Best Digital SLR for under £500

[TheOriginalGT40]

I'm sure many of you get this question all the time here, but was interested to know your thoughts on a good all rounder for approx £500 notes, happy to spend a little more if the quality and ease of use can be justified as it will need to be used by the wife occasionally who's not really into taking photo's that much, but it's the only way I'll end up in family photos

I only want to go down the digital SLR route because I feel the quality and flexibility will offer me plenty of scope in the long run and out current 35mm camera is on the way out and I realise that digital is the way forward.

BTW did you hear that Jessops are closing a third of their shops due to the increase in digital and online shopping, shame

[imperialism2024]

I think what would help us the most is to know whether £500 is the budget for just the body, or is the budget for the whole kit. A good body is no good with sh!t lenses, whereas a mediocre body with a good lens (or lenses) will help you get the best pictures. Oh, and if your current 35mm is an SLR, and you have a good lens (or lenses) for it, you should definately stick with a body that has the same mount.

Edited to add:
And it's a shame that camera shops are closing up due to online purchases. IMHO, I will gladly pay a higher total at a camera store when I know I can get the item online for less because I consider extra cost to be for the customer service. Unfortunately, not many people seem to see it that way... But I value being able to go to my local camera shop and say "I'm in a hurry, and I need the best lightweight monopod you have, and a teleconverter for my Nikon camera that is the best value," then being able to walk out 5 minutes later with the proper items. Or being able to bring in my body and have a salesperson take me outside with display lenses and help me get some good sample shots before I buy one. Er, I guess that was a bit OT...

Edited by imperialism2024 on Tuesday 26th June 01:08

[RobDickinson]

If its a canon EF mount get a canon dSLR aqnd reuse lenses.

Same for Nikon(except the D40).

Minolta -> Sony Alpha.

[TheOriginalGT40]

imperialism2024 said:

I think what would help us the most is to know whether £500 is the budget for just the body, or is the budget for the whole kit. A good body is no good with sh!t lenses, whereas a mediocre body with a good lens (or lenses) will help you get the best pictures. Oh, and if your current 35mm is an SLR, and you have a good lens (or lenses) for it, you should definately stick with a body that has the same mount.

Just look for entry kit all in really. Something that can be added to at a later date.

[poah]

http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk


nothing really between the entry level camera but looking at lenses sony, olympus, pentax are quite expensive compared to nikon and canon. the entry level nikon D40(x) is not worth it

[nerfherder]

Nikon D40x is a decent starter (and has £60 cashback at the moment), but has one drawback - it doesn't have an autofocus motor in the body, so some lenses won't autofocus (but you can still focus manually). I bought a D50 and added 2 lenses - neither of those lenses would autofocus on a D40x.

So, if you don't intend to add many more lenses, or will only add lenses with built-in motor (see the Nikon homepage), or don't mind manual-focussing some lenses, then the D40x looks quite tidy.

[Lotusespritforum]

Have you looked at the Canon 400D? Great bit of kit, it's got 'easy' modes for more P&S pics (including a full auto) and 'creative' modes for serious snaps. It will weigh in at around £450 with the kit lens now I guess.

[Funk]

Canon 400D -> £499 with £50 cashback and half price 4Gb memory card.. Perfect. I bought one and am more than pleased with what it can do.

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.200-1666.aspx

Edited by Funk on Tuesday 26th June 18:40

[TheOriginalGT40]

Funk said:

Canon 400D -> £499 with £50 cashback and half price 4Gb memory card.. Perfect. I bought one and am more than pleased with what it can do.

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.200-1666.aspx

Edited by Funk on Tuesday 26th June 18:40

Thanks for the heads up. Our current 35mm auto is a Canon, so that's a brand I have always been happy with. Do you have any examples of shots you have taken with the camera, I'd be keen to see a full res one and if the camera has a macro option, do you have some sample shots of shooting up close too in detail, thanks.

[robbieduncan]

TheOriginalGT40 said:

if the camera has a macro option, do you have some sample shots of shooting up close too in detail, thanks.

That'd be the lens not the camera. The lens limits the distance that you can focus up-to. The kit lens does have a Macro mode and, of course, dedicated macro lenses are available.

[Funk]

TheOriginalGT40 said:

Funk said:

Canon 400D -> £499 with £50 cashback and half price 4Gb memory card.. Perfect. I bought one and am more than pleased with what it can do.

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.200-1666.aspx

Edited by Funk on Tuesday 26th June 18:40

Thanks for the heads up. Our current 35mm auto is a Canon, so that's a brand I have always been happy with. Do you have any examples of shots you have taken with the camera, I'd be keen to see a full res one and if the camera has a macro option, do you have some sample shots of shooting up close too in detail, thanks.

Where can I upload a 5Mb picture to?

Edited by Funk on Tuesday 26th June 19:55

[Mattt]

Funk said:

TheOriginalGT40 said:

Funk said:

Canon 400D -> £499 with £50 cashback and half price 4Gb memory card.. Perfect. I bought one and am more than pleased with what it can do.

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.200-1666.aspx

Edited by Funk on Tuesday 26th June 18:40

Thanks for the heads up. Our current 35mm auto is a Canon, so that's a brand I have always been happy with. Do you have any examples of shots you have taken with the camera, I'd be keen to see a full res one and if the camera has a macro option, do you have some sample shots of shooting up close too in detail, thanks.

Where can I upload a 5Mb picture to?

The Pistonheads/UncleDave site should be able to do it.

[Funk]

Never mind, Photophucket has let me do it..

Macro: http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/Funkmeister/1...
Normal: http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/Funkmeister/0...

Before everyone slates the pics, I'm still learning how to get to grips with the camera. They were both on Auto.

[TheOriginalGT40]

Thanks for that Funk. Shame about the colour of that Elise,

How quick is the shutter when you click to shoot. I have a small compact dig camera and when you click to shoot, it takes about three weeks to actually take the picture!!

Does it have the facility to use a cable release mechanism when mounted on a tripod?

Edited by TheOriginalGT40 on Tuesday 26th June 20:11

[Funk]

There was an Elise...?! *goes back to look*

[tertius]

TheOriginalGT40 said:

Thanks for that Funk. Shame about the colour of that Elise,

How quick is the shutter when you click to shoot. I have a small compact dig camera and when you click to shoot, it takes about three weeks to actually take the picture!!

Does it have the facility to use a cable release mechanism when mounted on a tripod?

Edited by TheOriginalGT40 on Tuesday 26th June 20:11

A DSLR will take the picture when you press the shutter. it doesn't p*ss about for half a second while your son gets his nose half an inch from the lens ...

My 350D has the input for a cable release, I am 110% sure the 400D (its replacement) does too.

Edited by tertius on Tuesday 26th June 20:53

[Funk]

TheOriginalGT40 said:

Thanks for that Funk. Shame about the colour of that Elise,

How quick is the shutter when you click to shoot. I have a small compact dig camera and when you click to shoot, it takes about three weeks to actually take the picture!!

Does it have the facility to use a cable release mechanism when mounted on a tripod?

A clumsy and rather un-scientific test reveals that the camera will autofocus and take the first picture within about 0.2-0.5 seconds of being turned on. I reckoned that was ok.

As mentioned shutter is instantaneous upon pressing the button.

There is a socket for cable release on the left under the flap where the USB cable and Video Out are.

Edited by Funk on Tuesday 26th June 20:57