Best "starter" DSLR?

[will_]

Looking for a bit of advice please.

I'm a keen photographer but have only used mid-range compact digitial cameras to date. They've been fine but I'm looking for something that can produce better, deeper, more complex-coloured pictures. The compacts I've had (currently a Panasonic Lumix) have included some flexibility for exposure and aperature settings but even then the pictures produced are often flat and, in low light, very "noisy".

Main subject matters are cars (close up, low light and landscape) and portraits (weddings, parties etc). Whatever I get will need the capability for me to add an external flash and remote shutter release.

I'm looking for a DSLR that has "point and shoot" capability but also a decent (but not excessive) level of flexibility. Preference is for something fairly light, budget up to £500 (but preferably less) and it will need to be a "keeper" so nothing soon to be obsolete.

Any suggestions? I'm rather taken with the Lumix G2 or G3 so far but the range of options is bewildering. The G3 looks almost like a compact but does have interchangeable lenses.

A stupid question - I have a few lenses and filters from an old film SLR - will/do these fit to a DSLR?

[Ari]

Nikon D7000 can now be bought for under £500!

http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Nikon-D7000-Body_72...

[eltawater]

The D7000 is a lovely camera.

Although not strictly a beginner camera it's certainly worth skipping the traditional entry points of the D3x00/D5x00 to go straight to the D7000 otherwise you'll just end up wasting the money like me

[JDRoest]

Any of the DSLRs will do the job you want. Pick either Canon or Nikon (or others) depending on what brand your closest friend has. It sounds strange but photography is a much easier photography if you own the same kit as friends/family because if you have a problem, or want to swap a lens, etc, it's just easier.

And if you're the first then obviously buy Canon

OP said:

Main subject matters are cars (close up, low light and landscape) and portraits (weddings, parties etc). Whatever I get will need the capability for me to add an external flash and remote shutter release.

I would suggest something a little off the wall - buy a second body off eBay (either a 500D or 550D) - and then spend the rest on glass. You should be able to pick up a UWA (something with 10-20mm) for £200-250 maybe, plus a body and kit lens for £250. If you buy s/h, make sure it has the box - that way you know it was cared for. Don't ever buy a s/h body off me for instance

Doing that will cover cars (UWA), landscape (UWA) and portraits (kit lens). Don't get too hung up about kit lenses being crappy or anything, I have always found them to be more than respectable (especially for the money) to start with.

External flash (cheapo Chinese ones) can be had for not a lot on Ebay, as can a remote shutter release (£5) - get the corded one unless you like photographs to have a hand and remote control in them.

[will_]

Thanks very much for the replies.

I'm not adverse to a switch to Canon (my film DSLR was a Canon and produced great shots).

This package looks fairly good value?
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/pro...

Re lenses, might by old film lenses (Sigma) fit a DSLR?

[Ari]

eltawater said:

The D7000 is a lovely camera.

Although not strictly a beginner camera it's certainly worth skipping the traditional entry points of the D3x00/D5x00 to go straight to the D7000 otherwise you'll just end up wasting the money like me

It worked for me. I bought one (when they were a grand!) two weeks before a big trip, knowing absolutely ziltch about photography! Stuck it on auto and it made a great "point 'n shoot"

Since then been learning hard with it and it's grown with me really well. Just switched to a full frame last week (D600) which is essentially the same camera (from a size/operation point of view) with a bigger better sensor.

Definitely recommend the D7000, hard to imagine what you could buy that's better for under £500.

[Mr Will]

will_ said:

Thanks very much for the replies.

I'm not adverse to a switch to Canon (my film DSLR was a Canon and produced great shots).

This package looks fairly good value?
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/pro...

Re lenses, might by old film lenses (Sigma) fit a DSLR?

Did the old Canon have autofocus?

If yes, the lenses are EF and will fit any modern Canon. If no, they are FD and only work with old kit.

[will_]

Mr Will said:

Did the old Canon have autofocus?

If yes, the lenses are EF and will fit any modern Canon. If no, they are FD and only work with old kit.

Yes, they did.

Many thanks - might be worth getting a Canon again then!

[marctwo]

Mr Will said:

Did the old Canon have autofocus?

If yes, the lenses are EF and will fit any modern Canon. If no, they are FD and only work with old kit.

...or a Panasonic G3 with an adapter. The big advantage of Micro Four Thirds is that you can adapt almost any lens to use on it. This includes EF, although you would lose AF and aperture control. Unless you have a lot of very nice Canon glass, I would seriously consider the Panasonic or an Olympus m43 over a bulky DSLR.

