Need advise on purchasing a new Dslr.


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shengyang84

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Aug 22, 2007
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Hi I'm posting this thread to ask for advises on purchasing a new Dslr as i recently just started attending course at PSS. There are plenty of information is ClubSnap but i cannot really target them and look into specific location where exactly is my needs. I need help greatly and really appreciate if someone could bother helping me :)

Anyway, I'm still quite young, 16 only and still new towards the vast and huge photography world. Hope that someone could help.

P.s ( I'm thinking of starting with a D80, any place whereby i can fetch a good price?) :D
 

what will u be mainly shooting at? what is your budget, brand preference? etc...
 

Oh sorry haha i forget to quote my range price.
Max amt of money i can get is $2000.
Brand preference will be nikon/canon as told by my instructor.
I'm thinking of further towards nightscene shots, human(people, kids, work etc) and landscape(cityscape, seascape)! :D
 

Your instructor sounds very biased to me.

Honestly, this topic comes up at least 1-2 times per week, so quick search would give you many many results... But I'll give you some very important points:

1. Forget what your instructor told you. You're investing in a system for YOURSELF, not him.

2. Try ALL the cameras in your price range. Try the Canon, the Nikon, the Sony, the Pentax, the Olympus. See which one feels right in your hand, which one has controls that make sense to you and are comfy for your hands.

3. Consider the pros and cons of each system. For example, Canon and Nikon have many lenses available, but you'll need to shell out many many more $$$ for the image-stabilized lenses, while the other systems have the anti-shake built-in, so you get anti-shake even with cheap $100 lenses.

4. Look in the buy-and-sell sesction of this forum. Many great deals.

5. Join in a CS outing... Lots of cameras that you could fondle. ;)

6. Check out the various brand-specific forums, read up on issues or try to join a brand-specific outing and try the cams. For example, the Sony group has meetings and emembers all over who'll be happy to let you try their cam. Same for Canon, Nikon, etc.

7. DO NOT get rushed into the decision.

8. DO NOT listen to ANYONE but yourself for what the best system for you is. Do not listen to your instructor, your friends, or even the people who will come in to this thread and tell you to "buy this! buy that!". The person who will need to use the camera is YOU, not them.
 

Thanks alot. I'll try to gather as much infomation and do research before purchasing. Appreciate your help :)
 

I guess I'm rushing into things. I've been trying to do research butttt!!! I can't really figure out which camera is better for me cos' its like the information are alien language to me. There is a exhibition next weekend or something is I'm not wrong @ suntec? Maybe i'll purchase my camera from there, is that recommanded?
 

I guess I'm rushing into things. I've been trying to do research butttt!!! I can't really figure out which camera is better for me cos' its like the information are alien language to me. There is a exhibition next weekend or something is I'm not wrong @ suntec? Maybe i'll purchase my camera from there, is that recommanded?

Only if you want all the salespeople to overwhelm you and pressure you into buying.

Don't worry about the terminology yet. Seriously, try the cameras first and figure out which is the most comfortable in your hand.

As for terminology, everything's been discussed on here about 100 times and online as well. What terminology are you referring to that you're still having problems with?

If you can't grasp the concepts of ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed, then maybe you're not ready for a DSLR yet.
 

I still have 2 weeks to decide. I want to head your advise and try out the cameras. So i go to shops and try them? As for terms, all those i know i've learnt them all but there are so many specifications to one camera showing on the website. Well, i guess I'll try hard to learn everything so it will aid me choosing a camera better.
Really thank you for spending time reviewing my case :D
 

Spend some time reading this thread.
http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=245883

Its got a lot of good information that will help you in deciding which camera to buy.

That said, my opinion is to first, determine your budget and then look for a entry level dslr to buy. Nikon and Canon are safe bets and tend to be easily re-sold if you have lost interest.

Don't worry about lens now. Just use the bundled kit lens with the camera. Over time, you will soon learn what sort of pictures you like to take and what lens you want.

Find a shop that has your targeted models on display. Go and play around with them. See which one you like.

Lastly, do your homework on pricing and package when you've decided which dslr to buy. Be suspicious of offers/deals that sound too good to be true. And always insist on the original manufacturer warranty.

If you really need a buy recommendation. Mine would be Nikon D80 with Kit lens. :)
 

I still have 2 weeks to decide. I want to head your advise and try out the cameras. So i go to shops and try them? As for terms, all those i know i've learnt them all but there are so many specifications to one camera showing on the website. Well, i guess I'll try hard to learn everything so it will aid me choosing a camera better.
Really thank you for spending time reviewing my case :D
I won't do that if I am not sure of what I want to buy. You will be buying one that the shop assistant wants to sell you.

DO NOT rush into it unless for some exceptional reason you need to buy by a certain date. You already have the best advice already... join an outing and you get to try out cameras without any pressure to take money out of your pocket.

BTW all cameras brands are good. Each brand is ideal for each person. You find most people using Canon and Nikon today because they have build up a position over the year. Does that mean that is the best camera to buy?

My friend just switched from the wonderful Nikon D200 to Sony A700. Why? He has his reasons and they are valid. You will also have your preference so don't rush. And once you buy don't look back....
 

Spend some time reading this thread.
http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=245883

Its got a lot of good information that will help you in deciding which camera to buy.

That said, my opinion is to first, determine your budget and then look for a entry level dslr to buy. Nikon and Canon are safe bets and tend to be easily re-sold if you have lost interest.

