buying first DSLR

[Linas]

I have been saving up some money and would like to purchase a DSLR for myself as a graduation present this winter. I have done some research, but was wondering what you guys think. Not really sure what to place my budget at, as I might be able to get some help from my parents as well, but the cheaper the better. So far i am leaning towards the nikon d70, which goes for about $200 on ebay. Not sure on what kind of lens yet, and realize that is a significant cost of the camera too.

[Lady Kayri]

Take a look at what sorts of lenses you are going to need to do the photography you are interested in. Then take a look at what lenses each company has. The camera body will wear out and you'll be replacing them; the lenses will last for years. If you buy a Nikon DSLR, you've basically bought into the entire line of Nikon lenses; same for Canon. Also, if you can, go someplace like Best Buy, etc. that have cameras. Pick up the models they have, make sure they feel comfortable in your hands - not too heavy, not to light, controls in easily available places. Nothing worse than buying a camera online, only to discover that due to its ergonomics, you hate holding it and using it, the on/off button is hard to access when you've got the camera up to your eye, etc. Take a look at some of the camera forums, like dpreview.com and see what the folks there say about the models you are interested in. Personally, I have a Canon (old Rebel XT) and love Canons; both my Dad and sister have Nikons. I like a smaller, lighter camera, which the Canons (especially the Rebels) are; Dad & sister like heavier cameras. Plus my sister already had quite a few Nikon lenses from her film SLRs, so she could easily switch them to the DSLR. Can't do that with Canon, but as I'd be buying all my lenses from scratch anyway, went with the camera bodies I liked the best for my hands and such.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

D70 for $200?

Is that the body-only?

Something like an 18-55mm lens seems to be a good standard lens, but what to get really depends on what you use.

From my readings into it, it's best to get into one brand and stick with it (if you upgrade to a better model of camera body, you can keep the lenses you have). That and generally the differences between the big brands is pretty insignificant.

Make sure to go into a camera shop and try them all out for feel etc.

For what it's worth, I don't have a DSLR yet, but I have been looking around quite a bit recently. (I'm leaning towards a Canon myself, can't really go wrong with any of the major brands tho).

[Disco_Gee]

I've been through 4 DSLRs. I started and stuck with Canon. I'm currently shooting on a 5D MkII.

Your best bet is to go into a store and try the different models. Canon and Nikon cameras are generally comparable when it comes to features and price, but they feel pretty different when you're holding them and the menu systems and button layouts are very different. You may find that you naturally prefer one over the other.

Or you could just buy one and learn to live with it - which also isn't such a bad idea as it's going to be a learning experience for you regardless or which brand you get.

I'd avoid Sony and Pentax as accessories for them are harder to come by than Canon and Nikon. It's also a good idea to get yourself a 50mm 1.8 lens of some description. The kit lenses that come with DSLRs (like the 18-55) are generally pretty rubbish. You probably won't notice at first, but depending on how much you get into photography you may find that the lenses aren't sharp, they have colour casting issues, and distortion at both ends. I lasted about 6 months on the kit lens before I tossed it and spent some more on a decent lens. A 50mm 1.8 will be much shaper, better in low light, and create some much nicer images. The best part is that it probably won't cost more than $100.

[Kosko]

I like Nikon and the D7000 is coming out soon as the successor to the D90, so you should be able to pick up a D90 soon for a reasonable price.

Not to rain on your parade, but $200 won't get you far in the DSLR realm; and you may find yourself more impressed with point and shoot cameras at that price range. You could probably find a used D5000 on the cheap... But a used D90 and 18-55 lens, that'd be an amazing setup. Pancake style "portrait" lenses can be great as far as carry-everywhere lenses. You can do the close-up bokeh shot and the infinite length group shot.

[Staccato]

I'm leaning toward the D90 for obvious reasons (new or discontinued).

On a small budget, consider if you want to use some older generation AI lenses (or other) as you select a body. As you know, some bodies will not handle as much of the older lenses as others. Example: I'm using AF, and AF-D lenses, and have not graduated from the N90S (Nikon film camera).

[MrDOS]

On that budget, an eBay D70 would be great, I think. I've taken 1,000s of pictures with my D70, and still get lots of compliments.

A "good" lens will be far more than $200, I'm afraid.

[Linas]

What lens do you guys think would be a good all purpose lens to get. I am looking at the 50mm 1.8f, which i realize is a prime lens, but it is cheap and well regarded for $100. Do you think that for learning photography I will be at a hindrance not having a zoom lens for a while?

[Disco_Gee]

Originally Posted by Linas

What lens do you guys think would be a good all purpose lens to get. I am looking at the 50mm 1.8f, which i realize is a prime lens, but it is cheap and well regarded for $100. Do you think that for learning photography I will be at a hindrance not having a zoom lens for a while?

