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OK, I am moving up from my old Olympus C-3020(circa 2002)and looking at digital SLR's....hard at a Nikon D5000. From what I have read here and other online sources it seems Nikon can do no wrong, but Olympus and Canon are also making a good product. I used to be into film SLR photography on a fairly serious basis years ago--I had a Minolta-- and back then Nikon ruled the roost. They were also the most expensive.
My question is this:
Who else makes a good digital SLR in the same price range and feature offerings as the D3000? I can get a kit on Adorama w/a 18-55MM lens for just under $747.00, and this is the most I want to spend.
Canon and Nikon rule the DSLR world, you should focus your search between the two. Hate to open this topic too wide- it is all about the glass. The lens you are looking at will have its shortcomings, mostly in low light and sunset type applications- it'll force the camera to tweak up the ISO's and that will result in noisier (grainier) pictures. Not bad, just want you to experience a big improvement with the new camera. I,too, was a big film guy. I had Canon's, a Hasselblad, a Linhoff, and a TLR Yashica. I sold them all, didn't want to see the digital revolution gobble them all up while I was on the fence on buying a digital SLR.. Eventually bought a Canon 5D, and bought the body three times in lenses- it hurt, but could see the difference big time. The best investment in this deal? A book, 'The Digital Photography Book' by Scott Kelby. Straight to the point, the book is laid out in cartegories and is has many quick and dirty tricks for both the Canon and Nikon cameras. It helped me decide which feature is a gimick and which features I will really use, it'll help you spend your money wisely to get the best for your money, as these things depreciate like mad, unlike your film camera.. I even use it for my wife's point and shoot.. That deal on Adorama is a pretty standard deal, it is a common package, like the D60 package. I chose Canon as I could save on the lens prices and the Canon L series lenses use the same glass as the Nikon pro-grade lenses, I simply could get more of the pro stuff with Canon, and afford a full frame body. Not affiliated with the book, just recognize the big bucks you are spending, want you to get what is relavent to how you shoot- don't you ever feel bad for the guest that comes out on your boat that brings his favorite trout rod along?? Or his dad's 8/0 with the wood butt rod?
Go and see how they feel in your hands.
My family has always been a Nikon family but when I went to get my DSLR, I didn't like the way the Nikon felt in my hands. I ended up getting a comparable Canon instead.
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You can get a refurb D300 for 1100-1200 maybe less now that the D300s is out. Cameta Camera online, Oh yeah read the reviews at Ken Rockwell.com and he loves the D40 but all DSLRS have thier place, it depends upon what you want to shoot. If you follow his set-up recomendations you will get some really good images. Keep us posted!!
I prefer Nikon but with either Nikon or Canon you can always find good used lenses reasonable. Don't get the 18-55 lens, 18-70 is a much better lens and you will be much happier with the results, even if you have to pay more for it.
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Here's where I get all my camera stuff. Great prices and they back their products to the hilt! Just about everything that uses a lens. http://www.huntsphotoandvideo.com/
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My question is this:
Who else makes a good digital SLR in the same price range and feature offerings as the D3000? I can get a kit on ... w/a 18-55MM lens for just under $747.00, and this is the most I want to spend.
That said, Nikon and Canon are as others here have observed the big kids in the playground. But, Pentax and Olympus should not necessarily be ignored. Pentax makes fine products and Olympus, while their four-thirds system is not widely used, makes camera noted for their compact size but full range of features.
That said, Nikon and Canon are as others here have observed the big kids in the playground. But, Pentax and Olympus should not necessarily be ignored. Pentax makes fine products and Olympus, while their four-thirds system is not widely used, makes camera noted for their compact size but full range of features.
Cannon and Nikon seem to be the two big names, and offer the fullest lines of DSLRS.
However, Penntax, Sony, Olympus all also sell quality SLR cameras.
