Thinking about getting an SLR - any suggestions?!?!

[pinkcrayon]

Hello...my love for photography has outgrown my little point and shoot camera and I would now like to invest in a digital SLR camera. I have heard good things about Nikon D40 & D60 and my friend just bough a Canon Rebel, but i thought i would also see about what the DD crew had to offer in the way of suggestions. My husband and I were looking at a Sony A300 and A3500 that were on sale last night.

I am inexperienced, but want to learn...so what would anyone suggest that is user friendly, takes awesome photos and won't break my budget? I appreciate all your comments and suggestions!

[katrinak]

I love my Canon, but my advice would be to get your hands on the ones you are considering. Nikon and Canon definitely feel very different and buttons, nobs, and turny things are in different spots!

But of course if you go Canon I can help you more

[audrey77]

I have the Nikon D40 and love it... It's nice and small for my hands, and does a superior job on photos. It does not have an internal motor for lenses to auto focus, so you need to be careful and buy lenses that are AF-S or the like. I have the kit lens, a zoom lens with vibration reduction, and a new Sigma 30mm prime lens- all that autofocus. My Nikon 50mm 1.8 does not.

Here's a photo straight out of the camera as a raw file:

This will look more vibrant if you choose within the camera to take .jpg
After using the Nikon color profiles (standard)


Here's the photo after applying a Lightroom RAW preset and slight defogging:


You don't need an expensive DSLR to take some great photos... spend the money on the glass (lenses). :-)

[Jen D]

I love my canon... but I agree with the glass (lens). I didn't start getting the pictures I wanted until I invested in a nice lens (and a bunch of practice and reading followed that!)

Have fun... I love my canon... it is right up there with my children

[Starlite9711]

I have the Nikon D40x and my only complaint is that I can't use certain lenses due to the lack of an internal motor, and had I known this I would have purchased a different camera. That being said, I love my camera as much as my children and I agree with what everyone elsse said, the glass is the important part!! Ok the manual is just as important in my eyes!
In any case go feel them both and go from there.

[Sierra25]

I'm not an expert, just a beginner in the world of DSLR but I have a Sony alpha 100 and I really like it. I can't really tell you any more than that but I am happy with the photos so far. I have not purchased any other lenses though so I can't address that issue.

[sam ellis]

People will always battle the Nikon/Canon fight. I am NIKON gal. But it really is like saying BMW or mercedes. They are BOTH fantastic cameras. The sony is building a nice brand too ( it was the old Minolta range)

If you want to compare cameras and what they can do and see reviews from the man(woman) in the street, rather than a salesman that may be getting a higher commission on one or other brand go to
www.dpreview.com

Good luck with your choice.

[allmine]

I agree with Katrina - I debated between Canon and Nikon as they are both great, but in the end the Rebel XT just felt better in my hands. Just go play with both brands.

[Amy L]

I got the Nikon D40x and also was disappointed in its inability to autofocus one of the lenses I ultimately wanted. I just didn't know I would go so crazy over photography when I first got my camera, but as it turned out this was important to me. I would definitely go for the D60 if you decide on Nikon.

[audrey77]

The 50mm 1.8 with autofocus is out now FYI... or you could just go for a Sigma HSM prime lens.

[pinkcrayon]

Thanks for your advice everyone! I have a great idea of where to go from here! I was reading on the Sony Alpha 300 and saw that the Minolta lenses are compatible with it (as someone said before) which sounds pretty cool...i think will definately go play with them before i make a decision! Thanks for your input!

[tomkat]

I think it's funny how many of us say our camera is right up there with our children! My kids have certainly teased me about my love for my camera and Mac. I tell them it's all BECAUSE of them that I need these things!

I have a Canon 30D and absolutely LOVE it, but I agree with holding them to see which brand feels right in your hands.

[Myra]

For whatever reason, I don't see a lot of Olympus users out there. But I've always shot with Olympus and love it. The Zuiko lenses are pricey, but tack sharp and extremely high quality. I bought my DLSR in 2005 and would love to upgrade at some point when prices come down. Meanwhile, it serves me very well. The 4/3 system keeps the camera and lenses light.

In the end, I think between Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Sony - it's a matter of personal preference. How the camera feels in your hands, what you want to do with it, your price point, and which lenses you'll be interested in. All of those things are a matter a personal preference. I think great photos are more about the photographer than the camera.

[kathie02]

I agree with Katrina..narrow down the field a little and then go and physically hold them. I wavered between Nikon and Canon and the Nikon ended up being a better fit for me. You can find some GREAT deals on a Nikon D80 these days as the D90 has just been released.

Whatever you choose, you are going to love it!!

[psulions21]

I have to agree with Myra... I'm an Olympus user! I love it and will not change. I have a part time photography business. I shoot with an E510. My one friend, also a photographer has a Canon Rebel XTI and neither one of us likes the others camera lol. It definitely is a matter of preference. Your best bet would be to go to a store that you can try them a little or even rent one to try it out. Definitely though the more you get into it, the more you will want/need to invest in a good lens.