Recommend me a first DSLR

Twentymac

Twentymac

Twentymac

Associate
Joined
2 Oct 2007
Posts
1,595
Location
Birmingham
I've got my hands on a bit of cash and i'm willing to treat myself to enter the big world of photography.

I don't want to spend more than £250.
and would preferably like abit of a lens kit with it or some accessories to get me started.

any recommendations...
 
2nd hand d40x or 400D for that money - should get it with thet kit lens!
 
a stolen D80 with kit lense and have £50 spare, but oh well i dout deals like that go around places like yours :P

D40x comes to my mind second hand of the bay?
 
If you can scrape an extra £10 or so you can get a new Sony A200 & kit 18-70mm from a reputable UK supplier.
 
I personally would stick to the big 2, Nikon or Canon. Solely for the fact that there's a lot more in the second hand market for camera and lens, including the 3rd parties, you've got a lot of offering and flexibility to your budget.

I've seen pictures taken with the Sony and kit lens, I can't fault it in terms of IQ for something at that price tbh. User-ability wise, I haven't a clue but I'm sure like all DSLR, once you've played around you'll get use to the way it works. Be it Nikon, Canon or Sony.

I personally jumped into a Canon 20D because it feels like a proper camera, it's got the high FPS I needed for sports photography back when I first started and it was a bargain.

But to get you started, going for the Sony till you're sure which focal range you use most and perhaps when your budget stretches, you can sell off the A200 and jump ship. Don't make the best economical sense as I'm typing... lol.
 
Sony now reputedly have 17% of the European market which makes them indisputably the no.3 in the market here albeit still some way behind Canon & Nikon.
There are plenty of new & s/h options in terms of lens & accessories for all but a very small % of users with very specific & fairly unusual requirements (in which case most buy equipment based on knowing that they have that requirement).

I'll admit to being possibly a little biased as a long-time Minolta/now Sony user but imo the A200 is the best vfm entry level DSLR going (& it won the TIPA award for that) as long as it suits you.
& at this point I'm going to repeat what most people usually recommend & that's to get to a shop & try them all out to see which feels best for you.
There are no bad current DSLRs & in most cases it's the photographer that's the weak link.
 
Sony also has the plus that all the old Konica-Minolta lenses fit as well, plenty of quality Minolta lenses from the film SLR days floating about. Oh, and Sigma do plenty lenses in Sony Alpha-mount.

Don't discount it - go have a look and a play before you decide on the basis of a random person on the internet;)
 
Im not sure about the D60. I went for the D50 which has an inbuild Auto Focus motor which i dont think the D60 has (correct me if im wrong someone). The inbuild AF motor is handy as you can get cheaper lenses but still have AF.
 
check out a 2nd hand D70(s). you can get one with a 18-70 for around that price, and although it is only 6mp, it beyond makes up for it in other areas.
 
I honestly would go into a shop and try out the few budget SLR's, none of them are complete lemons, so it really is what you find is the best system.

I recently was in the market for a new body after completely selling my old kit. Albeit larger budget I really liked the A700, but eventually decided that a 40d was a more sensible option, possibly regretting that decision
 
Twentymac said:
Yeah i've also been looking at those.

anyone got anything to say about those Alpha 200's ?
Click to expand...

I recently purchased one of these as my first DSLR - I am very impressed with it and the images I get our are far beyond those of my old Canon compact. I was attracted by the price over the Canon and Nikon DLRS as if I decided that as if photography as hobby did not take off then I would not feel I had spent too much - and Mrs Snail would not kill me.
 
balls said:
I recently was in the market for a new body after completely selling my old kit. Albeit larger budget I really liked the A700, but eventually decided that a 40d was a more sensible option, possibly regretting that decision
Click to expand...
I got an A700 last December after swithering over it or the 40D (visited shops several times to try both) & although it was a bit dearer than the 40D I've never regretted it (& I regularly shoot beside 40D users).
Sony's latest A700 firmware release last week was a significant improvement which has only cemented that feeling.

Realistically though they are all making DSLRs that perform within a few % of each other so unless you are already significantly invested in a system or have a very specific need only catered to by 1 or 2 it's down to personal preferences of which handling is usually a major 1.
Unless you are really pushing your budget then absolute price (this doesn't mean comparing a D3 against an A200 though :p) should be 1 of the last decision factors.
 
Take a look at the Pentax K-m after it's unveiled at Photkina tomorrow.. looks to be a pretty good budget camera from the initial leaked specs.
 
Ok my budget has now been expanded =)

I'm looking at Either a D60 or D80

I've found an American site and they've got a D80 with lens kit on there for £317

"Nikon D80 w/Nikkor 18mm-55mm f/3.5-to-f/4.5 AF-S DXS lens - £317.68"
Im not sure whether to trust it. You have to pay by Western Union tho :S

From the're about me
"We have our billing department in Europe for tax reasons and this way we can make discounts up to 40%-50%."

I cant really post the site because suppose its a competitor.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom