Best entry level DSLR ..

To be honest it makes no difference wether you choose Canon or Nikon as they are Market leaders.
As has already been mentioned, you can have the best camera but without decent glass you will not get the best results. With your budget I suggest popping in to your local camera shop and see what second hand bodies they have. My local Jacobs Digital usually has 2 or 3 for sale. You then want 1 decent lens. Look for something around 17-70 mm and around f2.8-f4. You are going. To be spending around £350 for this either new or second hand. Then you need 1 CF/SD card, try Amazon for this.
This will pretty much swallow about £600 or thereabouts but it will be a good start from which you can learn and expand.

Andy
 
Keebsuk said:
To be honest it makes no difference wether you choose Canon or Nikon as they are Market leaders.
As has already been mentioned, you can have the best camera but without decent glass you will not get the best results. With your budget I suggest popping in to your local camera shop and see what second hand bodies they have. My local Jacobs Digital usually has 2 or 3 for sale. You then want 1 decent lens. Look for something around 17-70 mm and around f2.8-f4. You are going. To be spending around £350 for this either new or second hand. Then you need 1 CF/SD card, try Amazon for this.
This will pretty much swallow about £600 or thereabouts but it will be a good start from which you can learn and expand.

Andy
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thanks alot, I'll have to get myself to some camera shops with my SD card,
Take some tester images and look them over on my computer. Jessops are usually really good for letting me play around with cameras (Concidering I'm 16 and teenagers don't have the best reputation in the world ;) so I'll get round to doing that, with a few specific cameras I want to try out in mind. There are plenty of Jessops shops around London so thats my plan ! Just need some travel money and lunch money =D

I do have a 8GB SD card but may try and get a newer one, SDXC I think they're called, or an SDHC.
 
The SDXC cards are pretty expensive I think, stick to the SDHC cards, like the Sandisk ones, and you'll be fine. Shooting 18mp RAW on my 550D and I can still fit over 200 pictures on a single 8GB card, so you'll really have to try and fill it in a single day.
 
Nikon d3100 is z good entry level mate has one and loves it
 
BrandonDouglas said:
thanks alot, I'll have to get myself to some camera shops with my SD card,
Take some tester images and look them over on my computer. Jessops are usually really good for letting me play around with cameras (Concidering I'm 16 and teenagers don't have the best reputation in the world ;) so I'll get round to doing that, with a few specific cameras I want to try out in mind. There are plenty of Jessops shops around London so thats my plan ! Just need some travel money and lunch money =D

I do have a 8GB SD card but may try and get a newer one, SDXC I think they're called, or an SDHC.
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Camera bodies come and go as technology moves on, lenses are what most photographers 'invest' in, as they will tend to hang on to them much longer.
ANY camera body will surfice for now, good glass is where it's at.
there are plenty of relatively cheap prime lenses that will give you sharper images than most (if not all) zoom lenses (and at a far lower cost).
You will also learn more about composition, framing, exposure, DOF etc this way (there is NO quick fix to mastering photography).
Any DSLR body with 5-6mp upwards will do you for now, you can move on to the newer/bigger/better bodies as you grow into the hobby.

No such thing as an 8gb SD card.
SD only goes up to 2gb
SDHC goes from 4gb upwards
SDXC are very new, not many cameras support these yet.
Others may correct me if I'm wrong here, but I thought most DSLR's used CF cards (generally faster than sdhc)
I am sure there are some DSLR's that use SD type cards, but you will limit your choice of body quite severely.
Don't let the memory card be a deal breaker.
500 shots per day hmm! you really need to think about what and how you shoot - quality rather than quantity.
The scattergun approach won't teach you anything.
Now you may not like the next bit of advice but here goes anyway......
If you REALLY want to learn, get hold an old SLR and shoot film, you certainly won't be shooting 500 shots a day, but it will force you to concentrate on what you want to acheive.
Experience ONLY comes with time, you can't buy it.......

