Advice for 1st DSLR. What would you pick out of these 3

brett23

brett23

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Brett
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Hi guys/ladies

My first post and just looking to gleam some of the wealth of knowledge that floats around the forum.

I have decided to take the plunge from point and shoot into the world of DSLR. After hours of reading reviews online and several visits to PC World and Jessops i have narrowed down to 3 cameras which i cannot choose between. Any comments or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

1st Canon EOS 450d with 18-55mm IS kit lens £449 from Comet

2nd Nikon D60 with 18-55mm VR lens kit £379 from PC World

3rd Nikon D3000 with 18-55mm VR lens kit £448 from Jacobs (with goodies inc a bag)

I have not seen many reviews of the D300 so not to sure what everyone thinks of them. But from what i can see i like the idea of the "idiots guide" approach of the software, as i am just starting out i could see this being really usefull.

I have handled the 1st two and both felt good, as for the D3000 apparently is is almost the same as the D5000 size wise and i found it fine also.

I intend on keeping the camera for a few years and use it for all kind of general photography, i do like taking pictures of buildings and scenery though.

Reading several other posts alot of people recomend the D40 but even 2nd hand the prices they seem to get are serious, so i thought i would just stick it out for a new one.

Really is there much of a difference for a beginner between the canon or either of the nikons.

Thanks for any help

Brett
 
Have you got any existing Nikon or Canon lenses? If so, that really ought to influence your decision.

If not, then all of them will produce very acceptable results. It really comes down to trying them and seeing which you prefer.

Trouble is, that's not easy to do, especially with the likes of Comet/PC World just being box-shifters.

Hop on over to www.kenrockwell.com - he gets mixed reviews on here but he talks a lot of sense too.

Once you've had a good old read, buy a D700 :)
 
budfox said:
Have you got any existing Nikon or Canon lenses? If so, that really ought to influence your decision.

If not, then all of them will produce very acceptable results. It really comes down to trying them and seeing which you prefer.

Trouble is, that's not easy to do, especially with the likes of Comet/PC World just being box-shifters.

Hop on over to www.kenrockwell.com - he gets mixed reviews on here but he talks a lot of sense too.

Once you've had a good old read, buy a D700 :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply Budfox

I have been on KenRockwell. Great site. All he goes on about is the D40. But as i said, expensive for 2nd hand. On ebay they seem to be fetching a minimum of about £275 to over £300. Would rather add the extra £150 and get a new camera.
 
I would get the D60 with the 18-55 non VR from Jessops for £339.

It is the non vr version but I do not think you need vr for that range, just my opinion mind you.

The beauty of Jessops is that you can try it for 30 days and take it back and get a refund if you are not happy from what I have read. A few people have tried this and they seem to be quite willing to take items back, even when they are used. you can always check with them when you buy it but this would give you a chance to try it and see if you like it.
 
The D60 has the same limitation as the D40 in that many lenses will not autofocus on it (including the nifty fifty).
Dont know if the d3000 and d5000 are the same.

d5000 and 18-55VR is £475

are you using http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/
 
who? said:
The D60 has the same limitation as the D40 in that many lenses will not autofocus on it (including the nifty fifty).
Click to expand...

This is true about the nifty 50, unless you go for the new f1.4, but I found that the 35mm AF-S was a better length anyway on a cropped sensor and it is a lovely lens for a decent price (£200).

There are plenty of lenses available now that will auto focus quite happily, including plenty of Sigma HSM models, at decent prices.
 
Ziggy said:
I found that the 35mm AF-S was a better length anyway on a cropped sensor and it is a lovely lens for a decent price (£200).
Click to expand...

I just got the 35mm and I love it, plus it was only £170.
 
who? said:
The D60 has the same limitation as the D40 in that many lenses will not autofocus on it (including the nifty fifty).
Dont know if the d3000 and d5000 are the same.

d5000 and 18-55VR is £475

are you using http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/
Click to expand...

Thanks who. Been on pricebuster but did not see that deal. Didnt think of looking at the D5000. Is it a better camera than the ones i first mentioned.
 
Just had a look at Ken Rockwell's site. If you are keen on the Canon 450D then you should have a look at what he says about Canon 500D.

