DLSR -- which one?

[PrincessKsMom]

I'm sure you guys and gals get posts like this every year. I've always wanted a DLSR. I know NOTHING about photography, but love taking pics. Have always had cameras that had auto settings and never bothered with the manual settings. So now I've been fortunate to have VERY generous bosses this Christmas and would like to finally dive into the world of DLSR. So what would you recommend? Canon? Which one and why? Nikon? I'll be purchasing from Amazon if that makes a difference.

Also, can you point me to any specific youtube videos that would help me along in my learning?

Thank you all and Happy Holidays!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Well....look who's come into the photoboards!


Congratulations on having such wonderful bosses. Aside from them being generous, I'm sure you well deserve the generosity.

In regards to cameras, you'll find that there are regulars here that are passionate promoters of all the major brands of cameras...Canon, Nikon, SonyAlpha, Pentax, Olympus.

My recommendation to you is to go into a store and pick up the different cameras and models. All the entry level cameras produce reasonable/good pictures. It will come down to which one feels the best in your hands and whether you can reach the settings/knobs/buttons easily.

The other thing that might make a difference is what sort of pictures you want to take. Depending on whether you plan to shoot PK inside stadiums/areas/school halls that provide darker lighting, you might find that getting the camera is the start of an expensive hobby in the acquisition of better lenses. Once you work out what you want to shoot, you might want to have a discussion with the store assistant about the price of lenses for the type of photography you want to do for the different camera makers. I highly recommend that you go to a specialist camera store for this discussion; or lots of google; or lots more questions on this thread.


Hope this helps.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Well....look who's come into the photoboards!


Congratulations on having such wonderful bosses. Aside from them being generous, I'm sure you well deserve the generosity.

In regards to cameras, you'll find that there are regulars here that are passionate promoters of all the major brands of cameras...Canon, Nikon, SonyAlpha, Pentax, Olympus.

My recommendation to you is to go into a store and pick up the different cameras and models. All the entry level cameras produce reasonable/good pictures. It will come down to which one feels the best in your hands and whether you can reach the settings/knobs/buttons easily.

The other thing that might make a difference is what sort of pictures you want to take. Depending on whether you plan to shoot PK inside stadiums/areas/school halls that provide darker lighting, you might find that getting the camera is the start of an expensive hobby in the acquisition of better lenses. Once you work out what you want to shoot, you might want to have a discussion with the store assistant about the price of lenses for the type of photography you want to do for the different camera makers. I highly recommend that you go to a specialist camera store for this discussion; or lots of google; or lots more questions on this thread.


Hope this helps.

Hey PiO! I have two co-workers who are die-hard Canon peeps. And I do trust them, was just wanting to get other opinions. I think most of my pics will be vacation, portrait and landscape pics. PK's not into sports or that won't be the focus of my shooting. I think you're right about going into a store and actually getting a feel for them. However, my purchase will be made with Amazon since the bulk of payment will come from Amazon gift cards. Wondering what the major difference would be between the major brands. Is one more user-friendly than another? Is one more like to break than another? So many questions, so little knowledge to start with.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Just be aware that asking for preferences over camera brands can cause more than one side to turn up to a war.
User-friendliness is all about how YOU feel about the controls, whether they are intuitive to you or not.

I'm shooting with a Canon...I walked into the store convinced we were getting Nikon for DH. The Nikon didn't work for either DH nor me. The Pentax felt better in my hand; but DH thought it was too small for his.

Just go into a store and try out the cameras. You don't have to buy in-store.

For vacay, portrait and landscape pics, most of the kit lenses should serve your purposes. But should you want to consider taking shots in dark rides at Disney, you could do it with a kit lens...just not in the really, really dark rides like HM.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Just be aware that asking for preferences over camera brands can cause more than one side to turn up to a war.
User-friendliness is all about how YOU feel about the controls, whether they are intuitive to you or not.

I'm shooting with a Canon...I walked into the store convinced we were getting Nikon for DH. The Nikon didn't work for either DH nor me. The Pentax felt better in my hand; but DH thought it was too small for his.

Just go into a store and try out the cameras. You don't have to buy in-store.

For vacay, portrait and landscape pics, most of the kit lenses should serve your purposes. But should you want to consider taking shots in dark rides at Disney, you could do it with a kit lens...just not in the really, really dark rides like HM.