Good luck, with whatever you eventually get - most of all, have fun...:wave:
 
Howi said:
Camera bodies come and go as technology moves on, lenses are what most photographers 'invest' in, as they will tend to hang on to them much longer.
ANY camera body will surfice for now, good glass is where it's at.
there are plenty of relatively cheap prime lenses that will give you sharper images than most (if not all) zoom lenses (and at a far lower cost).
You will also learn more about composition, framing, exposure, DOF etc this way (there is NO quick fix to mastering photography).
Any DSLR body with 5-6mp upwards will do you for now, you can move on to the newer/bigger/better bodies as you grow into the hobby.

No such thing as an 8gb SD card.
SD only goes up to 2gb
SDHC goes from 4gb upwards
SDXC are very new, not many cameras support these yet.
Others may correct me if I'm wrong here, but I thought most DSLR's used CF cards (generally faster than sdhc)
I am sure there are some DSLR's that use SD type cards, but you will limit your choice of body quite severely.
Don't let the memory card be a deal breaker.
500 shots per day hmm! you really need to think about what and how you shoot - quality rather than quantity.
The scattergun approach won't teach you anything.
Now you may not like the next bit of advice but here goes anyway......
If you REALLY want to learn, get hold an old SLR and shoot film, you certainly won't be shooting 500 shots a day, but it will force you to concentrate on what you want to acheive.
Experience ONLY comes with time, you can't buy it.......

Good luck, with whatever you eventually get - most of all, have fun...:wave:
Click to expand...

I've got an old Fujifilm film camera (200ix Zoom) I just don't know where to purchase film from. As for the 500 shots a day, I did mention that I'd only done that once previously and that was an example of the most shots I can do in a day, as for now I take up to 200 on an average day of photography.

You are right, I got confused with the memory card as I had a micro SDHC card in a micro SD to SD adapter, therefore I thought it was SD. the EOS 550D is compatible with SD, SDHC and SDXC and so are many other newer DSLR's.

This 500D Is the same price as the 550D but with an extra lens, Canon EF-S 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III DC Lens

Would it be a better idea to opt for that ?
 
Nikon D3100 Looks the better option for me as it is cheaper and virtually the same as the 550D

Canon EOS 550D W/ 18-55mm lens £599
Nikon D3100 W/ 18-55mm lens + Tamron 70-300mm + Spare battery AND a free Jessops action camera (worth £50) - £599.85

Clear choice ?
 
*does head maths
I need the exact name of that Tamron lens - if it has image stabilisation then it's a ok deal, not a great one, but what you would expect to pay for new for the lot. If there is no IS then laugh and walk away.

Jessops are good for some things - there own brand flashes, filters and tripods are very good value for money, but they are not that great for new latest generation equipment. Price shop around, Amazon is great, believe it or not Argos are ok, london camera exchange often have deals on and so on.
 
id go for a cheap nikon body (maybe slightly older one) and then one of the nikon kit lenses (alright quality for there price(got mine for 100)) and a 50mm/35mm prime for about 70-150 you'll have a good set to start finding out what you wont from your lenses and body, and if you buy second hand you wont have to worry about losing money if you decide its not what you want :)
Jack
 
Decca said:
*does head maths
I need the exact name of that Tamron lens - if it has image stabilisation then it's a ok deal, not a great one, but what you would expect to pay for new for the lot. If there is no IS then laugh and walk away.

Jessops are good for some things - there own brand flashes, filters and tripods are very good value for money, but they are not that great for new latest generation equipment. Price shop around, Amazon is great, believe it or not Argos are ok, london camera exchange often have deals on and so on.
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This is the Tamron lens http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/66332/Show.html
I don't think it does have IS :s
 
You should go to the shops and play with all the cameras you think you might like.
Then either new or secondhand:

Buy the one that feels most comfortable in your hands, after all you will be holding it.
It will be the camera you find has the most intuitive button layout and control menu.
The price will be suited to your budget.

Don't forget to include in your budget a memory card and a bag if not included in a package.

Remember all the cameras can take good picture's, it is you however that make them great.

Never buy on the basis of other people saying "this one is great". It may be for them but not always for you. Buying a camera is a very personal choice.
 
PsiFox said:
You should go to the shops and play with all the cameras you think you might like.
Then either new or secondhand:

Buy the one that feels most comfortable in your hands, after all you will be holding it.
It will be the camera you find has the most intuitive button layout and control menu.
The price will be suited to your budget.

