DSLR Camera Help

[Erebus]

Well my wife recently broke our point & shoot digital camera, and for some time I have been wanting to upgrade to a intro level DSLR camera. The price range we have been looking at is $500 max. At that price it does not give us too many options.

 

Now my brother is an avid photographer that has a very nice Canon camera. He works in Yellowstone NP and it a very good amateur wildlife photographer taught by people who do it professionally. He really wants me to purchase a Canon Rebel XS or a Nikon D3000 since he says they are built sturdier and have a wide variety of accessories (new&used).

 

Though I am really looking for the best DSLR right out of the box. I have been looking at Sony A390 which is 4 MGP higher, can shoot HD video, and all around has better features than any of the entry Canon's or Nikon's at the same price. It is a highly rated camera but just not as popular as the Canon or Nikon.

 

I understand my brothers need for the variety of lenses because of his type of photography hobby, but I am not near that level of skill. I just want to get the best camera for my dollar and not really worried about buying a variety of lenses until much later.

 

Any advice would be helpful, Thanks

[Keith1010]

I know you are going to get lots of good technical advice from the camera experts. One thing after you get all the advice is to go to the store and to try out each of these cameras. Consider additional factors such as how the camera feels in your hands and how comfortable you feel holding and shooting pictures with each camera. This might seem little but to me it's an important factor to consider.

 

Keith

[pierces]

Well my wife recently broke our point & shoot digital camera, and for some time I have been wanting to upgrade to a intro level DSLR camera. The price range we have been looking at is $500 max. At that price it does not give us too many options.

 

Now my brother is an avid photographer that has a very nice Canon camera. He works in Yellowstone NP and it a very good amateur wildlife photographer taught by people who do it professionally. He really wants me to purchase a Canon Rebel XS or a Nikon D3000 since he says they are built sturdier and have a wide variety of accessories (new&used).

 

Though I am really looking for the best DSLR right out of the box. I have been looking at Sony A390 which is 4 MGP higher, can shoot HD video, and all around has better features than any of the entry Canon's or Nikon's at the same price. It is a highly rated camera but just not as popular as the Canon or Nikon.

 

I understand my brothers need for the variety of lenses because of his type of photography hobby, but I am not near that level of skill. I just want to get the best camera for my dollar and not really worried about buying a variety of lenses until much later.

 

Any advice would be helpful, Thanks

 

I shoot with a Sony A700 and have never been forced to skip a shot because of a lack of lens availability. (Link to a response I wrote on the same issue.) The A390 is a lot of camera for the price and has the best live view of any camera in its class. If you ever find you need more, Sony has some great cameras in the upper entry-level market and is coming out with a new advanced amateur model this summer that may be a game-changer.

 

Don;t worry about peer pressure. If the camera suits your needs, get it and enjoy!

 

Dave

[chipmaster]

500 hmm that is a low ceiling if you are going to dive into DSLRs.

 

Beyond the body and a basic kit lens the whole point of a DSLR is the additional accessories ( more lens, flash ) that make it better and bigger.

 

The build quality of the cheaper cameras are all very similar. Each manufacture has gone after a specific strategy ( I don't think correct ) to attract the user. A few things to remember when going shopping

 

1) Pixels DO NOT MATTER, at the entry level whether you get 8, 10, 12, or even 16 mega pixels really is the least important thing. I gurantee you that 99% of the shots from a 8-10 mega pixel DSLR will beat any of the modern point and shoots at might be 2x higher in pixel count.

 

1a) If Video is important rules out D3000 but D3100 on the nikon does video. FWIW I personally think the difference between 720 and 1080 is marketing Cr*p just like pixels.

 

2) Most important thing is does the camera meet your budget and feel comfortable in your hands. Do the menu system and buttons feel good and easy for you.

 

3) Which line offers the most value for accessories. No good buying say brand xyz and realize that you want a super wide lens where there is only "one" choice. Or a supertelephoto that doesn't exist or you need to buy used or whatever.

 

 

To be honest all major brand are excellent, only two brand will for sure be here, maybe three brands will be around in 5-10 years. Each brand has been priced as the marketing monkeys know how supply demand works. There is a reason some seem to offer more than others and seem to be more of a value. The real question is are those really the "right" value buying points!

