SLR camera for novice

ONESHOTKILL

ONESHOTKILL

ONESHOTKILL

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I am looking at buying a slr in next few weeks but not sure what would be best to get for a total amatuer.I have been looking at a Nikon d3000 for about £300 I'd like to spend under £400 if I can. I want something to take out walking with me to take pics
 
I mainly go walking in the woods near me,i wanted to take pics of the wildlife and scenery.I use to have a fuji 5600 about 3 years ago but never really used it and i gave it away.I have been taking pics with my phone but i fancy a good SLR and learning to use it properly.I am not bothered about size,i was looking at the canon 1100D and a few nikon cameras,just not sure what would be a good entry level camera
 
If you're looking at Canon in particular, most people tend to skip the 1100d and go straight to 550d or 600d as they'll be better overall but I'm not sure if that fits your budget.

As for Nikon, there won't be a shortage of people telling you to look at the 3100 and 5100 so I guess they must be good too :)
 
The Nikon D3200 has been released meaning that there are some cracking deals on the D3100 as I found when shopping for my first DSLR.
 
Phal said:
If you're looking at Canon in particular, most people tend to skip the 1100d and go straight to 550d or 600d as they'll be better overall but I'm not sure if that fits your budget.
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I second this, with the addition of the 500D, if you're thinking about Canon. Even for a beginner the 1000/1100D isn't brilliant IMO.
 
ok i think i am going to look into getting a d3100, what sort of price is a good deal on these? i am looking at it now for £362 with 18-55 VR lens.
 
Go into the shop and handle ALL of the budget dSLRs there. Find which suits you the best. You might find a mirrorless camera is even a better choice. Find something that feels natural to use.

Cameras such as the Panasonic G3 and some of the Sony mirrorless cameras like the NEX-F3 are very easy to use and are quite compact. The F3 even uses a similar sensor to the D5100 and D7000 dSLRs meaning it will quite good in low light.

But still handle the cameras and see what is easiest to shoot with! :)
 
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i have been reading the reviews of the d3100 and seems like it gets solid reviews.I think this is what i am going to go for.I have seen a few deals with cases or mem cards just not sure what size of memory card will be adequate?
 
8Gb will be enough if you're not going crazy, 16gb should be more than enough. Don't worry about speeds just get a decent brand - the D3100 isn't going to be outpacing modern memory cards any time soon
 
ONESHOTKILL said:
i have been reading the reviews of the d3100 and seems like it gets solid reviews.I think this is what i am going to go for.I have seen a few deals with cases or mem cards just not sure what size of memory card will be adequate?
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Have you gone into a shop and handled one though?? Tried the menu system,controls,etc or even tried the viewfinder??Then compare it to what else is available.

Buying a camera is not like a computer and feel is just as important as the specifications. I would never buy an SLR without actually trying it out first in person.

It is why some people swear by Canon,others swear by Nikon,etc.

I have known people just read reviews on the internet,get the camera,not like it after actually using it and then return it.

Jessops are quite common and they usually stock all the major brands anyway - you will also get an appreciation of what the common lenses are too and their size and weight. Some of the bigger Jessops(like the one near Centre Point in London),have dedicated reps from companies like Canon and Nikon who will go through the cameras in detail with you,explaining functions,etc.
 
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bit the bullet and got a D3100 today, I had a look at it in the shop on display,I expected it to be allot bigger to be honest.I am going to read up on what all the jargon means and get it on charge and go out tomorrow and have a play around
 
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