You are really going to have to hold all of these cameras in your hand to decide which one fits your hand the best..

If you really want to learn more about cameras and become a good photographer, you should go a little more upscale, so you don't want to replace the camera too soon. In other words, it is cheaper to get a camera you can grow into then it is to replce it two or three times until you get a camera you are comfortable with.That being said, I like Nikon. YMMV.

TigerLord wrote:.

Hi all of you !.

First let me say I am very excited about joining here. I've beenreading reviews, articles and posts all day, just about everywhere !.

I started taking a huge interest in photography about a year ago,where my girlfriend and I went into a studio to have pictures takenof us, mostly portraits and erotic. The photographer is the fatherof a good friend, and I think he makes beautiful pictures. Iespecially liked his pregnancy/newborn pictures. I'm a med studentand I started my clinical immersion a few months ago. I absolutelylove kids and babies, and I've asked to be put onto eitherpediatrics, OBG-YN, maternal/fetal or neo-natal surgery services. Isee babies a lot, and I also see some skilled fathers takingpictures all day..

So, that's the background info. I've been following some of youguy's work and it is absolutely amazing, and I'd really like tostart getting into it more seriously. When I have the time I getout with my humble Powershot S500, but I feel I'm being limited.Sometimes, for example, when wanting to do macros, it's just a painand rarely turns out right. I've owned compacts all my life, but Ireally want to get into SLR..

I know there is no better way to learn than to get your camera andshoot all day. But I'd like to get a good camera - nothing toofancy with all the bell and whistles. I've set myself somethingaround 600$US. I bought some books and read some websites about howlighting, exposure, lens, ISO and other settings affect yourphotos, how HDR works, etc etc. I still lag a little behind, butI'm slowly getting there..

Looking around, I found that either the Nikon D40, Pentax K100D orRebel XT would be good choices for a first SLR. I wasn't sure ifmaybe getting the EOS 400D (a notch higher) would be a good ideaseeing how it's gonna be my first SLR..

Between those three, what do you recommend to the most?.

Thanks a lot !Francis.

Chris, Broussard, LA..

I do not have any of the cameras you listed, but I do have a Nikon D50 and a Sigma SD9, FWIW..

A co-worker recently bought the Pentax K100. I think it is a tremendous value. You can get it at buydig.com for less than $500.00 with the kit lens. It's got built-in image-stabilization which is a plus, something the Nikon doesn't have. Also, the Nikon limits your lens choices because it does not have an internal auto-focus motor like the ret of the cameras do so you'll have to use the more expensive lenses that have thier own motors. Not a bad thing if you can afford them..

All of the cameras you noted will give you fine photos. You will be buying into a system, you have to determine which of the three you want..

My humble photo gallery: http://ntotrr.smugmug.com.

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

You know what? Many people around have suggested that if I do have the budget (which I do) I should go right ahead and buy the D80 like I wanted to. Supposedly, it comes with a good, sharp lens, and event hough it'll do more than I am capable of at first, it's a fine camera I'll be able to grow nicely in !.

What you guys think?..

You can leave it on "P" or "Auto,", and slowly learn about the other exposure optons at your pace. It is a better built camera than the D40/x, it is more inline with a standard SLR/DSLR size...

You won't be disapointed. it is a fine DSLR that will give you many years of photographic learning..

'Well, Good Luck With That' (SpongeBob SquarePants).

Peter .

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

Enjoy your photography images, even if your wife doesn't ! ;-(http://laurence-photography.com/http://www.pbase.com/peterarbib/Cameras in profile...

Great, thanks for the fast replies !.

I was going to order those books from Amazon, but before I pressed PLACE ORDER, I thought I'd ask if any of you nice people had suggestions, sort of must-own books that I should absolutely read?.

Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera.

Http://www.amazon.co.uk/...8415-8239607?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE.

BetterPhoto Guide to Digital Photography (Amphoto Guide Series) (Amphoto Guide Series).

