Any camera/photography experts on here?

I've also used standard digital cameras for a while, but I'm a reasonably keen photographer and am looking for a DSLR type now.

Prices range from about £150 to £2500 and more.

What are the main differences that give such a wide price range? What are the key specifications you should focus on? I'd like high optical zoom as one thing.

I may be able spend £400-£500 but if I can spend £200 for something nearly as good I might do that.

Any specific recommendations welcome.

Cheers.

 

Hi mate - when I was 16 (1982) I got my first and only SLR; a Fujica STX1 which served me for many years. It was cheap and nasty but legendary in the camera world cos of its odd stop sizes etc ....... but anyway, I added many lenses and parts and I loved it (whether I got any good with it is another matter) ! ! Beer, marriage then kids put a bit of a stop to the hobby, but last year I decided to jump into the DSLR world and I got a Nikon D5100 with a couple of kit lenses (18-55 and 55-200). I absolutely love it. There are bargains to be had all the time due to the relentless changes in technology and thus new releases. Main reason I like the D5100 is cos it has the flip rear display which IMHO is a God-send and should be on all DSLRs. There are many other good Nikons, and for around what you are wanting to spend, the 3100 / 3200 / 5200 are all newer with "feechurs" mine hasn't got (but mine has things they haven't got ! !) Also, I am not going to dis Canon or other makes, cos I am not qualified enough to do so ...... Canon / Nikon ... bit like Ford / Vauxhall - same kinds of model in same kind of price brackets. There are a couple of others on here who take it a bit more serious than me and know their stuff, but happy to advise where I can.

PS ... don't get hung up on the digital zoom / optical zoom thing .... that's more of a point-and-shoot terminology. Just treat zoom the same as you have with the standard SLR and it will all make sense. Buy lenses accordingly ! ! There are bargains to be had !

 

It's a combination of things but with a DSLR's it will mostly be the cost of the lense. A good site to look at is www.dpreview.com also if you know the camera you want use www.camerapricebuster.com to find the best price

 

i got a canon 600D a few months back, just come back off of holiday with it and 620 photographs later i can confirm it's a brilliant piece of kit, i went for Canon as i was told by some professional photographer friends of mine that Nikon can be a little fiddly and too in depth if you're a complete novice to photography. i got it with the 18-55mm lens and it did a smashing job although i'm looking for something with a little more zoom on it now but you can get the camera with a bigger lens on it if you want to spend a little more, Canon also had a 50 quid cash back offer on also.

 

How strange, just done exactly same thing last week. After 10 years of point and click with my Fuji F10 and countless city breaks I've moved up into DSLR territory.

Just order Nikon D3100 and cannot simply wait for it to arrive so I can immerse myself in its power. Like one of dudes says, they tend to come with std 18-55mm. But a 200mm zoom is only like 150 and a prime lense is 80.

Nikon have really good prices on lenses. Plus there are **** loads of tutorials on tinterweb and you can even get those dummie books specifically for the type of camera you choose. Go on Nikon website and have a nosy at their promo videos

By the way JT got it from amazon for £285

 

Basically, there are two key elements with a DSLR - the camera body and the lens. I was finance-limited like you, but, to be honest, the kit which costs four figures is professional standard and you prpbably won't need it unless looking to make a career out of it. In this game, you are either a Nikon-man, or Canon-man - they both have a good reputation and the various users swear by the one they have. I was persuaded that the average-higher-spec would fit my needs, as the 'build quality' was good - in other words, it would operate effectively with a range of lenses - so I bought a Nikon D200 on-line and second hand via E-bay. New, it would have cost pretty much £1k, but I got it at one third that and it has not let me down at any stage. You can get pretty good SLRs second hand. Be wary of it saying 'mint' and do check what is in the box. Don't miss out on charger etc.

Once you have decided on the body, you need to choose the lens, which is the really crucial decision. It depends for what purpose you want to use the camera. For me, it is mainly landscape photography and I have just invested in a Tamron 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD, which gives me good zoom capability for getting 'into' a landscape, whilst enabling reasonable panorama at the other end. I got this new, but at discount at the 'Focus on Media' convention at NEC in Birmingham recently. It is a fantastic lens, which you should be able to get for less than £500. The vibration control is excellent and key when shooting in low light, or on maximum zoom. I would be interested to know what decision you make and for what purpose you intend to use it. Just sold my first picture a month ago - sunset shot with tree silhouette - for £20. Soon get my money back!!!!

 

Any chance you can show us a copy of that picture?

 

I've got a Canon D300 (6.3 MPixels) and Sigma 18-200 Zoom Lens combination, You can get the camera body for £79+£11p+p on ebay and I picked up the lens for just over £100.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Canon-EOS...Cameras_DigitalCameras_JN&hash=item3384d54607

 

Agreed, share the pic mate. Would love to be good enough to sell one. If I could change career one more time before I retire it would be to be a Sports / Landscape Photographer :frown:

Closest I got to becoming famous was this effort I got an award from a photography forum (Viewbug) back end of last year. I can dream.

 

I tried, but it came back as 'upload' failed. I might try again later.

 

will be size. save it as a Jpeg or similar (screenshot it ?)

 

Go onto the Items for sale in Barnsley on Facebook. someone was selling a Nikon D80 for just over £200 with lens, older but still a very capable camera

 

I have a Nikon D3100 with the extra 200mm lense - bought the 2 of them a few years ago and love them. Half the price now to what I paid - bargain.

 

I would, if someone could tell me how to post a photo on here...........

 

Whatever you do, trust no-one who spells lens as lense.

Unless you go high end (Canon 5D mark 3, Canon DX1 - I don't know the Nikon equivalent because I'm a Canon fanboi) the real choice is the lens not the body. Any current Canon or Nikon body will give you good results depending on your requirements, just don't skimp on the lens. If there is a choice of lenses and one is £500 and the other £150 then you'll get decent shots with both but the more expensive one will last longer and, as you develop your technique, offer much more in the way of results. Don't expect a 18-55mm kit lens to last very long or give you fantastic results, it'll last a couple of years if you don't demand too much of it but it will never give you more than adequate results. You get what you pays for.

 

I've got a Panasonic Lumix G1 with 14-45mm lens, I'm a total novice, 50th Birthday present. I haven't really progressed past the holiday ,sight seeing pictures but am building a good catalogue of pubs, pints pots and beer bottle compositions