Which Digital SLR - Noobie at this!

stuppy

stuppy

stuppy

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I'd like to get myself a digital SLR camera. I am not a photographer, I just like the idea of being able to take really nice quality pictures. I especially am interested in having control over the focus so that I can say taka picture of my dog nice and focused, while having the background blured and out of focus- theres a word for it im sure?

Anyway,

I don't wanna blow a load of cash but at the same time, i do not want to buy something completely crap.

A friend has a Canon EOS 350D, which he says is pretty good. Is he right?

What size pictures does this camera produce on high quality. My 5.1mpx Cybershot produces pictures of around 2.5 meg on high quality - i would assume the 350D files would be much larger?

And what Lens should I be looking at getting to start me off with?
 
Don't get an SLR unless you really need one as it's pointless buying one and using it on auto all the time! Remember that buying an SLR means you need to spend a LOT more money for extras that you don't have to buy with 'normal' cameras.

Do you have any other reasons for an SLR other that 'quality'? :)

The 350D is a very good camera, though has today been replaced by the 400D, but that means you'll get a good deal on a 350D! However, you're going to be looking at around £500 to get setup, if not more. Then you'll start wanting white lenses, which aren't cheap!
 
If you are on a budget the Nikon D50 is only £380 with the kit lens. You should just buy the D50 or 350D with its kit lens, don;t worry about buying another unless you find yourself needing more zoom.

A D50 (6MP) raw file is around 5MB, not sure about the 350D, but you'll want to buy at least 1GB of memory to go with it.

To be honest I think you could get by with other more compact non SLR cameras, any Sony will give good quality pictures.
 
Its not just quality.

Im after more control over the focus. I dont know the name for it, but where you have one thing in focus and everything else is out of focus. Like a person in the foreground, and the background is out of focus. Them kind of pictures I really like.
 
Does the 350D come with a built in flash or do you have to buy that seperate?

Oops soryr just read about it - has a popup flash :)
 
You're talking about a shallow Depth Of Feild (DOF) where only a narrow slice of your view depth is in focus. This is caused setting a wide aperture on your lens.

The problem with NOT going with an SLR is that non-slr type digitals have smaller sensors and therefore you get a larger DOF throughout your aperture range. Also fixed lens camera tend not to have very wide apperture settings, the combo of the two means that everyting will look like it's been shot at f32. You will really struggle to throw the background nicely out of focus.

If you have £400+ to ***** then you can get a digital SLR with kit lens and for another 70ish quid you should be able to pick up a 50mm f1.8 lens which will be perfect for the sort of thing you want to do.

If this sounds a lot of money to spend on a whim then you might be better off picking up a second hand film SLR from fleabay. You can pic them up from anything from 20 quid upwards (there's a Canon EOS 300V with 28-90mm lens on there right now for around 40 odd quid).

People often think they can spend a shed load of cash on a high spec camera and get superb quality shots. Unfortunatly this isn't the case. Like everything else, it takes lots of practise.

Good luck with your purchsase :)

Mohain
 
Also, you need to be aware that in general images from a digital SLR camera will need a degree of post processing to get the most from them, because unlike compact digital cameras no processing or sharpening is applied onboard.
 
olv said:
Also, you need to be aware that in general images from a digital SLR camera will need a degree of post processing to get the most from them, because unlike compact digital cameras no processing or sharpening is applied onboard.
Click to expand...

umm, not strictly true, certainly nikons sharpen onboard and the degree to which they do is controlled by a setting. I imagine canons do too, there are also saturation setting as well..
 
Mohain said:
You're talking about a shallow Depth Of Feild (DOF) where only a narrow slice of your view depth is in focus. This is caused setting a wide aperture on your lens.

The problem with NOT going with an SLR is that non-slr type digitals have smaller sensors and therefore you get a larger DOF throughout your aperture range. Also fixed lens camera tend not to have very wide apperture settings, the combo of the two means that everyting will look like it's been shot at f32. You will really struggle to throw the background nicely out of focus.

If you have £400+ to ***** then you can get a digital SLR with kit lens and for another 70ish quid you should be able to pick up a 50mm f1.8 lens which will be perfect for the sort of thing you want to do.

