Best DSLR?

Kari99

Kari99

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Hello everyone! :wave:

So at the moment I have a Lumix FZ45 bridge camera, which I have had for nearly 4 years, it's a fantastic little camera...but I think the time has come for me to upgrade to a better camera, as I want to take my photography onto another level & start taking better pictures :)

I want to buy a DSLR, but there are just sooo many to choose from on the market that it's all quite mind boggling! :D So I thought I'd ask you guys what your experiences are....what do you think is the best DSLR on the market at the moment?
My camera generally goes everywhere with me & I love all types of photography - landscape, people, animals, macro...(I especially enjoy macro photography) so it would have to be a good all rounder.

I don't really want to spend more than £800/£900.

Hope you can help me out with a few suggestions :D
Thankyou x
 
a better camera wont give you better pictures in most cases (well, not more interesting ones)

but having a flappy mirror is irrelivent now for most things.
but go and try some camera's and see how they feel, and aim to get the cheapest body with the features you think you will need, and spend the rest on lenses and misc bits.

and as always i recommend look at the sigma dp merrills, because they are awesome :D
 
Kari99 said:
So I thought I'd ask you guys what your experiences are....what do you think is the best DSLR on the market at the moment?
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A canon 1dx..its been out for about 2 yrs now and still sells at £4,800 hardly wavered in price at all.. I ahve one.. soon to get another.. worth every penny..


Kari99 said:
I don't really want to spend more than £800/£900.
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hahahahahahaha




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Kari99 said:
.....what do you think is the best DSLR on the market at the moment?...I don't really want to spend more than £800/£900
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Forget 'Best'- it's very subjective, depends on the genre and more significantly, your budget doesn't cover best so there seems little point in discussing them.

You don't need to spend £900 either- as Paul says go and try a few in your hand and see what feels intuitive. You're also coming from an EVF so you are probably more open to continue with that than those who insist it is the work of the devil:p .It's probably worth looking at both mirrorless and mirrored interchangeable lens cameras as you may decide a DSLR is too bulky.

Other things I would do:
- I would avoid Nikon and Canon's mirrorless offerings- they haven't really got it yet and it remains to be seen how much failure they'll tolerate before they pull the plug
- I would not buy a 50mm (or any) lens unless you know you will shoot at that focal length as usually there are lots of recommendations to get one in addition to the kit 18-55 lens should you go down DSLR route.

Post some more questions once you have tried a few.
 
I think what you meant to ask was... I have around 800 to 900 pounds to spend.. whats the best DSLR I can get for that money.... I would then answer.. does that budget allow for a lens as well? if you spend 8-9 hundred on a body.. have you still got money left for a lens... this is very important...there is no all round lens so you would need to identify the type of photogrpahy most interested in... if there was a catch all lens then we would all have it ... interchangeable lens for what your photogrpahing is how dslr works... so... really need more budget info to help :)
 
Good point, how could I forget- the other thing I would recommend not doing is buying an 18-Infinity heap of junk. Pointless- may as well stay with your bridge camera and spend your money on a holiday or a car or I take cheques:D:p
 
Kari99 said:
but I think the time has come for me to upgrade to a better camera, as I want to take my photography onto another level & start taking better pictures :)
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A better camera won't help you take better pictures. They may be higher in resolution, they may be sharper, and they may have less noise at higher ISOs, but ultimately, better comes from being a better photographer. If you mean just technically better, then yes, better gear helps.


Kari99 said:
I want to buy a DSLR, but there are just sooo many to choose from on the market that it's all quite mind boggling! :D So I thought I'd ask you guys what your experiences are....what do you think is the best DSLR on the market at the moment?
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There's no one, single such thing. It depends what you shoot. They are all designed for different tasks. However, as others have pointed out, if you think you can get the best of anything for 8-900 quid, then think again.


Kari99 said:
My camera generally goes everywhere with me & I love all types of photography - landscape, people, animals, macro...(I especially enjoy macro photography) so it would have to be a good all rounder.
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It's down to what lenses you buy then, not what camera you buy. You need a range of lenses that allows you to do all of that, and considering you've only got £900 you're not in a good position.

