David Pogue writes an article about three new dSLRs that I’ve been talking around in this blog.
They are:
- The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi ($800) with Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens ($900);
- the Nikon D80 ($1000) with AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED kit lens ($1300);
- hte Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 with Leica D Vario-Elmarit 14-50mm f/2.8-3.5 O.I.S. kit lens ($2000)
I love the article because there is little bias and he explains the differences in terms most people can understand. (I delve into the technical too much to be a Dave Pogue.)
If I have a complaint, it is that he’s plays too nice to all three cameras.
Though he tries very hard to hide it, I think he really likes the Nikon the best of the three:
“[The Nikon D80 is] much smaller than the D70, but compared with the Canon, it’s in another ergonomic league; it just fits beautifully and solidly in the hand.”
Camera feel
I’m a big advocate of going to the camera store and actually trying out all the cameras before purchase and finding the one that “speaks to you.” And perhaps, I am so defensive of the L1 because it is obvious that the engineers thought a lot about camera feel.
Showing my Nikon bias? Probably.
Is it still good advice? Definitely.