If this sounds a lot of money to spend on a whim then you might be better off picking up a second hand film SLR from fleabay. You can pic them up from anything from 20 quid upwards (there's a Canon EOS 300V with 28-90mm lens on there right now for around 40 odd quid).

People often think they can spend a shed load of cash on a high spec camera and get superb quality shots. Unfortunatly this isn't the case. Like everything else, it takes lots of practise.

Good luck with your purchsase :)

Mohain
Click to expand...

If I was going to get an SLR it would definately be a digital one as I couldn't be jacked getting films developed.

So if I get the EOS 350D kit then that should be good enough to get me started?
 
That'll be fine, unless you need a big zoom, a cheap one is roughly £120 I think (correct me if wrong!).

Just make sure that's what you really need, it is a lot of money if photography isn't a hobby of yours.
Go into highstreet shops and ask to have a go on the 350D and the D50, you won't be pressured to buy.
 
Go and try the Canon 350d and Nikon D50 in the shops, and buy the one you feel most comfortable with. :)
 
Joe T said:
Go and try the Canon 350d and Nikon D50 in the shops, and buy the one you feel most comfortable with. :)
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couldnt have put that better myself. both cameras are so similar thats all it really comes down to, what feels best to you. dont forget to have a look through the menu systems too, that is also something to consider, you may get on with one better than the other.
 
I would also include the D70 in the list. I had the d70, d50, 30d and 350d on my shortlist. The D70 has a better kit lens and (a couple of) other features that the D50 doesn't have for about £150 more than what I could've got the D50 for. If I was going to get the D50 then I'd probably get body only and get a better lens.

As with the other recommendations get a 50mm f1.8 lens as they are dead cheap and are great for starting out with.

It is a long term investment though because already I've bought a D70, 2 lenses, a bag, and a memory card and I've only had the camera a month. A 50mm, 75-210mm telephoto and the 18-70mm kit lens are my new toys. Gonna get a tripod at some point for night shots and probably an external flash a bit further down the line.
 
Sol said:
I would also include the D70 in the list. I had the d70, d50, 30d and 350d on my shortlist. The D70 has a better kit lens and (a couple of) other features that the D50 doesn't have for about £150 more than what I could've got the D50 for. If I was going to get the D50 then I'd probably get body only and get a better lens.

As with the other recommendations get a 50mm f1.8 lens as they are dead cheap and are great for starting out with.

It is a long term investment though because already I've bought a D70, 2 lenses, a bag, and a memory card and I've only had the camera a month. A 50mm, 75-210mm telephoto and the 18-70mm kit lens are my new toys. Gonna get a tripod at some point for night shots and probably an external flash a bit further down the line.
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The 50mm f1.8 is an interesting idea, although it's great, for me I didn't use it enough (actually I had the f1.4 but same principle) and I ended up selling it. It may be great, but some people just won't use it due to their style.

That said, being constrained by a fixed focal length is no bad thing when learning sometimes, really makes you think about composition. In the end for me though it wasn't used enough
 
I just like the fact that its quite good for stuff like potraits, nice depth of field, and in situations where the light is rubbish. At the moment my other two lenses are quite a few stops slower so for low light stuff (and decent bokeh) I'm pretty much restricted to the 50mm for low light shots without flash.
 
Sorry for bringing this thread back.

I think my mum is gonna go halves with me on a EOS 350D.

Does anyone know of a Camera website that has decent prices and buy now pay 9 months later etc. Any kind of interest free thing (like pay in 12 installments or sommet) ?

Cheers
 
Actually I have just found a website which I wont post cause its a competitor.

Canon EOS 350D Body
18-55mm Lens
1GB Memory Card
Carry Bag

£470 and they do finance. What do you think?
 
stuppy said:
Sorry for bringing this thread back.

I think my mum is gonna go halves with me on a EOS 350D.

Does anyone know of a Camera website that has decent prices and buy now pay 9 months later etc. Any kind of interest free thing (like pay in 12 installments or sommet) ?

Cheers
Click to expand...
That would be a competitor so linking or anything would not be allowed. Why don't you go down to the local photo store that is pretty big in britain and ask that question. :)
 
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