Best starter dslr
- Thread starter muzzer
- Start date
If you plan on buying a kit, and living with it, and not getting any other lenses then you will probably find that the image quality from the above are all about the same. The Sony is the smallest and lightest so will be easiest on the shoulder when travelling. The moment the light is low, you'll appreciate the nikon/canon as their low light performance is better.
So basically if you stick with the kit lens, the choice is probably viewfinder, ergonomics, weight, size. The sony is the light and small winner, but personally I find the viewfinder too small to be useful for compostion, and prefer the nikon/canon finder.
If you are planning on getting additional lenses for these cameras then you need to look at the lens ranges that are available and try and make a decision based on what you will want to do. In this range the nikon and canon clearly win as long established ranges so there is much choice of quality primes for these models. As a general rule Nikon make better wide angle, whilst canon make better telephoto lenses. A generalisation, but probably accepted by most. So if you are interested in landscapes, go Nikon, or if you are a closet birder, go Canon.
Of course the quality lenses will cost more than the £400 kit, so maybe it is not worth considering these, but you'd be surprised how good the images are from the cheap cameras with decent lenses attached.
Cesare
So basically if you stick with the kit lens, the choice is probably viewfinder, ergonomics, weight, size. The sony is the light and small winner, but personally I find the viewfinder too small to be useful for compostion, and prefer the nikon/canon finder.
If you are planning on getting additional lenses for these cameras then you need to look at the lens ranges that are available and try and make a decision based on what you will want to do. In this range the nikon and canon clearly win as long established ranges so there is much choice of quality primes for these models. As a general rule Nikon make better wide angle, whilst canon make better telephoto lenses. A generalisation, but probably accepted by most. So if you are interested in landscapes, go Nikon, or if you are a closet birder, go Canon.
Of course the quality lenses will cost more than the £400 kit, so maybe it is not worth considering these, but you'd be surprised how good the images are from the cheap cameras with decent lenses attached.
Cesare
JTC
PFM Villager...
I reckon you'll be fine with anything from Canon, Nikon or Pentax. Not sure about the Sony - I'd be scared it breaks (as is the case with anything Sony I've owned, pretty much).
I'm waiting for the Canon 5D mk2 - waits getting rather wearisome I must admit... would plump for a current 5D but I want to see how Canon responds to Nikon's D3, and the next body update just *has* to be the 5D, so we ought to see Canon raise their game...
I'm waiting for the Canon 5D mk2 - waits getting rather wearisome I must admit... would plump for a current 5D but I want to see how Canon responds to Nikon's D3, and the next body update just *has* to be the 5D, so we ought to see Canon raise their game...
cliffpatte
Speed camera anarchist
What about the Olympus E-410?
Cliff
Cliff
Canon have updated their kit lenses a couple of times, so make sure you are looking at reviews for the right one online. If you like the feel of the Nikon, then go for it!
BTW, do consider second hand. Try here:
http://www.mxv.co.uk/nikondigital.asp
for their current available nikon DSLRs. I'm not sure what a D50 or D80 would offer instead of a D40X, but they are very honest and straightforward, so give them a ring and they will tell you the condition of the items. You get 12 months guarantee with their second hand stuff which is hard to fault.
Cesare
flatpopely
Prog Rock/Moderator
I have a Nikon D40. You can get these online for £250 as a kit, bargain. The metering is a bit shit but other than that the picture quality is stunning if you move away from 'Auto'. Even in Auto as a 'point and shoot' it's way better than the Canon Powershot A95 I had before and that was a great little camera.
Make sure you buy the camera for what you NEED. I only bought a DSLR because I need to use my camera on a telescope with long exposure times. Otherwise I would have bought another full manual compact.
Make sure you buy the camera for what you NEED. I only bought a DSLR because I need to use my camera on a telescope with long exposure times. Otherwise I would have bought another full manual compact.
James
Lord of the Erg\o/s
A starter DSLR presumes you'll add to it. If so, consider price and availability of good quality lenses. Nikon and Canon glass is often rather expensive, and not always backwards compatible with their DSLRs. That is why I chose Pentax. All of their K-mount lenses will fit their DSLRs, including some of the best prime lenses that are very affordable second-hand. If you can buy a body-only DSLR, you can always add the lenses afterwards. Most of the 18-55mm lenses that are bundled with kits are not particularly bright or sharp.
James
James
RichardH
Bodging pleb
James is right, but the body and kit lens often doesn't cost much more than the bare body, and the 18mm wide angle of the kit lenses can be very handy for snaps of family etc indoors, so don't get too hung up about it - so if it's only a few quid different, then I'd certainly go for the kit lens as well.
