There are a few good options..

Since you are new to digital photography with an SLR, you might want to look at the Nikon D40. Its a camera really targeted for beginners and it makes really good photos in the hands of newbies. Check out http://www.stunningnikon.com/picturetown.

However this camera is significantly under your budget. That is usually a good thing, but if you want a more professional camera, Nikon has so more advanced models like the D40x (or D80)..

You can also go with the Canon Digital Rebel 400D. Even with kit lens this camera is well under your budget, so you might want to get a better lens since you have the money, e.g. the 28-135mm f/4-5.6L IS lens..

THe Nikon D40x and the Canon 400D are pretty much comparable, you can go to a camera store, try them out and see which one you like better, and either way you get a great camera..

Then there are the lesser known brands:.

Pentax k100D and the Olympus Evolt 500, both of which are once again significantly under your budget but are great cameras with lots of professional features. Since you are a) a new dslr consumer and b) seem to have enough money not to worry about budget as a priority, might I suggest that it maybe advantageous for you to consider the more expensive Canon and Nikon systems. However, if you want to go into Pentax, I'd also look at the Pentax K10D which has weather-sealing, a nice feature!.

Anyway all these cameras are pretty good and all under your budget. The sad thing is I cannot really recommend the upgrades to these cameras because, along with a good lens they will exceed the budget you set out. In any case if you are a new user, it will take you a long time to outgrow these, I am still learning the features of my Canon 400D...

Moxi, Australia.

Hi there, this is as difficult to answer as the question for a lady "What should I wear???"..

First you have to state your intentions, o.k. you are an amateur but what will you mainly photograph? Do you intend to build up you equipment with more, and more lenses? I don't think there are any bad cameras around anymore, and as always you get what you pay for. The question of what make of camera could get a lot of confusing, exciting and emotional replys. My advice would be, work out what you want to do, how much you want to spend, look in the review section of dpreview make yourself a shortlist of 3 models and makes, then go into a photoshop and have a feel of those cameras. Go home sleep over it then buy. Don't get influenced by Camera salespersons they are as bad as Car salespersons wanting to sell you that "Thing" being in the showcase since...I hope some of my advice was helpful,cheers...

From your post, I assume you want a good general purpose camera with no special need for strength in any one area. Frankly, any name brand entry level DSLR will work well for you from an image quality and versatility point of view..

Select the one that feels the most comfortable in your hand, whose controls seem well placed and logical. Of course, try to find the best deal possible, but if the camera you like is a bit more expensive than a camera you are less impressed with, or you are told the camera you like isn't as 'good' as another camera, buy the camera you like..

A great camera that sits on the shelf because you are never fully comfortable with it is worth far less than an OK camera you enjoy using..

Check out the Olympus E410 or E510 2 lens kits. If you want to save money check out the Olympus E500 2 lens kit.Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos..http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington..

Remember, it's only a camera! Don't make the mistake so many beginners make, they get so wrapped up in researching cameras, OR in waiting till that 'new' camera comes out 'in just a couple of months' that they never actually BUY anything! (There will ALWAYS be a new model coming out in just a few months that will blow YOUR camera of choice out of the water!).

Buy something and start taking pictures! Like I said, it's only a camera..

Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos..http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington..

Take a look at the Sony A100. It is one of the most complete cameras in it's price range..

It supports all Sony and Minolta system autofocus lenes..

But the advice not to get bogged down on camera choices is good. You may not know what you want or need until you have used one for a while. Some of the high end Point&Shoots will do very well and can get into many of the same capabilites of a DSLR..

Ken - KM 5Dhttp://www.cascadephotoworks.com..

You won't go far wrong with any of them, so visit camera stores and ask to handle various DSLRs. Discover the ones you like to handle best (they have very different handling characteristics) and make a shortlist of three. Later, post your question again here and you will get more meaningful advice..

John.Please visit me at:http://www.pbase.com/johnfr/backtothebridgehttp://www.pbase.com/johnfr..

Glen Barrington wrote:.

Remember, it's only a camera! Don't make the mistake so manybeginners make, they get so wrapped up in researching cameras, ORin waiting till that 'new' camera comes out 'in just a couple ofmonths' that they never actually BUY anything! (There will ALWAYSbe a new model coming out in just a few months that will blow YOURcamera of choice out of the water!).

Buy something and start taking pictures! Like I said, it's only acamera..

This is great advice Glen (and advice I definitely need to take!). I was just telling my husband last night "I've spent more time on this (camera) purchase decision than I did on my last car purchase". I need to get off the fence and buy a camera so I can start taking pictures!Ann..

Offers by far the most camera for the money. Can be had for a little under $500 with the kit lens right now.Dave Lewis..

Thank you for all your replies! Your advices are very helpful, I appreciate every one of you. Thank you very much!.

