# Want a DSLR - dont know what to get



## cr8tive1 (Aug 8, 2007)

I am ready to buy a Digital SLR but I dont know what to get. Oh, and by the way I dont know how to use a DLSR but I want to learn. I want to buy a camera that will last me a long time (as I learn how to use it) not necessarily a beginner camera. I have heard that if you buy at a place like Ritz you can upgrade the extra lense to a better lense. Has anyone else heard of this? I would like to hear your opinion on what camera to buy and where to buy it. Thanks!


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## TooShallow (May 21, 2004)

What's your price range?


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## cr8tive1 (Aug 8, 2007)

Around $800-$1000.


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## Ibeafireman (Jul 24, 2006)

As far as brands go you really cant go wrong with either Canon or Nikon. Canon has their Rebel xt with a kit lens for 549.00 which is the basic starter dslr they offer. It is also the first dslr I bought. I now have the Canon 40D and I love it. Check out either companies web site to see what they offer.

Canon has price ranging from the 549.00 mentioned above to 8000.00. With your budget you can get the Rebel Xsi for 799.99 with a kit 18-55mm IS lens. You will of course be wanting to buy more lenses as you use the camera more and more.

Good luck with what ever camera you decide to get and dont forget to post your pictures here.


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## TooShallow (May 21, 2004)

You really can't go wrong with a Canon or Nikon in that price range. I'm partial to Nikon because I like Nikon glass.


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

Broke my D200 so I just ordered a D90, I'll let you know what I think in a week or two. Some folks liking it better than the D300 and you have some HD video capability to boot..

Can't wait to try HD video macro!

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/nikon/d90-review/index.shtml

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d90.htm


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## spuds (Jan 2, 2005)

*Check out the Canon XSi. It has Canon's latest processor in an affordable body. Goes for around $700 with a kit lens and leaves you $300 for another lens. *

*I love mine! :biggrin:*


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## phishyfotos (May 6, 2008)

Nikon D-70s is very easy to learn


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## mywifeshusband (Nov 19, 2006)

*canon sxi*

green as green can be and i bought the xsi and the 75x300 lense also with all the toys, cards, bag, warranty and it was about 1400 with the discount on the lense at best buy. never thought i would post on this thread but man what a piece of equipment. for a green novice it is extremly user friendly and great photos. i love the way it works and yes give me time and i will be posting pics, as a truck driver i see some great landscape. i already have pics from Old Boston VA. that as soon as i learn how to download so i can post i will. they are a contrast between the standard lense and the 75x300 what a hillside view with the leaves changing. please be patient with me i am green i mean very green. and yes i will bring the best of the USA an Canada thru my travels. Beau


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## Fisher Lou (May 16, 2005)

Congrats on the new hardware MWH, can't wait to see the first pictures. 


Cr8tive1, tell us what you bought.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

I had a Nikon D80 and two things really bothered me about it being a noob. It was not user friendly at all. I think it had way more bells and whistles than I could ever want. But what bothered me the most was not having a live view on the LCD screen. My vision isnt what it used to be and I just couldnt get used to using the viewfinder. I was getting alot better shots using my cheap P&S cameras mainly because I could see what I was doing.


Looking at the XSI, how would that compare to the D80?


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## stargazer (May 24, 2004)

Gary, Not familar with the D80 at all, but I have the XSI and love it. Theres some pretty good deals on used at the canon forum now. http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=585609


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

stargazer said:


> Gary, Not familar with the D80 at all, but I have the XSI and love it. Theres some pretty good deals on used at the canon forum now. http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=585609


Thanks Fred. Ill be saving up for awhile so that will give me plenty of time to do some research.


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## fishphoto (Mar 3, 2005)

The new D90 has live view and a movie mode as well. It is the replacement for the D80


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

fishphoto said:


> The new D90 has live view and a movie mode as well. It is the replacement for the D80


Yea I was eyeballing it. The body alone is a grand though. So I started thinking about the D40 and when I compared it to a XSI, I found an XSI body for $299 and it has the live view and twice the megapixles. Am I missing something?


