Any new name brand Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, even Sony digital SLR camera is really, really good. You could go to a storew with some coins to flip, use the camera, tidy up the files on a computer with a program like Photoshop Elements, and go to Costco and buy a 12 x 18 print that will be fantastic..

Plus... newer camera models may (or may not be) "better" than earlier more expensive models..

For instance, for most really big enlargements, a Canon 400D is a better camera than a more expensive, but earlier, Canon 30D, becasue the new one has more pixels. For "regular" size shots, up to 11x14, you'll not see any difference. But the 30D may be more rugged, if you can abuse it to that degree that fits betweeen how much you can beat up a 400D and how much you can beat up a 1D..

With that out of the way....

Big monitors ont he back are better than smaller ones..

More focus points are better than fewer - 400D beats D40).

Nikon's ability to set of remote flash on somemodels without a flash mounted on top of the camera or an expensive accessory is a good feature..

Sharing lenses with a friend is a good feature..

Canon andNikon have more used equipment available than Olympus and Pentax..

Sigma makes some lenses only for Canon and Nikon has to do with built in motors for autofocus,.

"feel" of the camera may be important to you..

I chose my camera to be compatible to a camera I selected for one of my partners, so we can share equipment. For him, I chose Canon over Nikon because at that point, the 20D was the best camera around for price and features..

BAK..

It depends on usage. some need 'mechanical' speed, as in start-up, shutter lag, fast write times, and frame rate. some need low light performance. some need weatherproofing. & etc..

What are your needs? have you really sat down and analyzed them[and that is done by realistically determining what you will be using your camera for now and how much you want to grow as a photographer]? once you do that then it will be easier to answer which camera is best for you..

As far as white balance goes, the answer depends on how willing you are to work out a manual WB, how willing you are to use something like a Whibal, whether you intend to do much work in PP, and whether you'll shoot in raw or jpeg..

The more you are going to live with your camera on auto and the less PP work you intend to do, then the more good in-cam WB is an important consideration...

And will do a GREAT job on general purpose photography..

I say ignore the negatives. Seriously, the negatives are for the hair-splitters and and the 'bit-twiddlers'. At the very least, for those with very specific needs. And they don't really normally apply to those in the market for an entry level camera..

Pick the one that feels best in your hand (again seriously), and offers you the most for your money. If you have to choose between comfort and price, iyou should select comfort. My reasoning is that a camera you aren't comfortable with won't get used much and that $100 or so difference in price is much less of a good deal if you grow to hate using the camera..

One last thing. Don't allow yourself to get paralyzed with research indecision. All the cameras mentioned will serve you well, so the chance of getting a stinker is very low. Remember it's only a camera..

Buy something and start taking photos.STOP Global Stasis! Change is good!.

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

Well, you asked "What is most important with a dslr?" and then quoted some models: I will go against the trend and say that with any SLR what is most important is to have deep pockets and a lot of cash in them. Or else incredible will power..

Not much point picking up a camera and liking it without realising that it will take other lenses and other lenses can cost a fortune. And the same goes for trivia like dropping and breaking a lens hood or lens cap..

Of the cameras you mentioned one was an Olympus; I like them and have several and lenses but I hope I won't harm their sales by saying that I sometimes wish their top-of-the range lenses were cheaper. Right now I could send thousands on a middle range lens and still want more..

Just my 2d worth..

Regards, David..

BAK wrote:.

For instance, for most really big enlargements, a Canon 400D is abetter camera than a more expensive, but earlier, Canon 30D, becasuethe new one has more pixels. For "regular" size shots, up to 11x14,you'll not see any difference..

You wont see any difference full stop!.

Even if you printed out the size of a house...invisible .

OP should try the cameras out, in the hand...see what grabs him. Its a very personal choice...nothing is right or wrong..

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Clint is on holiday! Soon to return! ..

I'm not an expert by ANY means but I just went through this so I'll just share with you what helped me decide..

First off, budget. This shouldn't be the ONLY deciding factor and I say that because of two possibilities:.

One - probably not an issue but if you are lucky and have lots of money to spend you could get caught up in the "best is the most expensive" race and end up buying something that doesn't fit your needs or you don't want to learn to use well and therefore are back at square one with lighter pockets..