[JulianHJ]

When you decide what you want, have a look at www.camerapricebuster.co.uk to find the best deal.

[andybod]

http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/ very good for used equipment older nikon d40's get very good reviews as a starter camera

[Kermit power]

will_ said:

Mr Will said:

Did the old Canon have autofocus?

If yes, the lenses are EF and will fit any modern Canon. If no, they are FD and only work with old kit.

Yes, they did.

Many thanks - might be worth getting a Canon again then!

Hold on, it's not that simple! If you have any Canon EF lenses from your film DSLR then yes, they will work. However, many of the old Sigma lenses needed chipping to work with DSLRs.

[Kermit power]

JDRoest said:

If you buy s/h, make sure it has the box - that way you know it was cared for.

The box for my 450D has indeed been cared for perfectly... in the cupboard under the stairs ever since I got the camera. I can't make any corresponding promises about the actual camera though!

[Magog]

I tried to post a link earlier to what I thought was a deal, but it had expired. Canon were selling the 600D with a free f/1.8 50mm lens for a little over £400 through Amazon, John Lewis and Jessops and some others. Worth looking out for if they do it again.

I was thinking about going for it as I have a 650D I got a few months ago and I'd quite like the 50mm lens and a second body would be handy, the 600d has better low light performance too apparently. I couldn't quite get man maths to justify spending 300 plus quid to save 80!

[JDRoest]

Kermit power said:

JDRoest said:

If you buy s/h, make sure it has the box - that way you know it was cared for.

The box for my 450D has indeed been cared for perfectly... in the cupboard under the stairs ever since I got the camera. I can't make any corresponding promises about the actual camera though!

It's a rule of thumb thing, not a science

[will_]

Kermit power said:

will_ said:

Mr Will said:

Did the old Canon have autofocus?

If yes, the lenses are EF and will fit any modern Canon. If no, they are FD and only work with old kit.

Yes, they did.

Many thanks - might be worth getting a Canon again then!

Hold on, it's not that simple! If you have any Canon EF lenses from your film DSLR then yes, they will work. However, many of the old Sigma lenses needed chipping to work with DSLRs.

Righto - trip to Jessops required I think.

Why do these things always need to be so complex?

[will_]

marctwo said:

Mr Will said:

Did the old Canon have autofocus?

If yes, the lenses are EF and will fit any modern Canon. If no, they are FD and only work with old kit.

...or a Panasonic G3 with an adapter. The big advantage of Micro Four Thirds is that you can adapt almost any lens to use on it. This includes EF, although you would lose AF and aperture control. Unless you have a lot of very nice Canon glass, I would seriously consider the Panasonic or an Olympus m43 over a bulky DSLR.

But is the G3 a "proper" DSLR or is it really a "compact +"?

I'm not excessively worried about the size of the camera as I'll keep my compact which can take perfectly good pics.

[will_]

Magog said:

I tried to post a link earlier to what I thought was a deal, but it had expired. Canon were selling the 600D with a free f/1.8 50mm lens for a little over £400 through Amazon, John Lewis and Jessops and some others. Worth looking out for if they do it again.

I was thinking about going for it as I have a 650D I got a few months ago and I'd quite like the 50mm lens and a second body would be handy, the 600d has better low light performance too apparently. I couldn't quite get man maths to justify spending 300 plus quid to save 80!

I like the 600D as it has a flip out screen - useful for doing low-down shots.

£420 with £30 cash-back from Currys:
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/cameras/digital-camer...

Edited by will_ on Friday 3rd May 09:59

[Kermit power]

marctwo said:

Mr Will said:

Did the old Canon have autofocus?

If yes, the lenses are EF and will fit any modern Canon. If no, they are FD and only work with old kit.

...or a Panasonic G3 with an adapter. The big advantage of Micro Four Thirds is that you can adapt almost any lens to use on it. This includes EF, although you would lose AF and aperture control. Unless you have a lot of very nice Canon glass, I would seriously consider the Panasonic or an Olympus m43 over a bulky DSLR.

This makes this approach completely and utterly pointless, unfortunately. I tried this recently with a cheap old 300mm f5.6 prime on my Canon 7D, and whilst it's fine in theory, in practice it's useless, as you just can't accurately focus manually with modern day viewfinders.

[marctwo]

will_ said:

But is the G3 a "proper" DSLR or is it really a "compact +"?

Neither. It's a mirrorless interchangable lens camera (sometimes called compact system camera or CSC). Personally I got rid of all my Canon DSLR kit and now use Micro Four Thirds. I find the image quality about the same and I'm much more likely to take it with me due to it's small size and weight.