First DSLR

[tm37]

I am looking to get into a DSLR

Not really wanting to get used or refurb.

Looking entry level. I will be photoing mainly the kids and I would like to learn abit about photo. (would like a new hobby)

So I have narrowed it down to a few cameras.

1. Nikon D40 Kit
Seems to be a good starter camera and I have had it recommened by a friend who is really into photography. Said it was a good place to start however also said he recomended it because He is a nikon fanboy. (he has a D300 I think). I have held it and messed abit with it and I like the weight and feel. I would more than likely get this at walmart as I caan get the employee discount. (I do not work there).

SO the price would be 449- 10% + tax = $430

2 Canon XT EF-S - Also at walmart and is 499 so my price is 478 but it uses CF card (I have none where as I do have plenty of SD cards.

2. Canon XS EF-s - Newegg. 529. Uses SD and is a 10 MP rather than the 6 of the nikon.

I have no other Lenses or anything like that. so I am basically starting from scratch.

Is the canon that much better for the $50 or $100 dollars. Also it see SD cards on sale all the time however no so much for the CF cards.

Also I see that there are tons of Cameras on Ebay that claim to be new for a slight discount.

XSi with a Lens for less than $500 shipped.

Not sure what to do.

 

[finbarqs]

You know, I probably would personally go with the XSi kit. Or go with the new Olympus camera, either e-620, or go with the oldie (but goodie) e-420 with it's p&s like Live View focus. The world of photography doesn't only belong to Canon and Nikon! Or better yet, you can go with a Sigma SD15, and it'll probably have the best quality out of all of them!

 

[iGas]

IMHO, get a decent & inexpensive body for now then upgrade latter, and save the money for the best lens that you can afford.

 

[ElFenix]

there is a new entry level nikon coming out in the next month or so. maybe they'll actually get some on store shelves within a decent amount of time.

 

[996GT2]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
there is a new entry level nikon coming out in the next month or so. maybe they'll actually get some on store shelves within a decent amount of time.

D5000, apparently going to be announced tomorrow.

 

[tm37]

That would expl;ain the d40 deals @ best buy and others

 

[shortylickens]

The Nikon D40 I got was refurbished AT Nikon.

Dont knock it. When I worked at Tektronix our standard procedure was to replace almost everything until the O'scope looked and performed brand new. And then we sold it for 1/3 the retail price.

Opening up the box it seems that Nikon has the same policy.
I got mine with lens from Newegg for 368 dollars.


AND FOR GODS SAKES IF THE DEAL LOOKS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT IS!!!!!
Dont get it from New York or New Jersey. Get it from Amazon or Walmart or Newegg or maybe Best Buy if they have a sale.
The $449 deal at walmart for camera, lens and two 4GB cards is a decent bargain.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16830113162
Thats a good deal but its Body Only. If you know you can aquire a lens dirt cheap then you may save some money.
I always suggest an extended warranty, whether its refurbished or brand new. (If they have one)

 

[tm37]

The walmart extended warrenty is CHEAP as well.

 

[OulOat]

I would suggest the D40 because it's the cheapest and it's a solid entry level performer. Don't get sucked into the MP race, at least not at your level. If you planning to be just a casual photographer, I would follow finbarqs' advice and take a look beyond Canon and Nikon. You will be paying a premium for their badge; you will simply get better value out of an Olympus or Pentax. I'll even go one step further, consider one of the mini-dslr/super zoom compacts like the Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Fujifilm FinePix S2000HD, etc. They sacrifice speed and IQ for more powerful lens and a cheaper price. You can also use them as a guide to see if you really want a bigger camera.

One especially interesting and fun camera to check out is the Casio EX-FH20. Slow motion for the masses.

 

[tfinch2]

I like my Sony A200.

 

[bobdole369]

I would say go for the XT kit, but thats a bit much for an XT. They are used for less than 200 with the kit lens. It's still a solid performer for the price. SD cards are garbage IMHO - CF cards are the norm for dslrs, IMO the XS and the XSi are cheap walmart destinated garbage, but I think the Xti is a bit better quality. (i.e. the 1000d and 450d "feel cheap" vs the 400d - which is a bit more solid.) If you have some support (and maybe even access to a couple lenses to borrow and swap around) from someone with a Nikon - than I think thats the way to go.