Two - you have $xxxx to spend RIGHT NOW and buy something that fits that range just to be able to have something now only to find out it's not what you want and you have wasted your precious $.

That being said, budget is, well, something that unfortunately dictates what we can buy but if you really fall in love with something that is a bit out of your price range now, wait and save a bit more for it. It's worth it! Trust me!.

Second - what is important to YOU! When you look at the above mentioned cameras and the reviews - research the specific feature your not clear on. Go to a local camera shop and try it out. Get a feel for the body, the lenses the functions. See what YOU think..

Accessories - cost, availability etc. I personally would try to stay with Canon or Nikon. Cost and availability and variety were better with those brands IMO..

My story - I have a Rebel 2000 film slr and some crappy lenses. Got into digital p&s cameras a few years ago and ended up sadly using them more then my slr. At Christmas I got a Canon powershot a640 with all the accessories. But I just didn't like what I couldn't do with it! Decided to try the powershot g7. Went to look at it and talked with the salesman. He tried to sell me on the Nikon D40.



To make this shorter - I researched and went through this line-up: Canon g7 - Nikon D40 - Canon Rebel xti - Canon 30d and finally settled on the Canon 20d. And I'm happy as a clam with it! (reasons: fit my price range, more creative room to grow then the xti, felt better in my hands, can use ef lenses and my existing speedlite so I can use my film slr if I want and could go up to a full frame body later if I want with less investment, the tradeoffs between the 30d and 20d where something I could live with and gave me more $ for lenses and less guilt if I decided to upgrade later on).

But I did all of the above... I took my time. I researched, tried them out, talked with anyone and EVERYONE I could find, got a bit caught up in more expensive must be better and then finally settled on something I had to save a bit more for but fit my needs and budget..

You want something that isn't going to be obsolete soon or already but really, you don't necessarily need the top of the line newest body out there just because either. If it has room to grow with you then it's great!..

Everybody: thanks a lot....

I understand that the 'cons' listed in the reviews might not always be so important and it still is a matter of personal taste..

I know it will cost me... that's why I will play around with my Sony H9 untill I sold it. In the meantime I will 'shop around' and try and feel some different slr cameras untill I know for sure what I am saving money for .

Kind regards,.

Suzanne..

(1) Figure out what you want to do, and therefore what you'll need.

Ex. availability of a good wide-angle lens that you're willing to purchase and use is handy for landscapes without stitching.

Ex. availability of short, small lenses on a small body is handy for street photography.

Weather sealing is useful for dealing with bad weather.

Access to a good multiple-flash control system is handy for serious portrait work.

Etc..

(2) Ergonomics.

If it feels uncomfortable to use, it's a bit difficult to work around. Try 'em...

It's up to you whether this is important to you or not, but an ability to enter the approximate colour temperature in Kelvin is important, but not for the reason most people think..

It's useful if you understand the colour temperature scale well enough to know approximately what Kelvin a particular scene is likely to be and you want to deviate from the norm slightly. Such as warming up daylight slightly to make a bright summer's day seem like a warm autumn evening, or cooling down the same bright summer's day to make it seem like it's dusk..

A thorough understanding of the different colour balance settings and their modalities can get you there, too. So can the use of a card with a deliberate colour cast when used to take a white balance reading. Ultimately, though, when you begin to understand colour temperature, you understand it in Kelvin..

You name it, I've broken it...

A different take....

1. Don't spend so much time and effort choosing between basically equal products that you become "religious" about your purchase. Regardless of which one you choose, it's basically a coin toss....

2. Different brands seem to attract people with similar personalities. I could list my conclusions, but that would just motivate Canon owners to take exception. .

My point is that I find that many people buy a camera and then find that they don't like the other people that buy and worship that brand. Before you buy, hang out in the various candidate forums and see where you fit..

As an analogy, I don't like Saturn drivers, so would never consider buying one. .

Charlie DavisNikon 5700 & Sony R1HomePage: http://www.1derful.infoBridge Blog: http://www.here-ugo.com/BridgeBlog/..

I look at the photos and go from there...

A: Most important is the person who is behind the viewfinder and presses the shutter release button ..

K1000Photographer wrote:.

I look at the photos and go from there..

They all make good photos. What's important is how they handle...