Since I'm totally a newbie to SLR, I just need a reliable camera for general purpose, where I can start learning about this whole new thing... I guess either Canon or Nikon is the way to go....

Photography:http://benjasmine.deviantart.com/..

I'm new to the D200 and digital SLR photog. I took a full frame zoom flash pic of my son's face, who was at a very slight angle. One eye is in perfect focus (the close one) and the other is not. The camera was set on all defaults in the Program mode. Here's my question: with the level of complexity of the focus zone settings, how do you figure out why something doesn't turn out, like my photo? Was it that the aperture that was auto-selected created a very narrow depth of field, or was it something else, something related to the focus zone settings?.

Another related question: is there a way to test out the effects of manipulating these settings, such as shooting a certain object, like a type of colored chart or other object? It seems like random trial and error with everyday objects wouldn't be the most efficient way to learn these things..

Thanks for any advice. I am quite frustrated with this camera so far, and hope I didn't over-buy, but I wanted something I could grow in to..

Brifro..

Brifro wrote:.

I'm new to the D200 and digital SLR photog..

Is this your first DC? If not, what did you have before?.

I took a full framezoom flash pic of my son's face, who was at a very slight angle.One eye is in perfect focus (the close one) and the other is not..

Have you taken him to an opthomologist? .

The camera was set on all defaults in the Program mode. Here's myquestion: with the level of complexity of the focus zone settings,how do you figure out why something doesn't turn out, like myphoto?.

Well, you have to deduce what most likely caused the problem. From your description, it sounds as though the DOF was shallow..

Was it that the aperture that was auto-selected created avery narrow depth of field, or was it something else, somethingrelated to the focus zone settings?.

DOF, most likely..

Another related question: is there a way to test out the effectsof manipulating these settings, such as shooting a certain object,like a type of colored chart or other object? It seems like randomtrial and error with everyday objects wouldn't be the mostefficient way to learn these things..

I don't think you need to start "testing" the camera. Everything it does is predictable. You might be interested in Barnack:.

Http://www.stegmann.dk/mikkel/barnack/.

It can help you understand the relationships....

Thanks for any advice. I am quite frustrated with this camera sofar, and hope I didn't over-buy, but I wanted something I couldgrow in to..

It sounds like you need to sell that @#$% camera to me! I've been dreaming of a D200 for years... .

Charlie DavisNikon 5700 & Sony R1CATS #25PAS Scribe @ http://www.here-ugo.com/PAS_List.htmHomePage: http://www.1derful.info'I brake for pixels...'..

Maybe a nikon, but not the canon..

The canon kit lenses are not good. canon makes some outstanding lenses, but not at that level. one of their better lenses would blow almost your entire budget..

I understand the nikon kit lenses are ok. from what i've seen, the olympus 14-45 [and now the 14-42] have the best performance of the kit lenses available. it is very close to the more robust 14-54, and that in turn has similar performance characteristics to the leica 14-50 [although without the image stabilization].

The 40-150 has acceptable performance in it's sweet spotthis is the other oly kit lens [in a 2 lens kit]..

So, no matter what the body is or does, or how good it's performance, with a cruddy lens on it the photos will suffer. it's really that simple..

So, i'd be looking hard at olympus, especially the e-500 and e-330 kits, which can be found at fire sale prices right now. I just got a demo e-330 with the 2 kit lenses from cameta for $559. you'd save yourself a lot of money and have beginner/enthusiast gear that would be just fine for you right nowand maybe for a good long while. you'd have plenty extra cash left over for memory, a tripod, a bag, etc, and better PP software, too. or a decent printer if you shop well..

I've had great success with oly products, but I bought them for their value for money, not out of some mysterious belief in their superiority. canon makes the best sensors today without a doubt, but to get equal flexibility and quality you have to spend much more than on oly...

Either an Oly kit or a D40 with 18-70 and 70-300VRDon't wait for the Nikon D-whatever, have fun now!http://www.flickr.com/photos/j_wijnands/..

Ann,.

I would go with the Nikon D-40. Got my wife one a couple of weeks ago. She loves it. It's not heavy and when we do beach shoots here on the Florida panhandle, our friends, guests, and family love the results. Very easy to point and shoot too.Best, Tom..

Ic...so no Canon 350D or 400D...Thanks for valuable info!what about Sony? do they have good and cheap lens?http://benjasmine.deviantart.com/..

If you want to go with Canon, you can get the Canon 400D Digital Rebel XTI and don't buy the kit lens (although, the kit lens is a good value, so you might want to anyway!). And add on the 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 USM II lens for an additional $300, thats below $1000 total. Or get the 28-135 IS stabilized lens for just $100 more. Both these lens give amazing quality photos...

10 mp, IS, low noise, Dust removal, live view with 14 - 42mm lens (28 - 84mm 35mm equivalent) and 40 - 150mm lens (80 - 300 mm 35 mm equivalent)..