Not at all. In fact, even if you got a zoom lens you'd probably use the 50mm a lot more. It's shaper, the colours and bokeh will look nicer, and it's better for low light. The one place that the 50mm won't be so good is if you're indoors trying to get a shot of the whole family in a room, or something of that nature. The crop factor on a APS-C sized sensor means that that 50mm will be closer to about 75mm in 35mm terms.

I don't know if you understand what that means but the image below will explain what that means for you. Essentially, you'll be capturing a slightly more "zoomed in" image than what 50mm usually looks like. That's not a bad thing at all, but it means that you won't be able to fit the whole family, head to toe, in an indoor shot, for example.

The upside is that with one less variable (focal length) you'll find it easier to come to terms with the other aspects of photography as there is one less thing to think about. I see a lot of people just "zooming in and out" rather than actually thinking about how to frame a shot, or where to stand when taking it. A prime will cause you to think about this a bit more. And, honestly, cheap zooms look like crap.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by Linas

What lens do you guys think would be a good all purpose lens to get. I am looking at the 50mm 1.8f, which i realize is a prime lens, but it is cheap and well regarded for $100. Do you think that for learning photography I will be at a hindrance not having a zoom lens for a while?

I would get a zoom lens like this 18-55 zoom for $109. It will give you more options than a fixed focal-length lens, for about the same price.

Ultimately, you may want to get the D-5000 kit at Costco, which has an 18-55 zoom and a 55-200 zoom. It's going to be more than $200 for sure, but I don't think that's a realistic price for a DSLR of reasonable quality. You won't have to buy another camera for a long time.

[Linas]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

I would get a zoom lens like this 18-55 zoom for $109. It will give you more options than a fixed focal-length lens, for about the same price.

Ultimately, you may want to get the D-5000 kit at Costco, which has an 18-55 zoom and a 55-200 zoom. It's going to be more than $200 for sure, but I don't think that's a realistic price for a DSLR of reasonable quality. You won't have to buy another camera for a long time.

Looks like a nice kit. Im not limiting my budget at $200, im just saying that the d70 goes for around that on ebay, and it seems to be a good camera.

[Jefenator]

If I could do it all over again, I would have made the DSLR leap much sooner. Fun as the point & shoots were, all those landscapes I sometimes risked my neck for now look dull and blurry by comparison.

A good, reputable DSLR model from 2 years ago should really flip your wig and not be too bad on the budget.

Here's a couple of sites I found helpful:

http://www.dpreview.com/
http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/

I went with Canon because I liked the overall feel and the viewfinder and was more familiar with the layout from my point & shoots. YMMV.

I used to not much care for zoom lenses. Back in the film SLR days, I travelled with a 24, a 35 and a 50. (APS-C equivalents would be: 15, 23 and 35.) Then I got hooked on digital and now I'm hooked on the zoom, too.

Canon's latest 18-55 "kit" lens is worth around $200 new, much less used, and would be OK for starting out. IME it was pretty darn sharp at wider angle settings. That held me over till I was ready to splurge on some more serious glass.

Good luck - happy hunting!

[Tsal]

I still use my D70 and it does take good pictures, nothing wrong with the body. However, it starts to be quite old, and the units in eBay have probably seen some use. If you have some extra money, I'd perhaps look into the basic Nikon or Canon DSLR kits. You can have a new kit (body + 18-55mm) for well below $400, so it's not that much more expensive compared to buying a body and a lense for it.

[Philbiker]

Buying an older SLR is a great way to go. My nephew uses the same idea to purchase his pro camera gear. The bodies devalue quickly, lenses not so much. I've been very happy with the Canon Rebel XT that replaced my old AE-1 Program film SLR.

[dinghy]

For a beginner lens, I would choose the canon 50mm f1.8 for $100. It's much sharper than the kit lens, opens up much wider as well which is good for low light. You just need to learn to work with a prime lens, but I think it's a good practice to learn.

[Carver]

+1 to buying an older body. They lose value pretty fast, but with decent glass, a nice Rebel XT will still take great shots while you get the hang of it. When you're ready to upgrade, you'll have a nice backup.

Or you could have it converted to Infrared for some serious fun.

Here's a couple from my old Digital Rebel converted to IR.

[mrpackerguy]

I'd check out the Pentax offerings. I really like my 200d. All Pentax lenses, even those from the 1960s are compatible. Really opens up a whole new world.

[joeyl]

whatever you buy make sure you get a body that has the autofocus motor in it, instead of relying on the lens one. Why? Because then you can use the old and cheap lenses from like 30-40 years ago. Trust me on that one, glass is expensive

[DigMe]

I'm planning on getting a Nikon D5000 very soon.

bc

[Jefenator]

If I were to start with a fixed lens on an APS-C body, I'd probably look for a 35mm. Those are pretty common from back in the day - I notice Nikon even makes a new one for those who want a simple "normal" lens for their DSLR.

(If I'd gone with the same brand as my old film SLRs I'd be all set for that. )