Entry Level D-SLR- please help

[Jrabbit910]

Hi All,

I know this question has been asked over and over again but I cant seem to find the answers that I am looking for; Please help a newbie...

I am fascinated w/ photography and love looking at peoples work. I wish I was 1/2 as good as all yall but to be honest I am not even close.... My DH would like to grant me a wish this year since our trip to Disney had to be cancelled... (another baby on the way)

So here is my year of a million dreams request... Help me find a SLR for a beginner.. My current camera is a Kodak dx7590- I like it but I am ready to move on... I would love a camera that I can grow with... take on Disney Trips (and other places) but most of all take great pics... Please come to my rescue... (before my Dh changes his mind)

Thank you so much and all of your advise is much appreciated!

Jessica

 

[ryley26]

I just bought a D40 yesterday Ritz Camera had it for $549 with to lenses and a bunch of extras. It was a great price and I thought a good Starter SLR. There are so many on this forum with great advice and help they will steer you the right way.

 

[ukcatfan]

The basic models are the Canon XT ,XTi and soon XSi; Nikon D40, D40x and soon D60; Pentax K100D and soon K200D; Sony A100 and A200; Olympus E-410 and E-510. There are different quirks about each brand, so research the entire system before making a decision. For example, are the proper lenses available for when you want to expand your collection? and at the right price? C&N have the largest lens lineups, but often also cost more. Also, C&N do not offer in body IS where pretty much everyone else does. They require you to buy lens based IS, which costs much more. Some debate that the lens system works better, but for me the cost was too much of a factor. If you want an entry level low light performer with an inexpensive fast lens, Nikon currently is at a disadvantage b/c their 50mm f/1.8 will not autofocus on their entry level bodies. There are third party lenses that will, but they are not cheap. Another notable quirk is on Olympus. Their system doubles the focal length of the lens where most other entry level systems are only 1.5X the focal length. It is an advantage for telephoto shooting, but a problem if you ever want to get a true wide angle lens.

I personally shoot a Pentax K100D, but all DSLRs are good.

Kevin

 

[JR6ooo4]

Do you want to carry a few lenses and a camera body and an extra battery and extra memory cards and maybe even an external flash?

Or do you want pictures nearly that good from a fixed lens camera?

Just wondering because I could not imagine hauling around a DSLR rig and accessories with a whole family as well.

Mikeeee

 

[YEKCIM]

Plenty of options from plenty of manufacturers: Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Pentax, Sony (think that is all of 'em). I suggest you invest some significant time in researching your options via some of the excellent online review sites:

www.steves-digicams.com
www.dpreview.com
www.imaging-resource.com
www.dcresource.com

With your anticipated budget and expected uses in mind, compare the offerings from each manufacturer, to determine which brand/model best suits YOU. Keep in mind that buying a dSLR is a little different from buying a PnS in that you are really buying into a system, the camera itself being only one component of that system. The available lenses should, IMO, be as compelling a reason to choose one brand over another, as any other factor.

Good luck with your research and don't hesitate to post back with any specific questions. Lots of very knowledgeable and helpful photographers inhabit this forum!

~YEKCIM

 

[MouseFaninQueue]

I'm looking at buying a Pentax K200D. It is brand new so the price might be a bit higher, but it has pretty much everything I was looking for to get started myself. I like that it takes AA batteries and has IS built into the camera. The K200D also has a weather sealed body, which you usually only find on higher end cameras. I also like that it has the "crutch" modes on it that you can find on the Canon xTi (portrait, sports, landscapeetc), this allows me to have them as a fall back if I'm not comfortable in Manual. They jsut allow me that extra bit of learning curve.

The K100D Super is similar and if you can find it, might be considerably cheaper now that the next generation is out. If you are little more advanced, lots of people singing the praises of the K10 - which is the more advanced version of the K100D, but because it is being replaced by the K20 right now, the price point is reduced on it as well.

 

[Master Mason]

The only thing I can add to what Kevin said was to go to a store and play with them in your hands, one of the cameras will just feel better to you, either because of the way it fits your hand, or because of the intuitiveness of the controls.

