Argote Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 (edited) So, I've been meaning to get a DSLR for some time now and I'll probably buy one next week, the problem is I'm having trouble deciding on which one to buy. Here's a couple of the requirements I think I want: Good Picture Quality (obviously) Live View (View on the LCD of the pictures about to be taken), this is useful when you can't reach the viewfinder Anything above 6 MP Preferably a screen over 2.5" Preferably with availability of good quality lenses that won't break the bank Cameras and/or lenses with image stabilization are preferred. I'm willing to spend at $600 or so for a camera with an 18-55mm or 18-70mm Lens I'm willing to fork another $150 or so for an additional 55-200mm Lens I'm willing to purchase a factory-refurbished item but not a used one No eBay or bogus-looking sites Please do not tell me to save up another $200+ or more to get a more expensive camera, I do have the money but I'm only spending the amounts specified on a DSLR So far I've been looking at the Sony Alpha 300 as my main candidate, however the 330 is about to come out and I'm unsure as to the advantages of the new model, I've also used it a bit in shops and I find it to have a very nice feel. Another candidate I've considered is the Nikon D60, however this is lacking the all-important live view feature. I love Canon and I have one of their P&S cameras (Powershot SD750) which I think is awesome, however I have not looked into their DSLRs well. Another thing I've noticed is that the Olympus and Pentax DSLRs seem to be cheaper. I've also heard that they take great pictures too. Is there any disadvantage to them? I hope you can help me out, I look forward to getting some great shots from whichever camera I end up choosing. Edited June 11, 2009 by Argote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawtai Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 If you really need Live View, with your $600 you might want to look into the Canon Rebel XS However, I think this is an older camera in the Rebel series from Canon. Canon also has the XSi which I believe is a little newer than the XS, but still not their latest camera, but this camera is also above the $600 range you listed. Nikon recently came out with a D5000 which has Live-view with a LCD screen that can tilt/rotate, but it's a couple hundred above your price range of $600. However, the D5000 has the same sensor as the D90 which produces great images. I have a Nikon D90 which has live-view on it, and I rarely ever use it. If you're moving towards a DSLR, live-view in my opinion should be lower on the list. dpreview.com has a nice camera feature search function that you might be interested in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLEHINATOR! Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 What you're describing is basically the sony a300. And to break away from the sony brand for what you're after, i dont think there will be much out there without removing some preferences. As a sony dslr owner, i will say that i love it to bits, and its got a great aftermarket. But be prepared to either invest in fast glass or lighting, because the high ISO noise control is not that impressive. That being said, i can get around the high ISO noise limitation to some degree. I've invested a lot of time and practice in post processing methods, as well as knowing what settings are needed on the camera to work better in post processing when it comes to using a higher ISO. I do recommend that you maybe reconsider live view being a priority. No doubt its handy, no argument there. I'd just rather shoot blind without live view at a higher rate, but again that's just my preference. If you want to stick with sony for the in body stabilisation but will consider dropping live view, have a look at the A700. I am almost certain that it'll be priced higher than the A300 however. But if you see it priced around the same as the A300, you'd be crazy to not go the A700. I've seen a few refurbished ones on ebay going at rates close to an A300. With the new sony dslr models coming out soon (dont wait for them, they dont bring much to the table) i hope it pushes the price of the A700 down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sask Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 I think you should remove live view as a requirement. It's really not all that essential. It will open up a few more possibilities, like the D60. Anyway, just my thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argote Posted June 11, 2009 Author Share Posted June 11, 2009 OK, does the D60 take clearly better pictures than the A300? Or does the A700 for that matter? Does anyone know of any place where there are comparison shots? I've seen that before but I do not have it bookmarked and it was several years ago so they're probably not the cameras I'm interested in. I'm willing to sacrifice liveview if the other camera has significantly better image quality. And I'm not actually after the Sony brand, in fact, it's one of the things that has made me doubt about it. Are they as good as a Nikon or Canon? BTW, you should know that I'm currently in the US and as such I can buy items on US shops or online (which sometimes only ships to the US). