Is this twin lens kit any good for a Beginner?

Looks like a very good beginner setup at a decent price if both lens are truly VR.
 
They say they are VR...how would I know if they are TRULY ?

What do you mean by TRULY ?
 
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I think he means if its not a typo or the shop actually give you whats advertised. The lenses will have a big red VR on then if they are "truly" VR.
 
WannaTakePix said:
...how would I know if they are TRULY ?
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You could try communicating with the store to double check but given Nikon only make one 55-300 with VR I'd say it is. There are two 18-55's but it would seem unlikely that it wont be the VR one- I think the non VR is more expensive currently anyway.

Can't help you if it's any good as not something I'd buy but all cameras around that price point will be much of a muchness.
 
My friend who got into photography got a D5000 + 18-55 + 55-200 bundle a few months ago and he was very happy with that. That was very similar to the one you have linked, yours being better. Nice little set up for a good price! (Chuck a prime 35, 50 1.8 in and your going :thumbs: )
 
Thanks, that was exactly what I was thinking of adding, a Prime.

Are Nikon lenses more expensive than Canon.

If I was to buy a D400 in a couple of years (should be out by then) could I, and would it be worth using these kit lenses on it?
 
WP-UK said:
My friend who got into photography got a D5000 + 18-55 + 55-200 bundle a few months ago and he was very happy with that. That was very similar to the one you have linked, yours being better. Nice little set up for a good price! (Chuck a prime 35, 50 1.8 in and your going :thumbs: )
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I picked that deal up about 3 weeks ago. £499 for it.
 
I'm not a Nikon user and didn't realize the 55-300 vr was that cheap a lens, so it will be VR and a good deal. You'll get lots of enjoyment out of that kit.
 
Myrdhinn said:
I'm not a Nikon user and didn't realize the 55-300 vr was that cheap a lens, so it will be VR and a good deal. You'll get lots of enjoyment out of that kit.
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Jacobs have it for sale in their site for £298.

Looks like a nice bit if starter kit to learn the ropes on.
I would prefer a quick launch screen but that would mean doubling the price to see if I can actually take decent pictures.

The Canon 600D is more expensive (£70) with the single 18-135mm kit.
 
Resurrected said:
Really?
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Hey, you don't agree that all cameras in this bracket are much the muchness ?

Nikon D5100 vs Canon 600D - please discuss...
 
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WannaTakePix said:
Hey, you don't agree that all cameras in this bracket are much the muchness ?

Nikon D5100 vs Canon 600D - please discuss...
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in terms of IQ pretty much they are - you could also throw in the Sony A580 & it would be very similar.
 
heidfirst said:
in terms of IQ pretty much they are - you could also throw in the Sony A580 & it would be very similar.
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I think I've got wrapped up in a bit of Canon if Nikon only snobery.
Hence the future with a D400.

Only thing that I'm curious about is the lens choice between the 2 camps. Read somewhere Canon lens,fit on Dx & Fx..is that a bit misguided as the Fx bodies seem to need better lenses to get the best out of them (more I've read)
 
Resurrected said:
Really?
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:shrug: Yes, it truly is something I'd not buy and yes, I truly think that all cameras at a given price point offer relatively similar performance such that buying one over the other with a view that it is somehow much more technically superior will still not make you Leibovitz, Penn, Bailey etc etc.

If you have specific requirements then look at cameras that meet them eg. shutter speed 1/8000s, flash x-sync speed 1/250s, >8fps, high ISO etc etc and then buy the one that feels best/ matches budget. If you only want to 'take photos' then buy any camera you like the feel off or meets your budget- 500D, 550D, 600D, D5000, D5100 etc etc- not exactly that much between any of them- if I gave someone a D5000 and they came back with 'I couldn't get the photo because I didn't have a 600D' I'd be raising an eyebrow- or maybe even two:lol:
 
Dr_O said:
:shrug: Yes, it truly is something I'd not buy and yes, I truly think that all cameras at a given price point offer relatively similar performance such that buying one over the other with a view that it is somehow much more technically superior will still not make you Leibovitz, Penn, Bailey etc etc.

If you have specific requirements then look at cameras that meet them eg. shutter speed 1/8000s, flash x-sync speed 1/250s, >8fps, high ISO etc etc and then buy the one that feels best/ matches budget. If you only want to 'take photos' then buy any camera you like the feel off or meets your budget- 500D, 550D, 600D, D5000, D5100 etc etc- not exactly that much between any of them- if I gave someone a D5000 and they came back with 'I couldn't get the photo because I didn't have a 600D' I'd be raising an eyebrow- or maybe even two:lol:
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Back to the 7D then...?
 
WannaTakePix said:
I think I've got wrapped up in a bit of Canon if Nikon only snobery.
Hence the future with a D400.

Only thing that I'm curious about is the lens choice between the 2 camps. Read somewhere Canon lens,fit on Dx & Fx..is that a bit misguided as the Fx bodies seem to need better lenses to get the best out of them (more I've read)
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Canon don't do DX or FX- that's Nikon.

Canon do EF-S and EF lenses.

With Nikon you can stick a DX lens on an FX camera and it will work at a reduced megapixel rating

With Canon, sticking an EF-S lens on a full frame camera will likely result in an expensive repair.
 
I wouldn't worry about Dr_Os muchness, methinks he's just being snobby. The sensor of the D5100 is Sony made, used in the Sony A580 and also the same one used in the Nikon D7000 ... it's class leading according DXO and sites like photozone.de, slrgear, and most serious sites. There really is no bad entry level or other DSLR now a days. Glass is more important than the body, so it's just which system you want to grow with.
 
