Help with DigitalSLR Purchace?

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mynameisjon1988

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Hi im new here so first off let me say hello im Jon
Right I am looking to buy a digital SLR camera but I have no clue what to look for in a SLR. Basically what I am asking is what cameras are the best on the market for my budget. My budget is a relitively low one of £300
I would like to be able to take really detailed and intricate photos also the option for macro is a must (obviously I need to get the macro lenses but they will be brought later in the year)
Oh and my friend keeps mentioning a lumix camera that was reveiwd on the gadget show I think does anyone know what it was?

So can anyone help me please

Thank you Jon :wave:
 
Firstly, go to a shop like Jessops and handle & navigate there menus of a few models in your price range.

Sony A200/A300
Nikon d40x/d60
Canon 400d/1000d
Olympus e410/e420

I think the best value for money is the Olympus E410 twin lens kit around £280. Sony A300 can be had for £300 with kit lens. Canon 400d £290 with kit lens. Nikon d40x £270 with kit lens. The Olympus & Sony have live-view with the Sony having image stabilization built in the body.
 
Personally I'd go for Canon or Nikon. The choice of lenses is better for later on when you want to upgrade your equipment and start trying new things. Buying a DSLR costs way more than the purchase price in the long run, trust me. But, as has been said above, go along to your local Jessops and have a play with all of them, see which one takes your fancy.
 
at the op's level there are more than enough lenses available for the likes of Pentax & Sony, indeed more than for the Nikon D40/D40X/D60.
I do agree with going to a shop & handling them all.
If he likes it & is fast (qualifying purchases for cashback end 31/1 with claims in by end of Feb.) he can get a Sony A200 c/w kit 18-70mm for £240 less £30 cashback so £210 net.
 
The Sony Alpha 300 will win on the amount of technology in the body (for the money) to help you take better photos. There is of course more to it than that so yeah, go have a play.
 
have just bought a Nikon over the Canon as I only looked at the 2 "leaders". However price rises on these 2 have been quite savage over the last week especially on lenses and flash guns, so if I were choosing again I would broaden my outlook and the Sony does look very attractive.

But do go and handle them, I love my Nikon, but a colleague at work prefers the Canon as its lighter - its a personal thing.....
 
:wave:Hi and welcome i m a newbie myself but have had a great welcome and the members have been a great help to me.I am a canon person and i did own the canon 400d before i upgraded it was a cracking camera.My dad is a nikon user which i also think am brill.I agree to go and handle the cameras and do some research on what lens you will want to purchase and prices but I always say go for that better glass because it will make all the difference it is not always about the camera.
 
For a starter camera I would definitely be looking at the Canon 400D and the Nikon D40X.

There are newer slightly improved versions of these cameras, namely the 450D and the D60 but to fit better within your budget you are better off looking at the 400D and D40X. Nothing wrong with them at all, very good starter cameras.

You will find that as you learn more you will spend more, especially on lenses! :p Good luck mate! :thumbs:
 
Thanks for all the help guys really helpful

Like a lot of you have said I will get myself down to jessops to have a real look at some of the cameras that have been mentioned (think i might have to write them all down lol)

As for when i find the camera for me where is the best place to buy them do you recommed buying from jessops or buying online?

Thanks jon
 
I'm a Nikon user but would,nt recommend the D40 D40X or D60, just due to there lack of inbuilt motor for af, but there's a couple of good second hand deals here on a D70S body £150 HERE and a 18-70mm lens for £95 on the same forum HERE this would be a fairly cheap great starter kit :)
 
Right quick update I have been to jessops and had a look at what they had on offer and I really like the sony Alpha 300 and I think I would like to buy this camera.
Does anywhere online or locally (I live in Telford) have any deals on this camera or anything like that or does anyone on the forum have it that wants to sell?

Thanks Jon
 
Sony & Jessops have a deal where Jessops are the only official UK seller of the A300 afaik. Plenty of outlets handle the A350 (same camera, higher resolution sensor) or the A200 (no liveview, better optical viewfinder) however.
 
again: i think we should start a sticky thread about first DSLR's? do mod's need to make stickys or can anyone?
 
check out this site...

http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/cat22.html

The lumix reviewed on the gadget show was a P&S. They seemed to like the canon 450D

although if you can squeeze out an extra £40, seems like Jessops has the best deal for the A300 + 17-80mm lens for £340 and no harm asking them for a deal, Jessops aren't doing too well at the moment good time to bargain.

http://www.jessops.com/online.store...ony/Alpha A300 18-70mm Lens -74276/Show.html

The A200, A300 and A350 have a lot in common. They all share essentially the same body, controls, features and accessories, but the higher-end models add something new to the mix. The A200 is the base model with a 10.2 Megapixel sensor and a fixed screen. The A300 keeps the same sensor, but adds Live View and a tilting screen. Finally, the A350 takes the A300 and simply swaps its 10.2 Megapixel sensor for one with 14.2 Megapixels.
 
Sony are also doing a cashback offer on their camera's, A300 has a £40 cashback.

The brand leaders are Nikon and Canon, but the likes of Sony, Pentax and Olympus are getting there fair share of interest. Pansonic has just released a SLR, G1, similar to the Olympus system, by all accounts is making a few waves in the market. The other makes are catching up in image / build / features / quality etc but personally I would still choose between Canon or Nikon, just for quality of image, colours and the amount of choise out there interms of lenses etc, but we have to take into account your very small budget and what you can afford, the sony will get you started.
 
mynameisjon1988 said:
Right quick update I have been to jessops and had a look at what they had on offer and I really like the sony Alpha 300 and I think I would like to buy this camera.
Does anywhere online or locally (I live in Telford) have any deals on this camera or anything like that or does anyone on the forum have it that wants to sell?

Thanks Jon
Click to expand...

Jon,
Where in Telford? anywhere near Wellington ?
PM me

Ian
 
another update Ive got my camera I got the sony alpha 300 with the 17-80mm lens, I also got a TAMRON 70-300 macro lens and a camera bag to carry it all in for £309 including postage. so I killed two birds with one stone cus I was planning on getting a macro lens anyway (maybe not the best macro lens but its a start)
just got to get a memory card now and I can get snapping lol

thanks for all your help guys :)

thanks jon
 
marcusp13 said:
again: i think we should start a sticky thread about first DSLR's? do mod's need to make stickys or can anyone?
Click to expand...

Yeah, it is only staff who can create sticky's.
As a matter of personal interest here (and Im not picking, Im genuinely interested) just what do people think/pressume is a 'first dslr' then?
 
mynameisjon1988 said:
another update Ive got my camera I got the sony alpha 300 with the 17-80mm lens, I also got a TAMRON 70-300 macro lens and a camera bag to carry it all in for £309 including postage. so I killed two birds with one stone cus I was planning on getting a macro lens anyway (maybe not the best macro lens but its a start)
just got to get a memory card now and I can get snapping lol

thanks for all your help guys :)

thanks jon
Click to expand...

I already did in this earlier post lol :thumbs:
 
ive got a 400d, more batts, and kit lens, all boxed, manuals, cd etc all mint

pm me if your interested at all
 
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