Advice on first DSLR

GreenMint

GreenMint

GreenMint

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Hey guys, my girlfriend and I are looking to buy a DSLR (new) very soon, we've been using a Fuji F31-D for the last few years, and her work (property invetorying) is quite camera intensive so she's decided to take the step up, and I'll be using it too :D

Basically the budget will be probably £200-£300, which I know, DSLR wise isn't that much, but I've heard about some Canons, Nikons and possibly Sonys thrown around for that kind of money, alas I have literally no idea whats a good starting camera/lens/kit, so its over to you guys! :)
 
With respect, there are several of these threads every week. I'd suggest reading through them and coming back when you've some more specific questions, as all the general advice will be the same.

Your biggest limitation is going to be the budget, if you can give us some more idea of precisely what it is that you need/want to be able to achieve then we can be of more help.
 
I've had a look around, and most of them seem to be on a slightly higher budget, which is why I was asking seperately, sadly unlike motors, the answer here can't always be Mondeo ;)

Being new to the whole DSLR part of photography, its very hard to actually pinpoint in words what we want, as, being brutally honest I'm not THAT clued up! Really we want what most DSLR's will do, rapid shots, good adjustability, a decent range of 3rd party equipment that will extend the life of the camera and the oppurtunities that it presents.

Obviously I am aware that the budget is not that much for this kind of thing, and would be very limiting, but what are the better entry level DSLR's that would fall into, or at least, near my budget, that are worth giving the time of day?
 
What do you want to take photographs of?

EDIT: Whatever happens you're almost certainly going to be looking at second hand kit, have a read of the thread photoshop linked below, then go have a play with the competing models in a shop to see which you like the feel of best, then hunt around fleabay and photography forums for bargains.
 
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http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18010049

Sony A200 will suit you down to the ground. Very good entry level DSLR!

"To be honest, all the entry level cameras from the likes of Sony, Nikon and Canon will produce similar quality pics. I very much doubt you would be able to tell pics taken with each apart.

The Sony however is a lot cheaper and comes with a longer range kit lense (18-70mm).

Before i bought my A200, i was looking at the Nikon D40 and D40X. After reading many reviews and comments over at AVF as to what to buy as my 1st DSLR, the majority of stuff i was reading gave the Sony A200 the number 1 position.

One of the things i've realised is that most people who are buying they 1st DSLR rule out the Sony A200 for some reason and go towards teh Nikon's and Canon's. IM assuming this has to do with peoples perception of quality with both brands being reknowned in their fields. Most people think Sony is a bit late to join the party but what people should realise is that in 2006 Sony bought "Minolta". They have been making lens and camera's for a very long time and are well respected!

Sony havent really changed Minolta. All they have basically done is rebranded them, added afew new touches and put them back on the shelves. The inner workings are still very much Minolta.

Some of the stuff that i really liek about the A200 is the way the menu's and controls are laid out and the way the camera feels in the hand. Its just so simple and effortless to use. The built in auto-fucus and Super SteadyShot in-camera image stabilization is brilliant also!

Comparing the entry level Nikon, Canon and Sony, its obvious that the Sony offers more for less of your money! The money saved could go towards another lens or a lot of accessories.

I have been where the OP is now. I had never used or come in contact with a DSLR, nor did i know anything about aperture, shutter speeds, iso etc. I was a complete novice. But 2/3 weeks on im taking descent pics.

I paid £210 for my A200 2nd hand (bargain considering it was 3wks old!) and i have to say its still impressing me everytime i shoot! Any regrets? HELL NO!! I'm getting a lot of enjoyment out of it

Bottom line: Sony A200 "
 
Jessops have a bank holiday sale(ends 1st june) at the moment, have the Sony a300+kit lens for £299(the a350 is out of your budget at £399) or the nikon d60 with kit lens for £359(sightly above your budget).
 
you can get an A200 plus kit 18-70mm for £260 delivered which allows for a CF card & a bag within the upper limit of your budget.
Imo it's the best value entry level DSLR as long as it suits you (1 area that the different manufacturers do vary is ergonomics & GUI).
Or the other alternative is going s/h.

