Decisions!! Pentax, Nikon or Olympus? Need help please

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jazzy66

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Nicki
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I'm new around here so please be nice.

I'm looking for a dslr around £300ish although I could maybe stretch that slightly. I was saving up for a canon 400D but since my current camera has now died, I need to replace it sooner.

I need something that's a good all rounder rather than for one specific use, and lens availability isn't really a huge consideration at the moment as the only one I'd be looking to add in the near future is a zoom of some kind.

I have looked at bridge cameras but the cost seems to be roughly the same as a basic dslr and they aren't as flexible.

I've listed the ones I'm considering and my initial thoughts on each.

Pentax K100D Super - Quite heavy but since I'm used to compacts I reckon anything is going to seem heavy at first.

Nikon D40 - Not sure about this one. Not the most comfortable to hold in my rather little paws but I could possibly get used to it. I know there's a lot more lenses available for nikon that the other two but I'm really a canon girl at heart :)

And possibly the Olympus E410 - This one looks kind of cute (i know, it's not the best reason to buy a camera) and is slightly more expensive at £380, but if there's a particular advantage then I could probably stretch to it.

Any advice or other suggestions would be appreciated.
 
From the ones you list and from what I've read in reviews, the Pentax is the best camera of the three (all round performance).

The cheapest I've seen them (with zoom lens) is Argos for about £280 I think, although I noticed this about 2 weeks ago. Other retailers may have bettered them..

Mark
 
Ive had the Pentax K10D, as my first DSLR, superb piece of kit. I've heard people say the K100D is good too, but I preferred the extra's the K10D had. I currently have my entire K10D kit up for sale, unfortunately out of your price banding of £300....I'm only selling it due to new kit, for business prospects....but other than that I wouldnt have got rid at all!
 
Q1... Why do you NEED the camera now? If it's not for anything in paticular, then you might be better saving up for the (spit) canon. The D40, whilst it's a good camera doesn't have an autofocus motor in the camera, so you have to buy AF-S lenses for it.

The bodies are pretty much disposable, so what you're really going to be paying for in the long term are lenses, good glass will last much longer than your [camera] body.

I can't really comment on the pentax or the Oly, having never even touched them (didn't want to dirty my hands ;))

:nikon: :D
 
mattyh said:
Q1... Why do you NEED the camera now? If it's not for anything in paticular, then you might be better saving up for the (spit) canon. The D40, whilst it's a good camera doesn't have an autofocus motor in the camera, so you have to buy AF-S lenses for it.

The bodies are pretty much disposable, so what you're really going to be paying for in the long term are lenses, good glass will last much longer than your [camera] body.

I can't really comment on the pentax or the Oly, having never even touched them (didn't want to dirty my hands ;))

:nikon: :D
Click to expand...

The main reason for needing a new camera is that I currently don't have one. I was going to keep the compact until I had saved enough money for the canon but I would rather have something that might not be exactly what I want and keep saving than not have a camera for months. I can always sell whatever I get just now, or else keep it as a spare for a while

Eric Mc said:
If you can stretch to £380 for the Olympus then why not go an extra £5 and have the camera you really want;)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000IKVOE8/watersphotogr-21/ref=nosim
Click to expand...

I didn't see that one. Definately tempted although £380 is really stretching things. Might be time to stick some old junk on ebay ;)
 
mattyh said:
The D40, whilst it's a good camera doesn't have an autofocus motor in the camera, so you have to buy AF-S lenses for it.
Click to expand...

That's not quite correct. You have to get AF-S, AF-I or Sigma's HSM models (there are some non HSM with a focus motor coming as well as some Tamron with more conventional in-lens focusing motors) IF you want the D40, the D40x and the D60 to have autofocus, otherwise, the limitations are not that severe and you can have metering with some older lenses (you just have to check in advance, as always).

There's a lack of primes that would autofocus on the D40(x) and the D60 (mainly below 105 mm), but there are a few zooms from both Nikon and Sigma now and new models from Nikon, Sigma and Tamron that will autofocus on the D40(x)/D60 have been announced.
 
if you wanted a 400d you can pick one up from the canon outlet on ebay, they are factory refubs but come with a years warranty, they go for around £300 :)
 
Fit like quine:)

Have you had a look at http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=50262 ? Little something I knocked it up over the weekend, a rough guide to prices, new and S/H. Once the 450D is out in march, the 400D should drop slightly in price (possibly;))

Also, if you're after new, http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/ is your friend. Don't be put off by the likes of DigitalRev and URGalaxy eBay shops either - I'll happily vouch for both, but other TP'ers will have used some others. I'm just away to drop £500 to DigitalRev for a Sigma 100-300mm f/4 lens....
 
My first post so be gentle!
I was in exactly the same position as you - weird eh? I checked out all three. The Olympus was on offer at PC World but I found it to small and not comfortable to hold. The Pentax felt superb and very very solid. I liked the focusing system in the Pentax and could not find a bad review.
In the end I went for the D40. It felt lighter and I got a refurb 2 weeks ago from buycamera. For less than the Pentax would have cost me. Although the new prices at Currys have dropped to what I paid graded :(
Still no regrets on the D40 superb bit of kit.
 
I'm also trying to get a new camera, although I can't decide between Nikon & Canon.

I've been advised to hang on a little longer and see what happens to prices when the new 450D comes out - it's only another week or so and might well throw up some good offers. It might well be worth the wait.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys. After trying them all again I finally decided on the pentax. Much more comfortable than the D40 and I couldn't get a good enough deal on the e410 to justify stretching the budget.

Now I just need to have a quick scan of the manual then find some time to go out and have a play. Much more fun than studying the manual for hours ;)
 
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