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## Koru (Sep 25, 2006)

Gary said:


> I had a Nikon D80 and two things really bothered me about it being a noob. It was not user friendly at all. I think it had way more bells and whistles than I could ever want. But what bothered me the most was not having a live view on the LCD screen. My vision isnt what it used to be and I just couldnt get used to using the viewfinder. I was getting alot better shots using my cheap P&S cameras mainly because I could see what I was doing.
> 
> Looking at the XSI, how would that compare to the D80?


just as an aside... beside the viewfinder on the D80 is a diopter. it has a little plus and minus printed on it. you can move it to find a point where your viewfinder is most in focus for your eye. did you ever tweak it Gary?


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## fishphoto (Mar 3, 2005)

The D90 is a step up from the xsi, so you can't really compare them. The D40 is on the same level as the xsi, but it is older. That is why the xsi has a lot more "new" features such as live view. Either way, you can't go wrong with a Canon or a Nikon. They each have pros and cons over each other.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Koru said:


> just as an aside... beside the viewfinder on the D80 is a diopter. it has a little plus and minus printed on it. you can move it to find a point where your viewfinder is most in focus for your eye. did you ever tweak it Gary?


Yes I did Karen and it didnt help much. For close up stuff I need reading glasses and have to be at an exact distance from the view finder. Its hard to explain. I could see imediatly on the LCD how the pic came out, but through the viewfinder I really couldnt see if I was even in focus unless I was shooting macro or something.


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## Koru (Sep 25, 2006)

Gary said:


> Yes I did Karen and it didnt help much. For close up stuff I need reading glasses and have to be at an exact distance from the view finder. Its hard to explain. I could see imediatly on the LCD how the pic came out, but through the viewfinder I really couldnt see if I was even in focus unless I was shooting macro or something.


i got trifocals a few weeks ago. i know exactly what you mean.  before i got them it sometimes got really tricky to focus at different distances and after half an hour of shooting, i'd end up practically blind in my right eye.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Well, scratch the $299 deal on the XSI. That company is a rip off.

http://www.epinions.com/msg/show_~threads/cat_id_~22/id_~17991/forum_id_~144

http://www.86photovideo.com/products.asp?product_id=18661&ds_ref_key=EHJBFGJOEFOEFJGGFF


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## Gator_Nutz (Sep 27, 2006)

Is live view so important to you guys? I am just curious because my D3 has it and I have not yet used it once. When would you use it? Holding your camera up over your head in a crowd perhaps? Holding it really low to the ground?


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Koru said:


> i got trifocals a few weeks ago. i know exactly what you mean.  before i got them it sometimes got really tricky to focus at different distances and after half an hour of shooting, i'd end up practically blind in my right eye.


LOL! Me too!


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## stargazer (May 24, 2004)

I use Live view every once in a while, During live view I can move where my camera meters the light. ie the grass on the edge of a shot so i doesnt come out dark and lacks detail. This one I metered off the rocks










as compared to this where I metered the sky


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## txsooner (Mar 16, 2006)

Cre8tive1:

I guess this is the time you basically have to choose a side, either Canon or Nikon. There are others, but those are the big boys from which you would be able grow. Both are good. I shoot a Canon 40D and my buddy shoots Nikon. There is a good web forum that you can do all the research you need call Digital Photagraphy Review (dpreview.com). The Canon XSi has some very nice features that you had to step up into the Canon XXD lineup to get. Most of the kit lenses are pretty basic and lack in IQ, speed, etc. Whatever you choose, have fun with it. I warn you now, it is an addiction almost as much as fishing. Once you are hooked, you will be broke from buying all the ****.


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## CROAKERSOAKER67 (Mar 14, 2006)

*CANON 50D*

Just got my Canon 50D , 15.1 mega pixels Digic 4 processeur . I can shoot anywhere ,anytime and count on brilliant blur free pictures. Hands down Canon takes the Best pictures! A1!


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Gator_Nutz said:


> Is live view so important to you guys? I am just curious because my D3 has it and I have not yet used it once. When would you use it? Holding your camera up over your head in a crowd perhaps? Holding it really low to the ground?


With the D80 the final straw for me was last year when madf1man and myself went to the park to do some shooting. It was very hot and extreemly humid that day! Between the sweat in my eyes, poor close up vision and the fact that I think it took two hours for our lens's to stop fogging up, I never did get any good shots and just got frustrated that I couldnt see through the view finder.