 

Lastly a DSLR is NO replecement for a point and shoot. If you can only afford one camera get a nice Canon superzoom for 399. To spend the whole photo budget on a DSLR but not have a nice compact P&S won't be a good tradeoff. FWIW I have 2 P&S and 2 DSLRs, if I had to slim down to just one camera :eek:, it would be a P&S

 

Psst trust your brother he knows best :D ;)

 

Well my wife recently broke our point & shoot digital camera, and for some time I have been wanting to upgrade to a intro level DSLR camera. The price range we have been looking at is $500 max. At that price it does not give us too many options.

 

Now my brother is an avid photographer that has a very nice Canon camera. He works in Yellowstone NP and it a very good amateur wildlife photographer taught by people who do it professionally. He really wants me to purchase a Canon Rebel XS or a Nikon D3000 since he says they are built sturdier and have a wide variety of accessories (new&used).

 

Though I am really looking for the best DSLR right out of the box. I have been looking at Sony A390 which is 4 MGP higher, can shoot HD video, and all around has better features than any of the entry Canon's or Nikon's at the same price. It is a highly rated camera but just not as popular as the Canon or Nikon.

 

I understand my brothers need for the variety of lenses because of his type of photography hobby, but I am not near that level of skill. I just want to get the best camera for my dollar and not really worried about buying a variety of lenses until much later.

 

Any advice would be helpful, Thanks

[dodger501]

The quality of glass is more important than megapixels.

My first DSLR was the Nikon D70 that came with the 18-70mm kit lens.

I did not really know what I was doing but could tell at once that my pictures were better.

I have long since branched out into bigger, faster lenses as my experience has increased.

[sfels]

I agree with dodger501. In that respect, digital cameras are the same as film cameras; it's the lenses that make the difference. The other thing worth considering, especially if shooting from the ship while it's sailing, is image stabilization. That goes a long way to getting sharp pictures. All the entry level DSLRs have a lot of bells and whistles and you may find you don't need or want many of them. Also, the "standard" lens that comes with them is adequate but far from great. You may want to consider buying a "new in box" that's a couple of years old to save significant dollars.

[wilfros]

Funny I should find your post today. I am in a similar situation in that I want to expand my ability to take 3D photos and in order to do so I need to move into the DSLR world.

 

I am very seriously looking at the Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2MP DSLR Camera With 18-55mm IS Lens Kit. Here in Canada it is about 600 but I would want (need) a few extras.

 

First: Remember DSLR cameras don't come with a memory card so you will have to spend extra money for that depending on the size of card you want.

 

Second: If you are like me, you will want an extra battery. Nothing worse that running out of power in the middle of a shore excursion. Comparable to running out of film in the "old days". That will be extra as well.

 

Next I will be buying a manual type of specialty lens only available through 3D specialty shops and thus can only operate with the camera in full manual or Apature Priority. I find it neat that I can state these facts but I have no idea what they mean. LOL

 

I am getting this "set up" as soon as possible so I can practice through the summer and fall before our cruise to Hawaii in Feb. 2012.

 

I am anxious to read some of the feedback you get.

[cruiser1955]

I had one of the first Sony Alphas - the 100. I was very happy with the quality of the shots, even with the kit lens it came with. I did use much better quality lens with the camera, but, as an amateur, didn't really notice that much difference between them.

Battery life I found to be very good – around 450 shots on a full charge.

My problem with the Alpha though was reliability. The first one failed after 3,000 shots, but was eventually replaced free of charge by Sony. The replacement worked fine for a couple of years, but then started to have dust problems which the cleaning system wouldn’t fix. Both of these may be limited to the Alpha 100, but it did put me off upgrading to the 700.

I’ve now moved to a Canon 50D and I’m very pleased with the results from that, but it is a heavy camera. DLSRs can turn out to be quite expensive in the long run and it may prove to be a false economy buying an entry level model or, as in the case of Sony, one with limited expansion capability. Check to see what third party accessories you can get for the Sony.

[zackiedawg]

My problem with the Alpha though was reliability. The first one failed after 3,000 shots, but was eventually replaced free of charge by Sony. The replacement worked fine for a couple of years, but then started to have dust problems which the cleaning system wouldn’t fix. Both of these may be limited to the Alpha 100, but it did put me off upgrading to the 700.