I found it on PriceGrabber.com, Its your call.Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos..http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington..

The body is stablized so you can start off with some very nice inexpensive lenses..

The Kit is acutally pretty good..

A common Way people with Sony's and the (long discontinued 5D) would start out on a budget is use the kit and add the Sigma 7-300 APO DG giving them good coverage from 18-300 mm in two lenses total cost $ at B&H is close to $920..

Here are some shots from both:.

KIT.

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Sigma 70-300 APO DG.

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Ken - KM 5Dhttp://www.cascadephotoworks.com..

Kit lens good value on Canon? Are we talking about the same 18-55?Don't wait for the Nikon D-whatever, have fun now!http://www.flickr.com/photos/j_wijnands/..

Oh it's not a great lens but remember it costs $70 so it's a decent lens for the price. Honestly I have been trying to get a copy of that lens for slightly under $70 but have been unsuccessful so far, that tells you that people who got the lens feel it's worth more than they paid for it..

Canon and Nikon have these middle range lenses that fall halfway between the top tier lenses that pros use and the kit lenses that range from mediocre to quite good. I have been using lenses such as the 50mm f/1.8 and the 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 with very good effect even though the first lens costs $50 and the second one about $280. Sometimes I am jealous of Nikon users because they get a decent 28-200mm lens for about $700 for which there is no comparable lens in the Canon lineup..

But anyway I just wanted to note that with the kind of budget around $1000 to $1200, you can get a really solid Canon or Nikon setup...

Nice shot on the boat in the water. Was that with the Sigma? I have been trying hard to use that lens successfully, and I am just about to post my results of a week long experimentation with it. If it's capable of shots like that I might have to eat my words. Or perhaps I have the dreaded "bad copy" Sigma..

To the OP, Sigma makes third party lenses for Canon, Nikon, Sigma and other mounts for less money (usually) than the original manufacturer. Sometimes you get really nice quality...

Yes that was the Sigma at F6.3 so nearly wide open at 300mm.

This is the same shot no PP 100% crop. (note the sunglasses detail).

Image control:Zoom outZoom 100%Zoom inExpand AllOpen in new window.

Ken - KM 5Dhttp://www.cascadephotoworks.com..

MWCT wrote:.

Oh it's not a great lens but remember it costs $70 so it's a decentlens for the price. Honestly I have been trying to get a copy ofthat lens for slightly under $70 but have been unsuccessful so far,that tells you that people who got the lens feel it's worth morethan they paid for it..

Well, I'll grant you, it's worth that $70. But it's also the worst kid lens I know of (haven't handled the oly enough to form an opinion though)Check photozone's review if you don't believe me..

Canon and Nikon have these middle range lenses that fall halfwaybetween the top tier lenses that pros use and the kit lenses thatrange from mediocre to quite good. I have been using lenses such asthe 50mm f/1.8 and the 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 with very good effecteven though the first lens costs $50 and the second one about $280.Sometimes I am jealous of Nikon users because they get a decent28-200mm lens for about $700 for which there is no comparable lensin the Canon lineup..

But you guys get lens motors in just about every lens. A 50mm is a good addition to anyone's kit..

But anyway I just wanted to note that with the kind of budgetaround $1000 to $1200, you can get a really solid Canon or Nikonsetup..

Yeah, just as long as you don't blow most of it on a body.Don't wait for the Nikon D-whatever, have fun now!http://www.flickr.com/photos/j_wijnands/..

There are several good D SLRs in the less expensive first time ones. A few that I reccomend are the Canon 400D - Nikon D40 and the Olympus E Volt 500. All take great pictures. It's more a matter of which one has the features you need and like. Read the tests of each one and try them out at a local camera store to get the look and feel of them to help you decide. Good Luck, Photoforum 1..

Thank you all! especially MWCT, Ken_5D, wijnands, Glen Barrington... Now at least I have some ideas...Thanks! .

My main purpose is:landscapeobject (architecture - interior, exterior)close upnight shot....

Portrait sometimes, but not often....

I have locked up my choice to (you are welcome to recommend other cameras, too):.

Canon 350D/400DNikon D40/D40xOlympus E-510/E-410Sony Alpha100.

Your advice? thanks!Benhttp://benjasmine.deviantart.com/..

The best thing for you to do now Ben, is to go to a local camera dealer and hold these cameras in your hand. Take a few practice snapshots. Play around with the menus and see if it makes sense where all the buttons are. All the cameras listed can take good pictures, and will do what you want, but one camera may feel better to you than another. Do this even if you plan on ordering your camera from an online store. And then go out and take some pictures.

Take more pictures...