If you're out and about a lot, something light would be my recommendation.

I'd go for used gear. A used Nikon D7000, a used16-85 zoom, perhaps a used 105 macro as well.
 
Having had quite a few Canon bodies over the years I can heartily recommend the 70D. I bought one last August when it was first released and IMO it's about the best 'crop sensor' body Canon has produced. It's got a great AF system, great video capabilities and is a great all rounder. Coupled together with the newer STM version lenses for silent video focus (but they are sharper than the previous version lenses) it would make a great starter setup. You can get a 70D within your budget complete with an 18-135 STM lens here http://www.hdewcameras.co.uk/canon-eos-70d--18-135mm-stm-kit-1353-p.asp or with an 18-55 and 55-250 STM twin lens kit here http://panamoz.com/index.php/digita...mp-digital-slr-camera-1855-55250-stm-kit.html I've bought from both places and whilst they are 'grey imports' I've had no problems with either company. I had a warranty return to Panamoz a while ago and I received a brand new lens from them only 11 days after I first contacted them about the problem.

I came to a dslr from a Panasonic FZ50 bridge camera and the difference in handling between the two types of camera is staggering. The mage quality of a dslr is without a doubt better than a bridge camera and also has the benefit of no (or almost no) shutter lag compared to a bridge camera, even the better quality ones. The difference between taking a bridge camera to the first year I took my dslr to an airshow was immense, the quality of the shots overall was unbelieveable.
 
Would you consider buying used or is your £800 budget for new?
 
Kari99 said:
Hello everyone! :wave:
My camera generally goes everywhere with me & I love all types of photography - landscape, people, animals, macro...(I especially enjoy macro photography) so it would have to be a good all rounder.

I don't really want to spend more than £800/£900.
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Nikon D5300 in kit with 18-140VR (about £600) isn't bad for start.

You should see a huge step up compared to your Lumix FZ45 in everything except for the reach (600mm f/5.2 isn't something thats common in DSLR world).

For the remaining budget you can try to add a few extra lenses (like 35/50/85 prime for portraits or a macro lens - 60mm f/2.8 is a killer macro lens for DX).
 
Thanks for your interesting comments everyone.
Modchild & mpe - I will definitely check out those cameras you recommend when I have a chance...cheers :)

The Greek said:
Would you consider buying used or is your £800 budget for new?
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i definitely wouldn't rule out buying a used body :)

I will continue to research different cameras in my budget & in the meantime carry on snapping with my trusty Lumix ;) I'll let you know if I have any more questions! (y)
 
The best DSLR is the one you have with you when you spot that "wow" moment. Assuming you're able to use it and capture the moment, that is.

Try a few makes out and see what suits you and what feels most natural. You're going to end up buying into a lens system and you'll be stuck with that unless you sell all your gear. I would suggest spending half or less of your budget at first on a combination of good glass and the "best" DSLR you can then afford after that (this probably means spending less than a third of your total budget on a body). This will then leave you with the other half of your budget to buy more lenses as you progress.

If you click with it and want to upgrade your body, you'll be able to sell your old one (or keep it as a second) and go out and spend more serious money on something fancier. But that's a long way off. At first you're going to be limited by your experience and capabilities, then you're going to be limited by your lenses and only finally will you be limited by your actual camera.
 
Personally if you on a budget I would go with a used solution. Next step is to go your local camera shop and try out several different cameras, find which suits you then source a used previous model and get a decent lens or 2. Investing in the right glass (lenses) will payoff in the end. Camera bodies get replaced, upgraded etc lenses less regularly and if you buy the right lenses they hold their value.

"Put a good lens on a bad body is way better than putting a bad lens on a good body"

Have a look a the TP forums when you meet the requirements, ffordes, mifsuds, camtech, park cameras, mpb photographic etc for used equipment. You can pick up a decent camera body for a couple of hundred quid and use the majority of the rest of your budget to buy a decent lens or 2.
 