Remember, it isn't the camera, lens, or anything else besides the photographer that makes good images. My wife only upgraded from the 350d to her 50d because she needed the higher ISO. 100-400 very usable - and 800/1600 OK in daylight if you need superfast shutter on the XT/350d, while 1600 is quite usable and >1600 OK in a pinch on the 50d.

You should spend far more on a lens than you should for the body. The kit lens on the Canon's is mediocre, but great for your purposes. A cheap but very high quality prime lens to get is the 50mm f/1.8 (aka nifty fifty) - for about $100ish. THe "nifty two-fifty" is the 55-250IS f/3.5-5.6 - and is another solid cheap lens. Once you get those - you'll have to shell out for an L lens if you want more quality, or you start getting paid for the images.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Originally posted by: shortylickens
AND FOR GODS SAKES IF THE DEAL LOOKS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT IS!!!!!
Dont get it from New York or New Jersey. Get it from Amazon or Walmart or Newegg or maybe Best Buy if they have a sale.
The $449 deal at walmart for camera, lens and two 4GB cards is a decent bargain.

What's wrong with NY/NJ, presuming you're talking camera shops? Many of the best large camera shops are in the area, like B&H, Adorama, Abe's of Maine (in NJ!), BuyDig, etc.

 

[Eltano1]

After many researches I bought a Nikon D40x with the 2 Kit lenses. I love the feel of the camera and the pictures that I take with it, without much training on a DSLR.

You should go to Best Buy or any other Big Store where you can compare them in hand, of course after you reseached and made your final selection on which camera to buy.

Regards

Eltano

 

[twistedlogic]

Originally posted by: tm37
Not really wanting to get used or refurb.

Looking entry level. I will be photoing mainly the kids and I would like to learn abit about photo. (would like a new hobby)

Nothing wrong with used or refurbished, if its from a reputable place. A brand new DSL-R is like a car, as soon as you take it off the lot, it's value decreases in a hurry. Unlike lenses, which hold there value.

I'd go with the refurbished D40x from newegg ($269) and with the extra money you saved get a nice 2.8 zoom lens(Sigma 18-50 or Tamron 17-50). Then if you really find photography interesting, you can upgrade to a better body or start collecting glass.

I only suggest the Nikon so that you can borrow your friends equipment, . Whats most important is what fits in your hands the best. So if at possible, go try them in a store.

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: OulOatf you planning to be just a casual photographer, I would follow finbarqs' advice and take a look beyond Canon and Nikon. You will be paying a premium for their badge; you will simply get better value out of an Olympus or Pentax.

or Sony.
there is no bad current production DSLR & at this level they pretty much all perform the same overall.
Go to a shop & handle them as 1 major area that they do vary is ergonomics/UI & what suits 1 person may not suit another.
Obvious ticks in the boxes for Nikon are the ability to perhaps borrow your friend's gear & also if you already have the right storage medium but if I was unhappy with the handling then that to me would outweigh those.

PMA starts this week & although it's looking a bit thin in terms of new announcements by the end of the week we should have an idea of what new is coming fairly soon.

 

[tdawg]

The deal on the D40 sounds good, especially if it comes with 2 4gb cards, like someone mentioned earlier. It's even nicer if your Nikon friend has speedlights and lenses you can borrow and play with, though you won't be able to autofocus any non-AF-S lenses on the D40. The difference between 6 and 10 mp will be unnoticeable unless you crop extremely heavily, or print large images (probably 11x14 or greater before you notice any difference).

Someone mentioned options other than Canon and Nikon and they are definitely valid. The important thing to look at in addition to the body options, are the lens choices. Canon and Nikon have a huge assortment of lenses to choose from at various price ranges. Olympus has some nice looking lenses, but you have to shell out a lot of money for them. Be sure to check out lens prices as part of your decision as you'll most definitely be adding more in the future, if the hobby sticks.

The SD vs CF is really a non-issue. They are both valid formats for pros and amateurs alike; you don't gain much of an advantage with one over the other. Since you already have SD cards for other P&S cameras or other devices, no sense to me to not stay with the format, so you can just interchange cards at will.

 

[tm37]

There is a deal on the D60 @ sams And I will try and pull away from work to go get it tommorow.

WIfe actually let me push the budget to $800 if "that is what you wqant to do"

In looking at it I think the D60 might be worth the extra cash over the D40.

I told her that Lenses would be good birthday presents (july)

So hopefully in a month or so I will be able to start joining in on the photo contests.

