Which DSLR should I choose?

Hello,

My name is Adrian and I am a novice in the world of photography. I wish to buy a DSLR camera and it's qute hard to choose and I don't think I yet have the knowledge to make a good decision. I would like it to be an entry-level or mid-level camera and of course, not too expensive.

I will use my new camera for:
- Personal photography (landscapes, family pictures, portraits )

- Some product presentation ( my girlfriend is in the handmade jewellery business )
- Small sport events ( this is the tricky part – I will need a good IS )
- Some high quality textures

With my budget I can’t afford something more expensive than a NIKON D5000.
If you will find the time to help me, thank you!

Later edit: I don't care much for the video function and being a novice I don't need something too good

adi_anea said:

I don't think I yet have the knowledge to make a good decision.

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That's important. I usually recommend to people in your position to get a good introductory book on photography. I normally recommend Daniel Lezano's "The Photography Bible", which is fairly painless while still being useful.

adi_anea said:

I would like it to be an entry-level or mid-level camera and of course, not too expensive.

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Why would you want a mid-level camera ? Do you have a specific need to spend more to get anything but an entry level camera ? There are no significant limitations in current entry level bodies - apart from Nikon's bizarre refusal to include bracketing in their entry level cameras.

adi_anea said:

I will use my new camera for:
- Personal photography (landscapes, family pictures, portraits )

- Some product presentation ( my girlfriend is in the handmade jewellery business )
- Small sport events ( this is the tricky part – I will need a good IS )
- Some high quality textures

With my budget I can’t afford something more expensive than a NIKON D5000.
If you will find the time to help me, thank you!

Click to expand...

Maybe the D5000 with either the twin lens kit ( 18-55 and 55-200 ) or the 18-105 ( also a kit option ). You'd probably be better with the twin lens kit.

Also look at the Pentax K-x with the 18-55 and 55-300 ( not the 55-200 ! ).

I'd consider those the best all round options in your budget ballpark.

--
StephenG

Pentax K100D
Fuji S3 Pro
Fuji S9600

If there was a clear winner it would have made itself known to you. The reason you find it so hard to choose is because they are all so similar, and no one of them is obviously better than the others.

The simple truth is that there are no really bad DSLR's made - they all perform acceptably well.

Unless you think you will become very serious about photography, the range of lenses and accessories won't likely matter, and one brand will be as good as another. In your shoes I would establish a relationship with a good, old fashioned, camera store - the sort that's been selling cameras for years and has used film cameras for sale. Work with a member of staff to explore the different models in your price range; handle the cameras; decide which you like the layout of controls best; which fits your hands the best.

I suspect that most of the models you are looking at will be available as a kit with a reasonable zoom lens that will cover a good enough range to get you started.

Good luck!

Kevin

@KCampbell : In a civilised country or at least in a major city, the idea regarding an old camera store would have been the best but in Romania .. stores are not that helpfull

For example, here is hard to find Pentax parts ( lens, etc. ).

adi_anea said:

- Small sport events ( this is the tricky part – I will need a good IS )

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Sorry, not sure I understand. Why does sports need IS? IS is for handshake - it does not stop motion blur from sports.

--



Ananda
http://anandasim.blogspot.com

'There are a whole range of greys and colours - from
the photographer who shoots everything in iA / green
AUTO to the one who shoots Manual Everything. There
is no right or wrong - there are just instances of
individuality and individual choice.'

And that's why I'm such a novice

I meant what you said. I want to reduce the blur.

Any of the brands are good, so no worry there. But what is very important that you just mentioned - what's available in your area that will have good service and available parts? Of course you can order anything online, but if there are one or two brands that are very well represented around where you live, where you could get repairs, parts, handle cameras, accessories, etc, that might be a good reason to pick a certain brand. In Romania where you live, are there any stores carrying one brand more than others: Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus? You mentioned Pentax isn't well represented.

If none of them are well represented in your area, than you'll pretty much have to order everything online anyway, so brand won't matter. If you want less expensive cameras that will be capable in low light, the Nikon D5000 you mentioned should be good, maybe look at the Canon 500D/T1, and the Sony A450 or A500. Newly announced models may not be available for a little while in your area and prices may be a bit higher, but you can also consider Nikon D3100 and Sony A33 & A55. Also, you might find sale prices for the Nikon D90 or Sony A550 in your area as both are either being replaced or likely replaced soon, making their prices competitive with entry-level cameras even though they are a little more advanced and capable.

--
Justin
galleries: http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg

Where are you from?

Pentax is getting scarcer and scarcer all over the world. I hope it will not disappear entirely.

In Romania you have Emag and F64. The guys from F64 are much more knowledgeable, the problem is that they are in Bucharest.

Your best bet would be Nikon or Canon. I don't like Sony approach on cameras but they also are making huge efforts to stay on the market so the lens selection got better and some cameras are even very good. Their entry level are at bottom level.

Olympus and Pentax have good cameras but the support in Romania is fading (especially for Pentax since 2008, while for Olympus you must send to Tiraspol).

Since Sony, Pentax and Olympus have less than 20% of the market Canon and Nikon can afford to have good support in all countries while in Romania only Sony has a similar level of support.
--
Victor
Bucuresti, Romania
http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m268/victor_petcu/
http://picasaweb.google.com/teodor.nitica/
http://picasaweb.google.com/vpreallize/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/v_petcu/

Depending on how serious you are about the sports photography you may need a telephoto lens and this may drive your budget as much as the camera body.

Sometimes Canon and Nikon sell their SLRs with a 55-200mm lens included in additional to the standard kit lens, this may be a good value for you.

Go to another forum. Check other users SLR's and see what they say. All the camera makes here have their own forum.
You will get better answers.

Hard to find parts in many places. A lot of people, maybe the majority these days, buy online. Most of the pro camera stores are (very) happy to take international orders.

You're in the EU so you can freely trade with any EU member state without customs or tax problems.

Typically I buy second hand, mostly from pro stores.

--
StephenG

Pentax K100D
Fuji S3 Pro
Fuji S9600

And, if you don't mind searching, there are lots and lots of threads here on DSLR selection. Just a couple of examples -

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1002&message=35868502

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1002&message=36145854

Kelly Cook

Hi Adrian. I think that for user friendliness and quality and features, the Pentax K7 would be really hard to beat. The Pentax lenses are pretty good too, and very well priced for what you get. I think it is a camera you could use for all your intended purposes. a friend of mine uses this camera and is very pleased with it. I think it is worth a look to see if it might suit you. It might not be what you want.

See what you think. I am sure other posters will have feelings about it. I agree there are no really bad DSLRs out there. Even the worst are good! Have fun choosing and then using!

I decided to wait another month to buy a camera ( October 10th is my birthday ) and for now I'm going with the Pentax ( 18 - 55 and 50-200 ). Unfortunelly I didn't find any offers with the 300 mm lens.

I have heard that Pentax Lenses are quite slow ( in comparation with Nikon on Canon lenses). I've surfed the web these days reading on a buch of forums and this issue came to my attention. What do you all think about this?

Also a friend of mine is selling a Nikon D80 ( 18 - 105mm, 20,000 shots, 2 years old ) at the same price of a Pentax ( the simple kit, without the 50-200) and cheaper than a D5000. What do you think about this offer?

adi_anea said:

I have heard that Pentax Lenses are quite slow ( in comparation with Nikon on Canon lenses). I've surfed the web these days reading on a buch of forums and this issue came to my attention. What do you all think about this?

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I don't know what that means. Do you know what "slow" means? Do you refer to "dark" as in high f/no, or slow to auto focus?

Are you comparing same price and same spec lens?

--



Ananda
http://anandasim.blogspot.com

'There are a whole range of greys and colours - from
the photographer who shoots everything in iA / green
AUTO to the one who shoots Manual Everything. There
is no right or wrong - there are just instances of
individuality and individual choice.'

Pentax has an AF not so accurate as Nikon and a little slower. Nothing to worry about in real life. You can see some of my tests with an older Pentax (K200D) that was a good camera with some quirks (the most being the color treatment).
http://picasaweb.google.com/vpetcu/TestarePentaxK200D#

Nikon D80 is a much better camera but it has 20000 clicks. You will struggle with matrix metering more than with Nikon D5000.
--
Victor
Bucuresti, Romania
http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m268/victor_petcu/
http://picasaweb.google.com/teodor.nitica/
http://picasaweb.google.com/vpreallize/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/v_petcu/

adi_anea said:

I decided to wait another month to buy a camera ( October 10th is my birthday ) and for now I'm going with the Pentax ( 18 - 55 and 50-200 ). Unfortunelly I didn't find any offers with the 300 mm lens.

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These guys are well known UK dealers. They have exactly what you're looking for.

http://www.parkcameras.com/13148/Pentax-Kx---18-55mm-f-3-5-5-6-SMC-DAL-AL---55-300mm.html

adi_anea said:

I have heard that Pentax Lenses are quite slow ( in comparation with Nikon on Canon lenses). I've surfed the web these days reading on a buch of forums and this issue came to my attention. What do you all think about this?

Click to expand...

In practical terms they work about the same with similar lenses. I've both Nikon mount equipment ( for my Fuji ) and Pentax and there's no real difference. You'd have to pay more for lenses and bodies to get consistently faster focusing on any system.

People often compare e.g. focus speeds using a mid or high end Nikon or Canon with an entry level Pentax and, unsurprisingly, they perform differently. Pentax don't make systems designed for pro sports work so you can't make that comparison.

Pentax have just announced a new model ( K-r ) with an new AF system. No news on performance yet - new systems aren't always an improvement. However the K-7 had a new AF system and it was an improvement on the K-x. Note that the K-7 compares with mid range Nikon and Canons.

adi_anea said:

Also a friend of mine is selling a Nikon D80 ( 18 - 105mm, 20,000 shots, 2 years old ) at the same price of a Pentax ( the simple kit, without the 50-200) and cheaper than a D5000. What do you think about this offer?

Click to expand...

The D80 is a nice camera, and if that's the 18-105 VR it a nice combo. Keep in mind the D80 is an older camera and while it has many fine points it's a bigger camera than the K-x and handling is different. To a pro the D80 would offer better controls, but for most people the K-x offers about the right amount.

However a K-x offers you much better high ISO performance - one of the best, ( the D80 isn't great at high ISO from what I've heard ). The K-x also offers you the option of movies and live view. The lenses with the K-x cover a greater range and quality would be about equal. The K-x has in-body stabilization whereas the D80 requires lenses that are stabilized.

Personally I'd take the K-x unless you specifically intend to build up a pro system around Nikon lenses. However you may prefer the Nikon for support and availability of equipment as I know that's an issue you were worried about. Personally I think that's a non-issue unless you're a pro,, but it's your money !

One other factor. If your friend is a Nikon user you might prefer to use Nikon equipment to borrow from him/her, assuming they're the type who would let you borrow their equipment and you're that friendly.

--
StephenG

Pentax K100D
Fuji S3 Pro
Fuji S9600