Advice for somewhat novice

RyanMB

RyanMB

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Good morning.

I've been looking at getting a new camera and while bridge cameras look impressive the reviews I've read all say the image quality can't compare to DSLR and performance wise its poor unless you buy a bridge camera that's the price of an entry-level SLR camera.

I'm not looking top go into professional photography but just want a decent camera so I'm looking at the Canon 1100D and Nikon D3100 bundles. I should mention I don't really have the budget for the 600D range. It will just be for casual photography, like I said just want a really decent camera. I've searched the forum and most times its people looking to go into photography professionally, for me just as a light hobby over and above photographing anything I see that I like and the usual photographs.

Any advice or tips you have will be appreciated.
 
That is exactly what I thought when I got my wife a Canon 1000D. Recently we upgraded to a much better camera (with the help of the people on here) and if I knew then what I know now, I would have spent my money more wisely. But hindsight is 20:20...

No doubt the guys on here will also help you out what choice to make, but perhaps you can elaborate on the following:
1. Actual budget
2. More specific photography interests (wildlife/sport/art/people/low light/macro/etc)
3. Expansion probability and possibility
 
At the moment I'm budgeting/saving for around R5000. I know that's not much.
Interests are mostly sport, macro and people but with decent low light.

My reason for opting SLR because of possible expansion, basic lens now and look at adding more in the future. As opposed to buying small digital camera now and then a new one in a few years.
 
RyanMB said:
At the moment I'm budgeting/saving for around R5000. I know that's not much.
Interests are mostly sport, macro and people but with decent low light.

My reason for opting SLR because of possible expansion, basic lens now and look at adding more in the future. As opposed to buying small digital camera now and then a new one in a few years.
Click to expand...

I have the earlier Canon SX10 bridge/superzoom - low light is where they fall over,they don't have the same size sensor as the slr's to achieve good results in that area..
 
You MUST get a DSLR. I have the 500d and I have tried and compared it to both the sx20 and sx30. The sxseries were able to zoom a lot further than my camera with the 75-300mm lens, but obviously that is using digital zoom so the quality was reduced. That was pretty much the only advantage I could see.

I do aviation photography occasionally as a hobby, and while my DSLR isn't the latest and greatest model, I can generally take about 15 photos in the same time the sx30 could take 5. So naturally, after reviewing them afterwards, the chances of getting better photos is at least double.

It can be a bit of a hack having to choose lenses etc, where the sx cameras can just point and shoot, but the effort is worth it. Trust me.

Also, the 1100d may not be packed full of features, but using aftermarket software (Magic Lantern) on the camera can fill in a lot of blanks, giving you access to longer exposures, audio triggers, face detect, intervalometer, hdr etc. The aftermarket software on the sx30 was very cumbersome to use and would irritate me very quickly.
 
But do you think the 1100D will be ok for generally casual photography?
 
RyanMB said:
But do you think the 1100D will be ok for generally casual photography?
Click to expand...

Yes it will, but remember it is the very entry level of SLR. There are 2nd hand options avaliable too if you are interested. Just whatever you do, when you buy lenses later on, make sure they are EF mount lenses ;)
 
OGroteKoning said:
RyanMB said:
But do you think the 1100D will be ok for generally casual photography?
Click to expand...

Yes it will, but remember it is the very entry level of SLR. There are 2nd hand options avaliable too if you are interested. Just whatever you do, when you buy lenses later on, make sure they are EF mount lenses ;)
Click to expand...

Definitely won't make that mistake. This was just for clarity.
 
I'm quite happy with my Canon 10-22mm EF-S. Resale value is quite good too.

Ontopic: I would definitely try snare a secondhand 600D+ range camera, Quite alot of people dont get into photography once they have the kit and flog it off, so there are a fair number of them floating around on the classified sections of photography websites.
 
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I made the mistake of buying my D3000 new a couple of years back. Considering that it has done the job reasonably well, I would have rather looked for a secondhand D90 back then.

The words that you will also hear most often is is spent more on glass than body. Hence buy a better model body secondhand, and spent more on the glass later.
 
After lots of consideration I have decided to save a bit more and get a 650D in some sort of bundle. Preferably twin lens if I can.
 
RyanMB said:
After lots of consideration I have decided to save a bit more and get a 650D in some sort of bundle. Preferably twin lens if I can.
Click to expand...

A colleague of mine got the 650d with in a 3 lens kit 2 weeks ago for his son... Both are very happy with the buy.
 
I bought the 700D. Body is literally the same as the 650D. All I can say is I'm very happy. Dion wired also has some great bundles in store with the 650D.
 
krono9 said:
I bought the 700D. Body is literally the same as the 650D. All I can say is I'm very happy. Dion wired also has some great bundles in store with the 650D.
Click to expand...

You are dead right - there is almost no difference between the two cameras. My colleague decided to get a spare battery with the money saved by getting the 650d instead of the 700d. No doubt though you will enjoy it very much
 
Once again thanks guys.

I got the 650D this morning. Trying to be patient while the battery charges.

Thanks again for the advice.
 
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