Good DSLR camera

[hooksie]

I've always had an interest in photography and recently have been interested in taking a plunge for a DSLR. I've been looking around and reading various recommendations. The Canon Digital rebel seems to be a popular and well recommended model along with the Nikon D line.

Since a lot of people here seem to have a good amount of photography knowledge, I'm curious what people use and would suggest as a good DSLR.

[Victoria]

We are in the market too and looking at the Nikon D90.
But we have always had Canons.
This is a painful process for me, because I want it now!
All this research is killing me.
I am feeling very discouraged.

[entropyembrace]

I'm very happy with my Nikon D60, it's a great little camera body that doesn't cost a whole lot...the cheaper D40 is a good option too since it has a very low price point and slightly better low light performance than the D60, though it's missing a couple of minor features and has a lower sensor resolution 6.1 megapixels vs 10.2 though in most cases less megapixels won't matter. If you want to spend a bit more money for more advanced features the new D90 looks nice, it's basically a lower cost, more ergonomic version of of Nikon's older D300 semi-pro camera body that's been really popular, don't get it for the movie mode though. And at the high end Nikon's D700 is probably their best current offering, it's like the older D3 but smaller and more ergonomic with what's probably the best high ISO low light performance of any DSLR on the market right now...the thing is way expensive though so I don't think it would be a good entry level SLR.

[scruffmcgruff]

6.1 megapixels vs 10.2 though in most cases less megapixels won't matter.

This is so true, and very underappreciated. The megapixels stuff is largely marketing-driven, but what they don't tell you is that the *size* of the pixels on the sensor matters as well; when you stuff too many pixels into a small sensor, you get more noise. So, while the Canon XTi has more pixels than the XT (something like 10 and 6, can't remember exactly), the image quality really isn't 1.67x better and won't make much of a difference unless you want to make very large prints.

If you remember one thing from my post, remember this: the more money you save on the body (which you can always upgrade later), the more money you have to spend on good glass.

Important things to note:

Features: High ISO capability is very nice, though among the entry-level dSLRs I don't think there is much difference. A built-in spot meter is nice too, but not really necessary as you can always check the preview and adjust the exposure.

Live view (lets you see the image on the LCD screen rather than using the viewfinder) might be worth it to you, especially if you shoot lots of things low to the ground, but I don't miss it.

Brand: Canon and Nikon are both excellent; the differences are moot, despite what their loyal fans argue. The only significant difference is the lens mount. Nikon has been using their F mount for decades, so even very old lenses will pop right on the new bodies and work.

Lenses: Whichever brand you choose, buy yourself a 50mm 1.8 (or 1.4 if you don't mind spending a bit more) prime lens. The 50mm focal length is very easy to produce nowadays, so these are usually the cheapest lenses in the entire line and are among the sharpest.

It's usually a good idea to avoid the "kit" lens that they usually sell with the body; look around online and try to find a better basic zoom lens. Also keep in mind that in general, the smaller the difference between the minimum and maximum focal lengths, the better the lens in terms of sharpness and distortion. Don't be tempted to buy the 5-600mm f/16 lens, it's not worth it.

Also, I don't know about Nikon, but some Canon lenses are designed to only work with entry-level dSLRs (EF-S, in Canon-speak). They are usually cheaper and perform well, but if you ever plan on upgrading to a full-frame sensor dSLR, you probably want to avoid them.

[Geekgirl]

ditto every last thing scruff wrote, including the irrelevance of the Canon vs. Nikon conflict.

The only real argument for one brand over the other is if you have Nikon, or Canon EOS in your possession already. If so, sticking with brand might get you some lens interchange. Even still, there are lens adaptors for old-style non-electronic lenses, that can be very worthwhile if you are good at manual focus. (I have terrible eyesight, so I depend on electronic focus.) For instance, if you have been shooting with the older Olympus 35mm film cameras, the old Zuiko lenses are excellent glass, and an adapter is about $150. You can use the old lenses on your Canon or Nikon, and have "Pro" quality glass at the same time.

Don't overlook Pentax either, some very good reviews on that line, despite being mostly entry-level, and less optional equipment to choose from.

For my purchases, I usually check reviews at dpreview.com and fredmiranda.com
I've found both of those sites to have pretty accurate reviews.

If you seriously want to shoot, and not just have an ultra-fancy point and shoot automatic with detachable lenses, skip the "kits" and buy the body only, then add a 50mm and a mid-range zoom. You'll spend less in the long-run (though quite a bit more in the short term.) IS or VR (Image Stabilization or Vibration Reduction, depending on the brand) is a nice feature.

Must have non-cam equipment, especially if you intend to do still-life like tea shots are a remote and a nice, solid tripod. Yeah, you can get along without them, but trust me, they are nice to have. Don't skimp on the tripod, that's how cameras get broken, from inadequate tripods tipping over.

[entropyembrace]

The kit lens with the D60 is actually quite good...it's zoom range is 18mm-55mm and the optics are very sharp with only minimal distortion. It is a DX lens though...like scruff said there are some lenses designed only for the small frame entry level SLRs, in Nikon's case that means every digital SLR other than the D3, D3x and D700. The lenses designed for Nikon's small frame SLR's are called DX lenses. They work just fine on the camera bodies they're designed for but those expensive full frame cameras will drop in price eventually and when you upgrade to a full frame body you won't want DX lenses anymore...so when it comes time to buy lenses it makes more sense to pay a bit extra for the full frame lenses.

[entropyembrace]

Focal length on the DX lenses is still multiplied... 55mm on my DX zoom is the same as 55mm on my full format zoom I used on a 35mm film body when I mount both on my D60, a DX format SLR. The only difference you'll really see between a DX lens and a full format lens is if you mount the DX lens on a 35mm or FX camera body...you'll see black around the edges of your picture.

So there's no reason not to use a full format lens on your DX camera body other than cost. You still won't get wide angle from a 14mm DX lens for example...but you will get the extra zoom using a 300mm DX lens.

[hooksie]

Wonderful information every, very informative!

Currently i am giving the D60 a serious look, price for the performance I need it seems to be in the lead.

[tea-guy]

I am a very very big fan of my Canon Digital Rebel XT. They have newer models with a bunch of new features and options... but really the XT is all anyone needs to get started with a DSLR. I recommend finding one on eBay.

To learn more, see if you can't find a Flickr group in your area which meets up semi-frequently! My local one has helped me quite a bit!

[hooksie]

I realized we have a Rebel XTi at my office today, so I got to play around with it and see how it felt. Going to try to swing by a store sometime and see if I can compare to a D60.

[Proinsias]

My current set up is one of these:


and one of these:


This thread is making my wallet nervous.

[Pentox]

I've been using a Canon XSi since January and I like it quite a bit. I haven't ventured into much glass beyond the two kit lenses and a 50mm 1.8 prime.

[Herb_Master]

I've been using a Canon XSi since January and I like it quite a bit. I haven't ventured into much glass beyond the two kit lenses and a 50mm 1.8 prime.

What was it that made me think you would be using one of these