What SLR camera ?

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I-ll probably end up buying 2 or 3 Slrs :). Then decide within 1 week which one is for me:).
Pentax Kx ..mmm
 
I rarely use live view, occassionally use it with a tripod (which I rarely use either).

Ditto the video on the D90 is a bit pointless as there is no autofocus on it..



Ade

I strongly believe that HD video on SLR is ok , but not a must. If you want HD video, buy a camcorder. Am i right ? :)
 
If you want HD video, buy a camcorder. Am i right ? :)

I don't have a DSLR capable of video (1dmkIII for example) but seeing some results I think they are better than anything but pro gear. My argument would be the lenses you can use - any lens made for the camera will fit which will give you everything from closeup macro shots to 800mm telephoto shots. Add to this you can get some amazing bokeh with f2.8 or lower lenses and its a good tool in the right hands (double entendre not intended :) )
 
have you tried Ken Rockwell's site (kenrockwell.com) he has his critics but for us amateurs it's good reading.

Just a thought.
 
I strongly believe that HD video on SLR is ok , but not a must. If you want HD video, buy a camcorder. Am i right ? :)

The recent series finale of the TV show "House" was shot entirely on a Canon EOS 5D mkII !
 
have you tried Ken Rockwell's site (kenrockwell.com) he has his critics but for us amateurs it's good reading.

Just a thought.

Now, that site is MAGIC! Read 2 reviews so far and it looks a bit better for me :). Thanks again. Im thinking of making a £10 donation to the guy. I think he deserves that, right ? :)
 
Went to Jessops and was told that Pentax lenses have some strange issues. Cant find anything online related to this statement. Any idea why the told me that ? Brand freak ? :D

Yes : sour grapes !

Pentax dumped Jessops a year or so back when they were in dire financial straits ( Jessops that is , not Pentax ) and were closing stores left , right and centre .

Pentax pulled all unsold stock back out of Jessops - hence bad feeling . Be wary of buying anything from Jessops as their future is far from certain !

In view of the budget you mentioned , do consider the Pentax K7 . Very high build quality , excellent weather sealing and superb image quality . I personally rate it very highly and am saving pennies for one .

Most dealers are selling it with kit lens for around £1K but some are discounting it -

This store are offering both new and used examples

www.ffordes.com

Besides Pentax lenses , there are also 3rd party lens manufacturers who make high quality optics for all makes of SLR - people like Sigma (EX range) and Tamron (SP) .
 
Right. Sony SLRs are off the list, as well Panasonic( not too many lenses on the market) Nikon D90 and Canon 550D on the let. Pentax KX looks ok .

Decided on lenses 18-200 VR or IS.
 
Yes : sour grapes !

Pentax dumped Jessops a year or so back when they were in dire financial straits ( Jessops that is , not Pentax ) and were closing stores left , right and centre .

Pentax pulled all unsold stock back out of Jessops - hence bad feeling . Be wary of buying anything from Jessops as their future is far from certain !

In view of the budget you mentioned , do consider the Pentax K7 . Very high build quality , excellent weather sealing and superb image quality . I personally rate it very highly and am saving pennies for one .

Most dealers are selling it with kit lens for around £1K but some are discounting it -

This store are offering both new and used examples

www.ffordes.com

Besides Pentax lenses , there are also 3rd party lens manufacturers who make high quality optics for all makes of SLR - people like Sigma (EX range) and Tamron (SP) .


Had some issues with Jessops 2 years ago. Bought a Canon Ixus Compact and had problems with the charger, Called Canon and was told to go back to the shop to have a new one. Jessops refused to replace it in the 1st instance and after few days i got it. That camera got lost after 1 month.
So no, Jessops wont get any money from me.
Amazon ? Camera store ?
 
Personally, I buy all my gear from:
Warehouse Express - Digital Camera, Digital SLR Cameras, Lens, Canon, Nikon
Simply because they are fantastic, have never missed a beat, and I get a discount for being a member of another forum.

Jessops I stopped touching with a bargepole when they tried selling me some expired Kodak Elite Chrome (my favorite film back in the day), and then again when they fell out with Pentax....

M.
 
They seem to be ok. Found better pricing in London shops . Hows that possible ? Not a huge difference tho' :)
 
Ken Rockwell is Nikon fanboy du jour, though he has some pretty nice tips and tweaks that would apply no matter what camera you choose. I've got a D90 with an 18-200VR and it's pretty much all I'll ever need. I chose Nikon because I had lenses left over from my film days so it was the logical choice. The defining factor in image quality is the lens. Bodies, especially with digital come and go.