Http://www.amazon.co.uk/...8415-8239607?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE.

The Betterphoto Guide to Digital Nature Photography (Better Photo Guide to).

Http://www.amazon.co.uk/...8415-8239607?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE.

Anything else you suggest before I press the Place Order button?.

Thanks !..

I have a web page on Buying a DSLR:http://digitalphotographyclass.net/page/buyingSLR.htm.

It goes into all the considerations especially the choice of lenses. I think the Rebel XT or XTi would be the better choice with more lens options.Judy HowleSouthern Exposureshttp://southern-exposures.net.

Digital Photo Class - Info, Tips, techinques, Photoshop tutorialshttp://digitalphotographyclass.net..

I found your page on buying a digital slr interesting. You should rename it though ...buying CANON dslrs. it would be very good if it was rewritten to be far less biased to Canon. (eg in lense stabilisation is more effective...by what test? the subtle comparison of the much more expensive Nikon ultrawide zoom to the canon etc). You could have for instance if you were not biased used other examples ...eg pointing out that with some other brands you can buy a camera and lense that will be stabilised for LESS than the cost of the IS mechanism alone in one lense..

You talk about the Canon IS lenses but neglect to point out that for cameras with in body stabilisation ALL lenses will be stabilised and thus cheaper to buy...isn't that an important consideration?.

The truth is any dslr on the market today will be good. Some will be better at certain things..

Anybody wanting to buy a dslr should be encouraged to try ANY that they can get their hands to see whats right for THEM...not the person providing the advice. By all means point out your preferences but the way you have done it makes it seem it's wrong to buy Oly or Nikon.....

Sorry if this seems harsh, but you have some very good points and what could be a very usefull article on helping newcomers turns into a subtle Canon advert..

Neil..

I'm new to this, and just choosing my first dSLR, but don't the Pentax cameras offer more lens options anyway? After all, they are nearly completely backward compatible with all K series lenses made in the last 20 years or something..

Also, would a modern canon be compatible with my lenses from my AE-1?~Mark..

All Canon DSLRs use either the Canon EF mount shared with their current 35mm cameras, or the EF-S mount that uses either EF lenses, or EF-S lenses...

The pentax k100d and k10d are compatible with the current lenses, of course. but they are also backwards compatible with 24MILLION prior pentax lenses and they all work to varying degrees. with pentax you have lenses coming out of your ears...

Thats what I thought about the Pentax, I really wasn't sure about my Canon, but it's not a big deal. I was just responding to Judy's statement about Canon offering more lens options..

The truth is I really don't like the feel or shutter sound of the entry level Canons, I just thought I'd check if my beautiful prime lenses would work. (I only have two; 50 and 135mm. Their just my dad's hand-me-downs.~Mark..

I went into a shop today and tried the Rebel XT, the D40X and the D80 in my hands...I haven't started reading any of the 8 books I ordered yet, and I'm hooked to the D80 already - that thing is SEXY ! And it feels so good in my hand, compared to the XT !.

What's a good starter lens to buy to learn with that baby? I hope I can't wait til July when my exams are over before I buy it - otherwise I'll be out shooting anything I can..

Oh and - I looked at the 4GB SD Card. What's an acceptable speed (in MB/s) ?

If you're looking at the D80 , be sure to try out a K10D before you decideThe K10D has image stabilisation built into the body so it will work with all lenses , even 20 and 30 year old manual K mount or even older screw mount ones ..

Please remember that the quality of your lenses directly affects the quality of the pictures you take - Pentax glass has always been amongst the finest on the planet , the current Limited series lenses being very highly acclaimedAlthough the other big manufacturers also have very good lenses , it is only really with Pentax that you have the ready availability of really good lenses at rock bottom prices on the secondhand market - because you can go right back to the earliest K mount lenses and still use them ..

