Buying a new Camera! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dellipher

dellipher

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Name
Adele
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Please Please Please Help!!!!!!!!!! :thinking:

I'm looking at getting a digital SLR, and I really dont know which one is the best to get. I have been looking at a few different ones....and I'm totally unsure. I'm going in to look and handle them tomorrow. :shrug:

My friend has the Nikon D80, and she also liked the Pentax K10D. I'm looking at spending upto £700. I am fairly new [to manual settings] but I am doing a photography Diploma, and I'm taking the bullet....please help!
Here are what I have been Looking at....

  • Canon 400D DSLR KIT, SUNPAK PF30X FLASH, CANON EF90-300MM NON USM £669.00 [Currys]
  • Canon EOS 400D (Black) + EFS 18-55mm Lens + Tamron 55-200mm f/4-5.6 Di II LD Macro (Canon AF) + Centon D-Trek Backpack 2 (BP500) £556.00 [Jessops]
  • Canon EOS 400D (Black) + EFS 18-55mm Lens + Tamron 55-200mm f/4-5.6 Di II LD Macro (Canon AF)+ 1gb Card and a Different bag £585.87 [Jessops]
  • Nikon D80 + 18-135mm Lens 661.70 [jessops]
  • Nikon D40 with 18-55mm + 55-200mm + Nikon SB-400 Nik Flash + 1GB Card + Bag = £509.99 [Dixons]

I'm aware I can probably get them cheaper online, but most places have BNPL, which I'm wanting to take advantage of.... :help:

Any Advice?

Thanks!!!

Adele
 
Just signed up for it meself - sent off assignment 1 on friday to me tutor, looks a good course, gonna do assignment 2 and 3 in Barcelona coz im going there in 2 weeks (y)
 
StevieF8 said:
Just signed up for it meself - sent off assignment 1 on friday to me tutor, looks a good course, gonna do assignment 2 and 3 in Barcelona coz im going there in 2 weeks (y)
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Cool I'm enjoying it, got most assignments planned, just need to get round to taking the photographs.
What camera do you get?
have you any advice on what I shud get?
 
I used to have a Nikon F90x but that was a few years ago
always been a big fan of Nikon so i'll always say go for one of their range
but I think on the whole they tend to cost a bit more, but, you get what you pay for

Ive only got a digi compact at the moment, and ive ordered a Nikon P50, partly for mr holiday and partly to get the course going

Looking at Nikon DSLR's - prolly go for a D40x for starters, plus if I add lenses and flashes to me kit I can always upgrade the body later
 
mattyh said:
Nikon D80 gets a big thumbs up from me, bought one a few weeks ago, can't fault it at all!
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Thats what my friend has, and it seems like a really nice camera. But I cant help but wonder if I should get one of the canon's cos Im geting extra lenses/flash too.... I dont want to make the wrong choice, but I suppose It'll be what I'm happier with.

:thinking: I'm confused
 
Well the D40x won the TIPA award for best entry level DSLR in 2007, it 100+ quid cheaper then the D80 and very similar specs

Too many options :bang:
 
StevieF8 said:
Well the D40x won the TIPA award for best entry level DSLR in 2007, it 100+ quid cheaper then the D80 and very similar specs

Too many options :bang:
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The D80 is in a different league compared to the D40x though, in terms of handling and functions. The D40x is practically a dumbed down D80 for the consumer market. Don't get me wrong, its a very capable camera, and i doubt anybody could tell the difference between photos taken from the two cameras (same sensor). But the D40x lacks so many features that a photographer would expect standard on a DSLR.
It lacks a commander mode to control external flashes, it only has 3 AF points compared to 11 AF points on the D80, the viewfinder is small and not very bright, it has no exposure bracketing, no on camera autofocus/manual switch, no depth of field preview, no official battery grip support, no top mounted LCD, lacks a ton of camera buttons, and last but not least, the big important fact, NO INTERNAL AUTOFOCUS MOTOR.

I'm a previous D40 owner, and in my opinion stay well away, spend that little bit extra for a whole lot more.
 
Have you handled all of the cameras you are interested in?

I was interested in the Canon 300D (+ 350D whilst I was choosing), and the Nikon D70 when I wanted to buy a DSLR, and though there was not between the features, the Nikon just felt 'right' in my hand, so that is the one I got. A feel for the camera can mean a better user experience. I've heard of a few people replacing Canons because their knuckles were rubbing the lens, or they didn't feel the enough space to hold the camera without fear of dropping it. But then I see 300D/350D/400Ds everywhere, so they must work well for a whole lot of people. ;)

The Canons are value for money, but so is the Pentax K10D. I would be tempted to the Pentax if I was buying now because of its features/price. And if you are interested in the Pentax, then consider the Samsung GX10 as it is virtually the same camera, and cheaper. ;)

Go and handle the camera if you haven't already. :)
 
but whatever you do dont go straight into jessops and buy one until you have looked around a bit ,( from a price point of view and once you have decided on make / model ) for the most part they tend to be a bit on the expensive side . not sure about dixons , but worth looking around first . ( get a nikon ) oops sorry didnt mean to say that ( yes i did )
 
donutagain said:
but whatever you do dont go straight into jessops and buy one until you have looked around a bit ,( from a price point of view and once you have decided on make / model ) for the most part they tend to be a bit on the expensive side . not sure about dixons , but worth looking around first . ( get a nikon ) oops sorry didnt mean to say that ( yes i did )
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HAHAHA, I used to work for Dixons, and everyone was drawn to Nikon or Canon....but I loved Pentax Camera's. Maybe a bit of that old girl is still in here.
The best price that I've seen [with accessories] is the Pentax K10D because I'd get two lenses and a flash gun for similar prices to the D80 and just a lens

I'm off to handle them this morning, but I know that if I see the one I want, I'd just want to buy!!!!

I dont want to buy it online either, because I want to take advantage of the BNPL that most shops currently have on! LOL

:bang:
 
I have a 400d and i love it. I just brought a 70-300mm lens for it and it takes gtood photos and as i am only new to this stuff i am still getting used to it but overall i am really happy with it.

It also has 9 autofocus points which is good and the built in sensor cleaner.

I felt the d40x and wasn't happy with it it felt a bit small but thats my opinion go for the one you like most. remember packages aren't always the best. Personally after trying the cameras i would buy a 400d and not get the 55-200mm lens of tamron but get the sigma it feels better and from what i heard preforms better aswell.

good luck in choosing

M
 
To be honest there is very little difference in the photos that come out of consumer DSLRs these days so I always suggest looking at choosing your first one as starting an investment into a system. In doing so you need to look past the features and gimmicks of the first buy and look 5 years into the future and ask yourself how far you do you want go and then looking at how you'll get there and what costs will be - it is quite enlightening.

Personally if you are doing a professional photography diploma I would definately consider only Nikon or Canon on the grounds that you are more likely to be able to find S/H pro lenses (i.e. the f1.4 - f2.8 variety) than with the Pentax, Samsung, Olympous or Sony / Minolta. Even new some sytems don't have Pro quality offerings but if they are available they alot more expensive than Nikon / Canon. Also consider if you might ever like to hire an exotic lens - if you think you might then your only real choice is Canon or Nikon.

Out of the both Canon & Nikon systems there is very little difference to be honest the main difference is that Nikon have only 3 ranges of lenses; Kit ~£100-£200, Consumer ~£300-£500 and Pro £1000+. Where as Canon have an additional Prosumer range of lenses that are priced between the consumer and the pro variety and are basically pro quality glass but slower (e.g. f4 rather than f2.8). In the pro quality lenses Nikon tends to be about 10-20% cheaper than the Canon equivalent (c.f. the 70-200 f2.8 optical stabiliser offerings)

One thing worth thinking about is that if your mate has the Nikon then perhaps the Nikon is the better system for you as then you can borrow each others lenses & accessories as you both grow in to the systems and it even allows you split the cost of the hire of an exotic.

Out of the D40, D40x and D80 I would go for the D80, it has a proper pentaprism so the viewfinder is brighter, has DoF preview button, and perhaps most importantly it allows non AF-S lenses to work on the camera (that means you can get the 50mm f1.8 which is a corker of a lens for less than £100).

Just my 2p
 
Very reasoned post there Simon. I must say I have a Canon 400D, a PentaxK10D, a Nikon D80 and an Olympus E410 and I still can't categorically say which one I prefer although the Nikon is probably just about tipping the scales in its favour, but simply because I like the 'feel' of it. I love the Hyper Programs of the Pentax though. From a picture point of view as you've said, there isn't very much to choose between any of them.
 
I want to thank you all for your repsonses...I went, and I felt...and I prefer the Pentax...I went back, and I looked, and I played with the others...and I felt and I prefered the Pentax. I dont know why I just did! So....I bought it!!
Oh i know I may have "rushed" my decision, but It FEELS right, especially for now. Its going to be my "learner" Camera.
I felt in comaprison it felt better in my hand than the D80, and I picked up the D40X and put it straight back down again!!

I was deciding between the D80 and the K10D.....and the K10D won it for me!!

It came with a 18-55mm lens, and the package that I got should have included a tamron 70-300 lens. They didnt have any tamron's in stock, so the manager let me have the sigma 70-300 mm lens instead [for the same price!] Coupled with a flash, a bag and a memorycard [another one!] Off I trotted lol
 
Great choice. The Pentax lens lineup is looking impressive too. The recently released 16-50 f/2.8 and 50-135 f/2.8 are both pro grade lenses and feature weather sealing to complement your K10D. The future holds a 200 f/2.8 a 300 f/4 and 90-250 f/2.8. All of which are pro grade *(star) lens with weather sealing.

Well done for choosing something different.

King.
 
Well done for choosing something different. King.[/QUOTE said:
Is that because most people go for either Canon or Nikon? :LOL:

No doubt some people are going to say I was silly for getting the Pentax, but for starting off, I think I have got a camera, where I can add to it, and it'll last me longer than the D40X would have.

What I got, and the price I paid I was a very happy bunny about it. Plus, when I held it I found it easier to hold and easier to use. :)

And that makes me a happy girl! :D
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dellipher said:
No doubt some people are going to say I was silly for getting the Pentax
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No doubt some will, but I won't be one - you paid your money and you made your choice. It was the best decision for you. No one else should say that you were wrong because they would have gone for a different camera.

Enjoy it and show us your pics.
 
Theres no "right" or "wrong" camera;) If the Pentax is the one you feel happy with then you've made the correct choice for you(y)
 
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