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Myrdhinn said:
I wouldn't worry about Dr_Os muchness, methinks he's just being snobby. The sensor of the D5100 is Sony made, used in the Sony A580 and also the same one used in the Nikon D7000 ... it's class leading according DXO and sites like photozone.de, slrgear, and most serious sites. There really is no bad entry level or other DSLR now a days.
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So get my hands on, if feels good, just get the D5100 twin lens kit + a 1.8 Prime & start learning how to & taking pics !

Out of interest, why is the Canon priced so high compared to the Nikon? Is this just too good a deal to let go.
In affect getting a decent zoom lens & bag for free...
 
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Only questions left are : How's it feel? & Can I live without the Quick Change Screen...I wish a shop was open NOW !
 
Well you did say "If you only want to 'take photos' then buy any camera you like the feel off or meets your budget- 500D, 550D, 600D, D5000, D5100 etc etc-" which implies you need a pro camera to take serious photos which is utter balderdash. In fact any of the pros you mentioned no doubt could take better photos with a point and shoot than me, than you, or most people in general. Any how I"m outta this, wannatakepix posted a good setup to buy for his skill level and I think he should go for it, it will serve him well for quite some time, that is if it feels good in his hand and Nikon are quite good in that regard.
 
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Myrdhinn said:
Well you did say "If you only want to 'take photos' then buy any camera you like the feel off or meets your budget- 500D, 550D, 600D, D5000, D5100 etc etc-" which implies you need a pro camera to take serious photos which is utter balderdash. In fact any of the pros you mentioned no doubt could take better photos with a point and shoot than me, than you, or most people in general. Any how I"m outta this, wannatakepix posted a good setup to buy for his skill level and I think he should go for it, it will serve him well for quite some time, that is if it feels good in his hand and Nikon are quite good in that regard.
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If you're going to try and be pedantic then at least be consistent. I have said if you only want to 'take photos' then buy ANY camera that suits your budget and listed a few cameras around the ones mentioned in the context of the thread. Since when was a 500D or any of the ones I mentioned professional cameras?:shrug:
You seem to be struggling to interpret my replies to other members so I'd suggest you don't bother in future and leave it to myself and the person I'm replying to and if there's any clarification we'll sort it out between us.
 
Dr_O said:
:shrug: Yes, it truly is something I'd not buy and yes, I truly think that all cameras at a given price point offer relatively similar performance such that buying one over the other with a view that it is somehow much more technically superior will still not make you Leibovitz, Penn, Bailey etc etc.

If you have specific requirements then look at cameras that meet them eg. shutter speed 1/8000s, flash x-sync speed 1/250s, >8fps, high ISO etc etc and then buy the one that feels best/ matches budget. If you only want to 'take photos' then buy any camera you like the feel off or meets your budget- 500D, 550D, 600D, D5000, D5100 etc etc- not exactly that much between any of them- if I gave someone a D5000 and they came back with 'I couldn't get the photo because I didn't have a 600D' I'd be raising an eyebrow- or maybe even two:lol:
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Thanks for the reply. However it really does not give any evidence for your 'throw away' opinion. I'm not saying it is wrong (or right) just not very helpful to those of us less experienced. As for the reference to famous photographers? Well as the other posted said they could make any camera appear great.
 
Resurrected said:
Thanks for the reply. However it really does not give any evidence for your 'throw away' opinion. I'm not saying it is wrong (or right) just not very helpful to those of us less experienced. As for the reference to famous photographers? Well as the other posted said they could make any camera appear great.
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What evidence were you looking for?- the 550D,600D, 60D and 7D all use the same sensor for a start. The D5100 uses the same sensor as the D7000 and before that the D5000 uses the same sensor as the D90 which used the same sensor as the D300. There's clearly a balance between putting in enough information and explaining everything to the nth degree- it's not a scientific paper and you'll appreciate that very detailed responses take a lot of time and these are frequently asked questions here (as the 'search' function is always broken:lol:) so it can be hard to get it right. I expect people to be able to interpret the gist of what I am saying which is more important than saying buy this brand and model as that's kind of the whole point to my argument. My own experience of using a lot of these cameras, reviews and discussions has formed my opinion which was all that was asked. You can have an over reliance on tests-I seem to remember a lot of MF cameras didn't fare well on DXO although they may now have a caveat as to why but for a studio shoot you would be hard pressed to beat the printed image quality from them.

If you look at the forums over the course of a week it's clear that amongst some beginners there is a misconception that buying a certain camera will turn you into a professional photographer and I'm merely highlighting it's best to avoid getting caught up in that train of thought as it's clearly not correct. It's important to dispel this myth. So, if the OP saves £500 buying a camera that will have as good image quality as a more expensive model, considering that, on the face of it they seem to have no specific requirements that dictate a more advanced body then I would have thought that would be helpful.

It's like wanting to buy a car to just go from A to B- any new car is capable of that. If you have a specific requirement for one that does 0-60 in 4 seconds and goes from A to B then you suddenly rule out an awful lot of cars but whether you buy one or the other wouldn't suddenly transform you into the worlds best racing driver.

As for pros making any camera look great- at some point you do need the right tool for the job or it's unlikely to work. That's when it becomes important to match a camera to the requirements of the job but no one in this thread has put forward any requirements that rules a camera out.
 
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