I'll admit to being biased in favour of Pentax , having been using their products continuously for the last 30+ yearsI still have all my Pentax cameras collected over that period and they are all still in good working order ..

At the end of the day , the choice is yours - what might be right for me might not be right for youThink of the uses you are likely to put your camera to , given your profession there may be accessories you might require further down the line available as part of one manufacturer's system but not another's ....With kind regards.

Derek...

Sigma also manufactures lenses in Pentax mount. And then there's Tokina which is in partnership with Pentax in lens development. Plenty of choices with Pentax.My humble photo gallery: http://ntotrr.smugmug.com..

The D80 is nice alright. If you have the cash, why not? I don't have any Nikon lenses that I use with my D50. I use a couple of Tokina lenses, the 28-80mm f2.8 AT-X mostly, as well as a Sigma 17-35mm EX. I'm very happy with the Tokina and Sigma lenses..

Rather than a 4 GB card, I suggest getting two 2 GB cards. My opinion is to not put all your eggs in one basket. If you have one card and it fails, you're out of luck. If you have two, there's always a spare.My humble photo gallery: http://ntotrr.smugmug.com..

Judy Howle wrote:.

It goes into all the considerations especially the choice oflenses. I think the Rebel XT or XTi would be the better choicewith more lens options..

Yes the Canon lens range is larger. It has to be to provide IS and non-IS options so theres some duplication there. Also keep in mind that a large number of those lenses, (EF-S), won't work on the entire range of bodies..

Some camera systems don't need to provide IS and non-IS version of lenses so their line ups are naturally smaller..

Bazz...

I agree with you fully Neil. The links given to us by Judy were excellent, but I too wondered why Canon featured so heavily..

As you point out, there are many excellent DSLR's and for that matter P & S digital cameras..

Dave..

The K100D is the most "upscale" of the beginner DSLR's. It is easy to handle and is also quite capable for an advanced user.You can use the past 30 years of K mount glass. Pentax limited primes are as good as they get and the prices are quite reasonable. High ISO performance is the best for an APS DSLR. The Anti Shake is a great feature. It also has a top panel LCD which the D40 and XT lack...

TigerLord wrote:.

I went into a shop today and tried the Rebel XT, the D40X and theD80 in my hands...I haven't started reading any of the 8 books Iordered yet, and I'm hooked to the D80 already - that thing is SEXY! And it feels so good in my hand, compared to the XT !.

Yes, I know what you mean. The XT cameras are all bad feeling to me and many people...a very common comment. The D40/X is very small!.

But I hope you realize that changing your approach from the baby dSLR to a mid-dSLR opens up pandora's box! If you consider the D80, why not the equivalent Canon and Pentax? As somebody else rightly mentioned, the K10D is quite a value! And to me it feels better than the D80..

What's a good starter lens to buy to learn with that baby?.

It depends on WHAT you want to take pix of! Flowers, you need a macro. Portraits, you need a 105mm prime. Landscapes, you need a WA. Birds, you need a life...er, telephoto. Race cars, you need a FAST, long lens. You gotta give us more info!.

Lacking that, get the "kit" lens until you learn more..

Oh and - I looked at the 4GB SD Card. What's an acceptable speed(in MB/s) ? .

Fast is good..

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

Hmm, well, I have the XTi and the K100D and have used the D40 a bit. Pretty close, all of them. If resolution is your thing, then the Canon is obvious, but it comes at a considerably higher price. The first two come along about $200 cheaper. When you're talking about a 500- 800 camera range a couple hundred is a lot..

I think the kit lenses on the Nikon and Pentax are a little better than the one on the Canon. The Pentax is probably the best of the bunch. I have two of them and think they are quite good. I've had three of the Canon ones and the first one that came with the Rebel D was spectacular. The Nikon D40 I played with for an afternoon had a very nice, very quick and quiet focusing kit lens..

