Budget : R5000, is there a worthy entry level SLR on the market? Nikon/canon

[jxharding]

Budget : R5000, is there a good entry level SLR on the market for this price? Nikon/canon

or should i stop dreaming?

 

[AniV]

Yes. You'll easily be able to get something nice at entry-level for that amount, probably even with extras.
For example, check out this Nikon D3100 that's on special at Orms at the moment.

And that's brand new. Plenty of places stock high-quality secondhand gear too. ODP, Orms etc. But you'll definitely be able to get started with R5k.

 

[AniV]

Or this Canon Eos 1100D with 18-55 lens and other extras, also from Orms, for under R5k.

As you can tell, I'm a big Orms fan right now But there are plenty of other options available to you too. Dion Wired, Digital Experience... even Makro might have something.

 

[Dolby]

Just remember the Nikon doesn't do auto bracketing, if this is a big thing for you.

I see on Google - and one of the guys here at work - bought it thinking every SLR could do it ... but disappointed afterwards

 

[DGremlin]

Are you looking at new and second hand ?

 

[Bismuth]

Don't forget to consider the third contender, Pentax!

No, I am not biased....

You should be able to get a secondhand K-x with one or two kit lenses within your budget. I plan on getting the K-r soon, as I already have a few Pentax lenses that I use with a 35mm Z20. Unfortunately any new cameras from Pentax are out of your budget, the cheapest K-r w/ 1 kit lens I could find locally was R7,500 or so.

Good luck with whatever you end up buying!

B

 

[adsl2]

I will stay with Nikon or Canon. I know of just too many peolple who bought other brands and was dissapointed later on

 

[Quantum Theory]

I will stay with Nikon or Canon. I know of just too many peolple who bought other brands and was dissapointed later on

Well, if you were to consider any other brand, besides the BIG 2, Pentax would be the one. They are on par with Canon and Nikon IMO.

 

[AstroTurf]

Saw some specials on Games site for this week. waiting for the kakky flier to load...

 

[AstroTurf]

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/e959976f#/90f2acef/8

 

[rorz0r]

On a tight budget I'd go with canon as nikons have a bit of a premium in SA and there are a helluva lot more 2nd hand canon lenses/accessories floating around.

 

[DGremlin]

On a tight budget I'd go with canon as nikons have a bit of a premium in SA and there are a helluva lot more 2nd hand canon lenses/accessories floating around.

really if you wait and watch Nikon, Canon, Pentax or Sony will be available with your price range ... the trick is research what brand you like and why ie lense type, features, handling, technological pace, update etcs.
You can pick up a cheap Sony A230/A280/A290 and they OK, but you will have low light issues and Sony seems to update their range every other week so you behind before you begin.
Pentax is pretty rare in SA and while they excellent cameras you will pay.
Nikon and Canon are of a similar ilk, reliable, tested and crud of o stuff from lenses to odd fiddly bits you never cared about until you see it.

Look maybe at the Nikon D5000, I know you can pick up a D3000 for about R3000. D3000 is a good camera, and an excellent starter camera equivalent to the Canon 1000D.

If you want in there is a way, and the first bit is a simple camera that will help you realise what you want from a DSLR and then I would worry about bigger, better, more.

 

[Quantum Theory]

nikons have a bit of a premium in SA

Explain please...

 

[rorz0r]

Explain please...

They just aren't as popular as canon, therefore the agents bring in lower quantities and it costs them more relative to canon. If you check a camera overseas at the same price as the competitor it will likely be a bit more than the competitor when you compare SA prices. It's less noticeable on the entry level cameras though.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

They just aren't as popular as canon, therefore the agents bring in lower quantities and it costs them more relative to canon. If you check a camera overseas at the same price as the competitor it will likely be a bit more than the competitor when you compare SA prices. It's less noticeable on the entry level cameras though.

Not so sure about that hey - Nikon and Canon are the two most popular DSLR brands in SA, so sufficient quantities of both would be brought in, even if Canon sells more.

 

[Quantum Theory]

They just aren't as popular as canon, therefore the agents bring in lower quantities and it costs them more relative to canon. If you check a camera overseas at the same price as the competitor it will likely be a bit more than the competitor when you compare SA prices. It's less noticeable on the entry level cameras though.

Took a D7000 with 18-105mm from B&H @ $1499 and from Orms @ R14195. Conversion = 9.5-ish
Took a 60D with 18-135mm from B&H @ $1299 and from Orms @ R11695. Conversion = 9.0-ish

but if you subtract the R3000 for the free legal Lightroom 3 software, from the Nikon's price... well, then its a different story

 

[Devill]

Nikon D3100 + 18-55 lens + 55-200 lens you can get for around R6500.

I have the old model of this (D60) and I have enjoyed it a lot as I prefer the grip / shape of the nikon to the canon.

Do yourself a favour and after you get the field narrowed dwn to 4 or 5 possible cams, go and pick each one up in the shop and see which fits best in your hand.

 

[koffiejunkie]

Don't forget to consider the third contender, Pentax!

No, I am not biased....

You should be able to get a secondhand K-x with one or two kit lenses within your budget.

For R5k you can get the K-r + 18-55mm new in the UK - probably cheaper from the US.

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-pentax-k-r-black-digital-slr-with-18-55mm-lens/p1522426

I'm not sure where you get them in S.A. though.

 

[Deep Thought]

Re: the Nikon vs Canon debate.

Thus far it seems that every Nikon that is suposed to compete against the equivalent Canon, came up short on features, and thus, value for money.

On a separate line, I see Makro is selling the end-of-line Canon 500D with 2 lenses (etc) at R6k.

 

[koffiejunkie]

Thus far it seems that every Nikon that is suposed to compete against the equivalent Canon, came up short on features, and thus, value for money.

Which ones, specifically? I would have thought it the other way around.