canon eos 400d vs. nikon 70d?

Nikon and Canon are the two top D-SLR manufacturers. Most pros shooting digital will be using a camera made by one or the other. The huge selection of lenses and accessories is what most attracts pros to these brands. They know they can buy or rent lenses for any kind of photography.

Neither brand is better. They are equal. Asking for an opinion on who is better between Nikon and Canon is like asking for an opinion on religion. Both sides will argue until they are unconscious. The truth is, both Nikon and Canon make fantastic cameras and lenses. It's almost pointless to debate over who is better because the other company will announce something even better next year. You can't lose with either choice.

Whatever camera you choose, it will go out of date eventually. That's the nature of electronics and you can't escape it. Both Nikon and Canon are very competitive and both of them invent new cameras continuously.

What is important for you to consider, however, is the lens and accessory SYSTEM you are buying into. Once you start investing money into lenses, flashes and accessories you will be more and more invested into one brand or the other. Cameras will go out of date in 2 years. Lenses and accessories will last you much longer. Have a look at the lenses, flashes and other gear available from the manufacturers. Think about what you will be interested in doing pictures of and look at the lenses and accessories each company offers to get you there.

Consider the availability of rental lenses and other equipment in your area. Being able to rent a lens for your camera can give you a lots of creative choices without needing to buy expensive lenses.

Finally, what matters the most is picking the camera you most love to use. Features and specification mean nothing if you don't love using the camera. Try equivilant cameras at your local camera store. Maybe rent some for a week to really try them out. Choose the one that makes you want to make thousands of pictures.

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Disclosure: I am the owner of www.lenslenders.com lens rentals in Canada.

Both are good entry level cameras. I have a lean toward Canon and use their equipment not because I am a fan of their bodies, but because I am addicted to the quality of photos produced from their lenses especially their L series glass. With that said, The Nikon D40 has advantages including price and image quality that can rival that of the 400D when both are equipped with kit lenses. On the other hand, the 400D has automatic sensor cleaning and advanced in camera picture adjustments that make images pop without a great deal of photo editing with a program like Photoshop Elements. Also, the 400D is capable of shooting in the RAW format that favored by advanced amateurs because of the amount of control that they can get in developing quality pictures through post processing. Nikon has a great multi-purpose lens (Nikkor 18-200mm F3.5-5.6 VR) which despite its price makes the D40 a great camera for not a lot of coin. Canon does not have a lens in this price range than can compete on the level of the Nikon. So, with that said, it depends on where you want to go with the cameras. The Nikon is perfect for enthusiasts who want to take great pictures without worrying about the "level" of their equipment. The Canon is a better camera for enthusiasts who have aspirations of going more professional some day with the Canon Speedlight, L Series glass and very advanced bodies like the 1D series. The choice is up to you. Both are great cameras and are very afforadable. You cannot go wrong with either choice, but I would push you slightly towards the D40 or even the D40x/D60. Good Luck. (Yes, a Canon Shooter just recommended a Nikon. Mark that down.)

The Nikon D70 is no longer being made, it's been replaced by D50 or D80. Try D40 which is cheaper than Canon XTi (which is the same as 400D). See link below for Ken Rockwell's writeup.