Echo play with them and see which is most comfortable. I'd support Perntax, Sony or Olympus as their sensors are stabilised meaning longer non-tripod held shots possible. If upgrading from a point and shoot you might prefer one ultrazoom to avoid changing lenses often, the Tamron 18-250 for Pentax or Sony is said to be amazing. Also, remember that most slrs don't have live preview so you don't see the picture you are shooting on the LCD screen until after you['ve shot it - exception being the new Olympus 510 so I bet that will prove very popular with folks like yourself. Pentax is heavier and pricer than the SOny but waterprof, there is an identical but cheaper Samsong model. I've been happy with my Sony.

DOn't forget how bulky and heavy the stuff is if ugrading from a small camera - but lots more fun when you learn to use it...

No matter which dslr you buy..

Heavily consider the following. there are NEW DSLR owners' writing in all over these forums on this subject..

When changeing from a p&s to a dslr, there is a huge difference..

When you take p&s out of the box add a memory card and a fully charged battery you can now shoot and take very good pics..

BUT, you cannot do this with dslr. the camera HAS TO BE SETUP first. you have to adjust the contrast/saturation/sharpness/shooting modes(color style or whatever it is called) to your likes. if you don't it is quite likely you will disappointed with results. your p&s will likely outshoot the dslr..

To setup-you have shoot a test shot make ONE adjustment reshoot check pc screen readjust, until you are satisfied. and you do this with each of the adjustment types. then you have all the custom adjustments in the menu to check and if wanted change..

When done you can put the camera into AUTO or PROGRAM and get reasonably nice shots. I would advise at first staying with jpeg. as you learn about the camera and photography you can then go to the other shooting modes and try RAW if you wish..

Dslrs are made to see the shot through the optical viewfinder not through the lcd. this is true of almost all dslrs including the k10d. there was a thread.

Not to log ago about who would want a dslr with a preview lcd, al,most noone wanted one..

Dslrs and color..

If you mean heavy saturated colors then no dslr is going to do that. they are not made to give strongly saturated colors. they are made to give ACCURATE COLORS. not heavy saturated colors..

This is not the same thing at all. too many people who come from a p&s are very disappointed in th dslr colors, because they are not bright and saturated. this is because they are and have been using a p&s which has been giving them saturated and incorrect clors for so long that they think it is the right look. nothing could be further from the truth. the p&s colors are wrong, wrong. the camera manufactures know that the public buys high megapixel and heavy saturated colors and is what they make and sell to the public..

But the slr/dslr is a whole different world. for the dslr accuracy of the scene in terms of view and color is a religion rpt religion. you want accurate color that is what you are going to get with dslr. but they will not be the bright saturated colors of a p&s. ytou can with adjustments in the menus up the color is dslr, but it will not look the INACCURATE CARTOON COLOR of the p&s..

If you are wishing to buy a dslr for more and brighter color, save you money the p&s is what you want..

Not too long ago a new owner of a dslr was on these forums talking about the poor color of his new dslr. it seems as if he was shooting on an overcast day. many many people replying to him told him that cloudy day shots give the most accurate color, which they do. he couldn't believe and get over that idea. he also owned a p&S previously...

Except Samsung, Panasonic and Leica! And there's NOTHING wrong with them! Something tells me we didn't help all that much. LOL!Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos..http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington..

PHOTOFORUM 1 wrote:.

A few that I reccomend are the Canon 400D - Nikon D40 and theOlympus E Volt 500..

You recommend the E-500? A discontinued, obsolete model that only garnered luke warm reviews and has since been eclipsed by two vastly superior models (E410 & E-510)? Mind if I ask why?.

Http://anandtech.com/digitalcameras/showdoc.aspx?i=2896&p=1.

"If you want to see a mediocre viewfinder for comparison take a look at the Olympus E500 which makes the user feel like they are looking down a tunnel.".

Http://www .letsgodigital.org/en/camera/review/81/page_6.html.

"In my opinion, the viewfinder of the Olympus E-500 is simply too small...I am also a little less pleased with the start-up time. Yes, it is a great thing that the sensor is continually freed of dust, but the two second wait that is the result of this does eventually become a bore. It is something that can barely keep up with what is standard today.".

Http://www .cameralabs.com/reviews/OlympusE500.

"The view through any Digital SLR with a cropped sensor can appear quite small compared to a full-frame digital or 35mm film camera, but the E-500's appears even smaller still. It may deliver the typical 95% field of view, but thanks to the squarer 4:3 aspect ratio of it's sensor, the view appears narrower than other Digital SLRs. It really is like peering through a tunnel, although after a while you get used to it...the anti-dust process imposes a serious delay every time the camera powers up, the motorised manual focusing (and lack of anti-shake options) could seriously infuriate some photographers, the lack of detail when zooming during playback is disappointing, while the view through the viewfinder has to be one of the smallest from any digital SLR; it's also a missed opportunity not to automatically switch off the monitor when you go to compose a shot.".

