I would like to get a digital SLR camera, any suggestions?
I would like to get a digital SLR camera, any suggestions? watched the Annie Leibowitz documentary and I am inspired!
Tags: annie leibowitz, Like, Camera, Would, Suggestions, DigitalRelated posts:
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- what is the best digital slr camera for image stability and vibration reduction?
- Can someone tell me the difference is a digital camera and a digital SLR camera?
Asahi pentax
All the leading brands are fabulous cameras capable of taking great pictures, no doubt any one of them would serve you well.
More than anything else, go to a reputable camera store and hold each camera in your hands. See how it feels for weight and balance, use it and look through the menu system to see if it makes sense to you.
All the best!
teef_au
I would recommend Nikon D90 12MP
Continuous shooting as fast as 4.5 frames-per-second
Low noise ISO sensitivity from 200 to 3200
3-inch super-density 920,000-dot color LCD monitor
Built-in image sensor cleaning
11-point AF system with Face Priority
D-Movie Mode; Cinematic 24fps HD with sound
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ENOZY4?ie=UTF8&tag=computer0bd-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001ENOZY4
or if you are on budget Nikon D40 is a great choice.Nice picture quality with affordable price.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KJQ1DG?ie=UTF8&tag=computer0bd-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000KJQ1DG
Any make is good, Pentax is the most cost effective system to buy into by far. You can’t tell what make of camera took a picture, lenses are a different issue.
Lenses matter more than camera for image quality, primes are better than zooms, wide range zooms have so many compromises in their design they are close to useless, get the best you can afford, buy quality – buy once.
Lenses with an aperture of around f3.5 or less are bright day lenses, they work fine when there’s lots of light, in dim light they will just ‘hunt’ looking for focus.
Most of the problems people have with their cameras on this site (and most others) is not having the right lens, if you want fast shutter speed in low light (indoor sports for instance) you will need a wide aperture lens, if the action is a distance away it will also need to be telephoto lens, a wide aperture 70 -200mm lens will cost several times the cost of the camera.
If you really get into Photography you will spend 10 times more than the cost of your first camera on lenses, tripods, dedicated flashguns etc. etc.. Work out the cost for your ideal system.
Try to handle all the different makes, check the viewfinder it needs to be big and bright, do the controls fall naturally to hand? Do you have to go into menu to adjust settings? Whats the build quality like? Is Image Stabilization an extra in every lens you buy, or is it built into the camera body?
Don’t go chasing Mp, more Mp don’t make the image any finer it just determines how big you can print, a 6Mp camera will print natively (without adding any pixels) at A4, a 10Mp at A3+. The 10Mp gives you the opportunity to crop half the pixels away and still print natively at A4. You can print a lot bigger than this of course, I print (and sell) 5ft X 4ft canvas prints from my Pentax K10D (10Mp) on a regular basis.
Chris
Hello Annie.
I suggest looking at these cameras: Sony A300, Pentax K200D, Canon XSi and Nikon D90. All are similar yet all are different.
Sony and Pentax both have their versions of Image Stabilization (IS) in the camera body. Nikon and Canon don’t. With a Sony or Pentax every lens you use will become an IS lens. Canon and Nikon offer their versions of IS in select lenses – and you have to pay for the IS every time you buy an IS lens.
A Sony DSLR can use every Minolta Maxxum AF lens made since 1985 as well as the current Sony branded lenses and the Carl Zeiss “ZA” lenses. Don’t let anyone tell you that Sony has a limited lens line.
A Pentax DSLR can use every K-mount lens made since 1975. Yes, there are some limitations when using the older manual focus lenses but they can be used.
The Sony A300 & A350 both have Live View that works with the auto focus. Very useful if you’re in a crowd (think parade here) and have to hold the camera over your head to get a picture. Flip the screen down, look up and you can check your composition and focus and shoot. Its also useful if you’re using the camera at ground level – just flip the screen up.
The Nikon D90 offers video capability.
Choose the camera you like best and that offers you the most features and benefits for your money. Don’t believe anyone who trys to tell you “… professional photographers only use Canon or Nikon …” That is probably news to those pros using a Leica or Hasselblad or Mamiya or a view camera.
Always remember this, Annie: “It isn’t the camera, its the photographer.” A camera is just a tool, like a hammer or saw or socket wrench. The person using the tool makes all the difference.
Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012YA85A?ie=UTF8&tag=yahanswer-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0012YA85A
I think you should get the Nikon D80, D90, Canon 50D or Canon 5D Mark II.
I purchase a DSLR to take pictures of my 1 year old and family.
DSLR with a fast fps can capture quick reactions of my 1 year old.
Canon XSi, XS, Nikon D40, and D60 is more of a small consumer DSLR.
Nikon D80 & D90 is closer to semi-pro. or prosumer.
It feels and looks perfect.
Canon 50D is semi-professional and is weatherproof.
Canon 5D is semipro, weatherproof, and HD movie.
They do have some in common and take great photos, you can’t tell the difference.
Last year, I got the XSi instead of the D40 because it has IS and better everything except the price.
I paid $200 to $300 more.
It’s more for the beginner or a professional’s backup.
50D offers much more, but will cost twice the money.
I sold my XSi last month and got the D90 because of the HD movie mode.
The movie quality is great on D90 in turns of image quality.
However, there is no Auto Focus on movie mode from D90.
So, you will need a lot of practice.
Unless you get the Canon 5D Mark II which is 3 times the price of D90.
You will pay $2300 more for weatherproofing, better audio recording, auto focus movie, and a faster camera.
I don’t think it’s worth that much.
D80 is under $1000 with the kit lens that can zoom upto 135mm.
It’s a bit further than D90, but no movie mode.
Get the XSi or Nikon’s D60 if you are starting out and have limited budget.
Get the Nikon D80 as the best value.
Get the 50D for the weatherproof and fast 6.5fps.
Get the 5D Mark II if you want to shoot HD movie with auto focus, but will cost $3500.
My Nikon D90 is in the middle of them in turns of everything.
It has HD movie, 105mm lens, perfect grip, on camera photo editing, but no auto focus in movie and no weatherproof.
So, you need to see what’s more important to you.
Camera’s keep changing for the better, just buy what you need and can afford now.
Sell it later on ebay and get a better one 2 year later.
Go the Live.com’s cashback and get some moneyback on all your purchases. Charge it to an American Express Blue Cash and get 1 year extended warranty FREE and also some cash back depending on your annual purchases.
Good Luck!
http://www.cameralabs.com
http://www.imaging-resource.com
http://www.popphoto.com/cameralenses
http://search.live.com/cashback
You just got great advice from people who have a pretty good idea of what’s going on! Really!
What I find amusing, is if you had worded your question differently, some would have answered in a much different way! lol (Thank God you didn’t ask “I want to be a pro-photographer, what should my first DSLR be!”)
Shame on all of you that repress aspiring new photographers due to the wording of there questions! *wink*
Hello Chauvinism!
This question is an invitation to display brand and model chauvinism. It is like asking which is the best car brand or sports team – everyone will have a strongly held opinion. It will not necessarily be an accurate or useful opinion, but it will likely be fervent.
The reality is that within price range all of the brands will have similar features – or models that compare with similar features to their competitors. The commitment in aligning yourself to a particular camera system isn’t the initial cost of the camera body – it is the cost of the lenses and accessories – flash guns, battery grips etc., but primarily the lenses.
The newer entry level cameras often cannot use the full range of lenses from their particular manufacturer. That can be a real problem as you progress because as you acquire better bodies with more features, you will need to be able to use your existing lenses. Most have the anti-shake mechanism built into the lens, maker the lens heavier, more expensive, easier to damage. Some – Sony in particular, have the system built into the camera body allowing a very wide selection of older (and much cheaper) but very good quality Minolta lenses to be used.
Having retailers and repair businesses locally is also an issue. You will find far more for Canon & Nikon than any other. As with owning cars, sooner or later you will need to get something fixed.
So you see – there is a lot to work through. I suggest spending some time looking carefully at the camera reviews and reading through the user forums on http://www.dpreview.com. I would then spend some time in camera shops getting a feel for the various brands and models. How camera – like a handgun or a rifle – feels to a photographer is a big part of its appeal.
You might even consider hiring a couple of those you find interesting – to discover which you really prefer. Many camera stores will have loan cameras for people who they are sure will become customers. The ones that I frequent all do. I get to test all the new models that interest me.