No matter what you get, go for the latest model. It will invariably be better, pack more features, even at a lower price point than an older model that might be higher-up in the model range. Compare KenR's review of the D90 vs D300.

I came to the conclusion that at the same price point, there's very little to differentiate in terms of image quality between Nikon and Canon. Pentax and Sony are also very capable. I can say with confidence that you won't be disappointed with any dslr you get within your budget, especially as you're upgrading from compacts. Go with what feels nicer to handle, and don't get caught-up too much in what the label says.
 
They seem to be ok. Found better pricing in London shops . Hows that possible ? Not a huge difference tho' :)

If you contact them with a better price, they tend to match it...

It may be because at my previous employer I was responsible for sending several grand a month their way... but I've never had an issue with them... If anything ever arrived in a condition I didn't like (or in one case, we got 20 Canon Ixus cameras I just didn't like) they just took it back, without any quibbles (and let us keep the 20 soccer balls that came with the cameras :p).

I'm no photography pro; but I can vouch for warehouse express. They used to do special offers for Digital camera reviews, photography techniques, photography gallery and photography forums members too...
M.
 
I agree with the comments posted previously regarding the top brands. Any of them would be fine - just pick the one that feels right for you. I'm an amateur photographer who has used Nikon equipment for over 35 years. I just like the way Nikon cameras operate and the quality of their lenses, but I can understand perfectly why another person would choose Canon, Pentax etc.

In recent years I've retreated from using 'pro' level kit to a D90 with the 18-200VR lens. Not a perfect setup, but a pretty effective combination for almost anything an amateur is likely to want to shoot.

Enjoy whatever it is you finally select!
 
Something people rarely consider is the 'life expectation' of the camera in terms of shutter actuations. If you are buying secondhand or new, have a clear idea of how much use you expect to make of the camera.

Typically a 3 Digit camera (500 or 550D) from Canon or Nikon will have a life expectancy of approx 50,000 shutter actuations before refurbishment. A 2 digit will have 100,000 and a 1 series will have between 200,000 and 300,000. You might think that a lot but if you are shooting sports/action or or other high speed activity where lots of burst shots are typical - that volume can be used in a year or two. This is one of the reasons high cost bodies appear on eBay etc.

Having said that, you can have a new shutter fitted to a 1DMk11N for example for about £200 - which makes for a very inexpensive professional body ......... ;)

But as has been said before, the real issue is never the body - it 'is' all about the glass. If you go Canon always invest in 'L' glass - it will last for years and very much determines the quality of your images.
 
I have always been a Canon user, however I sold it all when I went over the Leica a few years back.
Then bought a cheap 350D for a wedding we were going to abroad, as I was asked to take the pics, wanted something for the evening to shoot in low light, this is where Leica falls down.
So bought a 350D for £150 and a 28mm f/1.8 lens for £350, superb set up and highly recommend it. I was worried it wasn't going to be up to the job, but did itself proud.

However when we swapped our Panasonic LX3 I bought a D5000 and have been really happy with that too. That is my wifes really, tried a G1 and wanted to love it, but still noisy at higher isos.
Nikon always used to have a crap lens selection compared with Canon, but they are pretty good now. I prefer a nice fast prime as I like taking pics of people, especially in low light situations, and I hate using a flash, even good ones can ruin the image as you loose the natural lighting.

I would say the most important thing is the lens, I would rather get a half decent used camera and two lenses that I really like. Depends what you want to shoot I guess.
 
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Something people rarely consider is the 'life expectation' of the camera in terms of shutter actuations. If you are buying secondhand or new, have a clear idea of how much use you expect to make of the camera.

Typically a 3 Digit camera (500 or 550D) from Canon or Nikon will have a life expectancy of approx 50,000 shutter actuations before refurbishment. A 2 digit will have 100,000 and a 1 series will have between 200,000 and 300,000. You might think that a lot but if you are shooting sports/action or or other high speed activity where lots of burst shots are typical - that volume can be used in a year or two. This is one of the reasons high cost bodies appear on eBay etc.

Having said that, you can have a new shutter fitted to a 1DMk11N for example for about £200 - which makes for a very inexpensive professional body ......... ;)

But as has been said before, the real issue is never the body - it 'is' all about the glass. If you go Canon always invest in 'L' glass - it will last for years and very much determines the quality of your images.



Now thats a great advice. Never thought of that. Im asking you kindly to suggest some good lens for 550d . Thanks
 

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