Canon DSLR gear - what's it worth? Considering moving to Nikon

[feenster]

Hi all,
I've got the following gear:
- Canon 350D
- Canon 17-85mm IS USM
- Canon 50mm MKII
- Kingston 1GB & 2GB Elite Pro memory cards

All gear is in mint condition, around 1.5 years old, and has all instructions/boxes/leads.

Reason for the sale? Well, i'm finding more and more than I would like a bigger LCD and bigger viewfinder - I find manual focus on the Canon a fiddle. The 30D is an option, but it doesn't really do anything for me above that of the 350D.

However, the Nikon D80 does tick the right boxes. I've not got enough investment in Canon that I'm particularly loyal to the brand. I could pick up the D80 with 18-70 or 18-135, get a 50mm, some SD cards, and be nicely set.

So, what's my gear worth, and has anyone else switched brands in the same way?

Matt

[Bobster]

have u tried the Nikon? are you prepared for more noise? ()

350D - £300
17-85mm - £250
50mm - £40
Kingston 1 + 2 GB - £40

[feenster]

No not tried the Nikon yet - just been comparing on paper only at the moment. Not sure about the noise factor - can't say i'm that bothered by the anyway actually

Thanks for your prices. That tots up to around £600 or so, which is pretty decent I think. Should I just whack it all on eBay do you think?

Matt

[Bobster]

i know someone who is in the market for another 350 body would u like me to let him know u are looking to get rid?

[feenster]

If you would, that would be great - i'll PM you my details

Matt

[shiato storm]

stick with canon...image quality is pretty much exactly the same as nikon (lens dependant) and noise control is far better, plus once you know what you're doing you can get the best out of an image file every time. and go have a play with a nikon what ever you decide first, there's little point jumping ship if the other 'looks' better when it doesn't work as well as the previous.
and always remember its not the camera that makes a good picture, its you. swapping makes wont change that.

[feenster]

I'm not considering swapping brands because i'll take better photos. I'm considering it because the Nikon D80 id technically better in 2 key areas: Viewfinder and LCD size. Its pretty hard taking pictures accurately with the 350D's viewfinder - it's just not big enough. The small LCD then makes it difficult to check if what you just shot is in focus.

If Canon decide to release a 40D shortly with a bigger viewfinder, then i'll stick to what I have.

Matt

[chrestomanci]

Originally Posted by Bobster

have u tried the Nikon? are you prepared for more noise?

I have two Nikons. I would agree that they are a bit louder than some Cannons, but I never considered them noisy.

DPReview includes MP3s of the shutter release sound of the DSLRs that they review, but if you want a good Idea you will have to try some out.

In any case, if you want the quitest shutter sound possible, then you are best using a compact, and turning off all the confirmation bleeps.

[BroadbandPlacey]

in the market for the 50mm F1.8. Give us a PM if you decide to sell

[Funkstar]

Originally Posted by chrestomanci

I have two Nikons. I would agree that they are a bit louder than some Cannons, but I never considered them noisy.

I assumed Bobster was refering to the increased noise at higher ISO levels as opposed to the actual noise of the shutter release

[Bobster]

indeed
comparisons here >> http://www.pbase.com/miljenko/image/57722794/original

[feenster]

Well, a new year, and a change of heart. I need to save up some pennies to put towards a house, so it looks like i will be sticking as I am (unless I see a cheap 30D on my rounds )

Matt

[dancingmatt]

I think you can buy a larger viewfinder thing that you attach to the back of the camera. It's probably only a magnifier though, and so it might not be good enough for what you want, or cheap, but it's an option you might not know of and worth checking out if the bigger viewfinder is your main need.

[Bobster]

yeah its a digital viewfinder

the other viewfinder you can buy is for if you wear glasses, it actually makes the viewfinder smaller..

[dancingmatt]

I'm not thinking of a digital one, something like this (but obviously not this Olympus model)

http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-AS-ME-.../dp/B000CBSGYE

This "increases the viewfinder performance of the E-300 & E-500 by providing views 1.2 times larger than normal"

I'm sure I've seen ads containing similar things in the back of Digital Photo Monthly. You just clip it on.

[manymarc]

ever try the canon refurb shop on ebay? some great bargains going on there