What camera to choose?

[Medic82]

So it’s almost Christmas time, I have no girlfriend, I lost my job and I have moved home with my mom. What better occasion to spend some hard earned cash on my self, but I think I need some help from you guys. There is one thing that I have been wanting for several years now and that’s a SLR camera. I have always wanted a camera from Canon but in the last couple of months I have also been thinking about  cameras from Pentax and Nikon.

The reason I am thinking about going with a Pentax is that the picture stabilizer is in the camera house and not in the lens like Canon does it, so this basically will affect the prices when it comes to the lenses. Pentax is also a little cheaper than Canon but that isn’t a major criteria since I want a camera that will last me for many years.

So guys and gals! Share your infinite wisdom with me and help me spend a couple of 100 bucks.

[Zack]

Have you looked at Sony?  They took the technology from Konica Minolta (the pioneers of in body stabilization), and made it even better.  Plus you can use the current Sony lenses or the KM lenses from years ago.  They are pretty good on price too.

[Medic82]

Have you looked at Sony?  They took the technology from Konica Minolta (the pioneers of in body stabilization), and made it even better.  Plus you can use the current Sony lenses or the KM lenses from years ago.  They are pretty good on price too.

All makes and models are a go for me, the reason Pentax was mentioned is that a friend of mine has one and another friend is also going to buy a Pentax, getting a little influenced by them you se.

But give me the pros and cons dude, at least here I am getting the thruth rather dan from a guy in a store trying to sell me stuff I don't need.

[Zack]

Well I've only ever held one and used it briefly, but it was a solid performer.  The anti-shake ads about 2 stops of light, which is great for low light, but  it won't stop motion like a high shutter speed will.  I'm a little behind on the technology, since I'm not in the market for a new camera, as my Nikon D70 does what I need it to for now, and if I got a newer camera it would be a D200.  I think now, most cameras are a equal playing field.  The best thing to do would be try and handle as many as possible.

[cliosguy]

i have 0 wisdom so as always ill just copy&paste a useless but some how entertaining video



hope it helps make up your mind....i do hope i just dont know how


BTW: slightly NSFW language

[Medic82]

You know Angel..............................................................That didn't help me one bit.

I did get a laugh And I think they don't like Pentax.

[Screwtape]

I've bought into Canon SLRs a frew years back as i had a bunch of their lenses from my 35mm days. 

Very little that I can say about them that isn't good really.  My model is the older 350D think that might be a rebel in your land, and i've not needed to upgrade even thoguht there are at least 2 newer modes on the market.

one thing to bear in mind is that if you have 3rd party lens such as Sigma itmay not work on a newer camera as Canon are pretty tight about licencing their tech out.

[Mr. Whippy]

The body is really secondary.  Decide which lens system you want and then you're decision is made.  My wife went Canon because she had a Canon Elan II film camera with a couple nice lenses and didn't want to replace them.  She's been very happy with her Canon 20D (several years old now).

If you prefer Nikon lenses, go Nikon.

(IMO the two top companies are Nikon and Canon).

[Pacu]

I vote Canon. They seem to have more glass available and accessories.

of course i'm brand loyal so my opinion may be worth a plug nickel.

[american lockpicker]

Get a Made in Germany Leica.

[Zack]

I don't think he has the 8,000.00 to invest in one.

[cliosguy]

You know Angel..............................................................That didn't help me one bit.

I did get a laugh And I think they don't like Pentax.

awwww..... after all the effort i put copying and pasting the link

[Medic82]

Get a Made in Germany Leica.

I don't think he has the 8,000.00 to invest in one.

You are quite rigth there Zack

[Whoey]

I have a Nikon D50, and have used a D100 (belongs to my brother in law)... I went Nikon as we had a regular SLR Nikon, so all the lenses and other accessories transfer nicely. At the moment I'm drooling over the D5000...

A lot of people seem to go for Canon if starting from zero... I'd consider it if we didn't already have so much Nikon gear...

[Zack]

I started from scratch with Nikon after selling all my Maxxum film gear.  I like the fact that the mount hasn't changed in 50+ years.  Meaning I can use some really nice glass from way back, just have to meter by hand.  Also, Nikon lenses seem to retain their resale value for longer, but yet, are able to still find good deals.  Medic.  Take a look at KEH.com.  I don't think they ship international, but I'm sure someone here would be willing to help you out  .  They sell used gear, but its in excellent condition.  I bought a lens that they designated as a bargain level (meaning on 70% of its life was left), and it looked practically brand new.

[Medic82]

I am starting from scratch and I think that most people that are in my position goes for Canon since the company is really god when it comes to advertising.

The body is really secondary.  Decide which lens system you want and then you're decision is made.  My wife went Canon because she had a Canon Elan II film camera with a couple nice lenses and didn't want to replace them.  She's been very happy with her Canon 20D (several years old now).

If you prefer Nikon lenses, go Nikon.

(IMO the two top companies are Nikon and Canon).