Http://www.trustedreviews.com/...view/2006/03/31/Olympus-E-500-Digital-SLR/p2.

"It has to be said that the plastic body also means that it doesnt feel as solid and well made as some of it's competitors. In fact I would go as far as to say that in places the finish feels decidedly flimsy...and this is nowhere more noticeable than on the card and battery hatches. They are both very flimsy and could be a source of problems if roughly handled. The viewfinder is very small compared to other SLRs, and the information displayed beside it is poorly labelled and hard to read. Although there is an info button that displays shooting data on the main monitor, the lack of a separate data display is an annoyance. Just a display of the number of shots remaining would have been helpful."..

Benjasmine wrote:.

I have locked up my choice to:Canon 350D/400DNikon D40/D40xOlympus E-510/E-410Sony Alpha100.

So you've locked up your choice to ALL the smaller DSLR's on the market (except the popular Pentax K100D) but you're not sure if you want 6, 8 or 10 megapixles, lens or sensor-based image stabilization, a wide or narrow range of lenses, and finally a choice of expensive, breathtakingly expensive, or absurdly expensive lens prices. Glad the forum could help you, Ben!.

If the site search feature is down, you can always do an advanced search on Google for results from domain http://forums.dpreview.com..

Haha...sorry...i know I know...i guess the only way is to go to the stores and try out this week...i will post my experience later........

Http://benjasmine.deviantart.com/..

Dave163 wrote:.

Pentax is heavierand pricer than the SOny but waterprof,.

Not sure if the K10D is "water proof" but the weather sealing is nice, but from what I have read is not quite complete until you use weather sealed lenses..

Ken - KM 5Dhttp://www.cascadephotoworks.com..

There is nothing wrong with the E-500 especially right now it offers the best value for a first SLR if your on a tight budget ( two lens kit). I get sick of hearing about the start time. The sensor cleaning which is a unique and valuable tool takes 1.7 seconds. In other words you remove the camera from your bag, switch it on and by the time you remove the lens cap and raise it to your eye it is complete and your sensor is dust free. If you want to see what people who actuallly own and use the camera think of it check out the olympus SLR forum and don't necessarily hang your hat on what reviewers and people who have read too many reviews think. This goes for the other choices you are considering also..

I own the E-500 two lens kit and just purchased the E-510 two lens kit. Since your budget is $1,000- $1,200 the 510 w/ 2 lenses at $999 cerainly falls into your budget. For the record the the sensor cleaning start up time is even faster although I've never seen this as any sort of issue. The in body IS is why I ugraded. The focus is also faster, viewfinder brighter and high ISO noise performance better than the E-500. The E-510 also offers live view and 10 MP.

If you have trouble locating a store which has the E-510 on hand post a question in the oly SLR forum. Since they were just released the larger chains don't have them yet and the smaller camera stores are selling out fast...

Benjasmine wrote:.

Canon 350D/400DNikon D40/D40xOlympus E-510/E-410Sony Alpha100>>.

The benefit of the Olympus would be the possibility of live preview for framing and generally good (if expensive) lenses..

The benefit of the Nikons would be less post processing required and access to a big system of lenses etc..

The benefit of the Canons, good noise control and flash not so prone as the old Minolta based system on the Sony to inducing 'lazy-eye' (half shut eye) in susceptible people. Also access to a big system of accessories..

For your list of uses I think you should seriously consider the Sony Alpha 100. Image stabilisation is going to be an important factor and so is a decent sized viewfinder. It is also available at a good price right now as they look forward to bringing out new models..

John.Please visit me at:http://www.pbase.com/johnfr/backtothebridgehttp://www.pbase.com/johnfr..

Ok...so I went to Best Buy yesterday and Circuit City today....

Best Buy was very disappointing...only one Olympus E-500 works...the rest SLR cameras don't even have lens installed...some have broken LCD screen too...they don't have a lot of choices too...anyway...it was very horrible...i can't believe that's Best Buy...they don't have Pentax, no E410, E510....

And today I went to Circuit City...it was much better...all SLR have lens installed...however only few can be turned on...they don't have Pentax too...and they don't have E510....

After trying Nikon D40/D40x, Canon 350D/400D, Olympus E500/E410, Sony A100...I like Sony A100, Olympus E410 much more than the rest...especially Sony A100...one reason is that the hand grip feels very good in my hand...and the second reason is that when I was in Circuit City, A100 is the only camera that really works...because most of these cameras don't have memory card in them...Sony is the only camera in the store that allows you to take a picture and preview it...all though it can't be saved)...i also tested the IS feature...it works pretty well...all though it's not perfect yet....

Besides A100, I also like the E-410...the live view feature is very cool...i also like the view finder...and it feels pretty good in the hand too....

