First camera

[Lexx]

Hello,

I am trying to get into the hobby but I am only a student so I can't really afford £400 for a DSLR to only find out I don't know how to use it/ I'm no good so I have been looking at digi cams and like the look of this one: http://SPAM/y77zd36 . What do you guys think or any other suggestions?

 

[KC Leblanc]

You should be able to get something used, I recently bought a Nikon D60 (fairly similar to the current D3000) for a non VR lens from Mifsuds for £270. If you looked about you could probably get for a fair bit less.

I also use an S1500 (which I think is pretty similar to the S2000HD) which was my main camera but now gets used as a walk around. Cost me about £120. It's ok to begin with and sort has enough adjustables to help you grasp the concepts.

The biggest problem I've found with it is you can't focus manualy, and although it does spot metering unless you're using full manual you have to focus and meter off the same point.

EDIT: http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=218463 Is the sort of thing you might want to look at.

 

[woof woof]

I don't think that you should be worried about DSLR's being more difficult to use because I don't think that they are. Many DSLR's have the same modes as digicams including Auto, Programme, Aperture and shutter priority and scene modes too so I can't really say that they're harder to use, and you can get a new one with a lens within budget. At the first website I looked at I found the following -

Nikon D3000 + lens £365, Canon 1000D + lens £379, Sony A230 + lens £298 and Olympus E-520 + lens £329. Any of those would be great.

You'll have to have a think about what you want but I don't think that you should worry too much about a DSLR being too hard to use.