buying my first DSLR

I recently retired. My wife is an artist. She has always loved my photos, and has encouraged me to enter local art shows. My photos have been very well received. I would like to try selling my work. My photos are often abstractions, and I want to make as large a print as possible. The problem is, I have been using an old low resolution digital camera, that isn't a dslr. We are leaving on a trip to Alaska shortly, and I would like to purchase a new camera to take along.

Friends have suggested the Canon T2i, because of, ease of use. Others have suggested a Nikon 5100, or Nikon 7000. I have read countless reviews on entry level dslr cameras, trying to find a camera I won't quickly outgrow that is durable and will stand heavy use. It seems that the Pentax k-5 would be an good choice for an enthusiast.....but....I have never held a digital Pentax in my hand, and have no idea how user friendly the camera is. Plus....I have no idea what lenses I might purchase.

I may throw caution to the wind and make a larger purchase, the Nikon d800, so that I can make the really large prints, I am interested in selling. Once again I know that lenses are important. What lenses might be a good choice for a newbie? Does it make sense purchasing such an expensive camera for someone with no formal training, with such limited experience.

Cost is a very important factor for me. We are living on a very limited income. Can anyone help me sort all this out, and help me make a reasonable choice. I am afraid I may end up in Alaska with my old digital point and shoot.

If you expect to produce some large prints, get a Nikon D700 (full frame) or a Sony NEX 7, the D700 will accept almost all Nikon lenses and has very low noise. The NEX 7 has very high resolution and is very convenient, particularly with the Sigma lenses and more to come apparently.

The D800 does sound like a good choice for you if you're looking to make very large prints. My only hesitation would be that you might have trouble dealing with the much shallower depth of field coming from a point and shoot. Especially if you're planning a trip in the not-too-distant future. Shooting a landscape with a point and shoot, for example, is a total doddle. Shooting landscapes with a high-res full-frame requires a lot more skill and care to get everything from front to back in acceptable focus.

I'd be inclined to get something like the D7000 or something of similar class. It's plenty of camera and not too expensive. Your budget is limited and if you splash out on that D800, you're not going to have much cash to spend on lenses and on the rest of your kit.

Personally I wouldn't go for an entry-level. A friend has one and I was showing him a technique one day and it took me a long time to set up his camera because I had to dig and dig in so many menus to set up the camera. I can set up my camera in seconds. So many entry level cameras stay in Auto partly because it's such an effort to alter the settings. The D7000 is a nice compromise.

--
"Photography is, indeed, an inclusive language."
Ansel Adams

rollopickmoss said:

I recently retired. My wife is an artist. She has always loved my photos, and has encouraged me to enter local art shows. My photos have been very well received. I would like to try selling my work. My photos are often abstractions, and I want to make as large a print as possible. The problem is, I have been using an old low resolution digital camera, that isn't a dslr. We are leaving on a trip to Alaska shortly, and I would like to purchase a new camera to take along.

Click to expand...

"Shortly" and "new camera" are competing concepts. It takes a while to get the hang of a new camera, especially since you're used to something considerably less capable.

rollopickmoss said:

Friends have suggested the Canon T2i, because of, ease of use. Others have suggested a Nikon 5100, or Nikon 7000. I have read countless reviews on entry level dslr cameras, trying to find a camera I won't quickly outgrow that is durable and will stand heavy use. It seems that the Pentax k-5 would be an good choice for an enthusiast.....but....I have never held a digital Pentax in my hand, and have no idea how user friendly the camera is. Plus....I have no idea what lenses I might purchase.

Click to expand...

From this paragraph it sounds like you haven't actually encountered any of these cameras. It would be a good idea to handle any DSLR you are considering purchasing. And I wouldn't give any DSLR awards for ease of use. You have to pay attention to get control over them.

rollopickmoss said:

I may throw caution to the wind and make a larger purchase, the Nikon d800, so that I can make the really large prints, I am interested in selling. Once again I know that lenses are important. What lenses might be a good choice for a newbie? Does it make sense purchasing such an expensive camera for someone with no formal training, with such limited experience.

Click to expand...