So far...haven't got a chance to try pentax yet...but I think Nikon and Canon are out of my list:Sony A100Olympus E-410/E-510.

What about Pentax? K10D/K100D.

Http://benjasmine.deviantart.com/..

Honestly, you can't go that wrong with any of the brands suggested. As to the Canons - and I am not a canon owner - you can buy a 400D(XTI) with a better lens either Canon or aftermarket for the budget that you mention..

Best advice is to consider two things, what do you want to use the camera for. You may not be ready to answer this question yet, but it is important. If you are interested in Birds and wildlife, then long lenses are important. Olympus is really coming on strong in this arena, not to mention the usual Canon and Nikon offerings. Like walking in crowds and taking pictures where a short Prime lens(one that has a single focal length) is a great asset, Pentax might be worth your interest. Macro, though expensive, Nikon and Canon have a myrid of options in this arena.



Second, how does it feel to you. Ergonomics is key to whether or not you like to use the camera. For example, when I bought my first DSLR, a Nikon D50, it was because the Rebel XT was too small for my hands. You may have small hands and the Olympus, Rebel or the D40 would be perfect. Try them out..

With that said, here are some thoughts on some of the more popular entry level cameras that I shared a little while ago with another person on the same question. Please remember that I am just pointing out some highlights. Also don't overlook Pentax or Olympus, they are really bringing to market some great cameras!.

Some of my Observations about the entry level cameras, since few offer this above:.

Nikon D40 - I am a Nikon guy and own both a D50 and a D200. The D40 is a cool camera, but it is crippled even compared to the competition. Particularly, it won't use many of the legacy lenses' AF and a large number Aftermarket lenses, thus they can only be focused manually. Still, it is Nikon with great build and some of the best Ergonomics. In my opinion, you would be better served - if you want to go Nikon - to find a D50... they can still be found new for about the same price or less than a D40..

Canon Rebel XTI(400) - Awesome camera for the $$$. Weakest kit lens of the bunch though. Better to buy a body and get a better lens. Cannon does have great lenses and better noise control at high ISO than most of the competition. That being said, it is only about a 1/2 stop difference in the newer cameras. It is not as much an issue as many want you to think.



Pentax- K100, K110, K10D. All great cameras. If you are going to step up a bit, get a K10D(or Nikon D80.) I believe that with the kit lense, this sucker is well below $1000 American. Great lenses, they have some very cool primes, awesome customer support..

Olympus. In another life(translated the 80's) I shot OM1,2 and 10 cameras and loved them! I almost went with Olympus except for the wide angle issue of the 4/3 system. Crop factor is 2x and while great for telephoto, leaves something to be desired at the wide end(to get 18mm WA, you need a 9mm lens). But as far as bang for the buck, the E410 sure looks hard to beat. Live view, option for Leica lenses and light weight, fast long lenses(35-100 f/2 for example), make it a great option as well..

Sony Alpha - I am not a big fan of this camera. It is significant, because it means that Sony is now playing in the DSLR world, but it felt to me like a warmed over Minolta. Ergonomics are big for me and they were just not there. I look forward to seeing what comes next, but for an entry level camera, the other four are all better. In fact, if you want a 10.2 MP Sony sensor camera, you are better off getting the Nikon D80 which has the same sensor, but - in my opinion - much better in the way of image quality.Rog..

If the olympus e-410 appeals to you please try to locate an e-510. It has the grip and IS. I have a bias toward olympus and own the E-510. In the end get a camera and enjoy it, it's just a means to an end ( creating photos)..

That being said I'm amazed and really excited about the E-510 and would love to see you at least check it out. Best Buy and circuit city don't have it yet. Smaller camera shops have it but are selling them out quickly. Check your local camera shops and you should be able to find one. Whatever you choose get what you like and enjoy using it. Good Luck...

Will someone please sell me the Canon 18-55mm kit lens? I'll pay $60 for a used copy and the full $70 for a new unused copy  I'm going to agree with everyone that this is a cr*ppy lens just so I can get my hands on one and verify for myself if it really is that cr*ppy. (I actually don't know if it is cr*ppy or not, but I am willing for $70 to test it out!)..

Benjasmine wrote:.

After trying Nikon D40/D40x, Canon 350D/400D, Olympus E500/E410,Sony A100...I like Sony A100, Olympus E410 much more than therest...especially Sony A100...one reason is that the hand gripfeels very good in my hand...and the second reason is that when iwas in Circuit City, A100 is the only camera that reallyworks...because most of these cameras don't have memory card inthem...Sony is the only camera in the store that allows you to takea picture and preview it.

You CAN preview on both the Nikon and Canon models w/out a memory card...you need to go into the menu, there is an item called "no card" - change this from locked to unlocked and then you can take & preview the pics w/out a card...