Don't forget to include in your budget a memory card and a bag if not included in a package.

Remember all the cameras can take good picture's, it is you however that make them great.

Never buy on the basis of other people saying "this one is great". It may be for them but not always for you. Buying a camera is a very personal choice.
Click to expand...

I've already got a bag and memory card. Thanks for emphasising that it is up to me ;)
 
If you've never owned a DSLR or a bridge camera the world is your oyster!

I was pretty much locked into Canon as I had owned a canon bridge camera previously and so used to the menu system trying to use a Nikon drove me cuckoo!

You need to think about any physical limitations you may have. For example, I have small hands which makes any of the big boy cameras tiring to use over a long day as I'm always 'reaching' for the buttons. Do you have shaky hands? Then maybe Image Stabilisation is a priority.
 
lazer chikkin said:
If you've never owned a DSLR or a bridge camera the world is your oyster!

I was pretty much locked into Canon as I had owned a canon bridge camera previously and so used to the menu system trying to use a Nikon drove me cuckoo!

You need to think about any physical limitations you may have. For example, I have small hands which makes any of the big boy cameras tiring to use over a long day as I'm always 'reaching' for the buttons. Do you have shaky hands? Then maybe Image Stabilisation is a priority.
Click to expand...

I've currently got a FinePix s200EXR but I'm quite capable of getting use to another camera.

My hands are a decent size so too large wont be a problem, too small might be though. but when I go to Jessops that'll be sorted.
 
BrandonDouglas said:
This is the Tamron lens http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/66332/Show.html
I don't think it does have IS :s
Click to expand...
it doesn't on a Canon or Nikon but it would on a Pentax or Sony (IS built into body).
Canon & Nikon are undeniably the biggest but it doesn't automatically mean that they are the best. As already mentioned there isn't a bad current production DSLR body but they do vary in how they handle & therefore how comfortable you are with them - visit a shop & handle the different bodies from different companies to see which you feel most at home with.
 
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That's a very good lens, avoid the nikon 18-200 AF-S VR as it's a bit of a dog.
 
BrandonDouglas said:
I've changed my ind again !
The EOS 550D Has much better video quality,
Unfortunately the D3100's continuous auto-focus makes too much noise ! and the auto-focusing is pretty bad too.
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Nono, the autofocus isn't the problem, it's the very dodgy position of the microphone picking up the autofocus, but yes if video is a priority then it's whole new game. Did you look at the Sony A33/A55? They are both cracking cameras as well.
 
Decca said:
Nono, the autofocus isn't the problem, it's the very dodgy position of the microphone picking up the autofocus, but yes if video is a priority then it's whole new game. Did you look at the Sony A33/A55? They are both cracking cameras as well.
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I'd certainly find the tilting screen on the A55 Useful !
That's a plus compared to the 550D
 
they are also the only bodies with genuinely decent AF for video but not everybody like the electronic viewfinder & their small size.
If you don't like the EVF then the Sony A580 is also an excellent more conventional DSLR.
 
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BrandonDouglas said:
I've changed my ind again !
The EOS 550D Has much better video quality,
Unfortunately the D3100's continuous auto-focus makes too much noise ! and the auto-focusing is pretty bad too.
Click to expand...

550D, good choice =op
 
BrandonDouglas said:
D300 Is probably the sensible choice as it is much cheaper and the image quality is almost identical. But I don't think I could stand that nose from the AF during filming !
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The D300 is a much more expensive semi-pro model, are you thinking of the D3000?
 
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The D3000 is far worse for Video than the D3100, also, (and oh god I just realised that I can reel off all these numbers out from memory and know the difference,) if you are after a semi-pro then you don't want the D300 for video you want the D300S.

I sometimes get the sneaking suspicion that all this stuff is taking up the areas of my brain that could be solving world hunger.
 
I have to add this,you should be taking more time with each shot and not taking 20 of the same image and trying to get atleast one right.
if you know how you want to the shot to look,then take your time. get a decent beginners Dslr, you mentioned the 550D? its a good camera, and the kit lens is good, upgrade when you feel your getting better.

but to be honest,to improve, get yourself a Film Slr. take 2 days a week to use that and only that. you'll notice an improvement. especially as you'll only have an average of 90 shots a day.
 
