Which DSLR should I get?

[DisneyGirl4188]

I want to spend under a $1000 (including lenses). Ideally, I'd like to spend less on the camera itself and have more money for lenses.

What is everyone's recommendation? Also, where is a good site to purchase? Is buydig.com OK?

Thanks!

ETA: Two that I have been considering are a Canon Rebel XT and a Nikon D50.

 

[Groucho]

I haven't bought from buydig.com but I have bought from beachcamera.com which is supposedly the same place, and they were excellent. Terrific price and very quick shipping.

You probably need to be a little more specific... how many lenses do you hope to get for your $1,000? Do you have any specific features in mind?

All DSLRs are excellent and all have strong and weak points (most of which are pretty minor.) Under $1,000, you're looking at a Pentax, Olympus, Sony, Nikon, or Canon DSLR. If you currently have a 35mm SLR, you may want to stick with the same brand, to re-use your existing lenses.

The cheaper ones are the Pentax K110D and K100D, the Nikon D40 and D50, the Canon Rebel XT, and the Olympus E500. In that field, you'll probably looking at anywhere from $430 to about $600. To go higher, you'll looking at the Sony Alpha, Canon Rebel XTi, or Pentax K10D - those are probably around $750-$1,000. You'd probably be best to stick with the lower-end ones to give you more elbow room for lenses.

The best bet is to read some reviews. Here's some from DPReview:
Pentax K100D
Canon Rebel XT
Nikon D50
Olympus E500

Other reviews sites include Steve's Digicams, Megapixel.net, etc.

Out of that group, I really think that the Pentax K100D offers easily the best value - it has the best image quality you can get from a 6mp camera (and is virtually identical to the 8mp Canon), it's got a good kit lens, it's available for very cheap ($513 after rebate), and best of all, it's the only one in its class with image stabilization in the body. (This is one area that DPReview didn't seem quite as impressed with as many others - most owners have found that it can help dramatically.) For the others, you'd need to buy a lens with IS, which will put you over your $1k barrier.

There are many DSLR threads on here as well with lots of good information.

There are all excellent, though, and whichever choice you make, you'll probably be very happy.

 

[jann1033]

i bought my camera at buydig and another one at beach( sister site some how related) and both were fine.

under 1000 i think either the kit lens and rebel xti or xt or pentax K series http://www.steves-digicams.com/best_cameras.html the benefit of the pentax is you could probably get another lens out of your budget and have shake control with the top of the line one, the canon probably not unless you went with the rebet xt instead of xti but then you'l lose the sensor cleaning which i think is a great idea..you could swing the canon 50mm 1.8 with either since it's around $80 for the canon not sure about the pentax or if they have one for it. i sound like a broken record but make sure you physically hold them and play with them before you make your final choice.

http://www.pentaximaging.com/produc...-K100D/reqID--7717476/subsection--digital_slr
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=SupportDetailAct&fcategoryid=215&modelid=14256
reviews for both would be at www.steves-digicams.com

edited cause saw as usual someone beat me to it but oh well i tried

 

[Groucho]

Pentax has an absolutely stellar 50mm 1.4 (widely regarded as the finest 50mm available from anyone) but it's a little pricier - about $170 after rebate - and is on perpetual backorder. I was lucky enough to put in an order with Adorama and have them get a few in shortly afterwards. If you're patient, it's worth waiting for. For zooms, most tend to go for the Pentax 50-200mm as a supplement to the 18-55 that comes with the camera. Some go for a Sigma, like an 18-135, as their primary lens. All depends on what you're after.

I would think that the Nikon D50 needs to be put in when comparing to the Rebel XT - I think that of the two I'd lean towards the D50, but I'd still get the K100D over either one.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

Thanks for the quick replies.

When I say that I would rather have more money for lenses, I meant that I would rather spend $600 on a camera and then have money left over for a lens (or two if I get a little more money) than to spend $1000 on a camera and not have money for another lens.

I like the idea of having image stability in the camera body. I currently have a Kodak z740 and while I like it, I can't stand it doesn't have image stability (plus, it's no DSLR )

I hadn't read anything on the Pentax, but it looks promising.