Don't worry about lens now. Just use the bundled kit lens with the camera. Over time, you will soon learn what sort of pictures you like to take and what lens you want.

Find a shop that has your targeted models on display. Go and play around with them. See which one you like.

Lastly, do your homework on pricing and package when you've decided which dslr to buy. Be suspicious of offers/deals that sound too good to be true. And always insist on the original manufacturer warranty.

If you really need a buy recommendation. Mine would be Nikon D80 with Kit lens. :)

Totally agree!:thumbsup:
Yup, read up the thread started by zoossh first. Very good information there. Was reading it before i settle for D80 with kit lens too. ;p

And what Hobbesyeo mentioned is also a good guidance to start with~;)
 

Assuming your budget at 2k needs to cover almost everything you need to get started, I'll make some recommendations.

Although I'm using a D80, I would seriously suggest looking at the Pentax k10d. A lot of camera, for much less money than an equivalent canon/nikon.

Oh watch out for d80 price drop, it should go at $16++ now, not at 18++ like before.

look out for used deals, generally Singaporeans like to change camera often and/or take very good care of their equipment (to get a higher resale value :) )But go this route if only you're very sure of what to look out for buying a used camera.
 

You guys are the best! Thanks alot for the help! I've been aiming D80 too. With kit lens means the standard lens 50mm one or? Any pricing or locations or whatever so for recommandations. And Trash, point noted, I've been doing research on my own to decide and i got 2 weeks to purchase my camera. I guess I can't make it for any outings period. But once I get my dream camera, I'll go for outings organise by ClubSnap!
Kudos to CS.
 

frankly,

I would ask you get a E510 in the used market for $800. Or import one from US for USD499 I think. At that price, I think it is a steal.

Why? Mainly because of live view and in body IS.

Seriously, when you compare nikon canon sony, they talk about ISO noise, handling, etc, etc.

Frankly after using cameras from Nikon, KM (now sony), Fujifilm, olympus, the ISO performance are like pretty similar.

The only BIG improvements that REALLY made a difference to my photography is Fujifilm's extended DR and In-body IS and live view.

Why?

1) Fujifilm extended DR. This is really impt if you take outdoors shots. You can survive with a normal DR using other brands but it makes exposure REALLY tough on certains shots and impossible on others. People (pro) has been using Graduated filters to get around this problem BUT it is a big chore in mounting and unmounting filters. Not to mention it is far less flexible than what fujifilm offers in terms of the selection.

2) Live view. One of the most impt thing in photography is the viewpoint. With live view, it is MUCH easier to view and try creative ways of viewing a subject. You don't want all your shots at eye level do you. But the current implementation of live view, I think only the E330 got it correct. Not sure how is it with the new D300 but as you can see, live view is here to stay. I will not consider a camera without live view.

3) In-body IS. People say, nikon/canon has VR/IS lens. BUT they don't really have IS for ultra wides. The lens I use the most is an ultra-wide and with inbody IS I can hit 1/4 secs for motion blur effects, take pics at the magic hour just after dusk (ISO 800 F4, 1/4 secs) without a tripod, etc. they also don't have IS/VR for many of the tele primes.


PS: the only adv of D80 to me is that it is easy to buy and sell nikon stuff in CS.
 

You dont need any answer from us. You yourself provide your own answer.
You are 16, it is time for you to learn how to make decision. Below is my guideline to you.

1. Buy something that you like and you happy with, not based on others' opinion because, different people will give you different answer, Canon supporters will tell you Canon models, Olympus supporters will tell you Olympus. End up....you dont know what you want.

2. Buy something that you need. Because If you need the thing you will use it frequently. By using it frequently you may master of using it.

3. Buy something within your budget. Always set a budget based on you financial ability. Remember.. "Good Thing is always Expensive but Expensive not always give you good thing"

4. Whatever your decision is,....DONT REGRET IT

Hopefully by giving you simple guidelines, you may able to make your decision.
 

Er...I think a lot of Pros here are getting a bit too serious with this hobby. Since it is just a hobby, then just relax and enjoy :)

In my opinion, if i am so new that i dun know what i exactly want, i will just grab a cam that is affordable, has reasonably good reviews, comes with kit lens and start shooting (B&S section is a good start). Then along the way, i learn more about my needs. During the initial period, dun invest in expensive lenses, just purely to develop skills and knowledge. When you outgrow the cam and ready to take the plunge, then sell it off and get serious about which brand/model you want to invest in, because by the time you accumulate all the accessories and lenses, it will be hard to switch cam if you regret later. But for a beginning, just go simple, grab any cam and focus on learning.

Just my 2 cents...
 

I guess I'm rushing into things. I've been trying to do research butttt!!! I can't really figure out which camera is better for me cos' its like the information are alien language to me. There is a exhibition next weekend or something is I'm not wrong @ suntec? Maybe i'll purchase my camera from there, is that recommanded?

Maybe u should start with a consumer camera first. One think to note is DSLR is more heavy and bulky to carry around than a PnS camera. Are you willing to lug it around everywhere you go? Are you even gonna bring a camera everywhere u go and take things? Thats why I think u should consider trying with a consumer camera for say a yr then see how it goes.
 

I already own one PnS camera. Sony Dsc-W100. I've already mastered it, thats why I want to further towards DSLR. :/
 

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