Pretty hard to make a choice, I would say. Probably the best system is the Canon, for readily available lenses. The Nikon is limited to newer lenses with focusing motors. The Pentax has a wealth of lenses made for it, but the demand much out distances the supply..

What would I do, probably go with the XTi. I will tell you, though, that I like my Pentaxes better for most everything, but not enough better to discount the really superior total Canon package..

The Nikon is just fine, but lenses are going to cost you a bunch.Dave Lewis..

Yep, I love my K100D, but it surely isn't as upscale as the Canon Rebel XTi. Your contention that a top LCD is an advantage, surely ignores the absolutely wonderful rear LCD menu of the XTi, which turns off when you put the camera up to your eye. It is very easy to read even in bright light and tells you everything you need to know. I see it as a distinct advantage, actually one of the reasons I bought the XTi.Dave Lewis..

I did a side-by-side comparison with XtI and D80 (which have a 100$ MSRP difference... today, the gap can be as small as 50$ for body alone) and every (oor almost) single user review praise the D80, while many Rebel XTi admit not liking the feel of it..

The biggest complaint for Nikon is their lenses. Are 3rd party lenses bad? There is no point buying lenses that are as expansive as the camera at first before I really master techniques and such. It'll be my first SLR..

And what is 'fast' for SD memory cards???..

Generally I think anything over 60x is considered fast, preferably 120x and up..

Anyone know approximate speeds of SDHC cards? The change from x speeds to MB/s makes things all screwy.~Mark..

The XTi is better than the XT in that regard but is more in the K10D market. The D40 still makes you look through the viewfinder...

Yes, really putting the XTi in a direct comparison with the K100D and the D40 is not at all in the same range, price wise or feature wise. To me the latter two are straight up comparisons with very similar features and equal prices. If you argue those two alone, then the Pentax is the winner because of the built in image stabilization and kit lens that might have the edge, but a small one. The Nikon has a lure that is hard to put your finger on, though.Dave Lewis..

Check out the K10D. Except for flash control, I would much prefer the K10D...

Hi, and welcome to DPr.Most DSLRs can yield good results..

The K100 has in-body Anti Shake.With the Nikon or Canon systems, you need to buy more expensive IS or VR lenses..

You should also know that the kit zoom lenses from C&N generally are not held very high, and many are without metal mount. But a VR zoom lens for Nikon would probably be good. This is the expensive part of the system; even if you buy a cheap Canon or Nikon, you have to buy stabilisation in the lenses to have it. On a general note, remember that the quality of lenses you use, has a lot to do with the final result..

Many do not feel to happy about the Nikon D40, since it doesnt have a motor in the camera, so it cannot use any of the ordinary lenses out there. It will be hard to couple it with a cheaper fast prime..

Here are two discussions about it :http://forums.dpreview.com/...forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=22535949.

Http://forums.dpreview.com/...ums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&thread=22505197.

You also ask into the Pentax K10..

I would say that the Nikon D80 is a very good camera. But it is below the K10 weathersealed Pentax. With the K10, you also get an anti dust function.The K10 can shoot JPEG till the card is empty, and up to 12 RAW images in a row.The Eos 400D can shoot continuous 3 fps up to 27 JPEG / 10 RAW frames.The D80 can shoot 23 JPEG/ 6 RAW frames continuous..

The Eos 400D only has pentamirror Viewfinder, instead of Pentaprism like the D80 or K10..

But generally all the cameras that you have mentioned (K100, K10, D80, Eos 400D) are good, so you cant go all wrong..

The D80 is a very good offering, and it matters a lot that you like the feel. It has great VF, and is a good overall camera. The flash system for Nikon, and the offering in lens line-up for the D80, is also very good. I would recommend it over the Eos 400D..

People are generally satisfied with the VF of the K100, and overall it is a good package. Pentax use little in-camera noise reduction, so you dont loose detail or rendering. And the K100 can be used up to Iso 3200. And you can buy used prime lenses, bidding starting at a few bucks and up, on Ebay that will work on it..