I have no idea what’s different between the lens system so that really won’t help me out. I have no old lenses so everything is going to be bought new.

[Zack]

Then if you are starting from complete scratch you can't really go wrong with any of the current offerings.  But bear in mind you are buying into a system, which is even more divided than the SAK vs. LM.  I chose Nikon, because of the lens selection and the way the camera feels in my hand.  I'm still a fan of buying used, as once you get above a certain MP number, its really hard to tell the difference unless you are making huge prints.  The largest I have gobe is 16x20 and it looked good until you really got close and examined it, but for normal viewing it was fine.  I mainly make 5x7 prints, and all of my customers have been happy with what my D70 could do even though its a nearly 5 year old camera.

[Whoey]

Ideally for my uses I want a Nikon D5000 with an 18-200mm DX VR ... a case of the lense being worth more than the camera body... only slightly... I'd happily ditch all my current gear for that... I have the aforementioned Nikon D50 with a 55-200mm DX VR and 18-55mm DX (non VR) lense, plus some old non digital SLR glass that is the equivalent of 1.5x the rated specs... so I also have a 70-210mm (equivalent to 105-315mm & weighs nearly as much as the camera plus any of my other lenses!) and a 28-100mm (42-150mm) and an SB-22s flash... I've also had my eye on a better flash, even though the built in flash does a great job, I rarely use flashes at concerts (most of the time you're not allowed anyways...) Main reasons for the d5000: tilt screen can be used as a viewfinder (great if I'm further back in the crowd and need to make over my head shots...) does full HD video, and the ISO ratings are loads better than my D50, which is a major plus in low lighting...

[NutSAK]

I've always been a big fan of Nikon SLRs.  However, I don't know enough about the Pentax to tell you why you should/shouldn't buy it.

[Medic82]

Ideally for my uses I want a Nikon D5000 with an 18-200mm DX VR ... a case of the lense being worth more than the camera body... only slightly... I'd happily ditch all my current gear for that... I have the aforementioned Nikon D50 with a 55-200mm DX VR and 18-55mm DX (non VR) lense, plus some old non digital SLR glass that is the equivalent of 1.5x the rated specs... so I also have a 70-210mm (equivalent to 105-315mm & weighs nearly as much as the camera plus any of my other lenses!) and a 28-100mm (42-150mm) and an SB-22s flash... I've also had my eye on a better flash, even though the built in flash does a great job, I rarely use flashes at concerts (most of the time you're not allowed anyways...) Main reasons for the d5000: tilt screen can be used as a viewfinder (great if I'm further back in the crowd and need to make over my head shots...) does full HD video, and the ISO ratings are loads better than my D50, which is a major plus in low lighting...

Dude……something got lost in all that……………ME.

What the heck does DX VR mean?

For me it looks like there is no big difference between the company’s, but it’s a real jungle out there

[NutSAK]

DX is the format, VR is vibration reduction.

[Chako]

Hmmm.

I am a big fan of Pentax. I got that from my late father. My first fancy camera was a Pentax SF10 that I had bought in 88 for a High school photography class. Pentax is a smaller company with a few big features. Their lenses are phenomenal overall. They also tend to be cheaper then Canon and Nikon glass. Their newer digital bodies tend to have Vibration reduction (by the way, every camera maker out there as their own little catch phrase for this feature) in the body...not as good as in the lens...but it can be considered a freebie feature once you start collecting lenses for your system (Tests have shown that Vibration Reduction systems in the lens are more effective than those in the body usually by 1 to 2 stops). Likewise, some Pentax bodies have true weather sealing. If you buy the higher end lenses that are also weather proof, you have a nice inclement weather system. I wish Canon would follow suit, but they won't as it might impact their professional body sales.

Another big plus is the use of all Pentax lenses ever produced. They even sell a screw mount adapter to use those 1950/60 lenses. Backwards compatibility blows anything any other manufacturer has out there today. In fact, used Pentax lenses tend to go for a premium unfortunately because of this....and some of them are the best lenses out there. There is something I like about placing an honest to goodness old lens with a true depth of field scale on the barrel. It brings back all sorts of good memories of times past. Not to mention, I can do so and not lose many of my camera's fancy features either.

There are a few big downsides to the Pentax system (there is no such thing as a perfect camera system). The biggest for me was the lack luster auto focus system. It was slow. Accurate, but slow. I suppose if I only knew and owned Pentax, it wouldn't have been so glaring of an issue. However, I tend to shoot fast moving objects and action shots, and I found that after using my Canon systems, I was always playing catch up to the AF. It was downright annoying. The Canon and Nikon systems have better AF systems. Pentax is ok, but it fails in this regard somewhat to other brands. I guess I could have adapted with time.

