Nikon D60/D40 or Canon?

I'm about to turn 16, and I want a SLR camera. I plan on persuing photography as a career, and right now all i have is a "point and shoot" camera. I dont know anyone that really knows what they are talking about so i need help.

I'm stuck between NIkon and Canon...so far I am falling closer to Nikon, but not sure. I want something with at least 9 or 10 mp. I do alot of phototaking of people, nature, housing, etc. So please if you are well educated in this category, please suggest a camera in these categories. Thanks!

fhotoace gave you some very good links, but as you see, he did not TELL you which camera to choose. No one can do that. You need to actually hold and hopefully use each camera. Any good camera store, NOT Wal Mart, will have demos for you to see and hold.

The Nikon / Canon debate has gone on for ages, and probably will always go on. Sort of like the Ford or Chevy thing. Neither one is really any "better", some people just like one better than the other.

With the advent of the digital SLR, many people simply went with the same brand they had been using with film so they could use their same lenses. That was my case with Canon.

But if you are just starting from scratch, I don't see it makes any real difference. One brand is always coming out with a new model to try to upstage the competition, so even if a particular Nikon or Canon has a better model today, in a few months, it will all change, so just don't worry about it.

The main thing is to learn to properly use what you have, and it sounds like you will do that. Too many people will not even bother to read their manual, then think they have to get a "better camera" because their photos are crap.

steve

I'd go for the canon. See dpreview.com for comparisons.

If you are going to compare Nikon to Canon equally you will have to compare the D300 with the 40D

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_...

If you are looking at them for the "live view" Canon's camera will not autofocus in that mode ... while the D300 can auto-focus in both the "tripod" and "hand held" live view modes.

The D60 compares to the Canon XSi

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/080129...
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/080129...
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/080124...

Bottom line:

http://www.jdpower.com/electronics/ratin...

You wont be disappointed with either one. Both Nikon and Canon make great DSLR products.

The d40 is only 6 megapixel and change though, so I would go with the XTI or D40x if you want at least 10.

Just flip a coin, you'll be happy with either. Good luck!

Since u r buying an SLR, so try to buy the one which provide "Live preview" ability ..it will make ur life easy...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSLR#DSLRs_...

I have a nikon d50 and have found it to be very versatile> i take a lot of sport type photos, flowers, scenary, vacation shots and plain old snapshots.
I am looking at upgrading and getting another possibly a d300

Back then Nikon is an expesive camera , Nikon made the camera for professional only.
Canon take advantage of it, Canon made a lot of cheap canera for normal people and they flux the market with that , everybody start to buy Canon camera because the price is reasonable anybody can afford.
Nikon lately start to made the DSRL that can afford by anybody so the price of Nikon and Canon very much the same on the beginner model.
So for the same price, why settle for the second one, go for the top one, Nikon D40 $500 with lens.

Start with 6M pixel you can print out 11X17" no problem, until you get better with photograpy then skip 10MPix and go for 12M pixel.....
BTW 14 and 16M pixel will be popular in the next couple years