Sign up with GoogleI am hoping to get away with around £700 but that is accessories too. So far from what I can see is I will need the body and a lens or 2, a case, tripod, memory card, a spare battery??? Is there anything I am missing that you would get to begin, like a flash (not sure if the built in flash is worth using at all).
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New DSLR for beginner
- Thread starter James
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I am hoping to get away with around £700 but that is accessories too. So far from what I can see is I will need the body and a lens or 2, a case, tripod, memory card, a spare battery??? Is there anything I am missing that you would get to begin, like a flash (not sure if the built in flash is worth using at all).
koffiejunkie
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That puts you firmly in the entry-level segment, I'm afraid.
The built-in flash is quite usable.
That puts you firmly in the entry-level segment, I'm afraid.
Duho... this is going to lead to my financial ruin then it would seem! Maybe I will have to up the budget to around £1000...
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You should find some good deals on the body plus an 18-55mm lens, possibly with a 55-200 (Nikon deals) and a bag plus 4Gb card. The spare battery is a good call too. A decent tripod will set you back 150+ though. I'd hold back on that for a few months if you need to, in lieu of the basics.
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Understood.
Personally I know that if I hadn't bought into either of the big two's system from the outset I'd still be in a dead end job today . . . or even worse a landscape photographer!
A flash would be a wise investment, that's one of the reasons I thought about the canon range. They've just announced the new 270EXII which looks like a great little unit. I'll probably be picking one up myself.
Additional memory and a spare battery would also be handy to have.
Thanks every one for the advise. I think I have narrowed it down to 2 camera's, the Cannon 550d and the Nikon d3100. The 550d seems the better camera but with that has a bigger price tag, the d3100 is cheaper but reviews I have read seem to suggest that the difference in price may not be worth it to pay for the 550d. So Now I am stuck, I obviously still have to take her to see them but I am pretty sure it will be between these, and both are in my price range.
So I guess the question is, is the the 550d worth the extra money or should I just go with the d3100?
So I guess the question is, is the the 550d worth the extra money or should I just go with the d3100?
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Depends if you ask a canon or a nikon shooter - objectivity tends to fly out the window with a question like that.
Don't forget to include the price of lenses and other goodies such as flashes and grips that you'll want in the future.
IMO the D3100 is fine for the amateur photographer taking mostly family and holiday pics. You may become aware of the shortcomings compared to the much pricier models, but this will probably also happen even if you buy a more expensive mid-range unit. The 550D is a lovely model, if you can afford it and choose to go the Canon route
Consider the following:
- Which the wife feels more comfortable with? If possible, let her test both first, without considering prices
- What do the comparable lenses cost? If you get a 2-lens starter kit, you're sorted for a few months whilst getting to grip with (*ahem*) the tools
The guys at dpreview loves the 550D.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos550d/
You will also see the 550D is only a handful of cameras they've given the gold award.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/default.asp?view=rating
Personally, I'm a Nikon man, so I would also suggest you consider the Nikon D90. It might be close to the end of its life, but there are some great deals going around and I reckon its on par, if not better than the 550D and way better than the D3100
happy shopping
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos550d/
You will also see the 550D is only a handful of cameras they've given the gold award.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/default.asp?view=rating
Personally, I'm a Nikon man, so I would also suggest you consider the Nikon D90. It might be close to the end of its life, but there are some great deals going around and I reckon its on par, if not better than the 550D and way better than the D3100
happy shopping
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I love DPReview but they are very pro canon.
koffiejunkie
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The guys on the Canon forum think DPReview is very pro Nikon...
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That doesn't surprise me.
I don't get why people have to get so fanatical about defending their brands. There are so many awesome cameras these days it's kinda hard to buy a bad one.
koffiejunkie
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Dunno either. I think DPReview is pretty balanced (at least between Canon and Nikon).
Agreed.
ponder
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And some people say Ken Rockwell is a Nikon employee
People get way to brand zealous.
koffiejunkie
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Ken who?
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Look up shill in the dictionary and you'll probably see his portrait, which he took, with a D40 because that's all anyone ever needs.And some people say Ken Rockwell is a Nikon employee
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As always I'm curious as to why nikon omits this basic feature from their bottom of the range cameras.D3100 can't do AEB
koffiejunkie
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As always I'm curious as to why nikon omits this basic feature from their bottom of the range cameras.
For the same reason Canon omits spot metering that follows focus from almost all their cameras. Now if they'll only tell us
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You can have mine - I don't use it.For the same reason Canon omits spot metering that follows focus from almost all their cameras. Now if they'll only tell us