HELP! Need opinions FAST (on dSLRs)!

[BC_MoM]

Okay. To make a long story short...

I'm supposed to be buying a Nikon D70 tomorrow, body only, for $450. A friend is sending me a 70-300mm lense that is broken (no longer turns to zoom, instead, you pull it) for free (and insured it for $200 =\ ).

Tonight, there is someone on the used forum with a Canon Rebel 300D for $500 but said he would take $450 for it. It comes with a 18-55mm lens, a 35-80mm lens and a 75-300mm lens.

I've been comparing the two in reviews and they seem quite similar and it's basically a battle between the two with reviewers.

Any opinions? Quickly?

[.sarah]

Honestly, it's going to come down to matter of opinion on whether you should get a Canon or Nikon. I say go for the Canon, but that's just because I shoot with that brand myself. Did you ever go to the store to feel them both in your hands yourself? That should be a pretty big factor.

[BC_MoM]

Unfortunately, no, as they are older models, and the 300D is actually discontinued.

Canon was made 2003, Nikon 2004.

[BC_MoM]

Also... what makes you like your Canon so much? ;) lol

[.sarah]

The reason why I like Canon:

1- I think they look nicer. Nikon SLRs look kinda cheap to me (but obviously they put out just as good of quality photos).
2- I like the way it feels in my hand vs. Nikon cameras.
3- My mom shot Canon so I went with Canon mostly because of that ;)

Honestly, if I was in the market for an SLR and just getting started (having never owned an SLR before) I would look into both brands unbiased. I kind of got "pushed" towards the Canon because that's what my mom has always used, but I LOVE the brand. If I didn't have the slight use of my mom's cameras beforehand, who knows, I may have liked the way Nikon felt in my hands better. But I was already slightly used to my mom's 10D and film Rebel when I decided to get my XT, so it wasn't a hard adjustment for me. Plus she already had some lenses, and we share all of our lenses, so that makes things cheaper.

[BC_MoM]

Thanks, Sarah. :) I've decided I'm just going to go with the Nikon. The 300D with three lenses for so cheap kind of makes me weary.