Can you afford to throw caution to the winds? A D800 can't take pictures by itself. And such a camera is no better than a cheaper one unless you use good lenses. If I were to get a D800, I would get the "holy trinity" of 14-24, 24-70 and 70-200 lenses. Then I'd get a 105 micro, an 85 f/1.4, a 200 f/2 and a 300 f/2.8. And I'd be out $25K, which is why that ain't happening. Oh, you really want a good tripod to hang that stuff on. Not cheap either.

rollopickmoss said:

Cost is a very important factor for me. We are living on a very limited income. Can anyone help me sort all this out, and help me make a reasonable choice. I am afraid I may end up in Alaska with my old digital point and shoot.

Click to expand...

Realistically, I believe that you would get the best results with your point and shoot because you can handle it. Anything you buy now is going to bite you if you're trying to get once-in-a-lifetime shots before you're familiar with it. But in the slightly longer term, any DSLR you buy today will be able to produce high-quality large prints.

With respect to lens selection, look at the pictures you've been taking. Are they wide angle? Closeups? Portraits? Get lenses that enhance your strengths.

--
Leonard Migliore

This brand new camera from Sony meets your requirements, and is less expensive and much easier to use than a DSLR.

http://www.dpreview.com/products/sony/compacts/sony_dscrx100

Leonard has given some sound advice there. If you really want to comit to a DSLR you dont have to buy new. Something like a used or refurbished 550d would be a resonably priced alternative. Lens choice would be up to you, as I have never been to Alaska. To avoid not getting the shots you want on such a trip, due to not being too familliar with your DSLR {If you get one} take your P&S with you & double up on what you shoot. Enjoy your trip regardless of what you choose. lee uk

If you want even more research, here are more opinions -

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1034&message=37915759

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1019&message=39700899

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1002&message=40200542

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1034&message=40743117

But, you said this Alaska trip would be "shortly". We don't know just how short, but if you do go the DSLR route, get it quickly. Instead of researching right up to the deadline. As you will need all the time you can get for trials with the camera (and it's software) before the trip.

Kelly Cook

Then decide which lenses cover those lengths best... And then decide which camera can handle those lenses...

Pentax makes lovely primes, Canon has a few gems; Sony and Nikon also have great lenses but I find them too expensive (emphasis on me!).

Hello, I am a newbie myself, but your post is the first on this forum I have any qualifications with which to answer. 15 Months ago i was just like you... I had nothing but a small point and shoot camera and I loved taking photographs... about the only artistic input with my P&S camera was just adhering to the Rule Of Thirds. Then I purchased a Nikon D7000. Trust me, there is a learning period with it. It has taken all this time to get decently comfortable with it, so don't be thinking you will be handling it in Alaska like an 'Old Pro'.

However...

3 days after I purchased my D7000, I took it to an indoor competition robotic event and just put the camera on fully automatic mode and it did a tremendous job with 90% of the photos... I was extremely happy with it, given my complete lack of knowledge of how to use it. My advice to you is, if you want something like a D7000 for Alaska, go for it and just put it on automatic... for now... with the promise to yourself (as I promised myself) to learn how to control the camera later. The D7000 is a joy to use, and by far it is the best material possession I have ever had in my life. I highly recommend the D7000 for one feature alone... the 100% viewfinder coverage is hard to beat when composing a photograph... it's up to you though.

With what I know so far... I think you'd be in deep water if you went for the D800... the D7000 has an already steep learning curve and I can't imagine how much steeper the D800 would be coming straight from a P & S. At least a dozen times I swore there must be something wrong with my D7000 when I was learning how to use it... and each and every time it turned out to be MY fault, and not the camera. It's your call, and who wouldn't love to open a gold Nikon box with 'D800' written on the outside... but if it frustrates you to the point where you can't get any results at all with it, what the heck good will it be to you? 15 months later, my D7000 (or more correctly, photography using the D7000) still stumps me in one form or another nearly every time I use it... but I'm getting better and love it almost as much as my dog! I think you would discover very quickly that the D800 is made for a pro for many reasons.

I can't resist one suggestion... one that many might not agree with... buy one lens and stick with that one while you learn. That's what I did and it really cuts down on the variables... it helps me learn the camera without the following newbie trap: "Well, maybe my picture would look better if I put THIS lens on." Having one lens forces you to make it happen with what you have. Also, if your wife is anything like mine, the quickest way to tick her off is to make her wait around in Alaska while you're fiddling around changing lenses. (My wife would shoot me... zero patience for stuff like that.)

FYI, I purchased a Nikkor 18-200 mm zoom which offers far more than the kit lens it usually comes with. This lens has its share of critics who say it's a 'convenience' lens which is not as sharp as others you could buy. It's true, but it's simply an engineering trade-off... the conveniance factor is HUGE in that lens and for this Newbie, it has helped me learn while getting photos that no one is going to bother taking a magnifying glass to. Just a thought. One lens was all I can afford... for me it was actually a blessing. My next lens will be a Nikkor 105 mm Macro... and now I am ready for it.

Good Luck, whichever way you decide and have a blast in Alaska!!
Greg

Hi rollopickmoss

1. Limited budget and expensive camera like the D800 don't really go together.

2. I don't think you need to aim for top end cameras anyway (no, it doesn't make sense). You have been doing ok with your low resolution compact. Any low to mid-range dSLR will increase the image quality hugely. However if you're doing close-ups/macros you'll need a special lens. Likewise if you want to zoom in on distant objects. For most purposes though you'll be able to thrive with just a kit lens of some sort. 17-55 or 17-85, for instance. One with image stabilisation (IS or VR) is helpful I find.

3. Please bear in mind the weight of dSLRs. If you're going to be carrying them around a lot on your person they can become troublesome. So definitely try out in a shop first to assess if you'll be able to deal with that.

4. Although, as some have said, it's a hell of a leap going from a compact to a dSLR and there are likely to be numerous frustrations as you learn and it can take a good year or so to properly become acquainted... despite that, you can and should get tonnes of good photos merely by putting the camera on auto setting.

5. As regards selling the pics you take while in Alaska with a dSLR you're not very familiar with, well you never know. It's certainly possible and you would probably end up with some good stuff. As to how sellable they'll be, I don't know, but you've got to admire your ambition.

Good luck

Russell

rollopickmoss said:

I recently retired. My wife is an artist. She has always loved my photos, and has encouraged me to enter local art shows. My photos have been very well received. I would like to try selling my work. My photos are often abstractions, and I want to make as large a print as possible. The problem is, I have been using an old low resolution digital camera, that isn't a dslr. We are leaving on a trip to Alaska shortly, and I would like to purchase a new camera to take along.

Friends have suggested the Canon T2i, because of, ease of use. Others have suggested a Nikon 5100, or Nikon 7000. I have read countless reviews on entry level dslr cameras, trying to find a camera I won't quickly outgrow that is durable and will stand heavy use. It seems that the Pentax k-5 would be an good choice for an enthusiast.....but....I have never held a digital Pentax in my hand, and have no idea how user friendly the camera is. Plus....I have no idea what lenses I might purchase.

I may throw caution to the wind and make a larger purchase, the Nikon d800, so that I can make the really large prints, I am interested in selling. Once again I know that lenses are important. What lenses might be a good choice for a newbie? Does it make sense purchasing such an expensive camera for someone with no formal training, with such limited experience.

Cost is a very important factor for me. We are living on a very limited income. Can anyone help me sort all this out, and help me make a reasonable choice. I am afraid I may end up in Alaska with my old digital point and shoot.

Click to expand...

Greg,

Thanks for posting your experiences as a newbie. They are very valuable to many people and your opinions and observations are well stated!
--
Dan

Well thank you so much 'dcassat' for saying so... that means a lot coming from a contributor like you! Take Care and have a great weekend!
Greg

Having re-read your OP I believe the better choice would be to buy better lenses & a slightly less expensive body rather than expensive body & lower grade lenses. The 1st option invariably gives better results. lee uk

Go to a brick'n'mortar store and handle a few of them; pick the one that feels nice in your hands and with the controls (physical and screen menus) that makes sense to you.

If you cannot do that, pick an entry level camera (from any brand) with the default lens, and have a go at it.

All entry level camera will give you good (even very good) results and will be a good introduction at relatively low cost.

M.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thesorus/

Just to endorse Greg Nold's point, as he says you can use a DSLR as a hopefully superior P&S by using an Auto or Program mode until you become more familiar with the camera's further capabilities.

Wow!

I am so glad I used this forum! Thanks to everyone who was kind enough to respond.
I have a much better idea of where to begin.
Bless all of you!