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunna Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 For camera reviews and sample images, check out http://www.dpreview.com/. It's a great resource for camera information. I'd agree with the other that live view probably isn't essential compared to noise/exposure control. You don't really want to spend more time post-processing than you need to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawtai Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 I don't know a whole lot about Sony DSLR's, but I don't think you can go wrong with either a Canon or a Nikon. In the end it really just comes down to how the camera feels in your hand. Definitely do try to get your hands on one to test it out before you purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLEHINATOR! Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 The D60 and the A300 will take great photos really, so will the A700. But the moment you put the basic kit lens on them, they're all gonna perform about the same. Generally that's not a bad thing, as its leaps and bounds above a compact point and shoot. But to really push the potential you need to invest in better lenses, but that can always come with time if you want to get more out of your dslr. Without knowing much about the D60, i can only say that i have heard good things about it really. I'd rather let others comment on the D60. The A700 is touted as a semi-pro dslr, so it could certainly give you room to grow with the camera. It could also completely intimidate you and put you off it, something to think about. I think Sony are on the same level with Nikon and Canon. But the major negative against Sony's dslrs being their poor high ISO noise control, but the major plus of having in body image stabilisation. They dont have the same brand recognition, thats for sure, but they've got the DNA of Konica Minolta behind them. And im sure everyone will agree, pretty much any of the dslrs mentioned in this thread, are very capable of delivering great images. Even cheaper dslrs will be able to impress. It all comes down to the photographer, and the photographers skill in getting the most out of the camera. Someone who knows a trick or two could probably take a better photo with a camera phone, than someone untrained with a top of the line dslr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redestium Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 I don't know a whole lot about Sony DSLR's, but I don't think you can go wrong with either a Canon or a Nikon. In the end it really just comes down to how the camera feels in your hand. Definitely do try to get your hands on one to test it out before you purchase. Very good advice. It took me a few months of research before I was confident with my purchase (Canon EOS Rebel T1i), and I was able to hold the body in store (well an XSi body but they are practically the same) to seal the deal. I knew the specs but is it comfortable to shoot with? Yes, in my case. Also remember the lenses you plan on using. Canon and Nikon are generally regarded as the best in the field, which might be a consideration for you. Don't get me wrong I really like Sony cameras (camcorders and point and shoot) but for dSLR everywhere I looked Sony couldn't match Canon and Nikon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawtai Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 yea, for me when I was first looking at cameras I was choosing between a Nikon d50 and a Canon Rebel XS i think? To me, the Canon didn't feel very sturdy while the Nikon felt solid. That made me end up choosing Nikon over Canon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR_Candyman Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Just thought I would point out that a factory refurb is almost always used, and usually have a higher rate offailure than just buying used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draconian Guppy Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 I wouldn't fend off ebay so easily, they've got great deals, from reputable power-sellers with nikon/canon-USA warranty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHALE Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 I got a little over a year ago de D80. I was between Canon, Nikon and Sony just like you. I discarded sony because of lens selection and it just felt cheeper then the other two. So it was down to Canon and Nikon. And I went for the Nikon just because it felt better in my hands and liked the menu system better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argote Posted June 14, 2009 Author Share Posted June 14, 2009 (edited) I saw a refurbished Canon XSi on Amazon for a bit under $600 with an 18-55mm lens. Is this a good purchase? Or is this Sony Alpha 200 kit better? http://www.ritzcamera.com/product/SLR1190.htm I think it is incredibly cheap! Edited June 15, 2009 by Argote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argote Posted June 20, 2009 Author Share Posted June 20, 2009 I have purchased the Sony Alpha A200 + 18-70mm Sony lenses (SAL1870) + 75-300mm Sony Lenses (SAL75300) + an 8GB 266x CF card I'll let you know how it turns out. If you could recommend some polarizer and UV protectors for the lenses plus a bag (preferably a backpack) for the whole kit it'd be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prince Charming Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Make sure you get a circular polarizer. Due to the way phase detect autofocus works in DSLRs, if you use a linear polarizer, AF will...fail. Make sure you get decent filters as well, there's no point putting bad glass in front of good glass. Hoya's Pro1 series are quite good. Bagwise, anything Domke, Lowepro would be good. Lowepro have more backpacks in their range though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts