First DSLR decisions

andrewp

andrewp

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Andrew
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Hi,

After many years of use from my Canon G3 (2002!) I've outgrown it now and need to move onto something better.

I'm after something that is good for pet photography (dogs), architecture and landscapes.

Like many other people after doing a bit of research, the 600D and D5100 seem to crop up as good entry level cameras. However, after handling them I found them a touch too small for my large hands and would get a cramp in the outside of my right hand. I'm not sure whether this is because I was holding it wrong though as I've never really used a DSLR before. But then I would get a little pain using my G3 too.

Moving onto the 60D and this felt very good in my hands and felt like a real camera. I liked the screen on top too as my G3 had one and it was always useful. D7000 was nice but was in the scary price range. Anything better than these just seem like overkill for my needs.

So after further research the xxD range looks like a good bet. So I'd welcome any thoughts on the options below.

  1. New 60D with 18-55 kit lens ~£890. Would have to wait at least another 1.5 years before I could afford another lens.
  2. Used 40D for ~£360 with a new EF-S 15-85 ~£509. Total £869. Again I would wait 1.5 years before adding another lens.

I'm leaning towards option 2 at the moment as the 15-85 has good reviews as an all-rounder and matches the focal range of my G3 which I'm used to. Also in 4-5 years time I could upgrade the body to a used 60D or 7D. Would I miss not having a flip-out screen on the 40D?

I know a used D90 is slightly more than the 40D and could be an option but I haven't looked to far down the Nikon route but am open to suggestions.

Also HD Video isn't a priority at the moment although I might use it more in the future. I still have a CRT which is doing fine.

Thanks.
 
Have you tried a 600D with a battery grip fitted? It could make all the difference size wise. I have a grip on my 550D that cost about £30 from Amazon and it feels much better to handle.

Alan
 
Yeah I have big hands and a gripped d3100, makes all the difference. (y)

Nikon don't make battery grips for the d3100 and I think it's the same for the d5100 but my 3rd party one works well. Not sure about the Canon grips.
 
Hi Andy a gripped body is the budget answer, I don't know canon but started with a Nikon d5000 and it was a lovely little camera but I just couldn't be arsed with the menu based control.
It wicked me so much that I upgraded within a short time to a used d7000 which go for 600-700 quid, (650 for mine, depends on cond and clicks) add a used wide zoom say 200 -250 and for £900 you could be using £1300 worth of kit with good external controls for your £900 budget, and if you jacked it in 18 months you probably woulnt lose any money at all. Worth considering?
 
canon 550d is a fantastic little camera and along with 18-55mm lens will do good for most situations.It also depends on what you are buying it for.
 
andrewp said:
Hi,

.............
  1. New 60D with 18-55 kit lens ~£890. Would have to wait at least another 1.5 years before I could afford another lens.
  2. Used 40D for ~£360 with a new EF-S 15-85 ~£509. Total £869. Again I would wait 1.5 years before adding another lens.

.........
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Hi Andrew

The 40D is a belter of a camera and def worth serious consideration. My question would be why a new 15-85 ? Why not 2nd hand as you could save some money.

Another lens option is 17-85IS (Which is the kit lens for the 40D) and I like mine and it's worth a look at. Then there is the Tamron and Sigma 17-50's which are worth looking at and may free funds up to allow another lens...

Hope this is of some help

A
 
I use a 40d as my second body and it's a fantastic body!..............I agree with andy red though, why not buy second hand and get a 17-50 2.8 (tamron) for say 250 then you still got £260 for other stuff. : thumbs:
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm reviewing my initial lens ideas at the moment and looking at the Tamrons or used ones. There's plenty to pick from!

Am I right in thinking that the xxD bodies are going to be quicker to change options than the xxxD bodies? One thing that annoyed me with my G3 was delving into the menus alot to change things like ISO (at least it only went to 400 so didn't take long to select!)

I'm also taking a further look at the Nikon side too with the D90 (with a view to move to a D7000) or going straight for a used D7000 as Poochops recommendation.
 
Another vote for the 40D over 500D etc. BUT the glass is more important - get the best you can afford.... Simples.
 
