Should I buy the Canon xsi (450d), Nikon d80, or an Olympus e-520 ?

Question

Also, should I get a kit lens with whichever I buy, or a 50 mm prime lens ? I don't currently have ANY lenses or Dslr/Slr cameras. My camera is a canon powershot a560.

Answer 1

Nikon D80

Answer 2

I'd go with the D80 and the Nikkor 18-135 lens.  Great starter outfit.

Answer 3

nikon is the best hands down

Answer 4

All three have their strengths and weaknesses, but they all take excellent pictures. I looked over several Nikon and Canon models before deciding on the Canon XSi. Comparing that to the D80:

XSi advantages: Live mode (very useful for macro shots)

Faster, more intuitive controls (my opinion, YMMV)

14-bit raw (vs 12 bit)

Slightly faster continuous shooting.

Less noise at high ISO (according to reviews)

Better software bundle, especially for raw processing.

Active dust removal.

Newer design.

Also, 12MP vs 10, and 3" vs 2.5" LCD (not a factor in my decision)

D80 advantages:

Better viewfinder (slightly brighter)

+/- 5 EV exposure compensation (vs +/- 2)

Higher max ISO (3200 vs 1600)

wireless flash control

in-camera image processing (not sure why I'd want this)

Camera-top display

Get the kit lens (zoom) if that's going to be your only lens for a while. The 50mm primes are beautiful and fast, but the zooms are much more flexible. You can pick up a 50mm f:1.8 for not a lot.

Answer 5

Hands down, definitely go with the D80. It outruns all of those other cameras.

Answer 6

When it comes to DSLR I would go for Canon or Nikon and not Olympus. They have simply more lenses and other accessories to choose from.

Canon has sold a huge number of cameras the last two years and I heard that they are having quality problems now.

Personally I own a Nikon that I am very satisfied with. My friends all have Canons that work well too.

Since Canon and Nikon both make quite good pictures my advice is to go to a camera store and try them. Do you feel comfortable with the controls? Is the camera's menu structure logical? and so on.

When it comes to lenses you are probably best off with the nikon 18-135 kit since this lens is very versatile to use. If you want to invest some money into a real good lens you should consider this one: Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8 G ED (unfortunately in the 1600$ range).

Cheers,

Chris