Muzzer,
If you go with the Nikon then the 18-70 lens is better than the standard 18-55 which features in most kits. Also some of the independent lenses are very good for the money. It may depend on the standards you are trying to achieve. I also use a Sigma APO 75-300 zoom which I had with my old Film SLR's and that really does give good results.
Another option for you if you want protability coupled with the ability to get creative is something along the lines of a Canon G9 or the equivalent Nikon. Very good results but not as good as a DSLR though for ultimate quality and speed if you shoot movement or multiple frames.
If you go with the Nikon then the 18-70 lens is better than the standard 18-55 which features in most kits. Also some of the independent lenses are very good for the money. It may depend on the standards you are trying to achieve. I also use a Sigma APO 75-300 zoom which I had with my old Film SLR's and that really does give good results.
Another option for you if you want protability coupled with the ability to get creative is something along the lines of a Canon G9 or the equivalent Nikon. Very good results but not as good as a DSLR though for ultimate quality and speed if you shoot movement or multiple frames.
Jonathan Ribee
Unavailable at present
I asked this questions a few months ago and ended up with this...
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5608043/Trail/searchtext>PENTAX.htm
And will probably soon track down one of these with the money saved over something more exotic...
http://www.elitegadgets.com/P/Pentax-FA-35mm-F2-AL-Wide-Angle-Lens(360).aspx
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5608043/Trail/searchtext>PENTAX.htm
And will probably soon track down one of these with the money saved over something more exotic...
http://www.elitegadgets.com/P/Pentax-FA-35mm-F2-AL-Wide-Angle-Lens(360).aspx
James
Lord of the Erg\o/s
Richard is right. A purpose built prime lens (the Pentax DA14/2.8 comes to mind), is frighteningly expensive. A better all-purpose lens is the DA16-45/4. I got that one bundled with my earlier *istDS for a small premium over the 18-55 cheapie.
James
JTC
PFM Villager...
In fairness, unless you're buying a 10D or one of the full frame cameras, all EOS lenses will work with all EOS DSLRs as far as I understand it. If you're in the market for a full frame camera you ought really to know enough about it all to avoid buying the EF-S 'reduced frame' lenses in the first place. Unless you mean FD mount lenses, but they're ages old now...
Frankly, as I said before, I think you'd be hard pressed to buy a BAD digital SLR these days - they're all going to be more than enough camera for all but the most serious shooters... what's most important is to find the one that fits best in your hand and that has the buttons and dials in places that make sense to you.
Joe P
Memory Alpha incarnate | mod; Shatner number = 2
muz,
All signs point to Fuji exiting the D-SLR market, which is a shame since they offered something different from the Canikon options, but the upside is that you can get an S5Pro for 500 UKP as remaining stock is blown out.
http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/item/331-501A/
If you can stretch your budget another 100 pounds for the camera, plus whatever for a lens or two, the S5 is worth putting on your shortlist. Its strengths are nice flesh tones, extended dynamic range and excellent white balance; its weaknesses are low res (6MP in a 10 to 12MP D-SLR market), enormous raw files and possible lack of future firmware support, though I doubt Fuji is going belly up the way Konica-Minolta's camera division did.
Personally, I would take the Fuji over a D80 or D200, but not the D300, as the D300 seems to have closed the image quality gap, while having a very nice 100% finder, being higher res, faster, etc.
Joe
All signs point to Fuji exiting the D-SLR market, which is a shame since they offered something different from the Canikon options, but the upside is that you can get an S5Pro for 500 UKP as remaining stock is blown out.
http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/item/331-501A/
If you can stretch your budget another 100 pounds for the camera, plus whatever for a lens or two, the S5 is worth putting on your shortlist. Its strengths are nice flesh tones, extended dynamic range and excellent white balance; its weaknesses are low res (6MP in a 10 to 12MP D-SLR market), enormous raw files and possible lack of future firmware support, though I doubt Fuji is going belly up the way Konica-Minolta's camera division did.
Personally, I would take the Fuji over a D80 or D200, but not the D300, as the D300 seems to have closed the image quality gap, while having a very nice 100% finder, being higher res, faster, etc.
Joe
Not the D40DX ASAICT its too dumbed down...+there are issues with lens compatability.
Head straight for the D80 (if you can).
I am a Nikon a man these days.
A week ago a dropped my (Nikon) 5700 onto a canal tow path......its still fine.
The lens cap took the shock.
Just need a new one of those