 

[ukcatfan]

One last thing I forgot to say. Pretty much every brand is getting ready to release new models. They have been announced, but not yet in stores for sale. Due to that, you might want to wait a month or so until they start showing up. If you are looking for the latest and greatest, they would be the ones. If not, the older models should be cheaper when the new models hit the shelves. There could be rebates coming as well. That said, if you come across a good deal on what you want, go for it.

Kevin

 

[Nikel]

Just wondering because I could not imagine hauling around a DSLR rig and accessories with a whole family as well.

It's not so bad. Having an understanding spouse certainly helps though. We went to Charleston last spring with our then 2 year old and 3 year old and no stroller, and carrying the gear was never an issue for me.

 

[Jrabbit910]

Please correct me if I am wrong... but from what I am reading it sounds to me like the Nikons & Cannons need alot of accessories/lenes (add ons) in order to take a "great shot"... ?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

You will get lots of great advice here. I am also new to the dSLR world.

Spend lots of time learning what's available and what will suit you. Make sure you understand what a dSLR is, how it works and how it differs from a point and shoot. Think about things like how you're going to carry it, work it, and whether you have the time, money and inclination to add to your system extra lenses, flashes, and other technology to help you take the kind of pictures you want, whether you have the time to learn photography basics, etc. (Of course, none of these are absolutely necessary, but they are extremely helpful.) The more time you put into your research, the more confident you'll be in making the right choice for you.

I just bought an Olympus e-510 w/ two lens kit. I have an Olympus thread going if you want to learn more. Olympus dSLRs are the first whose entire systems are "designed for digital" and they are also smaller than most dSLRs, hence the unique engineering. The E-510 won a 2007 award for innovation for its pioneering features. It comes highly recommended by most reviewers, and for me, it's a perfect fit.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[ukcatfan]

Please correct me if I am wrong... but from what I am reading it sounds to me like the Nikons & Cannons need alot of accessories/lenes (add ons) in order to take a "great shot"... ?

Not any more stuff than other brands, but usually more $$$ for that stuff.

The biggest example is image stabilization. Most other brands offer it in body, so it works with all lenses. C&N offer it in lens, so you have to buy each one that you want IS on as an IS version of that lens, which means more money.

Kevin

 

[ukcatfan]

The only thing I can add to what Kevin said was to go to a store and play with them in your hands, one of the cameras will just feel better to you, either because of the way it fits your hand, or because of the intuitiveness of the controls.

Olympus dSLRs are the first whose entire systems are "designed for digital" and they are also smaller than most dSLRs, hence the unique engineering.

All more the reason to go get some in your hands. For example, I personally do not like the small feel and I do not even have big hands. The XT, XTi, D40, and entry level Oly models all feel too small and uncomfortable to me (never touched a Sony that I can remember). I prefer a feel like the 40D, D300, and K10D. My K100D is a little smaller than those, but still within acceptable range to me. One last thing on size. Larger cameras are typically more stable in your hands, which means less risk of camera shake blurring.

Kevin

 

[Pea-n-Me]

All more the reason to go get some in your hands. For example, I personally do not like the small feel and I do not even have big hands. The XT, XTi, D40, and entry level Oly models all feel too small and uncomfortable to me (never touched a Sony that I can remember). I prefer a feel like the 40D, D300, and K10D. My K100D is a little smaller than those, but still within acceptable range to me. One last thing on size. Larger cameras are typically more stable in your hands, which means less risk of camera shake blurring.

See, I like the small feel. Some of the others felt too heavy to me. Had there not been an alternative, I would have bitten the bullet, I suppose. But I was happy this seemed just right for me. I agree, that's why it's good to go into the store and hold some.

The first time I set my sights on an Olympus E-410 , I was surprised it was a dSLR it was so small. The feel of it wasn't right for me, though, as there was no "body curve" to hold it and the way the neckstrap sat was strange. But the small size did capture my interest and caused me to see what Olympus was all about. I ultimately chose the 510 for lots of reasons, but size, lightness, and in body IS (which the 410 doesn't have) won me over.