 

[ukcatfan]

I am one of the resident owners of the K100D. I have to say that I love it. I was also very shocked to see the results of the DPReview review of the IS. Maybe I have a steadier hand than I realize, but I have had better results(and at even slower shutters) than the reviewer. From my quick tests, it was a 2-2.5 stop advantage. Other than that point, the review says some pretty nice things about it. There is one thing missing that I really wish the K100D had; a dedicated ISO button. It is only a couple of clicks down through the menu, but I miss it from my S1 IS.

The lenses mentioned are nice and should be considered, but if you want to really save some money and still get some pretty nice lenses, you can also look for some used ones. You might be able to afford four or five total lenses. There are many used Pentax lenses around. I have a 50mm prime f2 manual focus that I am very happy with. Using manual focus is not really responsive(not useful for action shots), but otherwise not that tough to use. I also bought a "known as junk" AF Tamron 80-210 that was in like new condition. It is not a good lens, but seems to produce better results at the tele end than my Canon S1 IS. It would not even compare to the Pentax 50-200mm lens, but I only paid $30 for it from KEH.

Lastly, do not forget to factor in the other little things that you will want. Off the top of my head: a bag, air blower(for sensor dust), larger memory cards, extra batteries. Another thing about the K100D that I like is that it uses AAs where almost all others use more expensive proprietary lithium ones.

Let me know if you have any specific questions that I can help with.

Kevin

 

[jann1033]

i just checked on the rebel xt price..it's 588 with kit lens at beach so i would probably go with that over the comparably price nikon d 50 due to the reviews i've seen for the nikon saying it's more comparable to the rebel, not the rebel xt ( the xt and nikon i think it's d70(or 80? now don't remember which they said were comparable, just not the d50 ) but i think the nikon is more than the rebel xt though)...
the pentax is only a couple $ more so i'd really try them out and see which you like or hate the feel of. i use my canon is lens all the time but that is due to me having shaky hands...and so between the 2, even though i love my rebel i might go with the pentax unless it feels really cheap or something( never saw it in person) just because the is lenses are expensive. but if i didn't have a problem with hand holding a camera( ie if your p&s pictures are fine and not blurry), i personally like the canon pics a little better but that is so subjective. no matter what i think you'd be happy with any of them and you can always get a nicer lens

i just checked my email and this was in it http://www.pentaximaging.com/purchase/rebates_offers/

 

[ukcatfan]

I went into my decision almost sure that I was set on a Rebel XT b/c I have always been a Canon fan. After handling the XT, D50, *ist DL, and K100D, I was quickly leaning towards the Pentax models. Then reading up on them completed my decision. I was going to go with the *ist DL, but the deals seemed to dry up and it ended up only being around $100 more for the K100D.

As for feel, the Pentax blew the other two away in how solid it felt. The XT seemed very plastic and more p&s like. The size between all of them were acceptable and not really a deciding factor for me. The kit lens on the Pentax also felt the best. It does not feel like the giveaway lenses that the C&N ones feel like. I also felt like the button placement on the XT just didn't seem right for me.

I am not heavily invested in my system (less than $100 for all three lenses), so if Canon steps up on the XTi replacement or so on, I can still switch. As for now though, I believe that Pentax has laid out another blow to C&N with the K10D. It seems to offer more on paper than the XTi or the D80. I guess real world results are not in enough to say for sure.

Kevin

 

[Groucho]

Wow, even I don't get Pentax emails! (I'm guessing the OP hasn't seen earlier threads, so I'll mention that I use a Pentax ist DL - a predecessor of the K110D. I'd love to upgrade to the K100D but am holding out until I can buy a K10D without my wife killing me!)

One problem with the Canon is that the kit lens seems to be pretty universally disliked, more so than other kit lenses. So someone considering an XT might do well to get the body only then pick up another lens as their primary one.

The other downsides are the smallest LCD (1.8" vs 2" on the Nikon and 2.5" on the Pentax) and the worst viewfinder. Ergonomics are a matter of personal preference but most people seem to feel that the Canon doesn't feel as nice as the competition - I've seen a few people who have switched away because, while they could produce excellent photos, they just weren't happy working with the camera itself. If you don't mind the ergonomics, this shouldn't be an issue.

I think the D50 is still pretty comparable to the XT, the only real advantage of the XT is more megapixels, but the jump from 6 to 8 is a pretty minor one.

