Newby Digital SLR advice needed
Discussion
Hi all
First time I've looked on here. Usually spend all my time on the TVR section being the very proud owner of a Tuscan (see profile).
Anyhow. Just decided to purchase a digital SLR and would like to spend around £300. I don't know much about photography and would appreciate any help and advice.
I intend to use the camara for pleasure taking better quality shots at home of scenery and wildlife. Also we tend to get on holiday to some exotic places, and always seem to come home with fantastic memories of wildlife. Unfortunatley when we download the photos they apear as a small spec in the backround or just lost in the background.
Any help or advice greatly appreciated.
Spluffy
First time I've looked on here. Usually spend all my time on the TVR section being the very proud owner of a Tuscan (see profile).
Anyhow. Just decided to purchase a digital SLR and would like to spend around £300. I don't know much about photography and would appreciate any help and advice.
I intend to use the camara for pleasure taking better quality shots at home of scenery and wildlife. Also we tend to get on holiday to some exotic places, and always seem to come home with fantastic memories of wildlife. Unfortunatley when we download the photos they apear as a small spec in the backround or just lost in the background.
Any help or advice greatly appreciated.
Spluffy
Hi Spluffy.
Just been in a similar situation to you.
New you are looking at a Nikon D40 or a Pentax K10(?) - not sure if Canon do anything at that price.
Then there's the second hand option. The D40 didn't grab me as it's missing a couple of features, so I looked at second hand cameras (I like Nikons as my dad, brother, and a good friend swear by them). I looked at the D50, D70, and D70s, all in that price range.
Settled on the D70s in the end and just bought a mint brand new one on ebay for 310 quid. It's recent enough not to be completely old hat, and also seems to have a decent feature set.
Anyway, my advice would be check out the reviews at steves-digicams / kenrockwell / dpreview, and seriously consider recent second hand kit (but nothing too old as apparently digital tech moves on so quickly that a 4 year old pro camera won't give as good results as a new entry level one).
I'm sure somebody more knowledgable than me will be along in a mo with more info!
Just been in a similar situation to you.
New you are looking at a Nikon D40 or a Pentax K10(?) - not sure if Canon do anything at that price.
Then there's the second hand option. The D40 didn't grab me as it's missing a couple of features, so I looked at second hand cameras (I like Nikons as my dad, brother, and a good friend swear by them). I looked at the D50, D70, and D70s, all in that price range.
Settled on the D70s in the end and just bought a mint brand new one on ebay for 310 quid. It's recent enough not to be completely old hat, and also seems to have a decent feature set.
Anyway, my advice would be check out the reviews at steves-digicams / kenrockwell / dpreview, and seriously consider recent second hand kit (but nothing too old as apparently digital tech moves on so quickly that a 4 year old pro camera won't give as good results as a new entry level one).
I'm sure somebody more knowledgable than me will be along in a mo with more info!
If you're a beginner a dSLR may not be the best bet.
There are several bridge/superzoom cameras which will give you much of the power, and potential quality, of a dSLR combined with the convenience and ease of use of a compact.
There are several superzooms with >500mm equiv telephotos which will get you closer to the wildlife than any £300 dSLR/lens combo while giving you both initial ease of use and considerable flexibility to exploit as you learn.
I have a FujiFilm S9600 whose talents are more at the wide end but I believe Canon, Panasonic and Samsung at the very least make cameras which would match your needs...
...owners will be along shortly, no doubt.
There are several bridge/superzoom cameras which will give you much of the power, and potential quality, of a dSLR combined with the convenience and ease of use of a compact.
There are several superzooms with >500mm equiv telephotos which will get you closer to the wildlife than any £300 dSLR/lens combo while giving you both initial ease of use and considerable flexibility to exploit as you learn.
I have a FujiFilm S9600 whose talents are more at the wide end but I believe Canon, Panasonic and Samsung at the very least make cameras which would match your needs...
...owners will be along shortly, no doubt.
Quinny
Glad Noel's pleased with his purchase. My wife enjoyed mouching about a Griff again!
The replacement 40D is just awesome though, if someone had told me what sort of upgrade it would have been I wouldn't have belived them! It feels so good to handle too!!
All the best
davidy
PS see Tony, because you sold your 20D so quickly I just had to buy a 40D!!!!
Glad Noel's pleased with his purchase. My wife enjoyed mouching about a Griff again!
The replacement 40D is just awesome though, if someone had told me what sort of upgrade it would have been I wouldn't have belived them! It feels so good to handle too!!
All the best
davidy
PS see Tony, because you sold your 20D so quickly I just had to buy a 40D!!!!
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