UKC

Hi

I know there are many good photographers out there who use UKC, maybe you can offer some advice please.
My wife wants a Digital SLR for Christmas but I have no idea where to start.
She is very much novice but keen to expand. My Budget is £350 max
I have seen many cameras within budget on t'internet but personal recomendation is always good
thanks in advance

In reply to Ybot Htulk:

Have a browse through the forum. There are loads of threads on this subject. People tend to recommend what they've got. " I've got a Penkon EOF 9D and it's great blah de blah...."

Basically cameras at that price point are all pretty much of a sameness. They all have their good and bad points but they all do the job well.

Also look at "mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras", Sort of DSLR's without the mirror. In that price range you want to look at Micro 4/3, Panasonic or Olympus. Sony NEX is good, but a bit up market. I do think the MILC systems are the future for amateur systems.

Maybe if you have a look at a few good deals and get back to see what the masses think?

In reply to Ybot Htulk:

Pentax K30. Semi-pro body at budget price. It is weather sealed (and you can get kit lenses which are weather sealed as well).

Has two dials rather than 1 on most dslr at this price point and is generally a far better camera than the equiv prices nikon/canon.

There is a £50 cashback until mid - january. Buy from somewhere like SRS Microsystems to get a two year warranty (and they were giving a free aftermarket battery as well - dont know if they still do that)

It will work with any Pentax-K fit lens from the last 30 years - manual and autofocus (or various other things via adapters).

Frankly unbeatable at teh moment unless you go used.

In reply to Ybot Htulk:

If I was starting again I'd be buying into Nikon (currently Canon).

At sub £350, the Nikon choice is simple: D3100 with kit lens. Job done.

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-nikon-d3100-digital-slr-with-18-55mm-vr-...

In reply to Ybot Htulk: Aggree with Chrisjd, the Nikon D310 is a great little camera.

In reply to Ybot Htulk:

K30 wipes the floor with that Nikon. Suggest you try them in a shop - the K30 is a much more robust (not cheap plasticy) body and has way better performance in poor light.

In reply to Ybot Htulk: I tend to like Canon just because they're the most popular make which means there's a bigger and easier to acquire range of accessories available. The reality is that any make of SLR camera is going to be capable of more than you know how to get out of it for quite a while.

In reply to Ybot Htulk: I use a Lumix g2, and I like not everyone does.
The tip i would give though is don't just supprise her with a camera, take her to the shop to play with them, there will probably be 1 that she will pick up and instantly like and on the same token there could well be one she will pick up and really not like. for no reason other than it doesn't sit right in her hand ot something like that.

In reply to another_mark:

Please leave the Fan-Boy approach at home! We get you like Pentax.

In reply to ChrisJD:

Pot Kettle....

In reply to JDal:

I suggested Nikon - I'm a Canon user!

My point was, its good to give opinions about camera strengths, but not by slagging off another camera, as in "K30 wipes the floor with that Nikon.". That's being a a fan-boy

In reply to ChrisJD:

I agree entirely, and only 2 posts on this thread have done that.

Back on topic, the OP needs to say what his wife's main usage is going to be or whether there are any particular requirements, if there are no special use or requirements then he may as well pick the one with the best money off offer.

In reply to JDal:


That's why I just said buy the Nikon, saves a lot of worrying/fretting. You know as well as me that they would be pleased with 'any' of the entry level offerings, so I just chose one for them to cut to the chase

In reply to ChrisJD:

So really no reason why the Nikon would be a good choice then? Or how it might differ from other options? Just that it would be your choice? Peace of mind by buying the entry level from the big names?

OPs budget will get him a weather sealed body and lens with two control dials and an almost 100% pentaprism viewfinder.
Built in image stabilisation.
Pentax, Samsung, Tamron and Sigma all make lenses for the K mount so there is no shortage of lenses.
The only downsides are slightly low power battery and no external microphone.

Frankly the weatherproofing, excellent viewfinder and the twin control dials make it a no-brainer at this price point. If you don't appreciate those features then stick with your choice.