Really, with the quality of a DSLR, how good your photos turn out is mostly up to the photographer first, the lens second, and the camera body third, IMHO. To really take advantage of what they can do, you'll have to take some time to learn the camera and how best to use it with the way you shoot. Every one of them can put out superb photos.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

The Pentax, Canon, and Nikon are all competent in the lower end DSLR market. One big knock on the Pentax is that there isn't nearly as much growth potential for you. If you decide that you want to move up to pro gear, you'll have to switch.

One other consideration if you plan to get and stay serious for the long haul is guessing which lines will survive for the next 20 years.

 

[ukcatfan]

One big knock on the Pentax is that there isn't nearly as much growth potential for you. If you decide that you want to move up to pro gear, you'll have to switch.

Please do not take offense, but I have to disagree with you on this one for two reasons. The planned/rumored K1D(and others down the road) will enter into the pro level. Also, this is really a non issue when making an entry level purchase. If you are really going to go pro level, you will most likely be purchasing all new glass to go with it. Not many people are going to want to put their Sigma 18-125 on a pro camera for example. Also, they are unlikely to accumulate pro glass for their Rebel XT. That makes the switch to a different system not that big of a deal in my opinion.

One other consideration if you plan to get and stay serious for the long haul is guessing which lines will survive for the next 20 years.

At that time frame, this is impossible to determine and the OP does not need this kind of thing thrown into the decision. I do not see where this could be helpful. Nobody thought that IBM would ever be defeated in the pc market and now where are they? Everyone thought that Apple had about one nail left to close their coffin and now look at them. Canon, Nikon, and Pentax could be a fond memory in 20 years. Remember, the popularity of a brand is only one small part of the picture of a brand surviving. Any of them could go belly up from poor inventments, lawsuits, changing exchage rates, corporate corruption, wars, etc. In twenty years the DSLR may be dead itself. A p&s in twenty years will probably knock the socks off the very best DSLR of today.

None of this is meant to offend you. It is just my opinion. I just do not feel that it should have any bearing on the decision that the OP is trying to figure out.

Kevin

 

[Master Mason]

Please do not take offense, but I have to disagree with you on this one for two reasons. The planned/rumored K1D(and others down the road) will enter into the pro level. Also, this is really a non issue when making an entry level purchase. If you are really going to go pro level, you will most likely be purchasing all new glass to go with it. Not many people are going to want to put their Sigma 18-125 on a pro camera for example. Also, they are unlikely to accumulate pro glass for their Rebel XT. That makes the switch to a different system not that big of a deal in my opinion.

I have a 70-200 f/2.8L lens, that is connected to my Rebel XT.... If your camera will support it you'd be amazed at what people will buy with an eye to both the presnet as well as the future. I just got my XT about a year ago. It will probably be a few more years before I upgrade, but when I do, it won't be the next in the series of XT replacements, it will be in the 30D line or perhaps even the 5D full frame line. And there will be more L glass in the bag by that time as well. Thinking ahead is not always a bad thing.

 

[ukcatfan]

Planning ahead is always a good idea. There is no rule for anything b/c there are always exceptions, but in general someone that is willing to drop that much $$$ on the lenses is not going to get an entry level body. I doubt that an entry level body can even take full advantage of pro glass. It sounds like you already knew that you were going to eventually upgrade into the pro market before you ever bought your Rebel.

My primary rebuttal was that Pentax has no room to grow and that it is not an issue with the OP's decision. By the time the OP is going to be in the body upgrade market, there will be plenty of room to grow. There is always a chance that Pentax can stop making DSLRs, but right now I have heard that they can hardly keep up with demand, so it is unlikely in the next five or so years. But like I said in ten to twenty years, nobody knows.

I personally will probably not upgrade until there is a major advance in technology like a brand new type of sensor.

DisneyGirl4188,

What are your future plans for expanding? That could guide us in helping you.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

As of right now, I do not have plans to go into pro equipment. Yes, I would like to become a good enough photographer, but for right now I am an amatuer that is trying to learn all I can.

Since yesterday I have looked at all the info I can get about the Pentax and I think that will be a good fit.

I appreciate everyone's responses and you have given me a lot to consider. I welcome anyone's elses opinions as well (particularly Pentax owners), since I do have a little time before my purchase.

 

[Groucho]

Didn't one of our resident Canon owners mention something about that they have a higher-end Canon and couldn't go to an XTi because of a different lens mount? Or am I just imagining that? (I may have been as I don't see anything elsewhere about it.) Different lenses for different levels of SLR would be a lot more restrictive.