Actually, I didn't say it was crappy, but alas I know no one who has it and I know a lot of Canon shooters, sorry! In all fairness, Nikon has a lens that is in a few kits at the big chain stores, the 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G has a rep that is quite deserved....

The point being, if someone is going to buy their first DSLR, they buy it with a Kit lens most of the time and it would be good if they don't get soured because the lens makes the whole camera perform poorly. As the saying goes, forwarned is for armed..

Rog..

If at all possible, go to a camera store! The big box stores are not going to give you any sort of fair comparison. Even if you end up buying from them, test the cameras at place that can give you a better look side by side..

Even a Ritz store is an improvement over Best Buy or Circuit City... Most Stores I have delt with really try to help out new users..

By the way, if you liked the Alpha, give the Pentax K10D a feel, to me, though configured quite differently, it had a similar type feel as I had when I tested the Alpha..

Good Luck.Rog..

I don't know what Maxwell Smart has against the E-500, but I have one and it is an excellent little camera and one of the best deals around for anyone looking to buy their first DSLR on a budget..

Interestingly, most of the reviewers Mr. Smart quoted seem to agree! In the interest of balance, I have added in some of the positive comments from those reviews, which are below in black. My own opinion:.

The E-500 is not the perfect camera, but for a beginning user who might rarely use manual focus, the small viewfinder issue is overblown. The startup time can be shortened by opting to skip the opening dust-buster animation. The build is not cheap, unless you are comparing it to a much more expensive camera. I've dropped it on the ground and shot in light rain and snow with it, and I have never had a problem..

E-500 problems that may actually be relevant are: the predictive autofocus is not all that fast, and there are only 3 AF points which are spaced close together. Although I have used the E-500 primarily for fast action, with good results, I have the feeling that the equivalent Canon and Nikon offerings might be quite a bit faster. I am happy with Olympus anyway because of the dustbuster, which really works, the out-of-camera colors, and the beautiful mid-price lenses..

If I were buying my first DSLR today, my first choice would be the E-510, mainly because of the supposedly faster AF and the convenience of in-body IS. If I were on a tight budget, though, I would definitely consider the E-500 kit, even today..

And now to counterbalance some of the negative things that have been said about the E-500:.

Maxwell Smart wrote:.

Http://anandtech.com/digitalcameras/showdoc.aspx?i=2896&p=1"If you want to see a mediocre viewfinder for comparison take alook at the Olympus E500 which makes the user feel like they arelooking down a bla bla bla bla bla.".

I couldn't find any comments about the E-500 in this review, not even the one quoted above?!?!?!?!.

Http://www .letsgodigital.org/en/camera/review/81/page_6.html"In my opinion, the viewfinder of the Olympus E-500 is simply toosmall...I am also a little less pleased with the start-up time.Yes, it is a great thing that the sensor is continually freed ofdust, but bla bla bla bla bla".

Positive comments from this review:.

"The Olympus E-500 is very well designed indeed. It is a wonderfully compact camera, in to which has obviously gone a considerable amount of thought. It lies nicely in your hand and is easily operated. The camera's ergonomics are truly superb, something you will immediately notice upon taking the camera in your hands for the first time. A genuine example for the other models!".

"Overall, I can only conclude that with the E-500 Olympus has introduced a very strong product. For it's price-range, it offers the user a remarkable amount of options: plenty of special functions, fantastic image quality and an ergonomically very well thought out design. Naturally, it has a few minor flaws but in my opinion it is one of the best cameras, if not the very best, in it's class. Truly recommended!".

Http://www .cameralabs.com/reviews/OlympusE500"The view through any Digital SLR with a cropped sensor can appearquite small compared to a full-frame digital or 35mm film camera,but the E-500's appears even smaller still bla bla bla bla bla.".

This review was indeed lukewarm overall, but even so the reviewer made these comments:.

After mentioning some negatives:.

" ....But it must be said that the overall image quality is very good, the affordable twin lens bundle will cover most eventualities, while that short delay at startup ensures you'll rarely if ever worry about dustand that's something the 350D/Rebel XT and it's rivals can only dream of. ".

And.

"....while certain aspects of it's operation have prevented us from awarding our highest rating, the E-500 comfortably remains a Recommended camera with plenty going for it.".

Http://www.trustedreviews.com/...view/2006/03/31/Olympus-E-500-Digital-SLR/p2"It has to be said that the plastic body also means that it doesnftfeel as solid and well made as some of it's competitors. In fact Iwould go as far as to say that bla bla bla bla bla.".

Funny that Maxwell Smart would consider this paragraph representative of the whole review, when the author assigned the following scores to the E-500:.

Features9/10Image Quality10/10Value9/10Overall9/10.

Some quotes from the article:.

"Although the E-500 is designed for the keen amateur rather than the professional photographer, Olympus hasn't skimped on the features or performance. The camera starts up almost instantly, and has a very fast buffer-to-card write time.".