I picked up a New 550d from Ebay for £330 inc delivery. It was a 'white box' item as the original box was damaged. Came with everything as a normal one and everything was still wrapped and sealed. Can be some good bargains if you shop around, even 2nd hand would spare some money for lenses.

Very happy with it so far and not disappointed I didn't go for the 60d which was my original choice.
 
I still haven't purchased a camera but I've managed tried out a few more in-store now so have a better idea although I'm not 100% certain so I'm in need of a few more opinions. I'll be looking at buying used equipment.

I'm going to rule out the D90 (D7000) due to the size of the body - it's nice to use but always felt cramped. I'm just more comfortable with a wider camera.

At the moment I'm looking at the Canon 50D (40D if mint) or the Nikon D300.

I've tried the 50D in-store and it's great. My only issue I have with this camera is that the version I tried had a problem with an intermittently working shutter button and it seems like a common problem on google. Would it be something to be wary off when buying?

My other option is the Nikon D300 which costs a little more than the 50D. I haven't managed to try this camera out yet so I'm not sure how it handles. Going by the camerasize.com website it's very similar to the 50D in size. But after reading reviews on it is it complicated to use? Are there too many settings? Are the menus difficult to get around?

Any thoughts/opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Andrew
 
How about a 7D with a 50mm 1.8, could pickup both for £900 (Import 7D brand new).

Would be a very nice start, primes will help you learn faster as well about composition. Although if you need the extra width this is probably not a good starting point!
 
lord said:
primes will help you learn faster as well about composition.
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hear this a lot but I don't agree. A prime is great for many reasons but all it does for my composition is limit it. I can photograph the same thing with a different field of view but I can't move back 20 metres and get the same shot from a 50 as I could from an 18 so I cannot get the composition I actually want.
 
I have a D300, its a very nice size and weight, but I can't compare it to a Canon unfortunately as I have only ever used Nikons. It is not too complicated to use and personally I find it well set out.

The D300 is a 12mp camera which is plenty for my use. I think that the 50D is 18mp, so if megapixels are important that might be a consideration.

Going further back, a Nikon D200 is not too different in size to a D300, but you lose out on higher iso shooting and it is a 10mp camera. You would be able to get one a lot cheaper than either of the ones above however, which would leave plenty for lenses, and you can always sell the body at a later date. Not sure about the Canon equivalent though.
 
Today my Canon 50D from the classifieds section arrived. It's in brilliant condition and I'm really pleased with it.

As for a lens, I've ordered an 18-55 IS from mpb (£50) which I'm going to use for a while until I have a better understanding of my needs.

Thanks for the advice above though.
 
andrewp said:
Today my Canon 50D from the classifieds section arrived. It's in brilliant condition and I'm really pleased with it.

As for a lens, I've ordered an 18-55 IS from mpb (£50) which I'm going to use for a while until I have a better understanding of my needs.

Thanks for the advice above though.
Click to expand...

Great news....Enjoy your new camera :clap:

And I think you're doing the right thing with lenses - wait until you know what your needs are / requirements are and then purchase the lens for that...

There are various options for the Telephoto lens (budget dependant) - I would recommend the Canon 55-250IS on a tight budget (around £110 ish 2nd hand), it's a great lens, will fir in nicely with your 18-55 and for the price, takes some beating.

If your budget is more, then there is the Canon 70-300IS (not L), the you jump to the Canon 70-200 F4 L, then the IS model, there is also the 70-300 L and all of a sudden you've no money left :D

Enjoy it (y)
 
renu said:
canon 550d is a fantastic little camera and along with 18-55mm lens will do good for most situations.It also depends on what you are buying it for.
Click to expand...

:plus1:

You can do a lot with the 18-55mm, underrated lens IMO. I have a cheap (£40 mark) grip for the 550, and it makes the camera feel much nicer in the hand.
 
I have a similar issue, currently I have an old D70 which I have enjoyed, but its time to move on. I was going to buy a D5100 but yesterday I handled one for the first time, it was immediately obvious that my sausage fingers it was not going to work. The 550d seemsed better, but still a bit small. So now I am looking at second hand cameras that are further up the food chain.
 
I took my camera out for the first time yesterday and it was really nice to use. Later in the evening I managed a quick go with a friends Nikon D5000 - it felt way too small and a little toy like in comparison. But the photos he'd taken with it were perfectly fine.
 
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