I'm a Nikon guy and I wish they had a mid level body with good live view LCD at under $750 and at least 10 Mps. Guys like the OP and I will never be pro and probably will never care about the "Whoopty Doo" ISO thingy's and alot of stuff I won't learn, or care about, just something well above P&S, simple to use and user friendly! 

Honestly I loved the D80 and because of it, and the help here, I was learning how to use all the manual stuff and understanding which F-stop to use with which ISO setting etc. The problem was, I couldnt adjust what I needed to do before taking the shot. I couldnt see through the view finder. Bites getting old. I can see a Redfish tailing at a 100 yards and count the spots, but I need a 2x reading glasses to read a magazine. 

The Canon xsi is grabbing my attention more and more.


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## Jerry-rigged (May 21, 2004)

Gary-

If live view is going to be used a lot, you may look at the new Panasonic comming out this fall - the G1. It is not really a DSLR, because they dropped the mirror and prizim. but it does still have a DLSR size sensor (4/3) and interchangable lenses. The upside is that, it is designed for live-view first, so the camera still runs at "full speed" (unlike a DLSR, most which have slow-focus issues in LV, or gives you several extra mirror swings to focuse and shoot).

The downside is, as a new system, there are only two lenses designed for it, with another 2 to be released spring 09. Olympus is in on it too, so hopefully there will be more lenses soon. Plus "standard" 4/3 lenses (olympus, panasonic, and Licea) lenses will work with adaptor, but some of them may not focus fast (or at all)

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/panasonicG1/


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## Jerry-rigged (May 21, 2004)

And to the OP-

you may want to look for a 2-lens kit - I know Olympus and Nikon both offer kits with a "standard" zoom and a mild Telephoto zoom, for around $800.

Also, I have heard a rumor that Oly will be offering a 4-lens kit for Christmas, E520 body, 9-18 (*18-36mm), 14-42 (*28-84mm), 50-150 (*100-300mm) and 70-300 (*140-600mm), all for somewhere around $1200. (*35mm equivlent)


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

I have only used the live view on my 40D a couple of times. I found out it is not my cup of tea. Maybe for macro, but not the every day stuff. You definitely don't get the 6.5 fps when using live view.

I might use it when I set the camera up as a remote at the ball park just so I can get the focus set on Manual, then switch it off. Otherwise, no.
Mike


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## fishphoto (Mar 3, 2005)

I've never used live view on my D3 either.


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## Autco (Jul 2, 2008)

Nikon D40 best bang for the bucks


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## spuds (Jan 2, 2005)

*The Sony Alpha 350 had a user friendly live view and works similar to most point and shoots. It also has a tiltable screen which is nice for shooting from high or low angles.*

*But I went with the Canon XSi because I already had Canon lenses. It has live view, but is limited in its use. It works best when mounted on a tripod.*


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Autco said:


> Nikon D40 best bang for the bucks


http://www.broadwayphoto.com/productlistings.aspx?FC=F_NKD40&L=223125

For a noob I think you might be right! From what I have read here and elsewhere, dont worry too much about megapixles. Save your monet for good glass and a good flash. And at that price, its hard to beat.

Maybe I didnt give my D80 a fair chance. Truth is, I didnt take alot of shots with it. $3000 worth of camera gear, I think I was afraid to wear it out or something. lol

I may change my mind tomarrow, but as of today I think Ill be getting the D40 kit and just go out and shoot the living daylights out of it. Pick up some quality glass when I can afford to and if I get good enough that feel I have outgrown the D40 in a year or so, the price on a D90 or a 50D should be about half of what it is now.


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## fishphoto (Mar 3, 2005)

Gary said:


> I think Ill be getting the D40 kit and just go out and shoot the living daylights out of it. Pick up some quality glass when I can afford to


That sounds like a good strategy. Glass is definitely the place to focus your $$$. Glass will outlive your camera many times over.


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## wwd (Aug 11, 2005)

After reading this and several other sites, and talking with a good photographer, I bought a Nikon D-60 on sale with a VR lens, and managed to convince my wife I needed the Nikkor VR 70-200 f2.8. My primary use is high school football at night and basketball in gyms with poor lighting. Using aperture priority, it takes some incredible pics under the lights at night. Can zoom in fairly close from the top of the stands. Good thing considering what the lens cost. Went D-60 over the 40 to get more megapixels for cropping; and, it felt better when I tried them both. 