FYI Olympus this week introduced the E-420, due in stores in May and replacing the 410. Still no in-body IS, but its got most of the features the 510 has as well as a few new ones, its size is really small and it's being marketed to the point and shoot crowd as a "stick it in your pocket and go" dSLR (be sure to check out the pancake lens).

 

[AydensMom]

Please correct me if I am wrong... but from what I am reading it sounds to me like the Nikons & Cannons need alot of accessories/lenes (add ons) in order to take a "great shot"... ?

Not true, the Nikon kit lens that are included with the body are quite good for many shots you will want to take. I am still shooting an old D70 but even the kit 18-70 lens is still used quite often. I have purchased a nice fast zoom and a real ultra wide angle since then but my kit lens is on the camera %90 of the time. Learn to take good pics first and then see what glass makes the most sense for your picture style or subject.

DH Pat.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Do you want to carry a few lenses and a camera body and an extra battery and extra memory cards and maybe even an external flash?

Or do you want pictures nearly that good from a fixed lens camera?

Just wondering because I could not imagine hauling around a DSLR rig and accessories with a whole family as well.

Mikeeee

I shot 100% of my last DL trip using the Nikon D80, 18-135 kit lens and/or the 50mm prime for low light & handheld. You don't have to have a whole 'rig' to get good-decent shots. I kept the camera and kit lens in a Optech bag (adding little to no extra weight) and kept the 50mm prime (very lightweight) in my fanny pack in a ziplock bag. I brought out the tripod only on the one night I knew I was going to photograph Fireworks and Fantasmic but left it in the locker until needed. My fanny pack with just my regular junk in it weighed more than the camera/kit and 50mm prime. I brought the flash with me, but never used it, so it stayed in the hotel.

To the OP, you don't have to invest a lot in lenses to get great shots. If you do low light or sports, you'd want faster lenses like the 50mm 1.8 or 85mm 1.8. Those are great lenses and very cheap, especially the 50mm. You can let your feet do the work to get in closer or move further away as needed to get the shots. I only have one VR lens and it is the 70-300VR. It's great for handheld zoomed in shots. (I think I paid about $400 for it.) I only use it when I'm out on a boat and want to get zoomed in. I used it for sports and marching band shots, but it didn't work as well in low light conditions, so I now primarily use the 85mm or 50mm primes for that.
Nikon is great, it has a long history of making very good lenses, and it isn't going anywhere. It's been around for a long time. If you can afford to invest a little more I would get the D80 as the prime lenses will AF on this body. The D40 and D40x will not AF these lenses. You would then ave to buy the 3rd party lenses w/ built in motor or use manual focus. The kit lenses will AF on the D40/D40x. IMO, the D80 is a camera that you can grow with and add lenses to as you can afford them or as you decide you need them.

 

[Jrabbit910]

Thank you all so very very much! I really am going to heed all of your advise and do some research! I appreciate everything that everyone has said!

Thank you all so much! I will let you know my final pick when my I get it! Hopefully I can join the better class of photographers that you all r!

 

[blackjackdelta]

Plenty of options from plenty of manufacturers: Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Pentax, Sony (think that is all of 'em). I suggest you invest some significant time in researching your options via some of the excellent online review sites:

www.steves-digicams.com
www.dpreview.com
www.imaging-resource.com
www.dcresource.com

With your anticipated budget and expected uses in mind, compare the offerings from each manufacturer, to determine which brand/model best suits YOU. Keep in mind that buying a dSLR is a little different from buying a PnS in that you are really buying into a system, the camera itself being only one component of that system. The available lenses should, IMO, be as compelling a reason to choose one brand over another, as any other factor.

Good luck with your research and don't hesitate to post back with any specific questions. Lots of very knowledgeable and helpful photographers inhabit this forum!

~YEKCIM

Great advice and fantastic sites to research.

Jack

 

[nicki's mom]

we have the Rebel Xti, we love it.

Any reputable name brand is going to work well.

 

[YesDear]

One more place you may want to check out. He is very opinionated but has some good info.

He is a big Nikon and Canon guy

www.kenrockwell.com