[awdark]

Members seem to like asking which dSLR they should buy quite often in both the official DSLR thread and here in the camera and mp3 section. It would be nice if we can put together a official thread so we can summarize and hopefully guide them in which camera to get. Primarily for just the body/kits so lens selection and style can be discussed elsewhere.

I am tempted to write a little about Canon but I think others would be able to do a better job about the "best" for each price range and experience.

Assuming they have done some basic research, gotten a feel of different cameras and their interfaces hopefully they will have a general idea.

So brands Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony... some people have brand preferences if they do then this will help narrow the search.
Budget and willingness to go used, refurbished etc.
How the camera will be used.

this doesn't seem like the start of a very good official thread.

[Miyurin]

Budget (Camera body only or including kit lens):
Frequency of Usage:
Purpose (What, where, when?):
Size/Weight:
Desired Functions:
Preferred Brand:
Preferred lens (Fixed Focal, Wide Angle, Macro, Telephoto, Prime, or specific mm/f-stop etc):

[yokemun]

Budget (Camera body only or including kit lens): less thn rm 3000 (USD 830)
Frequency of Usage:
Purpose (What, where, when?): take scenery, potraits
Size/Weight:
Desired Functions:
Preferred Brand: canon 500d or nikon d5000
Preferred lens (Fixed Focal, Wide Angle, Macro, Telephoto, Prime, or specific mm/f-stop etc):

[x-ly]

Is the Nikon D60 DSLR a good choice? Or would a D80, D90 be better?
Also, which would be cheaper?

EDIT: Does a Nikon D80 or D90 have a live preview?

[jxmode]

Is the Nikon D60 DSLR a good choice? Or would a D80, D90 be better?
Also, which would be cheaper?

EDIT: Does a Nikon D80 or D90 have a live preview?

I think the Nikon D60 is a pretty good choice. I know a lot of people who own them and they are happy with it. But if you want it to auto-focus then you're kind of limited to lenses. My friend has a D80, and it's pretty good. There is no live view on it.
On the other hand the D90 has live view and recording I believe. Though the D90 is more costly because it has replaced the D80 in the market.
either that or you can go for the D5000 That has live view and recoding as well. But I think with lenses it's the same thing as the D60 it doesn't have a AF motor, so it won't auto focus on some lenses. But you can always learn through focusing manually ;]
I'm a canon user though, so you probably should ask more from Nikon users. I have the 450D and I know I barely use the live view feature, so you may want to think about if you would use or need live view or video recording. Because in all honesty the function of a dslr is not geared towards taking videos.

[[HyuNi]]

Budget (Camera body only or including kit lens): less thn rm 3000 (USD 830)
Frequency of Usage:
Purpose (What, where, when?): take scenery, potraits
Size/Weight:
Desired Functions:
Preferred Brand: canon 500d or nikon d5000
Preferred lens (Fixed Focal, Wide Angle, Macro, Telephoto, Prime, or specific mm/f-stop etc):

What's the reason you want the DSLR? You weren't very specific with your response and you can take scenery and portraits with a normal point and shoot.

Have you checked out any of the brands you're interested in, in the store?

[Miyurin]

Is the Nikon D60 DSLR a good choice? Or would a D80, D90 be better?
Also, which would be cheaper?

EDIT: Does a Nikon D80 or D90 have a live preview?

The Nikon D90 has live view, while the D60 and D80 does not.

D60 with 18-55mm VR + 55-200mm VR Kit: ~$900 CAD
D60 with AF-S DX 18-55mm VR: $550 CAD
D60 with AF-S DX 18-55mm Non-VR: $520 CAD
D60 (body only): ~$450 CAD

D90 (body only): ~$1100 CAD
D90 with 18-105 VR: ~$1400 CAD


Judging from your previous post, the D60 would be sufficient.

And please! Before buying a $600 piece of equipment, research about the camera pros/cons and the functions. You should have known that the D60 did not have live view when you bought it. A quick google does wonders~

Good luck!

[yeppmusic7]

i posted this elsewhere before knowing that there was an "official" thread :]

Budget (Camera body only or including kit lens): below $1000 kit (will purchase other lenses later)
Frequency of Usage: I will take it basically everywhere I go :]
Purpose (What, where, when?): Currently photography is a hobby, but I'm hoping to connect it to my future career. Mainly, I like to focus on close up and macro photography. But I like doing landscape, portrait and commercial style photography as well. I am an outdoorsy person because I really like natural light. But once I create a small studio in my house and get some lighting I'll also start working indoors with portraits and such.
Size/Weight: Something that feels sturdy, but not heavy. Something that feels like it's well made.
Desired Functions: I don't want anything over-complicated. Live view, decent battery life and manual modes are all I basically need. Although I do like the whole HD movie features cameras nowadays have.
Preferred Brand: Maybe nikon d5000 or the canon eos 500d (rebel t1i). Both of these cameras seem really nice. I have researched them both countless times. I've heard that nikon cameras have better color and better body structures but canons have a better variety of lenses and the cost of lenses are cheaper. I'm stuck! I want to get some input on which one may be the better option :] please help ^^
Preferred lens (Fixed Focal, Wide Angle, Macro, Telephoto, Prime, or specific mm/f-stop etc): I'm looking to invest in wide angle, macro and telephoto lenses after my purchase.