The Pentax 18-55 has been named the best kit lens made.Here are some images from the kit lens :http://forums.dpreview.com/...t.asp?forum=1036&thread=21184189&page=1.

Macro/close up shots with the kit lens :http://forums.dpreview.com/...forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=22630556.

DA 50-200 (tele kit lens)http://forums.dpreview.com/...ums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&thread=22580103.

Http://forums.dpreview.com/...orum=1036&message=23380795&changemode=1.

Http://forums.dpreview.com/...ms/readflat.asp?forum=1036&message=22512473.

And here are some JPEG images :http://forums.dpreview.com/...t.asp?forum=1036&thread=21291866&page=1.

It seems that youre leaning towards the Nikon D80, and that would be a very good choice; and a camera that you can grow into. You should do yourself the favour of trying the Pentax K100 and K10 though..

Weatherproof lenses are soon to be released in the Pentax system, and with the sealed K10, you can use the camera also in harsh conditions..

Tamron also makes lenses for Pentax, but spoil yourself and try out some primes down the road, to see what the fuzz of Pentax glass is all about..

If you go with the D80, know that youve made a great choice, and dont look back. Go and have fun with your camera. Lens availability for the D80 should be good; you can also use third party..

Kind regardsSune.

The K10D not only proves that Pentax belongs in the big league, it's an all-star player. Popular Photography & Imaging and American Photo. Jan 07.

(Pentax SLR Talk FAQ)http://forums.dpreview.com/...ms/readflat.asp?forum=1036&message=23190592..

Photo quality is close enough. Some reviews pick the K10D. Others pick the D80. The D80 will have better flash control. The K10D has AS and weather seals. Both are great but the K10D is at least the equal and lower in price...

I have decided to go with the K10D ... it,s a little cheaper and Pentak just has a lot more lens opportunities !.

I've been reading a lot, I just loved Understand Exposure... it's so well written, I know fully understand what ISO, Shutter speed and Aperture affect photography and their effects..

I was also surprised to learn that some compact P&S can pull of nice pictures... I always thought they were aimed for grandmas and grandpas, and that all pro only every used SLR cameras. Looks like after the K10D I'll need some good P&S for special occasions..

I was also surprised to read often that Tripods are NECESSITY for the sharpest possible picture, and an ABSOLUTE necessity in low light situations. This explains a lot... so far I have listed what I need to buy for with my first purchase:.

- K10D- Carbon fiber Tripod- 2x 2GB SD cards- Polaris filter- Shoulder bag- Good 18mm-200mm lens.

I think that will already yield me a good 2000$ with taxes if not more. I see no need for macro lens yet, since I don,t think I'm experienced enough. Besides, a good 18mm-200m lens will allow me some good playroom to learn, according to what I have read..

Are Temron lens good? They are cheaper than Pentak lenses and I heard they were good..

Any comments on my purchase list?..

TigerLord wrote:.

I have decided to go with the K10D ... it,s a little cheaper andPentak just has a lot more lens opportunities !.

I've been reading a lot, I just loved Understand Exposure... it'sso well written, I know fully understand what ISO, Shutter speedand Aperture affect photography and their effects..

I was also surprised to learn that some compact P&S can pull ofnice pictures... I always thought they were aimed for grandmas andgrandpas, and that all pro only every used SLR cameras. Looks likeafter the K10D I'll need some good P&S for special occasions..

I was also surprised to read often that Tripods are NECESSITY forthe sharpest possible picture, and an ABSOLUTE necessity in lowlight situations. This explains a lot... so far I have listed whatI need to buy for with my first purchase:.

- K10D- Carbon fiber Tripod- 2x 2GB SD cards- Polaris filter- Shoulder bag- Good 18mm-200mm lens.