Bear in mind that this is only a start - you are probably going to want to get other lenses at some point & they will add up to more than the cost of the body.
 
I got 2x 4GB CF cards for £19 which was a bargain. See if i can find a link.

Found it: http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_6&products_id=102025

CompactFlash (CF) Memory Card - 4GB - Kingston Elite Pro 133x Speed

So that will get you a Sony A200 with 18-70mm kit lense, 1x CF card and still have around £30 left over for a Lowpro bag. So will be within your budget of £300 :)
 
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fowler002 said:
Jessops have a bank holiday sale(ends 1st june) at the moment, have the Sony a300+kit lens for £299(the a350 is out of your budget at £399) or the nikon d60 with kit lens for £359(sightly above your budget).
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Yeah, I just saw the A300, and it looks very good value, not sure if the £300 would be best spent on an A200 + a setup (Cards and case) or an A300? Is there much difference between the 2 models?
 
not massivley to be honest - more pixels and live view (enables you to take pics by looking at the LCD like on compacts) are main differences. I have an A200, and i'd reccomend one - the extras add up, so i'd suggest getting the 200+extras (including a bag, UV filter/protector for the lens and a CF card Sandisk Extreme III would be my reccomendation).
 
Thanks for the advice guys, whats UV filter/protection and bag are a good reliable bet? Found the camera for 250 as stated, and the cards as linked :)
 
photoshop said:
I got 2x 4GB CF cards for £19 which was a bargain. See if i can find a link.

Found it: http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_6&products_id=102025

CompactFlash (CF) Memory Card - 4GB - Kingston Elite Pro 133x Speed

So that will get you a Sony A200 with 18-70mm kit lense, 1x CF card and still have around £30 left over for a Lowpro bag. So will be within your budget of £300 :)
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is it better to get 2x 4gb cards or 1x 8gb? the 8gb version of the 1 you linked to is £15.99.

I currently have a 1gb card and looking at getting a bigger one(I have a 300d, think it only takes upto 8gb). I have a 2.2gb micro drive but that doesn't work for some reason(cost like £20 a few years back, was reduced at the time. I was going to buy 2 but only had 1 left which I guess may have been a blessing in disguise), after the first few photos it starts throwing out corrupt data(you only realise when you come to view the photos).
 
TimBrad said:
Yeah, I just saw the A300, and it looks very good value, not sure if the £300 would be best spent on an A200 + a setup (Cards and case) or an A300? Is there much difference between the 2 models?
Click to expand...
the A300 gains Liveview & a pivotable rear screen but at the cost of a poorer optical viewfinder. Both use the same sensor.

fowler002 said:
is it better to get 2x 4gb cards or 1x 8gb?
Click to expand...

I would go for 2x4GB - less heartbreaking if you ever lose a card full of images on it that you hadn't yet copied to your PC.
 
fowler002 said:
is it better to get 2x 4gb cards or 1x 8gb? the 8gb version of the 1 you linked to is £15.99.

I currently have a 1gb card and looking at getting a bigger one(I have a 300d, think it only takes upto 8gb). I have a 2.2gb micro drive but that doesn't work for some reason(cost like £20 a few years back, was reduced at the time. I was going to buy 2 but only had 1 left which I guess may have been a blessing in disguise), after the first few photos it starts throwing out corrupt data(you only realise when you come to view the photos).
Click to expand...

Best to get 2x 4Gb. That way if one fails you got a back-up!
ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP!
 
Well! :) Just picked up the Sony A200 :) £305 from a highstreet store with a 4GB card and a case, just need to get a UV filter off the internet at some point, any reccomendations? :)

Just going to get it charged now, I know I paid a tad more than I wanted, but I have the week off work so want to be able to spend some time with it and with my gf with it as she's back at work on tuesday, so was worth a few £ extra just to have it now.

The memory card is only 80x so hopefully should be ok, if its too slow I'll grab a 133 off the link above!

Muchos thanks! Can't wait!
 
Justa few that we have taken so far with the camera, enjoying it a LOT! :)

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Criticism welcome! :D
 
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