Canon 20D...?

[shiato storm]

Been noticing how this is now very cheap...could either wait until it gets updated some time in the new year (february is the current rumour), which realistically won't be available to buy until the mid/end of march and due to potential demand (low early release numbers) wont be in my hands until much later, say april time... or get the 20D now at its very much lower price than the update will be (in all honesty) and the 20D is a fantastic camera anyway...

...hmm...not sure what to do. been doing fine so far with what I've got but have got the dSLR bug (having used the 350D recently) and want one!

[BUFF]

I'm in the same position with Minolta - the 7D is a really good price/package now but the replacement is supposedly due ~Feb.

aargh!

[shiato storm]

thing is, realistically, if the announcement is made it will be a good month before any reach the shelves possibly further given potential demand. so half the year will be gone by then!
I don't think the demand will be quite so high for the minolta but it may well be.

[menthel]

Just do it! If all else fails and the replacement is head and shoulders (and knees and toes) above the 20d then you could always cut your losses and sell it to get the new one. But the 20d is great anyway!

[shiato storm]

indeed. the noise is very low compared to pretty much every other camera out there. canon nailed it well with the 20D...can't imagine the newer one will have a sufficient leap forwards to justify potentially £500 more. could get decent lens/bits for that.

[BUFF]

I don't think the demand will be quite so high for the minolta but it may well be.

Probably not althought they are excellent cameras (the 5D is probably the best entry level DSLR going) but then again they won't be producing as many ...

[divinemadness]

indeed. the noise is very low compared to pretty much every other camera out there. canon nailed it well with the 20D...can't imagine the newer one will have a sufficient leap forwards to justify potentially £500 more. could get decent lens/bits for that.

The D200 Nikon and Canon 5D both have massively better noise performance than the 20D does, and so I'd be put on money on the 30D being pretty damn good aswell.

The 30D will need to be a hell of a camera to beat the D200 (which is getting rave reviews) and you can bet your damndest that Canon will want to beat it.

I would seriously wait until the 30D is announced, and if it is good, get one, if not, the 20Ds will be hugely cheaper than they are now, as shops will be wanting to clear stock.

[shiato storm]

actually I'd have to pull you up on that one, the noise on the 5D is not massively different from the 20D, in fact by all accounts its essentially idential. the D200 on the other hand has only just (today) been released, and as such no results of its performance have been released. to my knowledge nikon didn't even release a batch of test shots like canon do (though admittedly the 5D test shots were atrocious!). plus the 5D is too expensive.
life is never about yes/no descisions is it?...the price of the 20D when it came out was what? a fair bit. it's been dropping all the time, you're right it will probably drop some more but how much more? if its still being sold at current price and still at profit, makes you wonder how much its really worth getting the 'newer' one will be when it comes out. sure in a few months it will be down to a more respectable price but then thats into this time next year!!

[hoodmeister]

From what i've read at various (reliable) sources, i'd agree with everything divine_madness says...

Especially on D200 noise, it's really, really good. (based on preview samples of the cam that people who know the right people can get, and also some stuff that i've seen today) only link I have to hand

[shiato storm]

ok, want the down side? nikon raw is crippled by the software. NEF is not supported by photoshop so you can't manipulate at the highest level but have to convert to tiff first, to me thats a limiting factor. canon have realised that its far better to retain usability and manipulation at the RAW level before committing to a jpeg/tiff, makes sense to me.
I wonder how long it will take for the D200 to be out on general release. in all honesty those that have one are lucky, most on pre-order are out now and further orders in January. the 5D I've been looking at too is running low. whether this is all to do with xmas I'm not sure but its a factor for sure, people just end up spending more this time of year I guess. There's even one nutter who had a D70, got rid of it for a 20D and is about to shed that for a D200! prat. clearly a pants photographer looking for something to be a magic cure-all to his rubbish shots, I guess spending more makes him feel better...

[hoodmeister]

I'm not saying that good control over noise is a good enough reason to splash out on a particular camera, but rather a factor to consider

Apart from anything else, you already have Canon lenses from your 35mm don't you?

Definitely agree with you on the whole NEF thang. PS Will open NEF's ~ But with occasionally dodgy results, and you can't do an awful lot with them. Pants. Still, Rawshooter & Nikon Capture are very good peices of software... It is one of the few things that really bugs me about my D70 though. That along with dodgy rendition of gradient skies (they tend to colour band. Ew) and moire effects here and there. Mostly girls hair (tends to be straighter)...

Eddity : Personally (and this is based on the assumption you have lenses from your Canon 35mm...) I'd go for the 20D. But that's me...

[Flibb]

My understanding is that the latest version of adobe camera raw gives the ability to manipulate all the nef functions that nikon capture does, the only thing it cant do is carry your camera settings (WB, exp comp, etc) in to photoshop, so basically you start from scratch. I think raw shooter essential does the same.

[Flibb]

Just a thought but watch the price of 2nd hand nikons on ebay for the next couple of weeks, might give you an idea of the effect of a new model on 2nd hand prices.

[shiato storm]

yes, I have a few canon lenses!
actually have my eye on a sigma 70-200 f2.8...looks sharp as anything. oh and the sigma 105 macro looks good too
my plan is to basically have a digital and film body for flexibility, lenses mix between the two, I've got lots of velvia cause its lovely (50 ISO stuff not the new 100) so i'm sorted that way

[hoodmeister]

oh and the sigma 105 macro looks good too

I had a play with this lens, and it's fantastic... I ended up getting the 50 macro, but that's cos' I actually wanted it as much for a general purpose lens as for a macro lens...

[shiato storm]

already have a 50...which is razor sharp in fact. and it only cost me £50 too! bargain!