 

While you are certainly entitled to feeling whatever you do about Sony, I just wanted to respectfully point out that 'dust' isn't a reliability issue with a DSLR. It is a guarantee, with all brands and models, and is simply part of life with a camera in which the body opens up to accept different lenses, exposing the sensor to the atmposphere. Dust removal systems in cameras can never fully address all dust situations, which is why there are so many cleaning solutions commonly available on the market, from basic bulb blowers to wet swab systems. If this was a primary reason for moving away from the Sony system, it was a bit unfortunate as it's not a reason that the brand has anything to do with. And virtually all DSLRs have dust...even if you don't notice it - point a camera at a white wall, out of focus, and set aperture to F22...then review the photo...you'll find any dust you have.

 

as in the case of Sony, one with limited expansion capability. Check to see what third party accessories you can get for the Sony.

 

Again, just to counter-point this - not sure what 'limited expansion capability' is being referred to, but case in point: Sony has released more camera bodies in the past 4 years than Canon and Nikon, they currently have 5 DSLR bodies in 3 different classes, the hybrid SLT class with two bodies, and a separate mirrorless system with 2 bodies. At least 2 new Alpha bodies and 2 new NEX bodies are already scheduled to come out. There are 108 lenses currently available in Alpha mount, all stabilized, and 360+ legacy lenses available for use, all stabilized. The sensors in the Sony DSLR bodies are also used by Pentax and Nikon in their camera bodies.

 

Not that they are any better than any other brand, just to point out that they clearly are not worse either. Accessories are widely available, from 3 different 3rd party lens manufacturers and myriad smaller accessories that are compatible with all DSLRs. Multiple levels of flash systems, all wireless control, are available, including 3rd party selections. And mid-level Sony bodies with the same 16MP sensors shared by the excellent Nikon D7000 and Pentax K5 are priced 30-40% less - giving a good bargain accessibility to an excellent top-ranked sensor, in a camera body capable of 5fps continuous shooting and the best live view system ever designed. The small hybrid SLTs can combine that excellent sensor with up to 10fps shooting with tracking focus, which is seriously rare in any segment.

 

Whether a person wants to go Canon, Nikon, Sony, or Pentax, they're going to get a fine brand, and within each are cheaper more basic models and higher-end models. No offense, but if you left off of Sony back with the A100, about the time the A700 was rebuting, you have definitely not kept abreast of vast changes with the Sony DSLRs in every performance respect - the cameras shoot comfortably now to ISO6400+, up to 7fps, battery life well over 1,000 shots, stabilization system good for 3-4 stops, focus system vastly faster than the A100 days, etc). As for overall reliability, sorry to hear of a failure at only 3,000 frames. I put over 15,000 frames on my A300 before moving to my A550...my A550 has seen over 30,000 frames and still runs like clockwork...and my A300 still works perfectly in the hands of a coworker who bought it from me. Reliability has not been an issue in general with Sony - check reviews and user reports on the forum and you rarely hear of a camera failing...so yours appeared to be an unfortunate fluke.

[mitsugirly]

I am a Sony girl.

 

When I decided I wanted an entry level slr, when I went to the camera store to look at the options, they actually recommended the Sony (along with several other people that were customers in the store agreed). With the screen viewer, it was an added plus to me.

 

The other added plus I seen was that you can use the old Minolta lens with these cameras. I have purchased several which include the 28mm, 50mm, 300mm and you can just tell the difference in the lens. They are heavy and sturdy and you can usually get them for a terrific price! :) Especially if you find people on ebay or craigslist selling them and they have no clue that they are interchangeable with our newer cameras. :D

[zackiedawg]

BTW Jon, I just wanted to clarify that I wasn't posting any of that with any kind of anger or judgment or anything - sometimes people get testy and I didn't want you to think I was coming from that place - I just wanted to add a point-counterpoint type post in a friendly debate-informational style. FYI!

[cruiser1955]

BTW Jon, I just wanted to clarify that I wasn't posting any of that with any kind of anger or judgment or anything - sometimes people get testy and I didn't want you to think I was coming from that place - I just wanted to add a point-counterpoint type post in a friendly debate-informational style. FYI!

