<p>After flip-floping on my major waaaaay too many times, I’ve finally settled on photojournalism (I’m about to be a Junior). The only problem is that I need a new camera. I currently shoot a Canon Powershot a95, and really like it, but I feel like it’s holding me back. Right now I’m tring to decide between a Canon Rebel XT or a Nikon D50. I can get the D50 cheaper than the XT, but I’ve used an XT before and really liked it.
Any suggestions?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance</p>
<p>Have you tried directing your question to someone who teaches photojournalism at your school? When I studied photojournalism many years ago at Geo. Wash. Univ., I had the distinct pleasure of taking a class with a photographer/photo editor for the National Geographic Magazine. He helped a number of us in making good equipment selections.</p>
<p>Canon has a $100 rebate now on the Rebel XT.</p>
<p>I know what the teacher over photojournalism is going to say. I’ve had him for classes the last two semesters and he’s my boss. He’s rather partial to Rebel XTs. That’s what he bought for the department to loan to students, and he is planing on buying a Canon for his studio (he currently has a Nikon).<br>
I was just wondering if there was anything better out there for the money.</p>
<p>I think I know what my son would say (although I can’t ask him until tomorrow). He is pro-Canon (both digital and film, and uses both for his photojournalism class) and not-pro-Nikon. I’ll ping him tomorrow and see if he has any comments.</p>
<p>If you have exisiting Canon or Nikon SLR lenses I would choose the digital camera body brand that matches your existing lenses. To be honest, either camera would be a good purchase.</p>
<p>I’m almost starting to lean torwards to the Nikon. I can get a used one for under $500 with a lens, so I could use the extra money to buy an extra lens or something. I asked a pro-photographer friend of mine which one, and he said they are practically identical and I could really go either way.
The only SLR lens I could get would be a Canon 50mm, which is cheap to buy new.</p>
<p>D has the Nikon, brother in law has the Canon. They both love their respective cameras. Would consider the extended warranty. The new digital SLR Nikon lenses are fairly cheap and plastic.</p>
<p>After playing with both cameras at a local store today, I’m going with the Nikon. I like the extra size and weight and I thought the quality of the lens was better. I’m going to buy third-party lenses, so it really doesn’t matter what Nikon lenses are like.<br>
I’m going to order it tonight!
Thanks for all the help!</p>
<p>Glass is more important than camera body. Canon dominates any type of live sporting event (look for the long white lenses) because of fast, long, image stabilized glass. For general street journalism, most any camera will do.</p>
<p>It’s here! I got it 15 minutes before I was supposed to go to an awards presentation, so I literally tore open the box, made sure the battery was charged, grabbed my bag and ran out the door.<br>
First impressions: I love it! It was really responsive, and it felt like I couldn’t take a bad shot. I really loved having manual zoom on it. I don’t know how many shots I missed with my point-and-shoot because the zoom was too slow. The flash is pretty good on it, but it still had a bit of difficulty with the lighting conditions (REALLY bright on stage, and really dim in the audience. Could have been because people kept leaning their heads in the frame while it was doing it’s thing). Out of 66 pictures, I think all of them are useable with a little editing.</p>
<p>The camera was in new condition, with only minor smudges on the screen. The shutter even sounds new according to the school photographer.</p>