Anyway, it depends on what your definition of professional is. On Steve's forum, one guy recently posted who uses the basic ist DL for newspaper photography and just had a picture of his used by the New York Times. Pentax has a wide range of lenses and many "Limited" lenses which are comparable to the high-end stuff from C/N. The ability to use any Pentax lens ever also gives a lot of freedom to choose older professional-quality lenses for affordable (relatively) prices.

There is not much danger of them disappearing any time soon, with the success of the K100D and the anticipated success of the K10D, and they have been making cameras since 1952, so they're hardly new kids on the block. They also have well-respected medium format cameras. Demand is high for their stuff and they've been getting a lot of positive buzz thanks to the K100D and K10D. Business-wise they're doing well, raising their profit forecasts primarily due to good DSLR sales.

Regardless, if one is intending to "go pro" on a level beyond what the Pentax offers, then whatever the OP is buying now will tossed out anyway, no matter what system is bought in to. There is no advantage to buying a Canon or Nikon now if you need to buy a higher-end C/N body and a new collection of top-end lenses later.

 

[ukcatfan]

I appreciate everyone's responses and you have given me a lot to consider. I welcome anyone's elses opinions as well (particularly Pentax owners), since I do have a little time before my purchase.

If you get the Pentax, get familar with the custom menu. It has a bunch of nice features buried in it. Almost all everyday use settings can be made on the function menu and it is easy to follow.

For any DSLR, after you get comfortable with it, try out the RAW file format. Some like it and some don't, but it can be a life saver if you missed getting the exposure right and still want to recover something from the image. JPG is not very flexible b/c it tosses out a ton of information that it thinks you will not need. If you nail the JPG, there is no way to tell the difference, but I am usually not that talented.

Kevin

 

[Groucho]

I appreciate everyone's responses and you have given me a lot to consider. I welcome anyone's elses opinions as well (particularly Pentax owners), since I do have a little time before my purchase.

Well, with the K100D, that will give you almost $500 left to put towards lenses, beyond the includes kit lens.

The safest recommendation for a second lens is the Pentax 50-200mm - nice quality and small and light (barely bigger than the 18-55 when at its shortest.) For low-light and/or portrait, the 50mm 1.4 is terrific. You could also pick up a Zenitar 16mm fisheye (made in Russia, buy via eBay from the seller named "zenitar"), and keep the total package under $1,000. In fact...

$511 (after rebate): Pentax K100D from Beach Camera
$350.95 (after rebate, with shipping): Pentax 50mm 1.4 and Pentas 50-200mm from Adorama
$141 (with shipping): Zenitar 16mm fisheye from eBay
-----
$1,002.95

That takes you right to your limit, and gives you a great camera and four lenses, all image stabilized - if you can find a better deal, buy it.

 

[Groucho]

For any DSLR, after you get comfortable with it, try out the RAW file format. Some like it and some don't, but it can be a life saver if you missed getting the exposure right and still want to recover something from the image. JPG is not very flexible b/c it tosses out a ton of information that it thinks you will not need. If you nail the JPG, there is no way to tell the difference, but I am usually not that talented.

Ditto on that. I started doing only JPGs but now shoot exclusively RAW format. It's a little more work and time but the ability to adjust white balance later alone makes it worthwhile.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

Well, with the K100D, that will give you almost $500 left to put towards lenses, beyond the includes kit lens.

The safest recommendation for a second lens is the Pentax 50-200mm - nice quality and small and light (barely bigger than the 18-55 when at its shortest.) For low-light and/or portrait, the 50mm 1.4 is terrific. You could also pick up a Zenitar 16mm fisheye (made in Russia, buy via eBay from the seller named "zenitar"), and keep the total package under $1,000. In fact...

$511 (after rebate): Pentax K100D from Beach Camera
$350.95 (after rebate, with shipping): Pentax 50mm 1.4 and Pentas 50-200mm from Adorama
$141 (with shipping): Zenitar 16mm fisheye from eBay
-----
$1,002.95

That takes you right to your limit, and gives you a great camera and four lenses, all image stabilized - if you can find a better deal, buy it.

Awesome! Thank you so much!

 

[Master Mason]

I shoot Jpg + Raw, I seldom use the RAW, but at least I can when I want to.