I think that will already yield me a good 2000$ with taxes if notmore. I see no need for macro lens yet, since I don,t think I'mexperienced enough. Besides, a good 18mm-200m lens will allow mesome good playroom to learn, according to what I have read..

Are Temron lens good? They are cheaper than Pentak lenses and Iheard they were good..

Any comments on my purchase list?.

Hi TigerLord.

You will enjoy the K10D. It'll be a long time before your photographic skills outgrow that camera. If I were in your position though, I would consider a combination of the kit lens (18-55) and the excellent Pentax 50-200 which will probably give you results superior to the Tamron (or any other) 18-200. The only advantage of one of those very wide-range zooms is convenience - the avoidance of lens-changing. Optically the results will not be so good. If that is a compromise you are prepared to make, then maybe you are spending too much on the camera body, and would be as well off with the K100D.

(Although the K100D also will give better results with the two lenses - it's a great camera in it's own right.)timhttp://www.pbase.com/timotheus..

TigerLord wrote:.

The biggest complaint for Nikon is their lenses. Are 3rd partylenses bad? There is no point buying lenses that are as expansiveas the camera at first before I really master techniques and such.It'll be my first SLR..

What is the complaint about Nikon lenses? I think that Nikon glass is the best in the industry. There are a lot of good 3rd party lenses for Nikon also..

Http://rogerd.smugmug.com..

TigerLord wrote:.

Looking around, I found that either the Nikon D40, Pentax K100D orRebel XT would be good choices for a first SLR..

All are good - do not let anyone tell you otherwise..

I wasn't sure if.

Maybe getting the EOS 400D (a notch higher) would be a good ideaseeing how it's gonna be my first SLR..

To be honest the 400d won't give you appreciably better image quality. But it does have slightly more features (eg sensor cleaning) and is the more recent model. I would do that unless budget was a big issue for you..

Between those three, what do you recommend to the most?.

Considering what you want to use it for you need to price it with a lens. For shooting babies you will need the ability to get in close, use a large aperture when you want, have image stabilisation (IS) and/or great performance at high ISO..

For canon there are a few options depending on budget....

The kit lens 18-55 f3.5-5.6 - very cheap when you buy with the camera (approx $80), excellent value for money, but no IS and not a very large aperture..

17-55 f2.8 IS - superb quality, IS, large aperture, everything you need but a bit pricy..

17-85 f4-5.6 - IS, good quality, solid in terms of value for money..

The canon will allow you to shoot in low light up to iso 1600 with good performance, so you can get away with the kit lens, but IS will make things easier..

Nikons - have more noise in low light, but have excellent quality. Choose a lens with VR (Nikons version of IS).

Peentax - have in body IS on some models. so you don't need a special IS lens like you do with canon and nikon..

One of the first things you should learn how to do is to use the custom white balance. So your in hospital shots will not come out with horrible blue, green and yellow tints because of hospital lighting! (All cameras in you arrange allow you to do this)...

What about the speed of the Pen 50-200 lens? I am looking to use it for sports action. How does it measure up? TIA!..

Isdsms wrote:.

What about the speed of the Pen 50-200 lens? I am looking to use itfor sports action. How does it measure up? TIA!.

Regarding action photography, I gave a reply in this thread :http://forums.dpreview.com/...forums/read.asp?forum=1018&message=23212385.

I've seen some okay sports shots from the 50-200, but most prefer a faster lens, than the 4-5.6 aperture of the 50-200.It also depend whether it is indoor or outdoor sports, but it can be done..

Faster Sonic lenses are coming out later this summer..

Kind regardsSune.

The K10D not only proves that Pentax belongs in the big league, it's an all-star player. Popular Photography & Imaging and American Photo. Jan 07.

(Pentax SLR Talk FAQ)http://forums.dpreview.com/...ms/readflat.asp?forum=1036&message=23190592..

Nikon lenses are good. Greates?, that is really pushng it. However, third party and non SSM lenses will not Auto focus on the D40 no matter how good they are...