As in tittle, what's the best for a beginner like me, price around 300-400

Thanks in advance

 

I've got the Nikon D70S and D80, and would recomend the D80. Great camera and good value even if it's and "old" camera

 

Thanks

Any more maybe

 

i am looking at getting one for my birthday and people have suggested the Nikon D40 and the Canon Eos 400D

 

i have an EOS 400D and its pretty good, im new to this dslr thing too and it is fairly easy to use,make sure you read the manual, and join a few photography forums, theres a million thing the camera does if you learn how to set it correctly

 

The D40 seems a good value for money but it's only 6,1MP so i think the D60 is best to take

Any more suggestions

 

Try a Canon 450D mate excellent camera but im biased lol, few people on here have the Nikon D60 and love them

 

As all the other opinions, you wont go wrong with Canon or Nikon, both will do more than you are capable of for a very long time and are well supported for extra kit/upgrades etc.

I'd recommend going and having a feel of them in the shops, not everyone likes the size/shape/weight of different camera's.

 

Good point

Canon 450D is a bit over my budget, but will see how it feels

 

We got a Nokia D60 a few months back. Fantastic camera, even the wife can use it. I am not into all this manual stuff, Switch to auto and away you go. Get the VR lens version.

Leigh

 

The 18-55mm lens you mean, that's the intension

 

You can get the 18-55mm lens in both VR and non VR formats, the VR stands for Vibration Reduction, and is a better lens.

 

Thanks, did't know that, thought all lenses were VR

 

Its a bit like the IS lenses ( image stabilising ) that canon do, just reduces image blur and shake.

 

What size SD card will be the best

 

Depends what type of photographer you are going to be, some people shoot 1000's of photos per session to get the photo they require, others shoot a DSLR like an old film SLR... one shot one photo.

It's easier to have one high capacity card but with that comes the insecurity of all your eggs in one basket. I wouldn't bother with cards any smaller than 4GB though, as the prices are so cheap now.

 

Sign up to http://finepixs5600.30.forumer.com/index.php?

Very helpful people on there

 

anything from nikon and canon would be great!

 

can u still get the 400d ?

i just sold my 450d and bought a 500d.

imho, its the lenses that make the camera, and where most of the cost goes.

 

I bought one of those 450Ds- used it in anger for the first time at Combe 2 weeks ago - I was pleased with the pics I'd got for my first attempts with a DSLR ( you can see them on the thread if you want ) and hope to learn a bit more for next time

 

What ever you do, dont be sucked in by high megapixel numbers. The big deal with camera's is the lens'. So go for a well know camera make. Nikon do some of the best quality lens' imo.
For the same price as a D50 you can get a 12mp slr made by sony. But, what do sony know about good photography, theyre lens' are terrible.
Ive stuied photography for the last 4 years and all the work that I have done I have found that 6mp is more than enough. Unless your taking photographs for billboards.

 

Thanks for all the info guys

Keep 'em coming

 

I disagree , what camera course are you on that told you that Sony bought over and rebranded Minolta dlsr's and now sell them as Sony cameras. Minolta have been making cameras for over 70 years! As for your 6 mega pixel theory, what if the user wants to print an a3 photo at some point or a small poster for his wall?

All the kit lens that come with any of the DSLR cameras are entry level and much of a muchness when compared to each other. www.cameralabs.com give good unbiased video reports on a lot of DSLR cameras and equipment that go with them.

What I would say to you is; Dont Forget you need a memory card, and a bag to keep the camera in as dust can be a killer for the camera and lens. You may need an additional lens depending on the type of photography you are interested in(motorsport, portraits) You may want to figure these costs into your budget.

Good luck, and as somebody above said, get down to a shop and test drive them!

 

I have the canon 400D, with kit lens at the mo. Im loving the camera, does everything i want, and pic quiality is fine. As said above tho, its the lens that makes a camera. you buy cheap lenses and the pic quality wont be as good as top of the range lenes.
I have been hunting for a good zoom lens for mine, but yet to find the one i want for the money.

As said tho, go to a camera shop and have a play with some, get the feel and see how easy they are to use. I have always been a canon SLR user, so have never tryed other brands.

 

I have a ND + HND in photography and webdesign. Ive used alot camera's and I was saying that I personally found the sony camera's to be poor.
If you shoot the images RAW at 6mp you can get enough detail. I had A2 photographs in an art gallery that were shot with 6mp.

 

What's the average battery life of the D60, and what's the charge time?

Had several camera's in hand this weekend and the D60 felt the best for me and seems the best value for money

 

Canon EOS 1000D should also be in the mix.
I used one of them and a 400D to good effect professionally.

 

i think it something like 500+ photos! and spare batterys dont cost the earth!
not sure on the charge time!

 

I'm surprised to see only one recommendation for the Canon 1000D. If you're looking to buy new i think it's the best value for money, the entry level Nikon's have a few things i really dislike although i do much prefer the Nikon ergonomics and 'feel', i use Nikon both personally and professionally.

if looking second hand look for a Nikon D50, D80. Both were well specced and you'll get alot more for your money.

i see no reason why 6mp will not be enough for most people starting out with photography, upsizing is always an option for those rare occasions. As has been said, don't get suckered into a MP war, remember that the sensors are vastly bigger than compacts.

Lenses make the real difference, even to an entry level body. It really is day and night.

ps, for the best price check out: www.camerapricebuster.com

Regards,
Matt.

 

by the way, it's a few hours to charge a battery, and i regularly shoot 600-1000 pictures in a day on my D80 and have never run a battery out.