Buying a Digital SLR

[cullypokman]

There is sufficient information on here on the pros and cons of all systems.

This is what I suggest:
1. Browse the camera stores and try the Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Pentax DSLRs in your price range. DO NOT let yourself be swayed by the sales people.

2. For each camera, try to feel which one feels the most comfortable, which one you could figure out on the spot and seemed to work just right for you.

3. Once you have your shortlist, google for reviews on those specific cameras and evaluate the pros and cons

4. Buy the one your instinct tells you is right for you.

Yes i agree, pick one that you "feel" right and go for it. I was in the similar shoe as you a few weeks back, same kind of budget, getting started.

I picked the Canon 40D at the end of the day, no regrets at all to be honest, really good DSLR to start.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself:

1. How serious are you that you need a DSLR or willing to spend so much for one.

If you feel you are not the serious kind then go for a basic Canon 400D, 450D, Nikon D40, Olympus E-310 or Sony A350 will do. If you are serious then pay a bit more, go for Nikon D80(no live view but i think it perfectly ok for a DSLR, i don't use it even when i have the function) or Canon 40D (my choice DSLR).

2. The actual budget for the DSLR?

If your budget is 1.5K then go for the Canon 400D, 450D, Nikon D40 entry level kind coz after all the add this buy this buy that, you are at a good 1.5-1.8K. For the mid range Canon 40D, Nikon D80, you are more likely to spend up to 2.3K easily i feel.

Have fun searching... Visit shops like T K Foto (Shaw @ Beach Road), John 3:16 (Funan) i am sure the guys can help you. I bought from T K Foto, strongly recommend to you to buy there for competitive pricing and good service.

 

[PaTnDrew]

Guys thanks for the advice...
I've come to a conclusion.... will buy a basic entry level cam.... dont really need too many different lens....
shall start from there

 

[PaTnDrew]

Sigh...I love photography because I love travelling. I want to capture the images in my travel.

Besides the model, could you post some pictures that you think is not good. It might be easier to understand why picture not sharp and colours not brilliant.

Besides, if you are not interested in photography, then getting a DSLR will not help you. As Night86mare said, you will be disappointed.

here's a sample of a photo taken from my Canon Ixy
Florence,Italy

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

had a look at your Florence photo.
I would say that your compact digicam can handle such photos very well. By 'such photos', I'm referring to outdoor landscapes in bright sunlight.
Perhaps just work on improving your composition a bit, and also play with some of the settings to get a nicer colour tone. Getting a DSLR isn't really going to improve this photograph significantly.

To begin to exploit a DSLR's abilities, you've gotta at least be familiar with things like shutter speed, aperture, ISO, White Balance (more technical). Then comes the composition part, which is mainly artistic.
Think hard about what you're going to use your camera for.

 

[PaTnDrew]

had a look at your Florence photo.
I would say that your compact digicam can handle such photos very well. By 'such photos', I'm referring to outdoor landscapes in bright sunlight.
Perhaps just work on improving your composition a bit, and also play with some of the settings to get a nicer colour tone. Getting a DSLR isn't really going to improve this photograph significantly.

To begin to exploit a DSLR's abilities, you've gotta at least be familiar with things like shutter speed, aperture, ISO, White Balance (more technical). Then comes the composition part, which is mainly artistic.
Think hard about what you're going to use your camera for.

This is one of the better out door pic.... sad to say, those in-door shots were extreme bad.
Especially those taken in the churches....

 

[night86mare]

This is one of the better out door pic.... sad to say, those in-door shots were extreme bad.
Especially those taken in the churches....

what sort of "bad"? were they blurry, noisy?

also, does your camera have aperture priority, shutter speed priority or manual mode?

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Ok, so you think that you would like a camera with better indoor light (basically low light) performance.
Buying a DSLR with its kit lens is not going to give you significant improvement in low light performance.
What the DSLR offers is full control of all the exposure settings.
So if you mount your DSLR on a tripod and set to a long exposure, for example, basically you can still capture a very clear shot even with very dim light.
A prosumer (i had a lumix fz-10 before) has all the manual controls as well.

This is one of the better out door pic.... sad to say, those in-door shots were extreme bad.
Especially those taken in the churches....

 

[atomboy]

looking at your budget, i think you can start off with canon 450d, nikon d60 or d80 , they're all nice for beginners. I'm a newbie too, and have been working with the 450d for about a month, so far so good. it's not right up there in terms of specifications but for that price, size and weight (i like to travel about with it), one can't really ask for more.

 

[Rashkae]

looking at your budget, i think you can start off with canon 450d, nikon d60 or d80 , they're all nice for beginners. I'm a newbie too, and have been working with the 450d for about a month, so far so good. it's not right up there in terms of specifications but for that price, size and weight (i like to travel about with it), one can't really ask for more.

And you can add in the Olympus, Pentax and the Sony cameras. The Sony A300 and A350 are very popular nowadays too.

 

[PaTnDrew]

Thanks Guys!
I will go for Canon 450D or 40D if i have more cash to spare.