In reply to another_mark:

We were are asked for advice, I gave it. It's my choice - as asked for. It differs from yours, accept it.

I wouldn't consider buying a Pentax, so it's not a no-brainer for me. Given the sales of all the other non-Penatx brands, it's not a no brainer for all those other people as well.

And yes, clearly we are all mis-guided fools.

In reply to another_mark:


No, don't get that. Why does having two control dials matter?

T.

In reply to another_mark:

A much less confrontational way to express your choice might have been.

--------
I had a good look at all the alternatives and bought the Peantax K-30 based on the following strengths:

- Weather sealed body and lens
- Body with two control dials
- Almost 100% pentaprism viewfinder.
- Built in image stabilisation.
- Good range of k-lenses from Pentax, Samsung, Tamron and Sigma

The downsides include:

- Slightly low power battery
- No external microphone

--------------------
See how that has minimal fan-boyism?


------------------

My list for the Nikon would have been simplier:

- I like the feel of Nikons and would enjoy taking photos with it
- Its a Nikon (extremely shallow, but true)

----------------

The second point is me wanting to be a Nikon fan-boy, but stuck with loads of Canon kit, lol.

...

So sad. You probably listened to a Canon fan-boy.

You should have got an Oly. Job done.

In reply to JDal:

When I bought into DSLRs & lenses (2001?), there was only one real choice: Canon

In reply to ChrisJD:
Did you miss the smiley?

I see what you mean though, from the dreaded Ken Rockwell's Nikon DSLR history
"... 15 June, 1999: Nikon announces the D1, the world's first practical DSLR. It is the first practical DSLR because it's the first DSLR with good enough image quality for print (2.7 MP), fast enough (4.5 FPS) and priced low enough ($5,000) and functional enough to be sensible to use daily as a primary camera... "
$5000 for 2.5 meg priced low enough? Streuth. It rather puts the quality of current kit in perspective.

In reply to JDal:

I did see the smiley - sorry, I don't intend to seem brash

Yep, we've have never had it so good!

I paid £1100 for my first DSLR and I can't bring myself to say what the next one cost (but its still going 8 years later)....

In reply to ChrisJD:

Forgot i put this thread up!

Thanks, it was actually coming to a toss up between the Nikon D3100 and the Cannon EOS 1100. The latter being £40 cheaper helps.
I used to use an old pentax slr twenty odd years ago and used to develop my own film etc but lot my interest in photography a long time ago. My wife is just getting into it but i know nothing about digital photography so feel a bit lost.
They both look like entry level SLR cameras. May as well save the £40?

In reply to Ybot Htulk:

I'd save the £40 and get a flash off Ebay. Hours of fun can be had with a manual flash.

In reply to Ybot Htulk:

It is amazing you can pick up the 1100D with lens for Sub £300 on Amazon, and the D3100 for just a bit more.

I'm sure either will be an equally great present.

If she wants to try video, the 1100D does 720p versus the Nikon at 1080P.

There are also quite a few comparisons on Google "canon 1100d vs nikon d3100"

Does it have to be a new camera?

There are plenty of barely used cameras for sale if you have a look around.
Lots of people seem to buy a DSLR and then don't use it so flog it on ebay etc.
MPB photographic (other vendors are available!) sell 2nd hand stuff with an accurate description of the condition of each item and have a good reputation with the people I know... and you would potentially be looking at a much better camera for your money.

FWIW I'm a Canon user, simply because when I took an evening class at the local college the kit they had was canon, so borrowing lenses etc was a lot easier for me than the Nikon group.

In reply to ChrisJD:

If 2nd hand is an option, Harrisons are very reputable:

http://www.harrisoncameras.net/productlist.kmod?categoryid=915

In reply to Ybot Htulk: just got a nikon 3200 with kit lens....24mp !!
its small, light and v easy to use. currently £399 but you get £45 refunded by nikon, onto your card @ jessops - online deal only but pick up in shop within 30 mins !! wierd but works. you really cant go wrong.