Suggestions for First DSLR - Newbie

[REKALO]

We are wanting to upgrade from the Point and Shoot pocket digital. Currently we have a 12mp Kodak Easyshare and want the "big boy/girl" camera.
What is a good starter (or do we jump in all the way) to make the leap to the big leagues??
thanks in advance for responses

 

[ukcatfan]

I bought a Pentax K-x this morning It is not my first and is an upgrade to my K100D, but it is still their entry level model. I decided to upgrade because it has a very impressive list of features for the money. While no official reviews are out on it yet, people are saying that it is possibly the best high ISO performance of any DSLRs with this size sensor. The other possible contender for that title is three times the cost.

The K-x comes in three different kits right now. One with just the 18-55mm. Another that adds a 50-200mm and another that adds a 50-300mm.

 

[VVFF]

A question I think you need to ask yourself is why you want to upgrade to an SLR. Not everyone is better served with the "big boy camera".

 

[Frantasmic]

Basically, if you go to a dslr, even one of the starter ones, you are buying into a system, so you want to make sure you want to go that route.

You may ease gradually into the big boy/girl camera route and go with a bridge camera first. Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Canon, Pentax, etc all make some really good, advanced point and shoot cameras. However, if you are already fairly sure you enjoy photography and believe you want to take the leap, the begineer SLRs are also a good starting point.

I'd guess you probably have about an equal number of Nikon users v. Canon users in this forum with a smattering of Sony and Pentax people. Everyone enjoys their "brand" for different reasons.

If I were starting today, I'd look at the Nikon D90, the Canon T1i, the Pentax stated by ukcatfan, and the Sony A700

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Research, research, research.

 

[ssanders79]

Research, research, research.

After you do your research and narrow it down to a few models go out and find a store that will let you hold the cameras. It needs to be an extension of you not an add on. The better it fits your hands the more efficient you will be.

 

[wdwfreeksince88]

I am new to this board but started reading because I just upgraded to the Canon T1i. I love it. Just be prepared to learn! So far that was a great choice I made to upgrade.

 

[Loopner]

If possible, borrow or play with someone's camera if you know someone who already has a DSLR camera. Ask them what they like and/or dislike about that camera.

I have an Olympus E510. My DH bought it for me for Christmas and I had no idea what was good or bad about it until I started to play with it. I love it and I'm still learning how to use it.

I will also add that I wish I had put more time into finding out exactly *why* I wanted a DSLR because I think my needs would've been met with a smaller camera and I actually just bought a smaller Olympus camera (stylus 7010) to bring on our next Disney trip because the DSLR is really bulky.

 

[gandycat]

I just bought a Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP. I did a lot of research and decided it was one of the best entry level (a bit above, actually) for the price. Amazon currently has a great deal on it. Also, I can use Tamron lenses with it, I have a couple from my old non digital SLR.

Good luck and have fun deciding! There are lots of great sites that review cameras. If you search for the camera you want + reviews it will be helpful.

 

[REKALO]

THANKS FOR THE RESPONSES

This has helped a bunch!! My new list>>>

1. More Research
2. Make Sure I am Ready (Why DSLR)
3. Test drive
4. Purchase
5. Play

Thanks Again

 

[ukcatfan]

I just bought a Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP. I did a lot of research and decided it was one of the best entry level (a bit above, actually) for the price.

I am not criticizing your decision, but how do you justify this statement? Staying just within Canon, it seems like the T1i is a significant upgrade over the XSi and not all that much more $$$. I would personally call it a better value. Then throw in the other brands and I would argue that the Nikon D3000, D5000, Pentax K-x, Sony A500, etc., etc. are at least as good as the XSi and several are clearly better.

Just comparing to the Pentax K-x, b/c that is what I am familiar with, I would say it is much more bang for the buck. It runs about $50 more and expands the ISO from 1600 to 12,800, has a faster drive mode, in-body IS, ISO priority mode, a little better built kit lens, better flash modes, etc. just to name a few things off the top of my head.

So, basically I respectfully disagree with your statement that the XSi is one of the best entry level models.

 

[bob100]

I just bought a Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP. I did a lot of research and decided it was one of the best entry level (a bit above, actually) for the price. Amazon currently has a great deal on it. Also, I can use Tamron lenses with it, I have a couple from my old non digital SLR.

Good luck and have fun deciding! There are lots of great sites that review cameras. If you search for the camera you want + reviews it will be helpful.

true, The XSi (450D) is a fantastic value but you're not suppose to brag about it! Other (non-Canon) people get upset!
(but you can go ahead and take the good pics and post them)

 

[squee!! disney!!]

So, basically I respectfully disagree with your statement that the XSi is one of the best entry level models.

sooo basically you're kinda saying "i'm right, you're wrong." im glad that you backed it up with WHY you believe that but the truth is everyone has a personal preference and they will disagree with anyone who says that a different brand is better. that's life.

 

[Bstanley]

Speaking as a brand spanking newbie DSLR owner - and actually a somewhat resistant one (I started the purchasing process lusting after a G11) - I found my selection reasoning to be almost randomly personal.

Price was very interesting - I had an upper limit that excluded quite a lot of the cameras people here view as 'entry-level'.

The lack of certain, what some might call 'minor', features really turned me off - because the marketing decision to leave out those features seemed more an attempt to relegate the beginner to a 'ghetto' rather than a logical decision to save money and make a more affordable product.

