In the past 6 months I have gotten into photography and am really enjoying it and recently I decided I wanted to buy a higher quality DSLR camera because right now I’m just using and older FujiFilm FinePix S.
So I’m basically looking for something that comes with a 18-55 mm lens and is under $600 and a telephoto lens something like a 75-300 mm for $300 or under. My budget is limited unfortunately but I may be able to go a little over.
I’m not sure if this matters but I like taking pictures of landscapes,nature and wildlife but I also take pictures of just about everything those are just my main focuses.
If you want the no-brainers, go to your camera shop and ask for the Canon or Nikon in that price range.
If you want to live on the fringe a bit, Sony is making some really neat cameras right now that have a “pass-through” mirror… can’t remember what they call it offhand, but it means that the mirror element doesn’t need to flip out of the way when you take a shot. Opens up some theoretically better options for combatting blur, as well as having an always-on live mode.
I personally shoot a Canon T3i. The T5i should still be in that range and uses a touch-screen interface. I really like mine, but I probably would have been just as fine with the mid-range Nikon at the time, the d5100. I think the latest generation is the D5200, but I haven’t stayed on top of it.
18-55mm covers most range.
I would advise against a telephoto unless you feel that it is very, very crucial.
Considering that whether you get Nikon or Canon in the range, it’ll be cropped frame and lenses will shoot more zoomed in anyway.
If you’re ready to make a jump, I would actually save up a little more and go towards something like a Canon 7D or Nikon D7000. Or its updated equivalents.
I shoot with a D7000 and I will say that I shoot majority on a 50mm 1.8.
The 105mm I have an amazing lens but used solely for macro and sports/concerts.
Once you start shooting prime, you will not want to go back to zoom lenses.
Thanks to Greg I’ll have a little post here too. I have a Sony Alpha 350. For me (not exactly an expert) this thing is a treat. It does indeed have a mirror flip between LCD display and viewfinder, has really good rapid shot modes, a 14.something MPixel CCD and really good lens accessories. It’ll probably come close to your budget, but I’m not sure what they currently run at. The only thing that isn’t so brilliant is the white balance process (at least this is what reviews tell me). The Sony Alpha series stacks up well supposedly with the Nikon type varieties. The other thing that I love is that I’ve had this camera ever since it was first released, like 4 years or so, and have no problem with battery life or any other ‘redundancy’ one so often encouters in technology of this age. Having said all of that I don’t have the experience of someone like Snafu, but based on this camera I wouldn’t retreat to Nikon or Canon in the future unless there were extreme benefits.
I agree with most of what is said here! But I’d say lean towards a 60d or 70d or nikon d90 or d7000 and wait on a 7d just because that is a more advanced camera if you are new to DSLRs it is a lot of camera (although it is one of my favorites. But still its way more camera then a beginner DSLR user needs and shooting it in green box mode is such a waste!).
But nick is spot in once you learn to use a prime you’ll not want to go back to a zoom unless you are shooting nature or something that really requires a zoom (but even then a prime is the bees knees 8) ).
The 50 1.8 is a great lens but for just a little more I’d look at the 40mm pancake lens it is 100x the lens the 50 1.8 is we are talking near L quality sharpness on that 40mm pancake.
It is in a league far beyond the 50mm plus if you are planning on doing video work the canon 40mm 2.8 has the stm motor in it and that was specifically designed for video work and focuses very silently and doesn’t interfere with video nearly as bad as the 50 1.8 or others will.
Nick are you interested in upgrading to a d7100? I have one that I’d like to get out of I love the 7d so much that I’m ready to go back. It’s awesome but I’m just much if a Nikon guy.
That agains heavily on your subject matter of choice, I’d not likely want an 18-55 or 18-105 at the zoo or if I was shooting birds. But if I’m filming yoyoers or doing general walk around lenses then I’d choice the 18-55 or 105.
Also telephotos have a great place in architecture if you are wanting to capture the best features of a building the. Implying its bigness or just want a small abstract close up.
To say telephotos aren’t much use in daily photography is slightly shortsighted, it just depends on desired results honestly.
Sony has really come along way with their DSLR bodies in the last 5-6 years and especially in the last 2-3 things have moved extremely fast but that Sony alpha you have is a great camera, and white balance can be fixed in post so even that’s truly not a big deal .
Snafu, I was actually trying to say that telephoto lenses ARE useful and it’s not silly for the original poster to want one. Especially considering they want to do landscapes. I was just giving a nod to the fact that not everyone needs one; but I think this poster could use one!
unless you are shooting nature or something that really requires a zoom (but even then a prime is the bees knees 8) ).
