dSLR to start off with


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djugashvili

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Apr 29, 2007
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hi all dSLR users!

Just curious what would be a good dSLR to start off with as I've been fiddling with 35mm SLRs in the past.

Any suggestions / tips?

thanks!
 

Canon 350D. 400D is more ex.....
 

hi all dSLR users!

Just curious what would be a good dSLR to start off with as I've been fiddling with 35mm SLRs in the past.

Any suggestions / tips?

thanks!
What do you want out of your DSLR?

That is the question.
 

was thinking of getting Olympus E500 and would like something with a wide range of apeture and shutter speed range.

as for the type of shoot, it'll range from still life to people to macros.
 

E500? Isn't that quite old? You'd probably have to get a second-hand one.

How wide a range is wide? If you want something really fast be prepared to pay the price. :bsmilie:

Aperture wise, not much of a problem usually, since you can always switch lenses.

If you want a new one, at a budget price (if price is indeed a concern, like it was for me), may I suggest Pentax K100D - which is entry level, and definitely an excellent cam with excellent reviews.

My advice is to decide which brand to go - if you're into it long term and are planning to buy lenses, etc, not just sticking to kit then you might want to factor in availability and all that jazz. The 2 common brands in Singapore would be Canon and Nikon, and every brand has their strengths and weaknesses. There'd also be Sony, Pentax, Olympus, which are less common, but that doesn't mean that they suck, despite what all the funny Canon and Nikon buddies would tell you.

One thing about the common brands would be that they do not have any on-body Image Stabilisation.

Not sure if you know of these review sites, but they provide excellent and rather balanced reviews of cameras (whether consumer or DSLR) imho -

DP Review and Imaging Resource, google for them. =)
 

thanks for your tip Nightmare :)

yep there are 2nd hands available in the market but seems that Olympus cameras with XD card slots are not very popular as I've heard alot of unpleasant feedback on the card itself...good thing most dSLRs are using CF cards...

for entry level dSLRs, what are the price range from, and any recommendations for long term use? I'm intending to get a body and that I can constanty get more lenses based on needs along the way.

Nikon seems a popular brand for dSLR hobbyists, care to shed some light on this?

As for the range of speed, something that I can handle almost any shots will be great :)
 

I started out with Nikon D50 in 2005.

Nice colours easy to use.

Plus i already had SD cards from previous compacts and PDAs so i need not invest in another set of CF cards.

my friend also was a user of NIKON so any troubleshooting i can go to him for help.
 

The one of the major objective to get a DSLR is that it is compatiable with the huge range of lens and accessories( for future upgrade of parts or skill). Go for Canon or Nikon.. u won't be wrong. They have a huge support in new and used markets.
There are beginner to high range DSLRs for these 2 brands. Read some reviews on www.dpreview.com and the final choice is yours.

James
 

thanks JW for the tip! seems that Olympus isn't a popular choice for dSLRs, any comments on this?
 

I think Olympus has 1 one of the best zoom lens around. Much better than the popular brands around. Unfortunately, you have to pay a hefty price for the quality command.

Further, with the new E510 and some test shoots by fellow CSer of E410, it only shows that IQ has improved dramatically in the new generation of Olympus cameras. Further, E510 gives you inbuilt image stabiliser. You dont have to pay premium to get the image stabiliser in each lens you buy.

If you have specific interest in particular subject, then maybe Canon or Nikon offer better choice due to their large prime lens collection.
 

what's the price range for E510 compared to E500? compared to Nikon and Canon, is the built-in image stabiliser a new technology in dSLR?
 

E510 will be out soon. Official price is not known yet. Its not a new technology. Just that N&C prefer to use it on the lens. Primary concern is to support film user to enjoy privilige of this technology.
 

will the lens pricing be different since Olympus is going to put the technology into the camera itself?
 

I would advise you for a Canon or Nikon. very easy to get 2nd hand lens. also, there is a reason that those 2 are the largest players in the field. You can't get too wrong going with it.
 

Depends on your budget. I would advise you to go with a D50. D70 is too old.
 

is Nikon D70 a good camera to start off with?

Do read this http://www.photo.net/
on how to setup your DSLR system for starter. Once you read further, u will realised lens is more important than the body.
I wouldn't say Olympus is no good but it's system and used market is relatively small.5 years ago I used Minolta (Now Sony) before and was frustrated with the support..very hard to find accessories as shops seldom stock them up due to less demand.

Enjoy this hobby!

James
 

for dSLRs and those point and shoot cameras, is the megapixel affected by lens width? just curious I used to own a C2100 ultra zoom which picture clarity was pretty good as it has a bigger lens compared to point and shooties.

for spot metering, is it better when bigger (ie 3.5mm for D50 and 2.3mm for D70 and D70s) and how does it affect performance?
 

what's the price for D50, are there any 2nd hands available?
 

for dSLRs and those point and shoot cameras, is the megapixel affected by lens width? just curious I used to own a C2100 ultra zoom which picture clarity was pretty good as it has a bigger lens compared to point and shooties.

for spot metering, is it better when bigger (ie 3.5mm for D50 and 2.3mm for D70 and D70s) and how does it affect performance?

Normally, bigger lens width will allow more light, thus will be faster. Similarly more expensive.
MP does not affect anything till your final printouts. If you are just printing 4R size, a 3MP camera is much more then enough.

by right, the smaller the spot metering, the "better". Again, are you sure you really need to use that fine for spot metering? Depends on what you need. For me, everything can be easily compensated.

D70 / D70s is a higher model then D50.

But to compare D70 with D50 tech, D50 is later. It is even later then D70s.
 

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