The other issue is that of lenses. Pentax makes awesome lenses at a cheaper price to Canon and Nikon. However, they have a lack of super telephoto zooms. There are gaps in their lens systems simply because they are so small company wise. The lenses they do have tend to be excellent overall (it still pays to read reviews before you buy any lens though, as every line as their lemon designs). I like a big lens, and there aren't that many out there for a Pentax short of getting a third party lens such as from Sigma. If you are looking for a Big Pentax lens, they made them in the past, but don't have much nowadays. Not that you will buy one at the moment, due to their prices. But you just never know what the future will hold.

I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Here is a list of my current equipment.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=3583080&postcount=720

I have experience with Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Olympus, and even Sony DSLRs.

[Medic82]

At the moment it is standing between a Pentax K-x with a DA L 18-55mm and a Canon EOS 450D with a 18-55mm IS.
Pentax: http://www.pentax.co.uk/en/group/6/product/16701/body/overview/Photo_Cameras.html

I am only basing my decision on the price and have no clue as to what is the best system so I would be very grateful on any input regarding them.

[Chako]

The Pentax you names uses AA. I am not a big fan of them, as they tend to be heavy, and digital cameras tend to suck them dry in no time. I will always buy a camera with a dedicated Lithium ion cell over those that take AA cells. My Canon S5IS uses AA rechargeable batteries, and I spend my time changing them. I always tend to buy a battery grip so that I can get another battery in a DSLR simply because I hate replacing them in the field.

EDIT: You should make a list of must have features, and read lots of reviews of cameras in your price range. Go from there.

You can't go far wrong with any of them. I bought my friend an entry level Sony, and she loves it. They all take great photographs.

[Styerman]

I would go with Nikon , mainly due the the fact that there are a lot of great lenses out there on the secondary market . Any pawn shop in the world has Nikon lenses , Sony or Pentax would be a lot tuffer to find . All of the top end Digital SLR's are excellent , and have capabilities that far exceed the skill set of 99% of users .

As always , YMMV !

Chris

[Woz]

I just had to make the same decision and bought my first DSLR about a month ago.

First I kicked the Olympus brand cams out of my mind. They are nice, but there is very little lenses or flashes by third party makers, and Olympus lenses cost a ton. So: No soup for Olympus

Then I kicked Nikon and Pentax out. I like the Nikon brand, and know they make great lenses, but the entry level cams are not better than any others and stabilized lenses cost too much. Nikon is great, but expensive.

So I had to decide between Sony and Canon.
Canon is great. They offer a wide range of great bodies, even better lenses and there is very much stuff available by quality third party manufacturers.
Sony is great to. Less bodies, but more interesting features on the entry level cams. Best live-view system on the market. Not so many lenses, but great quality thanks to the Konica Minolta genes. And: the same third party lenses and flashes like Canon. And: The legendary Minolta beer-can lens

I watched all the reviews on http://cameralabs.com/, and decided to go for Sony. Because of the better image stabilisation. It is built inside the body, so every lens you attach is stabilized - so getting better lenses is cheaper if you do not want to use a tripod. I got the Alpha 230, the very basic model, for I realized that I do not need any Live-View. If you want Live View it is just one more reason to go for Sony. The Alpha 330 and 380 offer very good Live-View with fast autofocus and great multi-angle displays. Yes, some Nikon and Canon have them too, but far more expensive.
Look for lenses and flash by camera manufacturers and others, and you will find that there are great lenses for all of them, and that Tamron and Sigma (3rd party lens manufacturers from Germany) offer lenses for every major brand but Olympus. Tamron and Sigma lenses get great reviews, and cost far less that Canon, Nikon or Sony lenses. But on the Sony, they are all image stabilized.

I do not regret my choice, a cam is just as good as the photographer, and I´m just starting to learn how to make better photos. But the shots I took so far are really good, better than I expected them to be. Maybe I will upgrade my cam in one or two years to a mid-range Sony. I can keep my lenses and flash and maybe I´m skilled enough then to make really good shots.
BTW: I just got the Tamron  AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 Di II LD Makro lens - really affordable and great! It is available for all brands but Olympus, I highly recommend it for all DSLR starters who can not afford spending hundreds on a lens!

[Medic82]

Thanks for the input guys and thanks for the tip Woz, I will look into lenses from Tamron. I have decided that I will go for a Canon, not sure if it’s going to be the 500 or 450 but it’s one of them. The reason I want to go for a Canon is that almost all of my friends have a Canon (lot’s of lenses I can borrow) and there are a ton of third party equipment for Canon on the underwater photography front.

[Whoey]

one of my fav digital camera review sites: http://www.dpreview.com/

that Sony info sounds interesting, it sure would be nice to have the image stabilizer built into the camera rather than the lenses...

[Medic82]

and I now have a brand new Canon EOS 500D

[Zack]

First lens you NEED to buy...Canon 50mm 1.8 Mark II.  Around $100.00 and one of the best lenses you can have in your bag.  Doesn't zoom, but will give you and excellent portrait, candid, low light lens.  Review of my Colossus as a DSLR bag will up in the next few days.  If you plan on buying a lot of lenses and accessories, then I say buy it, if not, then a smaller bag will do you much better.