Who said I take 20 of the same one ?

I may take up to 5 shots of one subject, my first shot would be what I initially invisioned, and the next lot would be other possible ways I could make that photo maybe more interesting, a new angle, zoomed in more, larger aperture etc..

I don't just casually take 20 pictures of everything I see.
 
Hello, could I make a suggestion based on my experience. I got my first DSLR about 2mths ago and was having a major stress about which one to get... I decided straight away that I wanted to go with Nikon (it may have been a girly looks thing lol). Anyway I was stressing over the D3100 and the D5000, as although the D3100 had a newer sensor (not always an advantage) and HD video the D5000 had a better sensor imo (the same as the D90) and more options as camera than the D3100 (which is what I wanted in a camera really).

Anyway there is not much between the D3100 and the D5000 imo apart from the video (which I have NEVER used) and the price... at the momemt as the D5000 has been subseeded by the D5100. I got my D5000, 18-55 VR and 55-200 VR for £500.

I am very happy with my D5000 and I think I have taken some good pics, have a look :D :D

Ps - I take looooooooooads of pics of the same thing too :lol:
 
Clearly it wasn't to be taken literally, So there was no reason to Snap at someone trying to offer you some form of advise that you clearly neglected to acknowledge. But I'll point out, Taking 5 photographs of the same image, is still taking more shots of the same image, regardless if its at a different angle,shutter speed,zoomed or with a larger aperture. I'm not denying of being guilty to this either, I was offering advise on how to improve on using less frames to capture the shot you required, as it often improves the quality of your shots.

But I'll give you the only advise you asked for then, no one here can tell you what is the "Best Entry level Dslr is". Their biased in their own system they have bought into. You have a Budget, you Clearly know where a camera store/website is to view Spec's of the cameras within your budget and finally decide on a camera that you think is the right one for you. I would maybe suggest visiting a store to see how they feel. Its a question that we see in every photo-graphical forum at least twice a week, if not more. And generally end up with the Op purchasing one of the Cameras they've mentioned. Go with your gut feeling at the end of the day. It's only really you that can pick the best entry level Dslr as it'll only be you using it? And after all, it's only a Camera, would it matter if it was a Nikon,Canon,Pentax or a Lumix? Just aslong as it get's you the shot's you wanted then i wouldn't care what was in my Bag at the end of the day. On occasion i've picked up my bag and its only had my Pentax K100D in it an 70-300 lens, a camera 6/7 years old. and ive still managed to get brilliant shots with.
 
John Mc said:
Clearly it wasn't to be taken literally, So there was no reason to Snap at someone trying to offer you some form of advise that you clearly neglected to acknowledge. But I'll point out, Taking 5 photographs of the same image, is still taking more shots of the same image, regardless if its at a different angle,shutter speed,zoomed or with a larger aperture. I'm not denying of being guilty to this either, I was offering advise on how to improve on using less frames to capture the shot you required, as it often improves the quality of your shots.

But I'll give you the only advise you asked for then, no one here can tell you what is the "Best Entry level Dslr is". Their biased in their own system they have bought into. You have a Budget, you Clearly know where a camera store/website is to view Spec's of the cameras within your budget and finally decide on a camera that you think is the right one for you. I would maybe suggest visiting a store to see how they feel. Its a question that we see in every photo-graphical forum at least twice a week, if not more. And generally end up with the Op purchasing one of the Cameras they've mentioned. Go with your gut feeling at the end of the day. It's only really you that can pick the best entry level Dslr as it'll only be you using it? And after all, it's only a Camera, would it matter if it was a Nikon,Canon,Pentax or a Lumix? Just aslong as it get's you the shot's you wanted then i wouldn't care what was in my Bag at the end of the day. On occasion i've picked up my bag and its only had my Pentax K100D in it an 70-300 lens, a camera 6/7 years old. and ive still managed to get brilliant shots with.
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I didn't mean to 'snap' .. its just I've heard enough times 'how bad I am because I take multiple shots'
 
Do try the Sony A580, it's a brilliant bit of kit and has steady shot built in to the camera.
 
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