DSLR camera

[dougdeep]

Ask Roz.

 

[Mr Bridger]

Out of interest, why do you want a DSLR rather than, say, a compact system?

I think the latter suit the needs of most people (non-pros) these days.

I have a compact camera now, and would like to go a step and take it a bit more serious.

 

[BHAZiggy]

I love my Canons. I have an old 450D that I now use to teach my nephews but my pride and joy is my new EOS 7D. You can't go wrong with a Canon EOS 600D and if you buy now they have a cash back deal going. Don't take my word for it though, go to Amazon and read the reviews by the owners. Try to get as good a lens as you can afford though. The kit lens is the cheapest one they do and spending a little extra can make a big difference to your pictures. I can recommend the 15-85MM IS USM. It is fast focusing and very sharp, a huge improvement on the noisy, slow kit lens.
Of course, if your budget allows more money and you have £1,500 to spend then you could go straight for that lens with the 7D. It is a wonderful piece of kit and you won't get a better camera with crop sensor.

 

[BHAZiggy]

Out of interest, why do you want a DSLR rather than, say, a compact system?

I think the latter suit the needs of most people (non-pros) these days.

It only suits those who want snapshots. There is hardy any control with a compact. You can't get good bokah and the camera decides for you what you are trying to capture. It completely ruins any creativity you have.
That's rather like saying "Why bother with decent brushes and oil paints when a box of crayons does everything you need?"

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Ask Roz.

... who recommends a D3200 as an entry-level DSLR.

But it depends on what you want to use the camera for and how much you want to spend. If you are planning to take most of your pictures using the 'auto' settings, do you really need a DSLR? And remember ... the quality of the results depends more on the lens than the camera. To say nothing about the photographer's eye for a good image.

 

[dougdeep]

You can't get good bokah and the camera decides for you what you are trying to capture. It completely ruins any creativity you have.

Bokah? I disagree, a good photographer can get a good pic with almost any camera.

 

[Triggaaar]

I think you will probably decide on either Cannon or Nikon (no real difference just personal taste) to be honest as they use a mirror lense rather than a processor

Having a mirror doesn't mean there is no difference between the quality of different cameras. There's little to choose between Canon and Nikon, simply because they both make great cameras.

I'd suggest seeing what Canon and Nikon are available within your budget, checking them out on dpreview, and then going to Park Cameras to try one of each make in your hands. Although both brands are roughly equal in quality, they do handle differently, and the only way to know which you like best is to handle them both.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Bokah? I disagree, a good photographer can get a good pic with almost any camera.

Indeed. I remember a visit to Shugborough Hall, in Staffordshire, with a group of people who had each been given a cheap Boots 'throw-away' camera, with the challenge to take the best photo of the day. The guy who won was the only one of us who had the nerve to approach Lord Patrick Lichfield, who owned Shugborough, and ask him to take a few snaps.

 

[scarby]

Alternatively go for this bad boy, it's my own holy grail...one day!!


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Leica-M9-18...8&qid=1370124133&sr=1-4&keywords=leica+camera

f@ck me, is that antique at that price!!

 

[Titanic]

Indeed. I remember a visit to Shugborough Hall, in Staffordshire, with a group of people who had each been given a cheap Boots 'throw-away' camera, with the challenge to take the best photo of the day. The guy who won was the only one of us who had the nerve to approach Lord Patrick Lichfield, who owned Shugborough, and ask him to take a few snaps.

What did you win?

