Photos on Flickr

I purchased a Minolta 7000i 35mm SLR camera with a 35-105mm lens back in 1992, while TDY at Ramstein AB, Germany.  I liked the Nikon better, but it was over a hundred dollars more than the Minolta.  At the time, I wasn't sure if I was going to get into photography seriously, so I figured I'd save my money.  If I had to do it all over again, I would purchase the Nikon.  One important note -- when buying a 35mm SLR camera (or digital SLR), you're not just making a decision to buy a camera, you're making a decision to buy into the company's ecosystem.  Each manufacturer has its own set of proprietary interfaces for the lens, flash, etc., so generally speaking a Minolta lens cannot be used on a Nikon camera body, and a Canon flash cannot be used on a Pentax body.  Once one invests in a specific company's system, the cost to switch to another system is high, especially if one owns a number of lenses, flash, etc.  For that reason, I never purchased a 24mm wide-angle lens for the Minolta camera.  I always wanted one for backpacking/landscape shots, but knew if I invested in a Minolta lens, I would need to purchase a replacement Nikon 24mm lens in the future when I purchased my dream Nikon camera.

Now that I have a Nikon D80, I've invested in high-quality lenses, including my new 35mm f/1.8 and 12-24mm f/4.  From here on out, I'll be a Nikon user until I walk through the pearly gates.  God willing, I plan on taking a lot of pictures with these two lenses.  I recommend buying the best glass one can afford because cheap lens plus good camera equals cheap camera.

If you're planning on purchasing a DSLR, buy any camera you want, as long as it's a Nikon or Canon.  The majority of professional photographers shoot with Nikon or Canon, so both companies have a vast selection of lenses, flashes, and accessories.  Additionally, the used market will carry a larger selection of Canon and Nikon products, so there are a lot of good deals on good, used gear.  Remember, you're not just buying the camera, you're buying the entire ecosystem.

Pictures: I post quite a few photos on my blog, but for more, check out my Flickr page.  Some of the pictures are restricted to "family and friends" so if you want to see all of the photos, sign up for a Flickr account and I can add you as a "family/friend" contact.  Check it out from time to time...I plan on updating it fairly frequently.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wayne-k/