Learn me digital SLR's please

Ok, I want to step up from my Sony point and shoot digi camera. I LOVE taking pictures and I think I take some good pics. Here's one I took years ago


Anyway, I used the Nikon D40 we have at work and really like it. I think it had the 18-200 lense but I'm not sure. Here's the think. I would also like the option of taking digi movies as well.
What do you guys suggest for taking digi pics, and if I spring for one that has movie capability, what do you recommend.
Thanks.

My mother just bought a Sony a580. Finally retired the older Sony a100. Shes an awesome photographer, and it takes awesome pics. I love my old a100 as well.

The photo shop we bought it at said the a580 has been flying off the shelves, so that's cool.

Just don't fall into the "it has to be cannon/nikon" trap!

Joey

Do those use that stupid memory card? I hate that about my sony cybershot.

The Nikon D3100 is what I'm looking at buying right now and since you like using the Nikon D40, it would make sense to stick with what you're familiar with. It has around 14 MP and shoots 1080P HD video. It comes with the 18-55 lens like most entry level cameras. Usually it retails for 649.99 but can always be bought as a package.

I personally have never felt that Sony makes a good DSLR, they always seem to be behind the curve whenever I pick them up. I have heard this viewpoint from a lot of other people as well, but hey...it's not the car it's the driver!

Love our D40.

Virtually all the still photos on this link were taken with our D40.

D40 doesn't do video. but I agree, takes awesome pics.

We're using a Pentax K-X, takes great video, and nice pictures.

I'd recommend you also take a look at the new breed of smaller interchangeable lens cameras, like the Olympus Pen, Panasonic GF, and Sony NEX. They have SLR sensors in the body so the images are equally good, but are much smaller and easier to take anywhere.

I always felt like an idiot carrying around a big dSLR, so I downsized to a smaller Pentax dSLR. Still way too big, so I bought a Panasonic GF-1 and have never regretted it. As a plus it has adapters for pretty much every lens ever made so I can use all my legacy lenses on it.

As with autocrossing, photography is much more about technique than equipment, and even looking at equipment the camera body is one of the least important things to worry about.

My advice is to decide what your primary photographic purpose is, and find the best lens you can afford for that type of photography. Landscapes, portraits, kids, motorsports -- all have different requirements, and the ideal lens for each will be different. Stay away from superzooms like that 18-200, there are serious optical compromises involved in getting a lens with that kind of zoom range. Then find a camera body you can hang on the lens, and practice practice practice.

If I were to continue the autocrossing metaphor, the camera body is the engine, while the lens is the tires. That 18-200 is a set of all seasons, jack of all trades, master of none. The ideal lens is a set of Hoosiers, except it'll last a lifetime instead of just a single season. :-)

(On the Canon/Nikon front, it really doesn't matter, either will do an excellent job. The other vendors make fine products too, but don't have the depth of lens availability that the big two do, so you could find yourself limited in the future if you decide to buy into another system.)

codrus wrote: (On the Canon/Nikon front, it really doesn't matter, either will do an excellent job. The other vendors make fine products too, but don't have the depth of lens availability that the big two do, so you could find yourself limited in the future if you decide to buy into another system.)

I find this to be no longer true, and perhaps it never really was. Unless you go with a truly oddball system, all the makers now have an entirely full range of lenses for amateur to semi-professional users. Sure Canon and Nikon make some crazy lenses the others do not, like a 1000mm f/2 or a tilt/shift wide angle lens for architecture, but these are lenses that you cannot afford in any case, and whose use is so limited that the market is really only for specific professional use.

Olympus, Pentax, Panasonic, Sony, all these manufacturers make superb lenses and accessories that cover every situation you will ever find yourself in, and in most cases the third parties make equivalent lenses in that mount for less. Actually Pentax makes a range of compact pancake style metal-bodied prime lenses that you won't find in any other line, if that floats your boat.