 

[Fungus]

(1) Dont get hung up on megapixels,unless you are going to print above A2 size 10MP will be more than enough.
(2)You wont even look twice at a Hundredth of the pictures you take let alone print them.But you will still make a DVD copy to back up the copy on your Hard Drive and stick them all on your choice of external storage,some use "the Cloud" others take up offers of storage with their email provider,I have a terabyte external HD for mine.
(3)You will need a massive memory card (mine has 16GB ) and you still wont trust point (2) and still be reluctant to delete any pictures on it.
(4) Good editing software will make a massive improvement to your efforts an editing pictures can be fun but you still wont print them
(5) Photoshop is ****ing expensive and hard work so ignore (4)
(6) If you have experience of the concepts of 35mm film, The standard 50mm lens was designed so that in a given print size.When taking a portrait the proportion of subject to background was the same as the human eye would see it. Therefore a 200mm 35 mm film lens would give a subject 4 times larger as a proportion of background. DSLR lenses are generally half that. For a 35 mm film camera zoom lens of say 70mm-210 the DSLR equivelent is roughly 35-105 mm.

Good stuff, but expanding on point (6):

50mm was "standard" for old-fashion film cameras, but if I put that on my Canon DSLR, it becomes 80mm equivalent - there's 1.6 magnification because of the way they're designed (I think Nikon is 1.5x or similar), ie. size of sensor and lens design. If you put the same 50mm lens on a FULL-FRAME DSLR (eg. Canon 5D or 6D), it stays as 50mm. It confused the hell out of me for a while, but just means my old lenses become "longer".

Any new DSLR can be bought as a "kit", with a 18-55mm zoom (equivalent to a 28-80mm zoom in old money), so it's not really an issue.

 

[Fungus]

Probably looking around the £500 mark, is that good or tight arse?

Thanks all for the advice, very helpfull

That's a sensible price - getting any better results will depend on the effort you put in, not the extra money.

 

[Triggaaar]

It only suits those who want snapshots. There is hardy any control with a compact. You can't get good bokah and the camera decides for you what you are trying to capture. It completely ruins any creativity you have.

Bokah? I disagree, a good photographer can get a good pic with almost any camera.

Of course the skill of the photographer is important, but the camera is too. As Ziggy says, a DSLR gives you the freedom to make the shot how you want it. If you happen to want a candid portrait with nice bokah, that's going to be a lot easier with a DSLR than with a compact.

 

[BHAZiggy]

Double post. Ignore.

 

[BHAZiggy]

Bokah? I disagree, a good photographer can get a good pic with almost any camera.

You make a fair point but it is unhelpful in this context. The OP is looking to try a DSLR and as a user of DSLRs (and occasionally compacts) I know how much more enjoyable they are and how much better the images are.
Making negative comments about DSLRs in general will not assist him in making the correct choice. He's about to spend a lot of money. I think it is only fair that he gets helpful advice.
personally, I think they are worth the money to use RAW alone. Under/overexpose a shot in JPEG and you've lost the shot forever. Do the same in RAW and you can correct the exposure later and bring out detail you didn't even know was there.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

... use RAW alone. Under/overexpose a shot in JPEG and you've lost the shot forever. Do the same in RAW and you can correct the exposure later and bring out detail you didn't even know was there.

This. And invest in some good editing software.

 

[BHAZiggy]

You may find this comparison useful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf7jkU1zclo

 

[Northstander]

f@ck me, is that antique at that price!!

Leica is 200% quality built germn engineering and is the best (in my opinion) with CRYSTAL CLEAR pictures and cannot be beaten....it's the ferrari for those that drive lesser cars....ie A nice to have but is costly!!

 

[brightn'ove]

Canon and Nikon are both great makes, but don't overlook Sony, they have come on in leaps and bounds over the last few years. (For what it's worth I have a Canon and quite a lot of glass)

I would go to >>>>>here<<<<<
There is so much info on that site you will not only be able to come away with an informed choice but quite possibly with some added knowledge of Digital photography.

definitely overlook sony - go with nikon or canon.

if £500 is your budget go with either a 600d or 650d, not sure what the nikon equivalent is, maybe a d3100 or d5100.

 

[BHAZiggy]

definitely overlook sony - go with nikon or canon.

if £500 is your budget go with either a 600d or 650d, not sure what the nikon equivalent is, maybe a d3100 or d5100.

I totally agree. Quality images come from quality glass, and Sony are way behind in that category.