 

[castwind]

Hi there,
I was a newbie last year, and regret my decision to get my ex-DSLR because the pictures were not sharp enough. The f***er sales man sold me a E500 that was end of life. My mistake that I did not do my research first. Then last month, I tried out my colleague Nikon D80 and got addicted to it and it was used with a prime lense 50mm 1.8D. I got myself a 2nd hand one in clubsnap for only 800 and spend another 170 on the new lenses. Less than 1 K and I got a good system. Now, that lense is very good for protrait only, if you like travel photography, then you will need to have wide angle and zoom lense. Suggest that you get one with VR(vibration reduction). The latest 18-200mm VR from Nikon has very good review. If you have 1 more K to spend, I suggest you get that too. So with your budget, you got yourself a very good set already.
Hope this help...

 

[felixcat8888]

TS,

Please remember that buying a DSLR does not automatically mean that Pictures will be better. I have been using 35mm SLRs for years and only recently felt "motivated" to move to DSLR bec I like to take pics without using the flash. Most prosumer cams cannot make it and the only ones I found that are able to do so are from Fujifilm. I used to own the S6500FD until April this year when I sold it off and bought Canon 400D with is cheaper than the newer 450D.

the only thing about the 400D is that it has no "live view" meaning it cannot be viewed from the LCD like a compact cam, which does not bother me as I like to use the viewfinder.

www.dcresource.com
www.dpreview.com

are some of the sites that explian more about the cams you would be interested in.

 

[andrewant]

450D is very similar to 400D. Now that 450D is out, the price of 400D would drop. (by how much i dont know) It also depends on what you plan to shoot. If you're going for sports and fast frames per second, may want to consider a higher end canon camera (40D at 6.5fps) If you're focusing more on macro, landscape portrait etc... I believe 400D would do just fine. But of course if you do have the extra cash, go for the 450D.

just my 2cs

 

[akagi07]

perhaps an addon note to TS
I'm also planning to get a DSLR.. will do some test drive in the upcoming pc show.

Had visited the canon n sony showroom.. you should try out the models first. I tot of getting 450D but..
I try my hands on canon 40D/ 450D , sony A350.. finding that features on A350 is easier, but in term of touch and holding 40D comes in a better condition as I have big hands, 450D feels crampy as its smaller

The only things I try to find out about these 3 models are their differences.
I want colorful, vibrant and sharp pics, while taking with my FZ7, the colors just look warm, white paper with bright natural lightings turn out to be beige.

 

[Rashkae]

I try my hands on canon 40D/ 450D , sony A350.. finding that features on A350 is easier, but in term of touch and holding 40D comes in a better condition as I have big hands, 450D feels crampy as its smaller

Did you try the A700? Same "category" as the 40D.

 

[tayshinmin]

hi,
I'm a newbie and just bought my 400D last week.
I tried the 450D - too complicated - the buttons are not as intuitive and also heavier
In the end, bought with kit lens and a prime with f1.8. Tried to sigma/tamron (can't remember) the all in one lens - VERY HEAVY
Now after playing with it for a while - i regret getting the kit lens, no IS and also range not great. The prime 50mm 1.8 is GREAT though

No regrets buying a DSLR at all - pictures are GREAT... MUCH BETTER... and taking in low light and no flash is the best!
Now, am thinking of buying another lens... it's addictive...

Go for it.

 

[srinivasanj]

Dont get an SLR if you want a camera that takes good pics on your travels! To be brutally honest, investing in an SLR is just the beigining. You should be ready to do some post processing. I really think 90% of the 'brilliant' pics that we see are all processed (atleast cropping ;p) and I am not saying thats a bad thing. Thats part of the process of learning and taking and making great pictures.

Investing in a prosumer is going to give you control over the pics and with the 12-18x zooms available these days, I think, for you requirements, you would be super well off with a prosumer rather than a DSLR. I would also assume that you havent taken, changing lenses into consideration when getting an SLR..

Having said all this, you might have never been acquainted with the photographer inside you and getting an SLR is probably the cheapest way to find out...if it all works out!

happy shooting..

 

[akagi07]

Did you try the A700? Same "category" as the 40D.

A700 looks big.. i didnt have the chance to compare and contrast both model as 1 is sony and 1 is canon. And in the sony showroom I only tried my hands on the 350.

If ultimately 40D is into my list, $$$ is the main factor, I would like to check out A700 as well. Waiting for the pc show to test drive the 700.

But are there big diff in the specs between a 700 and the 40D?
I reading their specs now. From my memory, 700 looks bigger in comparison.

 

[felixcat8888]

A700 looks big.. i didnt have the chance to compare and contrast both model as 1 is sony and 1 is canon. And in the sony showroom I only tried my hands on the 350.

If ultimately 40D is into my list, $$$ is the main factor, I would like to check out A700 as well. Waiting for the pc show to test drive the 700.

But are there big diff in the specs between a 700 and the 40D?
I reading their specs now. From my memory, 700 looks bigger in comparison.

you can go to M S Color to test and try out both the Canon 40D and the Sony A700 as M S Color has the Sony boutique and the main shop side by side at Blk 711 AMK Ave 8

 

[akagi07]

A700 more ex.. out of budget.. 40D comes in tight already..
thanks..
i guess as a new intro into dslr.. I shall check into 450 / 350 and 40D