DSLR.. What model do you suggest.

Gerrard

Gerrard

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I am going to get a DSLR with a top budget of £700 pounds and it could be new or used, I'm not interested in the video side of things so that part of the camera will never get used. I want good images with easy use.
Here's my list thats in no order, so comments on any of them would be helpful.

Nikon.. 3100 or 5100.
Canon..600D, 550D, 1100D.
Sony ...A55.
Pentax.. Kr or K5.

Have I missed any.
I've look at what digital camera for ratings but what do you say.

Many thanks.
 
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There is no Canon 90D unless you know something we don't ;)

The key thing for me is what sort of things are you wanting to shoot and where do you hope photography will take you in the future. As you are buying into a system there is no point finding yourself limited from day one. Glass is also a key consideration, so is that to be included in the £700 budget?
 
when i was choosing my first DSLR i was asking a couple of friends, a few which had canon and one with a nikon. The best advice they gave me was to go into the shop and try them all within your budget and see which you feel more comfortable with.

For example, i felt more comfortable with a nikon and everything felt right where as when i was trying to handle the canon i felt like i needed a third hand.

I also have a friend who later chose a sony because thats what he felt comfortable with.

There ya go
 
I think a good starter kit for that money would be a used Canon 40D (£380), new 18-55mm IS (£100), new 55-250mm IS (£150), new 50mm f1.8 (£70). Or alternatively the 40D with a secondhand 18-200mm IS and secondhand 50mm f1.8.
 
40D or a 50D are good cameras. 2nd hand is a good idea if you buy from a reputable place with some warranty.
 
To be fair they are all good cameras, do much the same with the same results - its all down to personal preference. I prefer the look of a Nikon camera and the feel - partly as thats the only DSLR i have used! Nikon and Canon for me do have the advantage of more 2nd hand availability and easier to buy stuff as they are the main brands.

The best way is to go to a shop and try them. Then choose the best deal/one you like the feel of.
 
cambsno said:
To be fair they are all good cameras, do much the same with the same results - its all down to personal preference. I prefer the look of a Nikon camera and the feel - partly as thats the only DSLR i have used! Nikon and Canon for me do have the advantage of more 2nd hand availability and easier to buy stuff as they are the main brands.

The best way is to go to a shop and try them. Then choose the best deal/one you like the feel of
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Pity we couldnt do that with women!! lol :D
 
intel86 said:
Pity we couldnt do that with women!! lol :D
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You might get a slap or two though...




Just pop to the store handle as many cameras as you can for weight. Try to get them with similar mm lenses. Play with menus, twiddle knobs...etc

Also don't limit to what you can afford, look at the later models, as if you do buy into a system, lenses etc you can see what the upper models have and you may desire (should the shutter bug bite).

Common lenses on ebay are for the major brands, nikon, canon, sony/minolta, pentax. Once you've made your selection smaller, go read up on reviews, post on here and also check what lenses you may want.

If you are new to the photography, kit lens will do for a few months.

Also if you happen to be in Jessops ask about interest free payments, just need to clear it before the time limit, but might mean better glass/kit now. But don't be pressured, if they are bugging you too much, just leave the store.

Good luck
 
Gerrard said:
I am going to get a DSLR with a top budget of £700 pounds and it could be new or used.
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Does the £700 include lenses? with modern SLR's thats going to make a much larger difference to what you can achieve than the body.

If your happy with a kit lens to start with and the potential of spending more latter then the higher end bodies like the D7000, D60 or K-5 might be worth considering(provided your ok with the extra weight). If you want to get a good selection of lenses in decent quality though I think its best to budget for them first and then the body afterwards.

What do you want to shoot? ultrawide landscapes? people in low light? wildlife? macro?
 
You can pick up the new Sony A65 for £739 (Body only) and maybe cheaper if you look around.But as many will tell you go and hold and have a mess about with the cameras before hand if you can.
 
