Buying my first DSLR.

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Brahan

Über Member
Location
West Sussex
Hello everyone.

I'm looking to spend no more than £550 on a decent camera and carry case and I've been told the Canon EOS 450 or 500 is a good bet but I'm open to anyone else's knowledge and sugggestions on the matter.

The cheapest I can find is through an internet site but I'm a bit worried because if I have any issues etc. In recent years I've spent over £700 on various compact cameras but none seem to boast the picture quailty I want.

Please help.

Ta
 

amnesia

Free-wheeling into oblivion...
Unfortunately there is much more to good photography than the camera... lighting, composition, post-processing (photoshopping) etc.


If I were spending that amount of money on a new DSLR I would look at the Nikon D5000 and 18-55 kit lens. I prefer Nikon to Canon, but that's just my preference... can't really go wrong with either. Sony also appear to be popular at that price range, but you're a bit more limited to lens choices if you want to get more into the hobby.

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-nikon-d5000-plus-18-55mm-vr-lens/p1031460

Would leave you a few quid for memory cards, or a spare battery etc.


Head on over to www.talkphotography.co.uk for loads of ideas :smile:

Daniel.
 
asking what camera is a tad like asking what bike... you'll get lots of different opinions. Most will say Canon or Nikon as they're the top two.

i've got a Pentax and love the picture quality. It's also slightly cheaper for some lenses as the shake reduction is in the body - this also means you can use 'film' lenses.

Tamron and Sigma make lenses for most makes of camera, so there's not a lot to choose from with lens choice. certain lenses (such as the Tamron 90mm macro) are preferred to the big name lenses.

try to get your hands on some, literally. it could all come down to how right it feels.
 
I bought an Olympus E420

Mainly because it was smaller, but with similar features. I have never regretted the purchase
 

Alan Whicker

Senior Member
I'm a Nikon man. Part of my income comes from photography, and my Nikons have never let me down (unlike LEXAR MEMORY CARDS :biggrin:) in all sorts of conditions.

I Haven't needed a new DSLR for a few years so I'm not sure what's out there, but my mate just bought a D5000 and loves it. As always, a good lens is a crucial factor.
 

aberal

Veteran
Location
Midlothian
I'm a Nikon man too - but truth be told Nikon/Canon are eaksy peaksy in terms of quality really. Best bet is to go to a camera shop and hold a couple. Honestly - how it feels to you matters hugely.
 

CopperBrompton

Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
Location
London
I've always been Nikon (since the FM, which I still have and which still works), but yes, either Nikon or Canon will give you equal quality and (importantly) equally wide options for lenses, flashguns, etc. If you get into photography seriously at some stage, you'll spend much more on lenses than you will on bodies, so you are buying into a system, and it makes sense to have that be one of the big two.

My advice is to go to a physical store and try both the Nikon D5000 and Canon 500D for at least 20 minutes each, trying several modes and functions so you can get a sense of which ergonomics feel more natural to you.
 

bikepete

Guru
Location
York, UK
Another vote for Pentax (I've used the K10D for magazine photography for several years). Two friends both got the k-x recently and are very happy. Up with the very best in its price range for image quality, and at current prices good value for money IMO. There are top lenses available new or secondhand, and also from third parties.

But as someone says above, any modern DSLR is good.
 

Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
You need to think how you're going to use the camera. They do vary enormously in size and any camera that is left behind on a walk or trip because 'it is too big' is a waste of money. They all take excellent pictures, so find one that suits your needs.

So think how you're going to carry it and other practicalities. For me the Olympus E620 was as big as I would want to go and if you shop around, you might find one of those for your budget.
 

ramses

Active Member
Location
Bournemouth
I would go Canon all the time, but then I've always had Canon.
I have a Canon 50D, but you won't want to spend quite that. My wife has a Canon 450D. I am very impressed with the picture quality, and the functions.

I would recommend going to your local Jessops store or if you don't have one near by try a recommended local camera shop. Ask questions, have a play around.

To be honest between the main brands there isn't a great deal of difference. Some people prefer Canon, some prefer Nikon, some prefer Sony etc... I would say Canon or Nikon would be your best bet.

Don't get overly hung up on the Mega Pixels. It's a bit of a red herring. The important thing is the quality of the product and the Sensor chips. Obviously for future proof purposes you get a decent amount of mega pixels, however unless you plan on blowing your pictures up beyond A3 size, then anything in the range of the Canon 450D and Nikon equiv will be more than ample for the task.

Once you get started you'll want a bigger lens! Always happens, so worth looking at deals for kit bundles, where you get a 200mm or 300mm zoom lens included.
 

rh100

Well-Known Member
I bought a Canon DSLR about 6 years ago, it's been brilliant for an amateur like me. I'm sure I would have been just as happy with a Nikon though. I bought an extra lens by Sigma which gives good results aswell.

I agree about the pixel size business, for average users this ever increasing pixel size is pointless, it strikes me as a marketing driven advancement, but I could be wrong.

One main thing though, what are you doing with the pics you take? No point in a great camera if the prints or the display is crap. Modern monitors seem to give a good image but old style CRT's can be be very poor, which is useless if trying to edit the colour levels etc. Same goes for your photo printer, I settled on a Canon Pixma ip5000 a few years back which prints superb pics, and has a seperate tray to hold the smaller photo paper. I'm sure there are newer models out since but I havn't felt the need to upgrade.
 
I've always been Nikon (since the FM, which I still have and which still works), but yes, either Nikon or Canon will give you equal quality and (importantly) equally wide options for lenses, flashguns, etc. If you get into photography seriously at some stage, you'll spend much more on lenses than you will on bodies, so you are buying into a system, and it makes sense to have that be one of the big two.

My advice is to go to a physical store and try both the Nikon D5000 and Canon 500D for at least 20 minutes each, trying several modes and functions so you can get a sense of which ergonomics feel more natural to you.



The D5000 is indeed a great camera and is very easy to use and good for a beginner. I think the D5000 is 479 quid now. I wish I saved a bit more and got the D90 as the 18-105 lens is much better than the 18-55 on the 5000 so its all in the glass as Mr Allsopp told me when I first looked at getting a DSLR . I went for the Nikon based on recommendation but as Ben says I would recommend going and testing how they feel then look on the net for a deal. I got my D5000 from simply electronics which were pretty good.
 
Top Bottom