I bought one last week for Kerso. If you can go to a little over £500, then worth considering. I've only taken a few snaps at home and I'm already very happy with it. (My first DSLR aswell).

The HD video is a bonus, or maybe a distraction for some. For me, and my four year old lad, it is great. Very easy to use and nice results.

There you go - the voice of a novice.
 
budfox said:
Trouble is, that's not easy to do, especially with the likes of Comet/PC World just being box-shifters.
Click to expand...

I have to say, I think my local PC World (Hedge End) is fantastic (for cameras only!) - it has all the cameras out (attached to security leads) so you don't have to ask anyone to have a play and also there are two staff who are very knowledgeable (one long time shooter and a young girl studying photography at college).

I realise not every PCW will be like that but thought I'd give credit where it's due.

Anyway, as far as I can tell the only thing the D3000 offers over the D60 is more AF points and a bigger screen. Whether that's worth the extra cash is for you to decide but if the extra goodies add up then why not?
 
I would reccomend the new Sony A380, it is really easy for 1st time user's it have on screen help and its really good for the price (£500 jessop's)

also the Sony A330 which is only on sale at jessops im lead to believe may be a good 1st time camera
 
get yourself to a shop and handle them all
all the advice in the world is useless if YOU don't like the camera
 
I was in a similar situation to you a few weeks back, I ended up getting the the Canon 450d and I'm over the moon with it.
One reason I choose it was I already had a HD camcorder so I couldn't see the point in paying for the the HD feature when I wasn't going to use it.
It also has a half inch bigger screen than the D60, 2 million more mega pixels and a depth of field preview button.
Also I think the canon 450d is newer than the d60,but maybe I'm wrong even thou both have been superseded by newer models.
These are just my opinions and if you end up with a Nikon or Canon then I think you would be more than happy(y)
One other thing is check the cost of lenses new and second hand that you think you might want as that could be a big factor!
 
for some reviews i have used dpreview website and youtube video reviews from the likes of cameralabs and what digi cam mag.
 
"Really is there much of a difference for a beginner between the canon or either of the nikons."
No there isn't if you know how to work properly with them.
For that reason, I hope you have taken an SD card to the stores and tried viable models from Olympus, Samsungs, Pentax or Sony, they all do a good job.
 
It's great to look at other makes, but I do find the secondhand market and accessories for makes like Pentax,Olympus e.t.c quite limited.
The only reason I say this is I have recently bought 2 lenses off this very forum for a lot less than new and browsing through the classifieds there is a huge range to choose from when looking at Canon and Nikon.
Also I maybe wrong, but I think Olympus use the 4 thirds system in their dslrs which can be seen as a positive or negative depending on your needs.
 
Brett

It all depends. I started off with a canon D30 as my first DSLR which was given to me by my dad.

Quite a bulky first DSLR especially with the grip. Originally i was going to get a Fuji S series...well i think it was S series was like 5 years ago now.

I from my experience could only say get a canon as i have only ever used canon. But then Joe Bloggs may say well Nikon are better and he may have only ever used a nikon.

What im trying to get at in a roundabout sort of way is like what MMCP42 said. Go in the shop...have a feel of it borrow a mates for the day hire one or whatever just to try one and see what feels right. What has the easier menus and what feels good for you as a whole. If we tell you to get the D60 because everyone said it was great but secretly you like the 450d then you would kick yourself for buying it.

I know i have sidetracked slightly but the answer is whatever you decide it has to be best for your needs and what you feel is going to benefit you better.

I hope you can decide soon and that this comment has been helpful in a roundabout sort of way.

Regards

Dan
 
Nikon makes much better 18-55mm zoom so if you intend to use it avoid Canon.

Can you get any good deals on D80, D200, D2X or even D60? Perhaps D300 if you can bite it.

D5000 has much better autofocus than D3000 or D60 and same as Dx0 series.

Perhaps it is better to put more money to the best lenses. It will improve photos more, and will be a good investment.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys. Still undecided. Was very tempted by the D5000 at £475. Went on to buy it today but the price has jumped to £530. ????????? What happened there. Maybe a bit of mis-advertising i think. Like the idea of the D3000 with the new user guide for beginners. But i think the prices are still high as its just released. I have held all in the shops and find them all comfortable.
 
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