[Uverstar]

I see a lot of people using Nikon, Canon and Sony..

why do people stay away from brands like Olympus, Pentax and other brands? o.O is it because they don't have a range of equipment or just because the quality of the camera and pictures are bad?

and I'm looking to buy a DSLR camera myself but not sure where to start because I've been using SLR's and Lomo camera's pretty much my entire life, what do I look for and does cheapest price always mean It's a bad camera?

[brian032]

I see a lot of people using Nikon, Canon and Sony..

why do people stay away from brands like Olympus, Pentax and other brands? o.O is it because they don't have a range of equipment or just because the quality of the camera and pictures are bad?

and I'm looking to buy a DSLR camera myself but not sure where to start because I've been using SLR's and Lomo camera's pretty much my entire life, what do I look for and does cheapest price always mean It's a bad camera?

Replace Canon and Nikon with Mickey D's and Burger King, then replace Olympus and Pentax with a small burger chain and you've pretty much got your answer. (This doesn't include taste though, because imo Mickey D's taste and smells like garbage.)

In terms of quality, I'm pretty sure that Canon and Nikon have better ISO performance at 1600 on up (or even 800?). Although the gap is closing between Olympus and Canikon with their new chips and designs, Canon and Nikon are still better at higher ISOs. If you're looking for the best bang for your buck and something small and portable with little to no sacrifice in quality, then I suggest Olympus. (You can buy an E-420 for $200.) But if you don't mind the bulk and want a huge selection of lenses then go with Canon or Nikon. (Sorry, don't know too much about Pentax.) In the end, it all comes down to preference, and either way you can't go wrong. (Btw, I went w/ Oly.)

I added some dpreview links too if your'e interested in checking them out.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Olympus/
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Pentax/

[[HyuNi]]

i posted this elsewhere before knowing that there was an "official" thread :]

Budget (Camera body only or including kit lens): below $1000 kit (will purchase other lenses later)
Frequency of Usage: I will take it basically everywhere I go :]
Purpose (What, where, when?): Currently photography is a hobby, but I'm hoping to connect it to my future career. Mainly, I like to focus on close up and macro photography. But I like doing landscape, portrait and commercial style photography as well. I am an outdoorsy person because I really like natural light. But once I create a small studio in my house and get some lighting I'll also start working indoors with portraits and such.
Size/Weight: Something that feels sturdy, but not heavy. Something that feels like it's well made.
Desired Functions: I don't want anything over-complicated. Live view, decent battery life and manual modes are all I basically need. Although I do like the whole HD movie features cameras nowadays have.
Preferred Brand: Maybe nikon d5000 or the canon eos 500d (rebel t1i). Both of these cameras seem really nice. I have researched them both countless times. I've heard that nikon cameras have better color and better body structures but canons have a better variety of lenses and the cost of lenses are cheaper. I'm stuck! I want to get some input on which one may be the better option :] please help ^^
Preferred lens (Fixed Focal, Wide Angle, Macro, Telephoto, Prime, or specific mm/f-stop etc): I'm looking to invest in wide angle, macro and telephoto lenses after my purchase.

Sounds like you've done your research.

Have you considered buying used? For $1000, you can easily find a D90 with the kit lens or 40D with kit lens with money left over. Check craigslist (meet up in person) or check photography forums like photography-on-the.net/forums (Canon user forums) or FredMiranda.com for buying used. There's also adorama with refurbished, B&H with used, and KEH.com with used camera equipment as well.

When I bought my original kit, I thought it HAD to be new. A few sells, buys, and trades later, 100% of my equipment is used and that saved me close to $1K.

[omegach]

i just want to state that i still believe that the nikon d70s is the best beginner camera one can buy, for the following reasons: chhheeaappp, top lcd, two control wheels, focus motor. that is all.

[Miyurin]

Sounds like you've done your research.

Have you considered buying used? For $1000, you can easily find a D90 with the kit lens or 40D with kit lens with money left over. Check craigslist (meet up in person) or check photography forums like photography-on-the.net/forums (Canon user forums) or FredMiranda.com for buying used. There's also adorama with refurbished, B&H with used, and KEH.com with used camera equipment as well.

When I bought my original kit, I thought it HAD to be new. A few sells, buys, and trades later, 100% of my equipment is used and that saved me close to $1K.

Have to watch out for dust on the sensor though. Any particles on the sensor, no matter how small will result in dark spots on your photos visible from F7 to above.

[yeppmusic7]

Sounds like you've done your research.

