Thread: Recommendations on a good digital SLR?

I'd like to replace my old 35mm SLR with a digital SLR or a digital that you can swap out lenses possibly.

Any recommendations? Something in the $200 - $500 range would be good.

something new @ < 500 might be tough...you could probably find a Canon Digital Rebel XT for that easily though, in fact my friend has one for sale

I'm looking for a recomendation on one too, probably be wanting to get a body and lens kit as it's my first DSLR (got about £600 to spend...so about $1200)

Originally Posted by tsdesigns

I'm looking for a recomendation on one too, probably be wanting to get a body and lens kit as it's my first DSLR (got about £600 to spend...so about $1200)

I tell you what, if you want top shelf, get the body that I have

http://reviews.pricegrabber.com/digital/m/49850061/

I can wholeheartedly vouch for buydig.com...though shipping to your local might be a little more $$


that is a great starter lens combo too, 28(wide angle)-135(mid telephoto)...you can cover a lot of ground with that plus it has IS (image stabilization).

IF, you're not gung-ho...hardcore like me, the XTi is a great body and then that would afford you more $$ for a couple of different lenses.

any place near you where you can go put your hands on some gear? See what feels best...Nikon's are just as good too IMO

There is somewhere near I can, but I don't think the place i've got in mind will have specific cameras if I go in looking for a certain model or anything.

Originally Posted by tsdesigns

There is somewhere near I can, but I don't think the place i've got in mind will have specific cameras if I go in looking for a certain model or anything.

that's a start, just see what they have.

if it's your first DSLR the Canon 40D might be overkill but like I said it all depends how serious you are about photography.

If you already have a good selection of lenses, I would stick with a model of your brand.

If not, I would recommend that you look at those with fixed non-interchangeable lenses instead. The reason being that advances are happening so fast that it may be best to stick with a cheaper camera for the moment. Morover, I heard that if you get dirt onto the CCD sensors while changing lenses, it could become a real nightmare.

I have 8 lenses for the Canon EOS system but I bought a Powershot fixed lense SLR instead.

Originally Posted by zxpro168

If you already have a good selection of lenses, I would stick with a model of your brand.

If not, I would recommend that you look at those with fixed non-interchangeable lenses instead. The reason being that advances are happening so fast that it may be best to stick with a cheaper camera for the moment. Morover, I heard that if you get dirt onto the CCD sensors while changing lenses, it could become a real nightmare.

I have 8 lenses for the Canon EOS system but I bought a Powershot fixed lense SLR instead.

that's very true on the lenses but I didn't figure that applied here...good point nevertheless.

do tell...advances?

dust is a PITA for sure but like the 40D has an auto dust cleaning mechanism as does the XTi, even then it's not out of the question to perform the operation yourself. If you are careful dust can be avoided and I don't see in this case that TS will be changing lenses all the time...he'd probably have the 1 lens to start and that should hold him for a long while I would think.

I don't think i'd be changing lenses much, if at all for a good while...it's not often I have this kind of money to spend on something...

My choices would be from the Canon Rebel line or Nikon's D100 or D40 (on up). And as Tim hinted towards... the more serious you anticipate getting into photography... the more you will want to spend. Otherwise, you will not be happy with anything cheaper.

I would also suggest... visit a local camera store for some hands on experience with them. You will want to get a feel for things such as lag time... The sale ads you see don't really tell you about those things. The time between pushing the button and it actually recording an image could mean the difference between getting or missing your picture.

Originally Posted by scoopy82

My choices would be from the Canon Rebel line or Nikon's D100 or D40 (on up). And as Tim hinted towards... the more serious you anticipate getting into photography... the more you will want to spend. Otherwise, you will not be happy with anything cheaper.

I would also suggest... visit a local camera store for some hands on experience with them. You will want to get a feel for things such as lag time... The sale ads you see don't really tell you about those things. The time between pushing the button and it actually recording an image could mean the difference between getting or missing your picture.

true that on the shutter lag...which the absolute worst thing with a fixed lens camera...that might be different from the $800 ones but anything without a mirror and shutter in my experience is slow!

Thanks

I'm sure i'll be able to find a good one that I like to buy. Probably wait till the summer to get it though, when my money comes through.

Great suggestions! Thanks.

I'll stop over at National Camera Exchange. Maybe they'll give me a few bucks for my old, beloved 35mm camera and I'll test out some of the new digital SLRs. I'm still not ready to spend $1200 for one though.

I have decided to get a Canon 450D (Rebel XSI). However, it is out of stock until the end of this month. In the meantime, I have bought a EF-S 17-55mm F2.8 IS Lens for that camera body.

However, that would mean that some of my current lenses would not be that practical for the new camera e.g. 28-135 IS. However, since these lenses are quite old anyway, it is possible that they do not have the rear element coating required to perform well in a digital body.

I bought my Lumix camera at beachcamera dot com a few years back, and got a great deal & good service. A quick search on their site brings up a digital slr for under $500:

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with EF-S 18-55mm Kit (Silver) - EOS 350D |BeachCamera.com

You can't go wrong with Canon IMHO...

Originally Posted by zxpro168

I have decided to get a Canon 450D (Rebel XSI). However, it is out of stock until the end of this month. In the meantime, I have bought a EF-S 17-55mm F2.8 IS Lens for that camera body.

However, that would mean that some of my current lenses would not be that practical for the new camera e.g. 28-135 IS. However, since these lenses are quite old anyway, it is possible that they do not have the rear element coating required to perform well in a digital body.

seems weird to me that a focal length that small has IS

but it is very handy, I can get down to 1/15 usually with my 24-105/4

Originally Posted by felit0

You can't go wrong with Canon IMHO...

I hear that