What to buy?

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leila-k

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Lee Anne
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Hello everyone...I have joined your lovely forum because I have decided to step up from my world of Sony Cybershot into digital SLR - YAY! I wonder if anyone could advise me on a good starter SLR. Was considering Sony as they are trusted brand in my household. Love Canon too, but seem a little pricey for my budget considering I'm just starting out (need to prove active interest before husband will shell out!).

So anyway, was doing some research and really came undone when had to think about body, lenses etc. Clearly I have a lot to learn, all a bit baffling for me! So my question, I put to you the experts, any recommendation on a good starter SLR?

Any advice much appreciated, thanks...LK
 
First of all, welcome:)

1st thing to think about: You're buying into a system, not just a camera. Bodies come and go, the real investment is in the lenses (long term)

2nd thing: What's your top-end, budget wise?

3rd thing: For a beginners DSLR, Canon 1000D, Nikon D60, Sony Alpha A200, Pentax K200, Olympus E-420 are all in roughly the same price-bracket. Go physically handle them, see which "feels" good to handle. Obviously, Nikon & Canon are the most popular brands, but don't discount the others. All long established camera manufacturers (Sony took over Konica-Minoltas imaging division)

4th: What sort of photography do you do? Plan to do?

Questions, questions, questions :)
 
Welcome to the forum - You won't be suprised to hear yours is a popular question - You won't have to scroll down to far to see a number of similar threads - Here's a great Tutorial which might help though before you lash out any hard earned on your first D-SLR http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=82464
HTH ... Paul :thumbs:
 
I was enjoying reading that until you mentioned the word "husband"

You are on your own on this one. :D
 
Yeah ditch the husband and spend his money!!:lol::lol::lol: :thumbs:
 
Hi leila-k,
Welcome to the forum.
I got my first D-SLR about a year ago but I was shopping for a good couple of months before I decided what to get.

In the end my decision was probably a little simpler as I have a couple of friends that are photographers, one with a Canon 5D, one with a Nikon D60 and one with a Sony Alpha A200.

They all let me have a play around with them (just as any good shop will if you go in and ask) and told me the pro's and con's to each system.

In the end I decided to go for a cheep as chips Canon 350D and spent the rest of my budget on a flash gun (sigma 500 DG) a Nifty Fifty (50mm F1.8 prime) a Sigma 70-300 APO and a LowPro bag.

It was a great starter kit and despite the camera being as old as gods dog, it was a good intro into the SLR world.

Since then I have invested in a home studio setup and upgraded my camera body.
I'm now on the hunt for a decent lens but the kit that I have is still way more advanced than my skill set for the moment!

Don't spend loads on your first set up and as long as you buy from someone with a good reputation (take a look at the classified section on this forum) you can do a lot worse than buying a 2nd hand body!!

Hope this helps
 
As Red said, you have to think about what you are buying in to. Its not just a case of get Brand X camera, get bored buy Brand Y camera etc. What you want to do is think about the future. Go Handle a Canon 450d and a 40d or 50d, a Nikon D40 and a D90. Because its not only the camera you buy now, but then its what you might upgrade to. And the most important thing is Lenses, once you start to buy ones for that brand, it makes it that much harder to change brands once your commited.

I just love my Canon stuff, and i made the right choice when investing in Brands when i first started out, thats for sure!
 
Get a Canon for no other reason than to wind up the NEyeCon clan!! :)

You might be as well looking at a cheap 2nd hand 350D, 400D or a 20D body on here if you decide to take the plunge - you could then spend a little more on a better starter lens! :)
 
iant said:
Don't forget us newbies are technically blocked from that. 30 days and 100 posts.
Click to expand...

I would guess you are blocked from selling not buying :shrug:

Yep, just checked the rules... you can't start a new thread till you have been a member for 30 days and have 100 posts or more.

Nothing stopping you posting an interest!
 
Hey Guys, thanks for the welcome and for simplifying the mission...I'll even forgive the anti-husband jibes. I'm keen to get started now but guess I'm going to be shopping around for ages.

To answer one of Red's questions: I'm going to New Zealand at the end of the year and hope to be quite good by then so as to get some nice landscape pics...hope nature shots not to boring to start on ;)

lk
 
I feel like I have been an adult for long enough now so I'm reverting back to the child that I really am.....

Get a Canon, Nikon's suck!
 
i was quite lucky in terms of my first cameras, i managed to get a Minolta off my grandparents for free, then I had some money stored away from my parents, which i then brought myself a Nikon D80 kit with and I still love it.
 
The Canon 450d looks a good starter package, worth a look.
 
What is a serious budget you would be looking at here?
 
Hi Leila
Iam in the same boat as you just getting back into slr from compacts. See my post a few pages down 'entry level' for some interesting thoughts.

Alesdare (reddeathdrinker) advised me the same as you to handle a few bodies before deciding. He was bang on, I was leaning towards a D90 intil i picked one up, felt like a brick, I go hiking so would have been tough dragging that.

In the running for me now is the sony. Jessops are doing the alpha a300 for 340.00 with lens (18-55) with 40 quid cash back. everyone has said what a brilliant camera it is for that money. some say better than the 350.

But iam still looking over wistfully at the 450d, but like you my other half (wife in my case) cant understand why i would pay 180.00 more for basically the same spec?

Then i start thinking for a 100 or two more you can get the d90 or 40D.

There are also a few Nikon D80 around last of the new ones. I think these are going for 360 body only, but remember nikon lens are steep, even preowned.

Like i have said i think you are in the same boat as me starting out on a restricted budget. Iam no expert like some of the guys on here. just thought i could save you some leg work as i have been looking around for a week or so now.

cheers

john
 
candlestick said:
Get a Canon for no other reason than to wind up the NEyeCon clan!! :)
Click to expand...
Or a Sony to wind them both up ...:p

Seriously, if you don't need/want liveview imo the a200 is extremely hard to beat as a starter. with Sony cashback (must buy before the end of Jan to qualify) you can get 1 with the kit lens for £240-£30 cashback= £210 net.
 
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