A good DSLR for beginners?

How about an older D40x Nikon? My wife bought one 2 years ago and it's brilliant IMO. We have added a few lenses, flashes etc since then and she uses the camera for all sorts of events including weddings and a lot of wildlife and scenery pics.
Original battery still lasts 600+ shots.
 
Thanks for your replies guys. So I guess it'll be either a Canon or a Nikon. I mainly want to take scenery, landscape(nature, wildlife), and beautiful night sky(whatever lol) photos, that's why I wanted a DSLR in the first place.

Now I would like to know if a 9-autofocus point camera is good? There are higher ends which come with 51-AF points which is a huge difference but would it matter a lot to the beginner me? And what is the purpose of the AF points anyways?

So I need a camera body and a lens. I would probably get the Nikon D3200 body but I'm not sure about the lens. If you have any suggestions for me I'll appreciate it.
 
Nikon lenses are also generally more expensive than the Canon equivalents, at least in my experience. Something to consider going forward.
 
Just remember that you don't need a top of the range camera to start out with. 650D is ample, but the most important thing isn't the camera, but the lense, so invest as much as you can in a good one.
 
The Voice said:
Just remember that you don't need a top of the range camera to start out with. 650D is ample, but the most important thing isn't the camera, but the lense, so invest as much as you can in a good one.
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For curiosity sake like what...?
 
Mike Hoxbig said:
A great starter lens is the 50mm f/1.4 for around R1,000 IMO. Whichever brand you go, I think this should be the first one.
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Where are you finding that? That's f/1.8 pricing...

Anyway, one great thing about Nikon is them sticking to the F mount, meaning you can use ancient lenses which can often be picked up quite cheaply.

That being said, Canon all the way :D The 600D would probably be ideal for you.
 
The Voice said:
Very good! The three lense are crap, but will give you a very good start. Upgrade them when you're able. The difference you'll notice is mind-boggeling. Features and whatnot (MP, etc) I find can be rather gimmicky. The most important thing is the lense: what you see is what you shoot, after all.
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Between a canon eso 650D and a nikon D3200, what would you recommend? And in terms of lens, which affordable one for landscape would you suggest?
 
Oj0 said:
If you can wait, the D3300. For an entry level camera it's bloody fantastic.
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Ya, it's coming out in February. I checked this earlier today, but since it will be new, I was guessing price would be high.
 
Oj0 said:
If you can wait, the D3300. For an entry level camera it's bloody fantastic.
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Prices on these new models are insane! Can't almost start looking at the "big boys" for the prices they're selling at.
 
First things first: the DSLR. The main selling point of the D3300 is the fact that the 24.2-megapixel sensor (same resolution as the D3200 before it) follows in the footsteps of its older sibling in the D800E by doing away with the AA filter entirely.

Other notable improvements are limited to the new Expeed 4 processor (and all of the benefits that go along with it) and increased ISO sensitivity that now lets you crank it up to eleven 12,800. There are also a slew of new and/or improved modes in the camera, including an expanded Guide Mode for beginners and an all-new Easy Panorama mode. Conspicuously absent is any improvement on the AF system, and the lack of built-in WiFi.

The new entry-level shooter is set to arrive in stores in February paired with an updated, more compact 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II kit lens for $650 (already available for pre-order here). You can also purchase the lens by itself for $250 (pre-order here)...
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Petapixel

My take on it: I'm suitably impressed. As a Canon fanboy, I would have SERIOUSLY considered the D3300 over my 600D. It might not have a flip-out screen, but image stabilized kit lens? Check. An extra 6 MP for those times when you need to crop to really maximize your zoom? Check. Two extra AF points? Check. An extra 1.3 FPS? Check. Double the ISO capabilities? Check. DAMNIT NIKON, STOP MAKING TEMPTING CAMERAS!
 
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