Comments on: What Digital Slr Camera Would You Recommend?

By: Hero Protagonist

Hero Protagonist — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:45:30 +0000

Pentax K10

By: Luke S

Luke S — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:45:25 +0000

A great chose is the Canon Eos 400 or 400d >basically the same< http://www.canon.co.uk/for_home/product_finder/cameras/digital_slr/EOS_400D/index.asp
unfortunatly they can be expensive
soo….
the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 is a great alternative
http://www.buyacamera.co.uk/

By: Jt C

Jt C — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:45:15 +0000

OK here is my short answer. The D40 will do everything a beginner to intermediate photographer needs at a great price. It comes with an 18-55 lens. It will let you use any other money to buy more accessories. And by the time you outgrow it cameras will have advanced to the point that most of what is on the market now would be obsolete. I bought a D300 last year and only had a it a few months when the D700 came out. The canon would also serve you well but I am a Nikon person so I suggest them. I have friends that are very happy with thier canon’s and take great photos. You will have others that like Pentax and Olympus and they are not bad cameras but if they were in the same ballpark you would see many more professional photographers use them
Now for the longer answer as you already have some experience I will be preaching to the choir on a good bit of this.
I would say the Nikon D40 Its an entry level DSLR. A digital SLR will give you a much larger sensor than any point and shoot camera. Larger sensor = more light to each pixel = clearer, crisper photo with better color saturation. DSLR will also let you grow and take more control as you learn more and you can change lenses when you have a need to. The sensor on the olympus is smaller than on Nikon or Canon
I am a nikon person and have had nikons since the 70’s I personally think the nikon D40 give you more for the dollar than any DSLR today. There are some that do more but you pay a good bit more. Do not let the lower megapixels concern you if you do not do very very large prints you will never notice the lower DSLR. My brother recently needs a DSLR for a class and I recommended the D40 to him So I would also say get the D40 not the D40X. The Nikon D40 does not have limited functions compared with other entry DSLR. Yes it has fewer funtioncas than a 1500 dollar camera body would. It is not a a cut down version its equal or above most any entry level DSLR.
There is a great article in this months Digital Photopro Magazine that is titled “Megapixels how much is enough” EVERYONE looking at buying a new digital camera can profit by reading this article. Its here http://www.digitalphotopro.com/studio/me…
I have a d300 and a d40 and when I am shooting for fun I grab the d40. Its weightless, a joy to use and gives good results
If you have a bit more money the D60 give you a number of things you want. It has newer firmware and image processors, designed for the 10 mp sensor. It has an “Active Dust Reduction System with Airflow Control “. Nikon not putting a system on the D40 to deal with dust is one of the biggest drawbacks I see to the D40 ( though I think its still a great camera for the money) If you change lenses dust will get in and the camera needs a system to deal with it. With the D60 you get a VR lens. That will help with low light situations ( they may offer that now with the D40 but originally it was not) . The D60 has Adaptive Dynamic Range. Nikon calls it “Active D-Lighting,” it lets you save some highlights that my otherwise be lost. It has a newer better metering system than the D40. So you can get the D40 not the D40 x and spend the other money on lenses or a flash
Some people will want to make a big issue out of the fact that there are some nikon lenses that will not autofocus on these cameras. Right now there are “only” about 39 lenses that autofocus on these cameras. They cover the range of focal lengths. I doubt any photographer would be seriously limited with “only” this many lenses to choose from. If you want to manually focus you can more than double this and do so at a low cost. Manual focusing is easy and how we did things for decades before the advent of autofocus.
Cannon and Nikon chose to put the vibration reduction in the lens rather than the body. Somefolks put it in the camera and make of that. Yes that means you get stabilization only on lenses with that feature built in. In the body in theory it would work on every lens. But in fact image stbilization in the lens has proved to work faster and smoother with a lower impact on focus times than image stabilization in the body/ One problem with in body stabilization comes from the fact that the sensor would have to move different amounts for different focal lengths. A canon white paper says an in body system would have to move the sensor 1/4 inch to account for movement on a 300 mm lens.
Now a comment on liveview. Have you ever tried to hold several pounds of digital camera and lens steady at arms length while you look at an LCD screen. It not at all the same as holding a few ounces of point and shoot camera steady in the same position. One of the things we preach to new photogrpahers is to learn to hold the camera properly so the body mechanics give you a steady shot. You can’t really do that looking at the LCD. So liveview is really something that will have very limited applications in a DSLR. Usually only when its on a tripod. I have liveview on my D300 and have never used it.
Nikon also has great service. I was just reading the other day on eyefetch in the Nikon forum where someone posted that they had dropped thier lens and broken it. It was not a fault of the company they messed up. The sent it to Nikon and Nikon could not fix it. Nikon offered them a brand new identical lens at half the price. They did not have to
In closing all major camera manufactures make good cameras get out and compare the features and how they feel in your hand. Go to places like kenRockwell.com and DPreview.com to compare them. Nikon and Canon have the largest market share and I personally think there is a very good reason they do. Not bashing other brands but photographers tend to be very very demanding folks and they then tend to be loyal to what has worked for them well and consistently. That is not a pavlovian response anymore than it is a pavlovian response in my work at the fire department when I trust the brands of turnout gear and airpacks that have worked for me time and time again. Sometimes even going beyond the published specs. People in ANY demanding profession gain loyalty and trust from thier experiences. And if the product did not perform it would not be favored for long.