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Basically what Pete and others have said is excellent advice cant add much except the following
You mentioned macro I would just check that you can get a proper macro lens for your chosen make
I think that you can get sigma macro lenses for all of the major camera makes but I would check
 
Also have a look at the Panasonic and Olympus micro 4/3rds bodies. Their sensors are not that much smaller than a crop DSLR, but bulk wise - especially when it comes to lenses, they are far smaller. I traded my 5D2 (full frame Canon) with L (i.e. high end) lenses for a micro 4/3rds system and haven't regretted it once. Used prices of something like a Oly OM-D E5 or Panasonic G6 would be well within your budget - including some decent lenses.
 
Karl
You should also consider the lenses that you expect to buy

A good lens on a D300 is far better than a poor lens with a D4S or D800
Also these bigger sensors can exaggerate the shortcoming of a poor lens

A used D300 is a good buy, (even a D90) - if you want a good wide lens under £50, get an old Nikon MF, (Manual focus), wide, stick it in f8 and infinity, or better still just guess the distance and zone focus and it will be as good as a new AF wide prime … MF wides are quick to focus, (remember all RF camera, e.g. the Leica digital are MF … no AF there) … and there is a "focus confirm" on a D300
The same almost with a 50mm - I use my MF Nikkors a lot and a MF 50mm f1.8 or even f1.4 will set you back less than £50 ………. it is when you get longer than you need accurate AF …… even a Macro will be OK with MF as you generally have the time and MF in LV, (Live view) is used by many.

So with your Budget and going the DSLR route you can get some great stuff - buy used and may I suggest the following

D300 = £300 for a good one
MF 24mm Nikkor wide = £50
MF 50mm Nikkor wide or AF 50mm AF D or G lens = £50 to £100
The really good Nikon "give away" kit lens ……something like 18 55mm f4.5/f5.6 = £40
Good Gitzo metal tripod = £120

so that £570

Then you have £370 for some good longer Nikon glass - used
a 70 300mm f4.4/f5.6 VR zoom will only set you back £200/£300 used and it is a really good lens
but £370 will get you the older 300mm f4 with the slower AF …… marvellous on a tripod or hand held
used bag = under £50

could go on ……. but for your budget if you buy used ……..you can maybe get the equivalent of new which would cost x 2 or x 3 the used price ……. guys are always upgrading to the next best whizzy thing and some have more money than sense

buy them all on here or a similar forum as then you will have some confidence about the descriptions

buy used quality ……. loose money slower and for £900 you will get a really good set up …….. don't forget memory cards and batteries …… as without them nothing happens!!

Just IMHO
 
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I sold a friend what I considered to be a decent set up for 500 - nikon d90, tamron 17-50, Nissin speedlight, light stand and brolly, pse 10 and a remote.

An equivalent would leave you with 400 to get another decent lens.

The d90 is cracking value at the mo. The d300 is a more robust/better af version of the d90. Also excellent value.

S
 
arad85 said:
Also have a look at the Panasonic and Olympus micro 4/3rds bodies. Their sensors are not that much smaller than a crop DSLR, but bulk wise - especially when it comes to lenses, they are far smaller. I traded my 5D2 (full frame Canon) with L (i.e. high end) lenses for a micro 4/3rds system and haven't regretted it once. Used prices of something like a Oly OM-D E5 or Panasonic G6 would be well within your budget - including some decent lenses.
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yes I would not rule out mirrorless and seeing as you are used to Panasonic system then m4/3rds might be ideal for your step up, G5 w/ kit lens can be purchased new for £250 now, absolute bargain.

that said getting to a shop and having a feel of all systems is what you need to do, all systems have their quirks so you have to decide which quirks suit you best.
 
I would get a short list then go try them think of your needs canon and nikon have the most lenses between them including 3rd party.
Remember when you buy a DSLR you buy into a system so make sure that system suits your needs.
 
For your budget a mint used D700 is probably one of the best options :)

If you want the best DSLR then go for a Nikon D4s / Canon 1Dx There only about £4000 more than your budget ;)
 
Get yourself a canon 50D for around £175 and the canon 24-105 IS L lens for around £450 and a canon 60mm macro for around £160 you are then in budget and have a bloody good start up kit.
 
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