Have you considered buying used? For $1000, you can easily find a D90 with the kit lens or 40D with kit lens with money left over. Check craigslist (meet up in person) or check photography forums like photography-on-the.net/forums (Canon user forums) or FredMiranda.com for buying used. There's also adorama with refurbished, B&H with used, and KEH.com with used camera equipment as well.

When I bought my original kit, I thought it HAD to be new. A few sells, buys, and trades later, 100% of my equipment is used and that saved me close to $1K.

So, do you think the D90 is a better choice? I never thought about buying used because just like you I thought it had to be new, but I'll look into that.

[[HyuNi]]

^
I think the d90 is definately the better choice, especially if you have a budget like yours.
The D90 is the only reason I would switch from Canon to Nikon, if I had the opportunity.
(But I love my Canon setup too much to do that )

But Miyurin is right, on a lot of used camera bodies, the sensors are dirty or something may be disfunctional with the camera. If you aren't familiar with the technicalities of a DSLR (which you shouldn't be since you've never owned one) I would stay away from craigslist and go with reputable dealers like adorama.com, KEH.com, or B&H photo.

Good luck!

[jellyfishy]

So, do you think the D90 is a better choice? I never thought about buying used because just like you I thought it had to be new, but I'll look into that.

I would just buy it new. I mean, a DSLR is a huge investment, and you're probably going to keep it for a really long time. Don't you want to have it right from the start so you know that nothing happened to it before? Compared to how much you're already going to invest in photography (the actual body, lenses, etc.) the price difference between new and used doesn't seem like that much.

I would get a D90 too. Just like [HyuNi], it's the only thing I would trade my Canon for.

[albasian]

Buying refurbished dslr bodies isn't a bad choice.
a. You save money
b. It's sent back to the original company and checked over again for any flaws.

So technically, it's a more refined camera from what it was when it first came out of the factory.

The thing is, you have to find a good refurb retailer like Adorama, etc.

[purin-chan]

Budget (Camera body only or including kit lens): Body only, Below $1000
Frequency of Usage: I will take it to wherever I go
Purpose (What, where, when?): It's for my ECA in school And it's a hobby to take pictures hehe. My parents won't buy one for me:(. Until now I still use my parent's dig cam and I want to buy my own cam with my own money.
Size/Weight: If possible, a not-so heavy one Cz i wanna take it wherever I go <3
Desired Functions:
Preferred Brand:[/b Canon/Nikon
[b]Preferred lens (Fixed Focal, Wide Angle, Macro, Telephoto, Prime, or specific mm/f-stop etc):

Sowry, I'm not filling some cuz I don't quite understand these things :x
Which DSLR should I buy? I'm a beginner..
Thank you in advance!

[[HyuNi]]

^
Sounds like you would be happy with the consumer grade cameras like the Canon XSi or the newer T1i or the Nikon D5000 because they are well below your budget and it seems like the small size is important to you. The Nikon DSLRs are generally a bit smaller than Canon brands, from what I noticed. If you don't mind buying used or refurbished, the D90 could potentially be a great camera and just around your budget. Check adorama.com or KEH.com as they are reputable camera dealers that sell good quality used & refurbed items.
I recommend this to everyone who isn't sure what DSLR to get, but ALWAYS go to your local camera shop or electronics store and hold each model/brand that you're interested in your hand. There will definately be a camera that you feel more comfortable with whether it be weight, ergonomics, position of buttons, or menu style.
Between Canon/Nikon, the image quality is very similar if not the same.

[~.Linh.~]

Budget (Camera body only or including kit lens): body + kit lens / up to 600€ (~$900)
Frequency of Usage: basically, i'll take it everywhere I go
Purpose (What, where, when?): Portrait, landscape, candids (lol, selca)
Size/Weight: i think it has to "feel" right, not too heavy since my hands are pretty small
Desired Functions: i'm a total n00b...
Preferred Brand: Canon?
Preferred lens (Fixed Focal, Wide Angle, Macro, Telephoto, Prime, or specific mm/f-stop etc): n00b....

So, i went to a store today and asked for the Canon EOS 450D because it was recommended in the official DSLR thread.
I was told the 500D is better because it's an updated version.
In another store, they recommended the 1000D because of the bigger lens(?) and because the price matched the quality of the cam...? what do you think about it?
edit:
This will be my first dslr and i want to learn more about photography because i got really interested. i guess it will take time, though, to learn about the different camera settings w/e..but right now a dslr is #1 on my to buy list
it's actually quite embarassing to go into a store and just ask about the cams...lol, cause the only thing i could do was nod like i actually knew what the salesman was talking about xD

the 1000d was recommended to me because of the zoom lense (i think it said sigma)...the zoom was "better" than the one on the 500d (they didn't have a 450d there, but i think 450d and 500d aren't that different in regards of size and weight?). can't i just buy the 450d with the sigma lens... ?
i somehow side with the 450d...
still don't get the differenece between 450d and 1000d, though