Other 'minor' things that had impact - I wanted to be able to share memory cards among all the cameras that my family uses - 'just in case'.

Ergonomics was probably second in importantance, not only the location of controls and such but also the fact that with relatively small hands I was able to be comfortable with a smaller sized camera and that the camera I ended up with is very light, which was a big plus with my wife (and I'm sure I'll appreciate it as I tote it around).

Curiously the idea of commiting to a system didn't enter into my decision - I figured that of the brands I considered (Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony) the differences in quality would be modest compared to my abilities to take a good snap and moreover if I wanted to move to a different brand in the future I just needed to make that decision before I bought my first $1,000 lens (which in my case will be more than long enough to decide whether the brand merits commiting to).

So the advice here that I agree with:

1. Certainly make sure the advantages of the DSLR outweigh the dis-advantages.
2. You must get you hands on a representative sample (not tethered to a display if at all possible) - I have to admit I took advantage of a local dealer by trying several cameras I was thinking about in their store, wandering around the store taking pictures, even though I knew I wouldn't end up buying a camera there because they basically only sell at full retail.
3. If you have some features on your existing camera that you enjoy, make sure any new camera has those features (or an equivalent).


I've found that the first couple of weeks with the camera have been great fun - I'm glad I bought it and it takes pictures that are quite remarkable when I do my part even halfway. The next test will be wandering around the parks with it...

 

[ukcatfan]

So, basically I respectfully disagree with your statement that the XSi is one of the best entry level models.

sooo basically you're kinda saying "i'm right, you're wrong." im glad that you backed it up with WHY you believe that but the truth is everyone has a personal preference and they will disagree with anyone who says that a different brand is better. that's life.

Staying just within Canon, it seems like the T1i is a significant upgrade over the XSi and not all that much more $$$. I would personally call it a better value.

Hey squee!! disney!!,

Why don't you actually READ my post before you go off criticizing me for brand bashing. That is not at all what I did. In fact, I DIRECTLY compared the XSi to another Canon camera in the same category. Also, I never said "i'm right, you're wrong." In fact, I asked the poster a direct question to qualify their statement. We openly welcome new people like you around here, but please refrain from being so rude.

 

[VVFF]

Hey squee!! disney!!,

Why don't you actually READ my post before you go off criticizing me for brand bashing. That is not at all what I did. In fact, I DIRECTLY compared the XSi to another Canon camera in the same category. Also, I never said "i'm right, you're wrong." In fact, I asked the poster a direct question to qualify their statement. We openly welcome new people like you around here, but please refrain from being so rude.

Agreed ukcatfan.

I think there is a defense for the XSi being the best value camera with the recent inclusion of the 55-250mm basically free. It all depends how much you value that $$ increase to the T1i. This is what you were getting at in your post and I agree that its pretty tiny and the jump in features to the T1i is worth it.

Squee! UKcatfan was not trying to shoot down your idea. He was just pointing out that the T1i has a lot of features added for little $$ increase...that's all. The XSi is a great camera and images from it can challenge those from pretty much any DSLR out there. He just feels like the T1i is a better value, and I agree.

 

[ukcatfan]

Squee! UKcatfan was not trying to shoot down your idea. He was just pointing out that the T1i has a lot of features added for little $$ increase...that's all. The XSi is a great camera and images from it can challenge those from pretty much any DSLR out there. He just feels like the T1i is a better value, and I agree.

The funny thing is that I was not replying to Squee! in the first place. It was to a poster called "gandycat". Then again, that poster has a grand total of two posts, so maybe they are actually one in the same person.

 

[gandycat]

Wow, had no idea that posting my personal opinion about a camera would cause such an uproar. I'm sure the T1i is a great camera but it was over $170 more than the Xsi and was out of my price range. I compared the Xsi to cameras of similar price and did a lot of research and found it to be the best choice. Yes, I am a newbie here, thanks for the "warm" welcome

Editing to add, I didn't mean to at all imply that Canon is better than any other brand. I'm not brand specific, I've owned many different cameras, this is the first Canon I bought. I think if you are going to invest in a camera, it's worth doing some research b/c you'll find good in bad reviews for any camera and each has it's strengths and weaknesses. You have to decide what works for you.

 

[boBQuincy]

I agree that the Xsi is the best entry level dSLR available! And yes, I have one.

Apart from video the T1i is not a significant upgrade and in some respects appears to be a downgrade if the test reports are to be believed.

 

[rcpromike]

I have had my Sony Alpha A200 for about a year and a half now, and I pretty much love it for what it is. If you aren't sure if you're going to end up a photography junkie that needs a DSLR even just a little bit, go with something similar to the A200. Despite the somewhat lower view of Sony cameras compared with Canon and Nikon, the Alphas are absolutely outstanding cameras, and my experience has been nothing short of amazing. The kit lens (15-70) is a great lens, and the 75-300 that I got was $300, and again is a pretty decent lens.

As much as I like Sony products (for the most part), and the Alpha cameras, I am leaning heavily towards Canon for my next camera purchase (long ways off, but still). The new 7D seems like an amazing camera, and the video capabilities are just as good as a camcorder from some raw footage that I've seen. If they keep the video capability in a future camera that is in the 7D price range when I'm ready for that kind of a price, I would probably jump on it immediately. In the meantime, I will probably stick with my Sony despite not wanting to build up a lens collection and then switch.