommends the Nikon D7000

    Nikon D7000 is an upgraded model from D90.This is also weather sealed so in case of Long term lasting , this would be the best.

    If you are a Canon user then Canon 60D or 7D would be an excellent choice.

    Reply
  2. Beginner I
    1
    Score
    8 months ago parampreet recommends the Nikon D5100

    I would recommend the D5100 over either of Nikon D90 or Canon EOS 60D, due to the following reasons:

    Its a better beginners camera

    Its more compact and lighter than either of the two models

    It is priced at almost half of the two models. You can use the money saved to buy better lenses

    It has equivalent or arguably better image quality than either of the 2 models.

    It has better low light/high ISO performance than the 2 models.

    1. Beginner II
      7 months ago Subhrangshu-Chatterjee
      D5100 is nice camera in terms of sensor, video quality and in camera HDR. The drawbacks of D5100 are as follows 1) No internal focus motor. There are very good and cheaper "D" lenses, which will not auto focus on it. 2) The focusing mechanism also very slow and it hunts in slightly challenging situations. 3) It lacs the very useful manual controls and feels like cheap plastic material. Difference of 12 and 16 mega pixel are not much unless you are going for a live size print. In my opinion Canon 60D's sensor is even better in bright day light than D5100 or D90, but it in low light Nikon D5100 or even D90 wins the race.
    2. Beginner I
      7 months ago parampreet
      Yes, the D5100 lacks an internal focus motor, but that's the price you pay for a lightweight body and low cost. Also, although more expensive, the newer AF-S lenses are generally better in every way compared to their "D" equivalents. Having used the D5100 for more than a year, I have never faced the issue you've described with the autofocus system, at least definitely not any more than competing models. Can you describe these issues in detail? Yes, the lack of manual controls is a drawback, but as I've said before, that's the price you pay for a lighter body and lower cost. Having used both the models, I can say with confidence that you'll be hard-pressed to find any discernible difference between Canon 60D and D5100 in broad daylight, and the D5100 definitely scores above the other 2 in low light/high ISO performance.
    Reply
  3. Intermediate III
    Nikon D5100
    Evangelist
    1
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    8 months ago John-Kim recommends the Nikon D5100

    I would consider D5100 over D90 since it has better, newer sensor for better IQ and also is much cheaper. I would also get 35mm f/1.8 ($200) for general low light photography and and 50mm f/1.8 ($200) for portraits.  I would also recommend 18-200mm (Nikon refurbished one can be had for $650, while new is $900) over 18-105mm as all-around one lens solution.  Under $500 for D5100 is a fantastic price.  I would not recommend 18-55 or 18-105mm unless budget is an issue.  Both have plastic lens mount and I'm personally not enamored with them, although the image quality from both lenses are very good for starter lenses.

    An Achille's heel with D5100 is that its AF only works with AF-S designated lenses, which are most current Nikon lenses.  Also, while D90 is older, it is more pro-oriented camera, therefore, I find the user interface to be more convenient.  it also can AF on older Nikon lenses, which D5100 cannot.

    1. Intermediate III
      8 months ago John-Kim
      Most all current bundled Nikon lenses have VR AF-S designation, be it 18-55 or 18-105 or 18-200mm. For Canon, I would recommend T3i or T4i over T3, the cheapest Canon Rebel body. T3i is currently $550, $50 more than D5100. I don't feel Canon's 18-135 is better than Nikon's 18-105mm in terms of IQ or build quality.
    Reply
  4. Beginner II
    Nikon D90
    Supporter
    1
    Score
    8 months ago Subhrangshu-Chatterjee recommends the Nikon D90

    I would say go for D90 body with 18-105 VR lens. You will surely not regret. Having said that, I must also mention that D90 is very capable camera, but 18-105 VR lens is  an OK lens. But it is much better than Canon's 18-135 IS. I would suggest you buy the cheap Nikon 50mm 1.8D lens for the low light shots, cause 18-105 is not a low light lens. If you can spent some extra bucks then buy the D90 body with 16-85 VR and 50 mm 1.4 lens.

    Reply

Summary

2 Recommendations for
Nikon D5100
1 Recommendation for
Nikon D90
1 Recommendation for
Nikon D7000
0 Recommendations for
Canon EOS 60D

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