I've been casually shopping and really wanted a the Nikon D60. However, when I went to the store and tried to use it, I personaly just did not like it. I was suprised when I liked the Penntax and the Sony models. I think I'm going to hold off until the holidays and hope for a big sale.
Here's where I get all my camera stuff. Great prices and they back their products to the hilt! Just about everything that uses a lens. http://www.huntsphotoandvideo.com/
hey Jay, i buy there too. they usually have pretty good sales a few times a year. looks like there's a show coming up at the end of Oct.
That said, Nikon and Canon are as others here have observed the big kids in the playground. But, Pentax and Olympus should not necessarily be ignored. Pentax makes fine products and Olympus, while their four-thirds system is not widely used, makes camera noted for their compact size but full range of features.
That was the price on the D5000. I was looking at both the D3000 & D5000, and had a mind-fart on my original post.
Thanks to all for the feedback to this point. I went to a Best Buy here in town and looked at the Nikon and Canon. Both feel good in my hands, but it's still a toss-up. Nikon seems to be the better camera, but now I am second-guessing myself on how advanced the one I buy needs to be. As I mentioned, I used to shoot a 35MM film SLR in my younger days, but just kinda lost interest. I won't shoot as seriously as I did then, but would like the versatility of something that functions a little beyond the basic level. Also, I am not loving the price points on the D5000(most kits with a 18-55 and a 55-200MM lens are in the mid to upper 800's. I am considering the Nikon D3000 seriously....I must have had that in my mind on a subliminal level when I made the original post, hence the referral to the D3000. From what I have read, the D3000 has most of the features of the D5000, without the adjustable screen and better resolution. I am not sure the screen, the additional 2.1 MP, and few other features on the D5000 are worth the extra $ in my particular case.
That said, Nikon and Canon are as others here have observed the big kids in the playground. But, Pentax and Olympus should not necessarily be ignored. Pentax makes fine products and Olympus, while their four-thirds system is not widely used, makes camera noted for their compact size but full range of features.
Its not a DSLR but close. Office Depot has the Cannon Powershot SX10 w/20x optical zoom on sale for $350 plus coupons are always around. I may be picking one up to replace my aging and beaten Konica Minolta Dimage Z2 whcih has been a great point and shoot camera.
now I am second-guessing myself on how advanced the one I buy needs to be.
There are some fine options below the SLR level. Canon's G11 comes to mind, just to pick one, and others here have suggested other, sometimes less expensive, options too.
IMO buying a digicam is like buying Microsoft Office. There are too many options and even when you decide which flavor of Office, you get Word & Excel. They each have a thousand variables. You'll use six and I'll use six, but they might not be the same six, so they put in as many as they can. The trick is to know which you need and which you want and then try to find a solution that offers as many as possible in a reasonably priced reasonably sized package.
I will say one thing in favor of SLRs over all point-n-shoot options. Shutter lag, the delay between when you push the button and when the camera takes the picture is A LOT shorter with almost any SLR than with almost any other digicam. Depending on what & how you shoot, that's sometimes the tipping point.
I've been doing some research and i've found that this is one of the highest quality lenses around, and at a great price. I would also be a great starter lens, you lose a little on the wide end, but gain some length for portraits: http://www.huntsphotoandvideo.com/de...acturer=Tamron
I still struggle with choosing the right lens/lenses. You have to determine what exactly you're going to shoot and buy accordingly. I shoot a little bit of everything, so I have to have a bunch of lenses, no way around it. You can save money and find used stuff at www.keh.com, and just buy one at a time. Avoid the "all-in-one" zooms, they seem like the best choice, but you lose image quality by having such a long range. But again, it depends on what you're shooting. For snapshots, the kits and zooms are fine.
Update 11/4/09. Just ordered a D3000 from Adorama. I just couldn't justify the extra $$$ for the D5000, being that it's more for fun and not serious photography. http://www.adorama.com/INKD3000KA.html?searchinfo=D3000
Thanks for all the advice, and look for some new pics of the boat to show up soon.
ANOTHER digital camera thread.......