Thanks PiO! I had myself convinced of one camera and walked out with an entirely different one when I bought my Nikon. I've also had an Olympus that I LOVED and a Pentax before that. You're right about how they feel in your hand. Also want to see what the best buy I can get is, i.e., if it comes with a lense, case, hot shoe... so much to learn. Some day I'll be able to take pics like you and provide my own food porn.

 

[PrincessInOz]

You know....I'm only just standing and up and walking compared to some of the other regulars on this board.
But thanks for the vote of confidence.

BTW - I started out taking pictures for the scavenger hunts that Pea-n-me runs on this subforum. And reading books. The one that is highly recommended by the people here is Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. I borrowed a few out of the local library as well...and also from friends; plus google is a wonderful thing (if you use the right key words).

 

[photo_chick]

Make a list of features you want then look at the cameras that have those features that also fit in your budget and then from there go play with those like PrincessinOz said. People tend to tell you to buy whatever brand they have and will try to convince you it's the best. Salesmen will try and sell you whatever they're being given the best incentives to push. But really, you can't go wrong with any DSLR on the market right now. It's just a matter of finding the right fit for you.


dpreview.com has some good comparison tools to see how different models match up.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Make a list of features you want then look at the cameras that have those features that also fit in your budget and then from there go play with those like PrincessinOz said. People tend to tell you to buy whatever brand they have and will try to convince you it's the best. Salesmen will try and sell you whatever they're being given the best incentives to push. But really, you can't go wrong with any DSLR on the market right now. It's just a matter of finding the right fit for you.


dpreview.com has some good comparison tools to see how different models match up.

Completely deleting my post because I sounded like an idiot. Just reading the website you suggested is telling me exactly what I should be looking for. Thank you!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Completely deleting my post because I sounded like an idiot. Just reading the website you suggested is telling me exactly what I should be looking for. Thank you!

Be very very careful. That Tag Fairy might still be handing out Christmas Cheer.

 

[boBQuincy]

While perusing DPReview you may also want to look at the mirrorless camera roundup. These models have similar image quality as a dSLR but are much smaller and lighter. They also are better suited for video than most dSLRs.

I have used Canon dSLRs for 10 years and my only complaint (apart from the 3 exposure bracketing limit) is the size and weight. This is why I recently switched to a Panasonic G3 setup. All the major manufacturers (except Canon) have introduced full systems of mirrorless cameras and this segment is rapidly gaining market share.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Well I think I've come to a decision. Going to purchase the Canon sx40. Once I sat and really thought about the way I take photos, I realized I'd never be happy lugging around a camera and extra lense(s). I also take pics spur of the moment. Don't have the patience for setting up and waiting for a photo to happen. I also love, love, love a zoom lens and want the ability to zoom in whenever I want. I also like the idea of the video with the camera. So this is where I'm at.

That being said, I'm purchasing from Amazon. Has anyone ever bought a SquareTrade warranty?

Also, any experience w/memory cards with Wi-Fi connection?

Thanks!

 

[Peanut Giggleface]

Sorry I didn't read through all the responses, so I'm not sure if it's been mentioned, but the one thing I would suggest is going to a camera shop (even though you intend to buy from Amazon) and playing with the cameras hands-on. When I bought my camera, I did some research and hand my mind set on a Nikon. I went down to the store to buy it and when the salesman gave me the camera to look at, it felt too small in my hands. It just didn't feel comfortable. I looked at a Canon and it just "fit" me better. So take some time to actually handle some cameras and see how the dials and settings functions differ on different models/cameras to see which one you like best.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Sorry I didn't read through all the responses, so I'm not sure if it's been mentioned, but the one thing I would suggest is going to a camera shop (even though you intend to buy from Amazon) and playing with the cameras hands-on. When I bought my camera, I did some research and hand my mind set on a Nikon. I went down to the store to buy it and when the salesman gave me the camera to look at, it felt too small in my hands. It just didn't feel comfortable. I looked at a Canon and it just "fit" me better. So take some time to actually handle some cameras and see how the dials and settings functions differ on different models/cameras to see which one you like best.

I actually went to J&R the other day and handled the camera and liked the way it felt. That's definitely what my friends in work suggested.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Thanks for the update!

Have you got it yet?

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Thanks for the update!

Have you got it yet?

Not yet. I'll probably order it today.