"In terms of picture quality, the E-500 is exceptionally good, providing crisp clear photos in virtually all conditions. Colour rendition from the TruePic TURBO image processor is as close to perfect as itfs possible to get for under 600, and contrast, detail and sharpness are as good as anything else in it's class.".

"Other than those points though, the E-500 is a great little camera, and the perfect choice for a first digital SLR for anyone thinking of taking the plunge.".

"It is a very well designed camera, combining excellent picture quality, outstanding performance and lots of creative versatility, while still maintaining beginner-friendly simplicity and easy handling. It is a genuine pleasure to use, and produces superb results. If you're looking for a good SLR for under 600 with a lens, then it should definitely be on your shortlist.".

So now you know ... the rest of the story.  .

Julie..

Full featured for the price and the SSS (Super Steady Shot) in-body image stabilization is wonderful. Any lens, new or old, Sony or non-Sony that you mount on the body instantly becomes stabilized. Chosen best entry level DSLR:.

Http://www.popphoto.com/...as/4241/editors-choice-2007-entry-level-dslrs.html.

Henry Richardsonhttp://www.bakubo.com..

Don't forget to factor in the cost of accessories, like a tripod, bag, memory cards, filters, spare batteries, etc...

Thank you Henry! I really appreciate it. and thanks alienshards for your advice about accessories..

And thanks everyone here for your advices. I really really appreciate all of you. Without you guys, I don't think I would be able to make a decision like this. You guys really helped! Thanks!.

I bought Sony A100 and 18-70mm kit lens on Dell.com today. It's $679.15+tax=$735.18, free 3-5 days shipping, which I think is a very good deal. It's already shipped! I will post my first pictures here when I get it..

I actually found that quest4cameras.com is even cheaper...only $632.00+tax+shipping...but I still decided to buy it on Dell.com, because I would rather trust Dell on buying a $700 product. Dell's deal is good enough..

I actually was waiting for E510 to show up in the local stores, so I can make a decision between A100 and E510. But I changed my mind, like Glen said earlier, "it's only a camera. Buy something and start taking pictures." Summer is here, don't wanna miss my chance to take pictures with an SLR..

I know A100 is not perfect. It has it's disadvantages. But I'm just a beginner. This camera will work great for me. Here's what I like about A100:- comfortable hand grip- easy to use menu (IMO...)- built-in IS- large capacity battery.

- user friendly (IMO. for example, lcd backlight turns off while you are use viewfiner)-acceptable size and weight....

Other SLRs may have these features too, but A100 worth it's price. Also, Sony's future SLRs will definately be better and better, I'm looking forward to upgrade my A100 a few years later, when I learned everything about A100..

Again, thanks everyone! I'll post my first pictures when the A100 is delivered....

Photography: http://benjasmine.deviantart.com/..

The are all very good..

Try a couple. If it feels good in your hands, and looks intuitive when it comes to the menu ect ect, it probably will suit your needs for a long time. Nikon D40 is very cheap, but gives wonderful images. Pentax K100D, Canon 400D, or Canon 30D, or Nikon D80.You cant go wrong..

Http://home.c2i.net/gunnar-bye.

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Benjasmine wrote:.

Thank you Henry! I really appreciate it. and thanks alienshards foryour advice about accessories..

You are welcome and I hope you are able to start getting many wonderful photos. My wife has taken over mine and although she is a complete beginner and just in her first week of using it she has already made many nice photos. She loves it!.

Until she learns more about the technical aspects of photography I have it set like this to make it simple for her:.

- fine jpeg- P mode- SSS on- auto ISO on- DRO+ on- auto white balance.

So far she is thrilled and it makes me happy to see her so happy when she is using it! In fact, she has gotten a bit sneaky and unbeknownst to me she took my photo:.

Http://forums.dpreview.com/...forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=23861478.

Henry Richardsonhttp://www.bakubo.com..

I just took delivery of a new E-330 with the two kit lenses I bought direct from Olympus via ebay. It cost me $ 520.00, a very good price IMO for a very nice camera. Just getting used to it but I like it very much. I have two other DSLRs, a Nikon D50 and a Sigma SD9. The Nikon would make an excellent beginner DSLR. The Sigma SD9 is no longer made but the new Sigma SD14 is available but out of the price range of the OP.



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I've been to a few local camera stores and some commercial stores and I am still undecided..

Can anyone give a 35mm slr user some digital camera suggestions for shooting the following:.

1. People/portrait (outdoors)2. wildlife3. landscape4. sports.

These are in order of priority..

I've looked at the 30d, 5d, Pentax 10K, Nikon 80D, Olympus E something. I'm looking for something that can withstand humidity and dust fairly well. I live on a farm/ranch...