 

[ghostman]

Originally posted by: Flipped Gazelle

Originally posted by: shortylickens
AND FOR GODS SAKES IF THE DEAL LOOKS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT IS!!!!!
Dont get it from New York or New Jersey. Get it from Amazon or Walmart or Newegg or maybe Best Buy if they have a sale.
The $449 deal at walmart for camera, lens and two 4GB cards is a decent bargain.

What's wrong with NY/NJ, presuming you're talking camera shops? Many of the best large camera shops are in the area, like B&H, Adorama, Abe's of Maine (in NJ!), BuyDig, etc.

Indeed. Sorry shortylickens, but that's just bad advice. For simple consumer purchases like an XSi or a D40 like the OP, Walmart, BestBuy (yikes) might be ok. But for even slightly more advanced shooters, you're going to find the best photo shops in NY and NJ. Walmart and BestBuy will not have stock on the items you'll want at that point. Because of that, you'll also find some of the worst places in NY and NJ too. When buying online from a store you have never heard of, always always check resellerratings.com.

As Flipped mentioned, B&H, Adorama... are excellent stores with an amazing inventory and they are located in NY and NJ.

As for the OP, I wouldn't get an XT. In this age, the screen is too small, the device too and and your price to high.

 

[Neos]

You did not mention Olympus, so I will make a plug here.

Since you mentioned the D40, you might take a look at the E410 from Oly. I have seen it for as low as 419 with two lenses.
E410
Highly Recommended
That is a super bargain any way you slice it. Small, light, two lens that cover most all shots. The current E420 is really the same camera with a couple of extra m-pix.


If you want the best NEW bang for the buck, and don't mind waiting a few weeks - check out the E620. Wow!
Preview - E620

 

[Neos]

Originally posted by: tfinch2
I like my Sony A200.

Nice work with your E300.

 

[gar655]

D60 is not worth the extra over the D40. Same kind of cheap camera with a noisier 10mp sensor. The D40 has better IQ. Biggest drawback to ANY of the entry level DSLRs that you are looking at, are teeny, tiny, dark viewfinders and limited slowish AF. The Xsi being the exception on AF. It inheirited the AF from the Canon 30D. Which incidentily leads me to my suggestion, which is to look for a low usage 30D.

Much better viewfinder, much better build, 5fps, dual control wheels (important when shooting or learning to shoot in manual exposure mode), fast AF and top notch IQ.

You should be able to find a used one and a lens or two for your $800.

Gene

 

[Unheard]

Samys.com (I think New Egg has it cheaper, but they charge sales tax in TN, so Samys was cheaper for me) has the Nikon D40x (which is better than the D40.) Refurb BODY ONLY for $279. I picked one up, and I am waiting on it to arrive. Samy's also has a refurb AF-S (Needed for the 40,40x,60) 18-55mm for $99 (you will have to order it on the phone, couldn't find it on the site).

The D40 is 6.1MP
The D40x is 10.2MP

Quickly after this purchase I have become addicted to buying glass. I purchased a 50mm Prime, Manual Focus and a 55-200mm AF-S VR lens on top of the 18-55mm refurb.

D40x @ Samy's - $279.99 Free Shipping

D40x @ NewEgg $269.99 + Shipping



(Man I like to use parentheses)

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: gar655
D60 is not worth the extra over the D40. Same kind of cheap camera with a noisier 10mp sensor. The D40 has better IQ. Biggest drawback to ANY of the entry level DSLRs that you are looking at, are teeny, tiny, dark viewfinders and limited slowish AF. The Xsi being the exception on AF.

Sony AF is pretty good (it's 9 point like the XSi & just a few more than the 3 in the Nikons ).

 

[AnyMal]

I can't believe no one mentioned Pentax yet. I just picked up a pristine K100D with 18-55 lens for $250 shipped on eBay. I love having a huge stable of lenses to choose from, image stabilization built into the body, and it uses AA batteries to boot. A set of rechargables should last about 1,200 shots.

 

[tm37]

OK I picked up the D60 @ sams for 529.00

Then I grabbed a 55-200 lens at ritz for $249

I am loving it. The difference between this and my point abd shoot (canon sd1000) is incredible.

So far after two day so of picture taking I have to say that the d60 is easy to use (I have not yet read the manual) and takes GREAT pictures.