 

No offense taken. It has opened up the debate. I use a lot of Sony kit, even down to my first Sony point and shoot from 2001 (3MP) which has given me usable A0 size poster prints.

 

As to my comment on expandability, here in the UK, Sony extras, such as lens, flash, etc can be very expensive. This is where the availability from other supplers such as Sigma can help if you have a limited budget. Again, the US is a much bigger market and may well have more availability than in the UK. As an example, the A390 is around USD650 on Amazon from several suppliers.

 

Jon

[zackiedawg]

Ouch - that's an awful lot for an A390. Around here, closeout A500s are going for $499...and that's a lot more camera. We've got pretty decent Sony lens availability, and very good availability for Tamron and Sigma lenses in Alpha mount. A few Tokina lenses too, though they are fairly new to Alpha. Of course, our biggest available market is in used Minolta gear or older Sigma/Tamron/Tokina/Vivitar gear in Minolta mount - tons of that available all over, from local camera stores with used gear to KEH.com to eBay and Amazon, etc.

 

It's good to get perspective from other parts of the World - I know it can vary widely. Asia has huge sony representation, Europe is decent in some western areas, so-so in others, and still poor in many eastern countries. Sony barely plays in South America. In the US, they are solid at #3, but nowhere near the marketing blitz and shelf space of Canon/Nikon. Yet overall availability, and pricing, remains very competitive with them - you just wouldn't know it by looking at the shelves in stores. That's why I like to at least inform any potential buyers that it's very much worth their while to shop all available brands, because there are certain features/designs/abilities that might make Sony or Pentax the best choice for them, and they'd never know if they limit themselves to looking at Canon or Nikon.

[Erebus]

I appreciate everyone comments and suggestions. I did run to Best Buy and picked up each camera in person to get a feel on how they handle. Based on the reviews, recommendations, and the hands on handling I chose to get the Nikon D3000.

 

Nikon was all around fairly comfortable to handle and the most highly rated intro DSLR by large variety of website and individual opinions.

 

I should get my camera tomorrow and I am looking forward to getting out there and trying it out.

 

Again thanks for everyones help

[awboater]

When you get to a DSLR, you are buying into a System. The whole idea of a DSLR is the ability to change lenses. If you don't think you will need to change lenses, there are some P&S cameras that have APS sized sensors, so they should have decent low-light capability.

 

I've said it before, that you will be spending more money over 5~10years on lenses than the body, and the lenses will probably outlast 2 or 3 bodies.

 

So your brand choice should be dictated on the availability of the various system components, not just a specific DSLR body. The worst thing you can do is to pick the wrong brand, then have to buy lenses all over again (I did that - twice - in the almost 35 years I have owned SLRs).

 

Of the three predominant 3rd party lens manufacturers; Tokina, Sigma, and Tamron, Tokina caters mostly to Canon and Nikon - although they eventually get around to making a few of their lenses for other brands. Sigma and Tamron have a wider availability for the other manufacturers for most, if not all of their lenses.

 

There is some criticism of the 3rd party lens manufacturers, but all of them have a few great lenses, and a few bad ones (although I suppose the same can be said for one or two Nikon lenses as well).

 

My personal preference in the 3rd party lenses is Tokina, then Sigma, then Tamron. My choice only - and others may have a different preference. While most of my lenses are Nikon, I have a Tokina 11-16mm Superwide and a Tokina 100mm Macro - both of which are arguably better than Nikon's offerings.

 

Also check eBay if you think you might want to buy used lenses, and you will get an idea what is available for what camera brand.

 

If you go with Nikon or Canon, you will be able to get the maximum choice of lenses and other accessories. Other brands not nearly as much, but there is still perhaps a sufficient availability for most accessories as well.

 

But getting back to my main point - look at a DSLR as a system purchase, and chose the brand due to the system, not due to a specific camera. In the long run, you will be happier, and money ahead.

 

Oh, in your case, I would buy the same brand as your brother - that way you can use his lenses...

[cruisingbooboo]

FYI Canon has some great refurbished DSLR and P&S, I've bought 3 and NEVER had any bad luck, details on their website.