Question...

Mathmosman

Mathmosman

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Name
Kevin
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I realise that there's quite a few threads here now asking the likes of "which camera should I buy", but I cant resist my own.

I appreciate that a lot is down to how a SLR feels, but many of you mention the menus/navigation also, but that's hard to gauge if you're an amateur wanting to get into an SLR. Any hints there?

I did read WHICH and noted the four they graded best... notably the Sony A200, Canon 400d, Olympus E-420 ad Nikon D40. I then sought Jessops thoughts on this, who basically told me ignore all of them but the Canon. I held it, and it felt okay, but did feel a little lighter than I really wanted (a bit girly, for want of a better phrase). Similarly, any hints.

My bro, who reads deep into everything, prefers the D40, and that's what his girlfriend bought; I've held it, and it feels okay. I didnt feel the lens was particularly outstanding in terms of getting a close up of my son who was just what 10 foot away!?

Anyhow, I'd welcome any of your thoughts - essentially, I'm looking around the £200-£400 mark..

cheers
 
Buying a camera is a matter of personal choice and its very hard for one person to say what another person is happy with. General rule of thumb is stick within your price bracket , don't forget memory cards are extra, decide on paper between 3 and 4 cameras. Then go down the shop and see which you prefer bearing in mind ease of use, comfort in the hand etc. Also consider cost of expansion, ie lens prices etc, camera manufacturers own makes can very considerably although 3rd party lens manufactures are more or less the same cost whichever lens you buy. If you went for one of the not so main stream makers, their range of lenses may not be so great so worth taking into consideration.
Some will praise one make while others praise a different make, often it is what one gets used to, picture quality is as good from one camera to another, as most cameras now are excellent.
Its not the camera that takes bad pictures its what person is behind it that does.
May also be worth a glance at second hand prices, not to buy but further down the line should you wish to upgrade it might be a handy reference as to what you would get should you wish to sell or part exchange .

Hows that for an unbiased Nikon user.

Realspeed
 
Thanks Gary.
I only wish I had taken my own advice when I started out, I did do a lot of research though and comparison checks between makes. Its really all down to the make of camera one gets used to, even upgrades of the same make tend to have the same feature layouts only more features added.
Anyone starting out with a DSLR would be advised, in my opinion, to use the fully auto mode first to get a feel of the camera -picture composition etc, then try out each setting in turn like Aperture - Speed and the like.
This is where I fell down, trying to take it in all at once. With instruction books running into a couple of hundred pages and being a bit all over the place it can quickly confuse and take away the pleasure of using the camera.

I suspect Gary like me, the more you learn the more there is to learn, and the deeper you get into photography the more you seek that "perfect" picture.
 
Just got my 400d two days ago, I had a wee play with with a 400D in the shop before I bought one and also thought it was a wee touch on the light side. Luckily enough one came up on Ebay with battery grip included which makes a world of difference, camera feels a bit more meaty and it's very comfortable for taking photo's in the vertical position. I'd assume that would apply to all the other makes also with their respective grips so good luck with whichever you go for. (y)
 
Gonetae

Can I ask if before you bought your camera, presuming it had a previous owner, you had a shutter actuation count done? Only all too often cameras on ebay may have had heavy usage irrespective of age.

As a comparison a car might be 8 years old but only 5000 miles on the clock, whereas a 2 year old car might well have 80,000 on the clock

Seldom have I, if ever, seen the shutter click number included in the sale advert, Nikon for example suggest in the pro/consumer market a count of around 150,000 clicks before failure MAY occur.

Just something others may not be aware of so worth a mention and a check prior to purchase.

Realspeed
 
realspeed said:
Thanks Gary.
I only wish I had taken my own advice when I started out, I did do a lot of research though and comparison checks between makes. Its really all down to the make of camera one gets used to, even upgrades of the same make tend to have the same feature layouts only more features added.
Anyone starting out with a DSLR would be advised, in my opinion, to use the fully auto mode first to get a feel of the camera -picture composition etc, then try out each setting in turn like Aperture - Speed and the like.
This is where I fell down, trying to take it in all at once. With instruction books running into a couple of hundred pages and being a bit all over the place it can quickly confuse and take away the pleasure of using the camera.

I suspect Gary like me, the more you learn the more there is to learn, and the deeper you get into photography the more you seek that "perfect" picture.
Click to expand...

Yeh deffo
When you were saying about starting off on auto.
Good point, but try getting use to Manual asap
I worked in clubs and the other photographers put me straight onto manual, and i was like.... erm! lol
In the long run it is the best way to learn. You pick things up quickly, you learn from playing with different settings.
One of the main ways I learnt was by watching tutorials on youtube by channels such a DSLR TIPS and CAMERA LABS
Gary
 
One thing I would suggest you investigate with Canon is whether you prefer the buttons on a 400D or the wheel on the 40D (and other varients) as the type of primary control.
 
Gary/ Hepburn
It took me ages to get to grips with a DSLR having come from a cheapie 2 meg pix compact Kodak.
I do find it hard, at least with the Nikon manual, to be able to find what I want and resorted in the end, like you, to the Nikon digitor web site for clarity. Everyone has to find their own way to learn and I use the book now only for specific points I am not sure about. Using manual now is no problem.

I did mention about upgrades, and I did this from my old Nikon D70s to the D200, mainly because the D200 wasn't so menu driven, with the main feature controls on the camera body via buttons/switches . For me having to go into the menu for a lot of settings just wasn't on as I got more used to the make, and this is a problem with a lot of entry models.

Not too sure about upgrading again to the D300 unless something drastic happens to my D200. I don't think the "extras" are worth the jump, may have been different if I had a lower spec model.



But you get what you pay for in the end.

Realspeed
 
realspeed said:
But you get what you pay for in the end.
Click to expand...

This is what has been going through my mind last couple of days, I just brought alot of new kit, was gona get all cheapy stuff, instead I thought, the better my pics the more I will make, so I made the investment.
Also you could buy the crapper stuff and then 2 years down the line need the better stuff anyway!
Gary
 
Gary

This is the frustrating thing about photographic gear, you always see that something just a little better. I now have a lens range from 12mm up to 500mm with different lenses, however some are f3.5 to f5.6. I do have a couple of f2.8 and a macro 90mm of f1.4.
I am now thinking along the lines of all f2.8 but like you, I think to myself does the cost actually justify the expense. Weighing it all up I think I will wait until something breaks/ stolen ( I have my gear insured with photoguard ) or I win the lottery.

One of the real difficulties I find is getting enough light onto the sensor with the f3.5 etc type lens. Maybe I don't put the ISO setting high enough due to fear of noise. Something I am now working on, I shall succeed!!! ask me about it in another 5 years.

I have seen elsewhere that this is not an uncommon problem with the earlier Nikon cameras but sorted with the latest versions

Realspeed
 
realspeed said:
Gonetae

Can I ask if before you bought your camera, presuming it had a previous owner, you had a shutter actuation count done? Only all too often cameras on ebay may have had heavy usage irrespective of age.

As a comparison a car might be 8 years old but only 5000 miles on the clock, whereas a 2 year old car might well have 80,000 on the clock

Seldom have I, if ever, seen the shutter click number included in the sale advert, Nikon for example suggest in the pro/consumer market a count of around 150,000 clicks before failure MAY occur.

Just something others may not be aware of so worth a mention and a check prior to purchase.

Realspeed
Click to expand...

Aye I did mate, shutter count was just over 7k.
 
You did well Gonetae, congratulations. So many people when buying second hand overlook this important point and just go by camera age. Hope you didn't mind my asking.

Realspeed
 
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