Actually my one piece of advice is this: if you buy a dSLR, buy a body only setup without a kit lens, and spend some decent scratch on the lens. The Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 constant aperture EX zoom is a great start and quite inexpensive, and it's made in many mounts. It is sharper than any kit lens, and the wider aperture is a godsend.

bastomatic wrote:

codrus wrote: (On the Canon/Nikon front, it really doesn't matter, either will do an excellent job. The other vendors make fine products too, but don't have the depth of lens availability that the big two do, so you could find yourself limited in the future if you decide to buy into another system.)

I find this to be no longer true, and perhaps it never really was. Unless you go with a truly oddball system, all the makers now have an entirely full range of lenses for amateur to semi-professional users. Sure Canon and Nikon make some crazy lenses the others do not, like a 1000mm f/2 or a tilt/shift wide angle lens for architecture, but these are lenses that you cannot afford in any case, and whose use is so limited that the market is really only for specific professional use. Olympus, Pentax, Panasonic, Sony, all these manufacturers make superb lenses and accessories that cover every situation you will ever find yourself in, and in most cases the third parties make equivalent lenses in that mount for less. Actually Pentax makes a range of compact pancake style metal-bodied prime lenses that you won't find in any other line, if that floats your boat. Actually my one piece of advice is this: if you buy a dSLR, buy a body only setup without a kit lens, and spend some decent scratch on the lens. The Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 constant aperture EX zoom is a great start and quite inexpensive, and it's made in many mounts. It is sharper than any kit lens, and the wider aperture is a godsend.

The cool thing with Sony is the old Minolta A mount lenses all fit.

Joey

In reply to joey48442:

Of course, everyone knows that now so the price of good used Minolta glass has gone through the roof... Another benefit of the Sony is that the image stabilization is in the body, not the lenses, so you get IS with those old lenses. I like my refurb'd Sony a330 - suits my needs for kid photos quite well at a buy in that was about 1/2 of the similar Cannon/Nikon offerings.

We went with canon because it meant access to hand me down and loaner glass from a few family members.

I've been looking at the Nikon 3100. What are the comparable models from the other players in the arena?

DrBoost wrote: I've been looking at the Nikon 3100. What are the comparable models from the other players in the arena?

The D3100 is the entry-level Nikon, I believe. Canon's entry level cameras are all 'Rebel' , there are a few with varying pricepoints.

I'd recommend reading the "building a digital SLR system" and "advice on choosing a digital SLR" articles at photo.net, there's lots of good introductory info there.

Also, stay away from super cheap online photo gear stores. For whatever reason, there are a lot of bait-and-switch scam artists in the camera equipment realm. If you find something advertised online that's substantially cheaper than the big, well-known retailers (those being B&H, Adorama, or Amazon.com), then you'll want to do a lot of research on that vendor first.

codrus wrote:

DrBoost wrote: I've been looking at the Nikon 3100. What are the comparable models from the other players in the arena?

The D3100 is the entry-level Nikon, I believe. Canon's entry level cameras are all 'Rebel' , there are a few with varying pricepoints. I'd recommend reading the "building a digital SLR system" and "advice on choosing a digital SLR" articles at photo.net, there's lots of good introductory info there. Also, stay away from super cheap online photo gear stores. For whatever reason, there are a lot of bait-and-switch scam artists in the camera equipment realm. If you find something advertised online that's substantially cheaper than the big, well-known retailers (those being B&H, Adorama, or Amazon.com), then you'll want to do a lot of research on that vendor first.

Thanks codrus. I'll check that link out.

Keep and eye out on Slickdeals.net and Techbargains.com. You can set it up so that it emails you if a deal pops up on one of your keywords. Huge time saver.

I picked up my Nikon D3100 4 months ago after someone posted a really good deal. I've been really happy with it. Just a couple months ago there was a huge sale on Nikon lenses that was posted on slickdeals. I mainly went Nikon because I have access to lenses I can borrow and swap with my brother. Another reason is the D3100 is really easy for beginners to use.

woot.com had the Pentax K-X kit for $439 today, don't know if it's still available.