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:45:12 +0000

Olympus is the best value in DSLRs today. Several reviews have mentioned that Olympus offers a better value by packing more features for the same or, in most cases, less than the competition. Olympus has been praised for being easy for beginners while offering the full control and quality that professionals demand. Olympus also makes the smallest and lightest DSLRs on the market today, with the E-420 being the smallest.
Olympus offers picture quality comparable to any other manufacturer out there. It is true that the sensor, the four thirds system, is smaller than other DSLRs. It is also true that this technology was created with cooperation between Olympus and Kodak with support from Sigma, Sanyo, Panasonic, Leica, and Fuji. It’s not just one company, its an industry standard. Olympus also designed its digital Zuicko lenses to be digital from the ground, rather than adapt film lenses for digital use. The end result is a sharp, clear, crisp image with great color quality and clarity. Since Olympus cameras come with many shooting modes and live view, it’s easier to become familiar with the camera and learn the manual controls one by one until you are ready for full manual control.
I have used many different camera brands over the past 30 years, including Nikon, Fuji, Argus, Olympus and even Sanyo among others. I choose Olympus because the cameras are lighter and offer more features than the competition in the same class. On the entry level side, the Olympus E-420 offers many advanced features other entry level cameras, such as the Nikon D40, don’t have. My E-510 came with a nice 14-42mm lens that is the one of, if not the, lightest lens offered with a DSLR kit, and among the fastest to auto focus. And with the new prime 25mm lens, the E-420 has been compared in size to some compact cameras. The size and weight can become an issue when carrying a camera around all day. Look around Yahoo! Answers and you will find several people who upgraded to DSLR cameras now looking for a quality compact to use as their take along. All cite the size and weight of the DSLR as the main factor.
Since Olympus offers more for less money, you’ll find it easier t get all those extras that go along with a new camera. You can’t forget about the things you need such as memory cards, tripod, carry bag, extra battery, flash, etc. You don’t want to find yourself short, no matter what camera you decide to buy.
When buying a DSLR camera, most come bundled with a lens in a kit. Olympus offers auto focus on all the kit lenses, with the exception being the new prime 25mm lens. Some companies offer only manual focus lenses. It’s not a major issue. After all manual focus lenses tend to be lighter since they have no motor in them. However, many people moving to their first DSLR are looking for those little things that help them out and prefer auto focus lenses, at least to start. This is another reason Olympus is often considered a better buy, giving you more for your money.
Olympus also went with Image Stabilization (IS) in the camera body. This makes all lenses IS lenses, others such as Nikon and Canon offer IS only in additional and expensive lenses. Another feature you get along with the patented, and first, dust reduction system in DSLRs. In body IS has been proven to be as effective as the lens IS. The fact is that since Olympus uses a smaller sensor and in body IS works best with smaller sensors, it made sense to offer IS as a value added feature.
It’s also true that any DSLR you choose will be a quality product that serves you well for years. The main differences tend to be the features offered at a given price point and personal preference. Nikon and Canon have the largest share, with Olympus being the fastest growing brand. Sigma and Leica are known for their quality and the price shows.

By: Edwin

Edwin — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:45:07 +0000

Your decision depends, somewhat, on the camera you now use. If it belongs to you and you have a couple of lenses, then buy a DSLR body that can use those lenses. The only exceptions are the older Canon FD mount lenses (replaced my the EOS mount for Canon autoficus 35mm cameras), the older Minolta MC/MD mount lenses (replaced by the A-mount for Minolta Maxxum autofocus cameras) and the older Olympus OM mount lenses (Olympus DSLR cameras use the 4/3 mount).
If you don’t own a camera and lens then your selection is wide-open.
Don’t ignore Sony, Pentax and Olympus. While its true that many professional photographers use Nikon and Canon, any quality DSLR can be used for almost any professional photography. Try to decide which type of photography you want to pursue. Documentary, photojournalism, sports, fashion, portraiture, architecture, nature, scenics? Once you’ve narrowed your interests down, then begin to review brands that offer the lenses and other accessories you’ll need. Obviously, if you plan on sports photography then you’ll need access to fast, long zooms. Architecture? Look for a system with a tilt/shift lens.
Good luck!