Sony A580 is also very worth looking at.
It's getting harder to find but there are some bargains kicking around.
 
mark1616 said:
There is no Canon 90D unless you know something we don't ;)

The key thing for me is what sort of things are you wanting to shoot and where do you hope photography will take you in the future. As you are buying into a system there is no point finding yourself limited from day one. Glass is also a key consideration, so is that to be included in the £700 budget?
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Sorry for Canon 90D mistake I must have got my wires a bit crossed so I will edit.. and yes that would include lens..

Thanks.. :)
 
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Many cameras of all manufacturers will produce excellent images.

If you do go for a Pentax, the K5 is a great camera, all K mount lenses from about 1975 onwards will fit (though some or all of the auto functions will be lost) and as the image stabilisation is in the body, all lenses are stabilised lenses.

Dave
 
Thank guys for the replies and some good info.
Right.. Spain might be a good place to live but not a good place to buy a camera no shops as such.
I had thought of the 40D plus lens route a well as other models.
I have to say the the Pentax K5 is very nice and feels great but it is a tad heavier not too much though, the Sony's always feel good as did the Canon 550D.
Just thinking aloud here.. I will be coming to the UK the first week of december and visiting Liverpool so are there any shops in that area that could point me in the right direction plus try a few as well perhaps.
I will use the camera for landscape, trains boats and planes, street scene's and animals but not the clever in flight stuff.

Cheers.
 
Ensure you have a good play with them, a couple of years ago I brought a dslr just because it was going for cheap (a 450d), and whilst it was a perfectly capable of what I wanted it for, it never seemed quite right to me if you get what I mean.

However, I ended up having to sell that camera due to financial restraints.

Fast forward a couple of years, I decided I missed photography too much and wanted a dslr again whilst I have money. I went to a camera store to have a play with a few models, and I was nearly set on the 550d / 600d as I had a canon before. But after playing with nikons for 20 mins, I had completely swung round to wanting a Nikon, I preferred the feel of nikon and the user interface along with where buttons were placed etc. It just felt "more right" for me, as opposed to the canon I had before, that I could use but I never quite got on with. Despite this, I still nearly brought a canon because it was on offer for slightly less (I know, im tight fisted), but Im glad that I didnt, I dont think I would of been as happy with a canon as opposed to the d5100 that I got.

Moral of the story, have a good long play with all the cameras you are looking at in a store, and take your time. Be critical! :thumbs:
 
If I had £700 for a camera I would go for a used 5D at around £600 but you'll need lenses on top I that.

With lenses I'd go for a used 550D and choose your lenses to suit the budget. Maybe an 18-55 IS, 50mm 1.8 and a zoom.

Not sure exactly how much used 550Ds are but they do take great photos. If the money's there the Canon 70-300 IS is a great zoom lens for the money.
 
cambsno said:
To be fair they are all good cameras, do much the same with the same results - its all down to personal preference. I prefer the look of a Nikon camera and the feel - partly as thats the only DSLR i have used! Nikon and Canon for me do have the advantage of more 2nd hand availability and easier to buy stuff as they are the main brands.

The best way is to go to a shop and try them. Then choose the best deal/one you like the feel of.
Click to expand...

intel86 said:
Pity we couldnt do that with women!! lol :D
Click to expand...

You can if you go to the right places ;)
 
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faddius said:
Ensure you have a good play with them, a couple of years ago I brought a dslr just because it was going for cheap (a 450d), and whilst it was a perfectly capable of what I wanted it for, it never seemed quite right to me if you get what I mean.

However, I ended up having to sell that camera due to financial restraints.

Fast forward a couple of years, I decided I missed photography too much and wanted a dslr again whilst I have money. I went to a camera store to have a play with a few models, and I was nearly set on the 550d / 600d as I had a canon before. But after playing with nikons for 20 mins, I had completely swung round to wanting a Nikon, I preferred the feel of nikon and the user interface along with where buttons were placed etc. It just felt "more right" for me, as opposed to the canon I had before, that I could use but I never quite got on with. Despite this, I still nearly brought a canon because it was on offer for slightly less (I know, im tight fisted), but Im glad that I didnt, I dont think I would of been as happy with a canon as opposed to the d5100 that I got.

Moral of the story, have a good long play with all the cameras you are looking at in a store, and take your time. Be critical! :thumbs:
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I know just what you mean.. :)
 
On your budget you could get a used 550D twin lens kit (18-55 IS & 55-250 IS), both lenses are very capable of producing some great images as is the camera. I started out with one, and although I now have a 7D and a 5D MkII, I gave the 550D and the above lenses to my wife cause I couldn't bear to part with them and I still use her lenses on my 7D. On top of the twin lens kit with your budget you should be able to get a 50mm 1.8 which is a great lens, even on a crop body, and I use mine regularly on both of my bodies.
 
40D or a 50D would be my choice. Both solid cameras and as i now own a 50D i am sure i made the right choice. It feels superb and so easy to use.
 
I have just seen 40D for sale so whats good/bad about this model.. its been mentioned in a good way on this thread alot..
 
Great camera. Slightly ropey autofocus, but a great camera.
 
Question please..

On a canon camera for example you have a canon kit lens, then you could have a better canon lens what is the difference and what numbers denote a kit lens or a better lens and what is the better lens called?

Hope that makes sense.
 
heidfirst said:
Sony A580 is also very worth looking at.
It's getting harder to find but there are some bargains kicking around.
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Agreed - Ive just bought one- splendid camera :thumbs:
and a vast choice of aftermarket lenses are available too


Les ;)
 
If you are considering a s/h 40D also worth considering an A700 - I've always considered it a slightly better camera than the 40D & with people upgrading to A77s there are quite a few popping up for sale now.
 
Some cameras that have caught my eye at jessops.. (new) and in budget.

Nikkon D 90 with 18-105 lens at £669.95
Pentax K 5 with 18-55 lens at £699.95
Canon 550D with 18= 135 lens at £689.95

Any thoughts.
 
The K-5 is quite a bit better than the 550D and the D90. For that price I wouldn't even bother debating it. The price difference is mainly due to the fact that the prices you quote include a more flexible lens than the much more common 18-55 that you find bundled normally.

So for that budget the K-r is much closer both in price and capabilities to the 550D than the K-5, it is lighter and smaller and very importantly about 300 cheaper. That leaves you with enough cash for a much better standard zoom (like the 17-50 2.8 from Tamron), or the excellent 35 2.4mm plus either the 55-300 telephoto or the 10-20 ultra wide angle from Sigma.
 
Hi Vasilis and Andrew..
Thanks for the replies
I will try and answer both posts..
I understand what you are says about the lens but as a novice and just starting out I dont know enough or done enough photography to get the lens I want, that I will learn as time goes on.
My logic was get the best camera I can for the money all be it with a standard lens, then as I learn more I will have a better understanding of what lens I need.
So I think that the best camera I can afford would be the K5..
I might be doing this back to front by getting the camera first but its a safer way than sorting lens out that I know nothing about, if you get my drift.

Cheers.. :)
 
Gerrard said:
Hi Vasilis and Andrew..
Thanks for the replies
I will try and answer both posts..
I understand what you are says about the lens but as a novice and just starting out I dont know enough or done enough photography to get the lens I want, that I will learn as time goes on.
My logic was get the best camera I can for the money all be it with a standard lens, then as I learn more I will have a better understanding of what lens I need.
So I think that the best camera I can afford would be the K5..
I might be doing this back to front by getting the camera first but its a safer way than sorting lens out that I know nothing about, if you get my drift.

Cheers.. :)
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Fair enough, I was mentioning the K-r not only because of the lower price but because you said that you found the K-5 a bit heavy (ironically enough one of the main reasons I went for the K-5 is because it was much lighter than the D7000 I had before it!)

I am contemplating a K-r myself to reduce the weight further when I want something very portable yet capable.

Just keep your expectations quite low from the 18-55 I found mine to be a very mediocre lens though if my K-5+18-55 was 699 I wouldn't even dream of complaining about its performance! :D
 
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