I had specific circumstances in mind, and luckily could get what it took lens wise. 

If I knew how, I would post some pics. Gotta reduce em somehow. 

WWD


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## Jerry-rigged (May 21, 2004)

Does the D40 do live view?


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## fishphoto (Mar 3, 2005)

no


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

> I think I was afraid to wear it out or something. lol


Gary, get out there and shoot something? 

I shot 2400 images at a volleyball tournament in one day. 'course that was game after game all day long, but I got part of every game played on two courts on a Saturday at John Cooper School in The Woodlands.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

MT Stringer said:


> Gary, get out there and shoot something?
> 
> I shot 2400 images at a volleyball tournament in one day. 'course that was game after game all day long, but I got part of every game played on two courts on a Saturday at John Cooper School in The Woodlands.


Yea I know, Mikey! I think I was just intimidated by an expensive, (at least to me) camera. I spent more time cleaning that thing and reading the manual than I did actually taking shots. I was so woried about taking that "perfect" photograph in such a short time that I lost sight of why I like photography.

Having fun!

Maybe something I have learned will help other new folks. You dont need a $1000 camera body and thousands of dollars worth of glass to have fun taking photos. If you dont have the basic know how, it dont matter how much money you spend on equipment. Unless you know what your doing you will not be good.

There are many folks around here that will take much better photos with a cheap P&S than I can with the best there is!

It takes practice. Start out by buying a low end camera and just go out and shoot! Turn off the Auto function and try different things untill you see stuff you like.


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

D90 showed up today. Seems pretty good for the price but one afternoon playing isn't enough to tell too much.. High ISO seems to be a little better than my other cameras...


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d80.htm


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## cr8tive1 (Aug 8, 2007)

Ok, so I bought a Nikon D90....now I just have to figure out how to use it!


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## fishphoto (Mar 3, 2005)

Cool! Congrats!


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

cr8tive1 said:


> Ok, so I bought a Nikon D90....now I just have to figure out how to use it!


Took mine to the park sunday evening and it was a pleasure to use. I used it with an 80-400mm VR and a 30 year old manual focus 24-40mm tokina ($12 on ebay) and the results where fine.

I wish the camera body metered with the old manual focus lens but the live view makes it about as easy to get a decent exposure.

I think this will become my camera of choice. If warranties don't fix my D200 I doubt I will spend any money on it. Right now I think the D90 is the better of the two. Even if the D200 wasn't broken (-:}..

Read through Ken ROckwells instructions on the camera. Easy to understand. Just google "ken rockwell d90"..


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

cr8tive1 said:


> Ok, so I bought a Nikon D90....now I just have to figure out how to use it!


Congrats! 

I too got a new camera today. Canon 30D. Now I need some lenses.


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## fishingnotcatching (May 30, 2007)

Congrats - Now you're ready to spend the REAL $$, $1200 for a long zoom, $700 for an ultra wide, $300 for that fast portrait prime, then *cough* $4000 on the super tele with IS and a teleconverter. 


Ah, but then you need a tripod for that long lens $400, and a bigger backpack, $200, and some filters $150, and then you realize your laptop just isn't fast enough to post proccess 12 Mb RAW files, you've run out of disk space, and You really need a screen where you can see every pixel. 

And once you've got all of it, it's time to get real mad when you see someone take the PERFECT picture with they're 7 year old P&S. 

Oh the joys of photography. At least it's cheaper than drug addiction,


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## wadespade (Mar 6, 2008)

fishingnotcatching said:


> Congrats - Now you're ready to spend the REAL $$, $1200 for a long zoom, $700 for an ultra wide, $300 for that fast portrait prime, then *cough* $4000 on the super tele with IS and a teleconverter.
> 
> Ah, but then you need a tripod for that long lens $400, and a bigger backpack, $200, and some filters $150, and then you realize your laptop just isn't fast enough to post proccess 12 Mb RAW files, you've run out of disk space, and You really need a screen where you can see every pixel.
> 
> ...


Really? Kinda wondering if it is. LOL


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