# what SLR for a beginner



## Ronnie (Nov 15, 2006)

Well as there is going to be a wee announcement in the new year, I thought I might as well get a good camera to take half decent pics with. not looking for a mega expensive one but one that I can use easily and can get lenses for different types of shots without having to sell a kidney. also what lenses would u recommend.. cheers ronnie:thumb:


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## Pieface876 (Nov 14, 2008)

So many of these threads about, but the thing is, there is no ********** answer. Go inside a shop and handle them and see what you prefer. I have a Nikon D60 and I love it, although it doesn't get used as much as I want it too.


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## scaryrob (Dec 1, 2009)

also consider a canon. i have a 450d. very good alrounder. plenty of lens options. get one for about the £400 mark. keep an eye on the jessops website. most defo have some sale after the newyear on the DSLRs. also remember alot of places will price match so shop around


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## Ronnie (Nov 15, 2006)

my brother in law is in China roughly every 6 weeks with his work and i was thinking of getting one there is there any real saving I wonder as they are so fanatical about picture taking?


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## Gleammachine (Sep 8, 2007)

I was in a similar situation 6 months ago, wanting to step up to a SLR without spending the earth.
I opted for the Nikon D40, find it an excellent camera and something I'm unlikely to outgrow for quite a while, other than the kit lense 18-55mm, I bought a 50mm f1.8 and Sigma 18-200mm both lenses together cost £240, other than a wide angle there's not much more I'll need.

They don't make the D40 anymore but you can probably get some good deals on e-bay, the D60 is it's current replacement and I think it has a built in autofocus motor, something the D40 lacks, not an issue as most lenses come with the autofocus motor.


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## tossi (Sep 22, 2009)

go out and try them, it all comes down to how you feel that it is in your hand. because both Canon, Nikon or Sony makes great DSLR's, i would stick to Canon or Nikon as there is a larger market for used lenses. Personally i don’t like the feel of Canon's DLSR, Nikon fits my hand better in terms of grip and be able to use the different controls.
I have a Nikon D80 with 18-200VR lens and it is a super DSLR and if you don’t what to spend a lot of time changing lenses all the time i would look for a 18-85 or 18-105 lenses, but it also depends what you are using it for.


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## scaryrob (Dec 1, 2009)

Ronnie said:


> my brother in law is in China roughly every 6 weeks with his work and i was thinking of getting one there is there any real saving I wonder as they are so fanatical about picture taking?


too risky tbh. I have bought electronics before in hong kong. if its something cheap then its worth the risk but with a slr where there's lots of intricate parts then no. anyway the exchange rate still not at its best and in china once but there's no come back.


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## Bunky (Feb 1, 2008)

Gleammachine said:


> They don't make the D40 anymore but you can probably get some good deals on e-bay, the D60 is it's current replacement and I think it has a built in autofocus motor, something the D40 lacks, not an issue as most lenses come with the autofocus motor.


The D40/D60 line has been replaced by the D3000/D5000. They still do not have an autofocus motor but have picked up many features from the D90/D300.

The ideal case is to get a body and upgrade the lens. I think the 18-105 is a better choice than the 18-55 stock lens.

I like the Nikon ergonomics.


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

It's all been said. I also don't agree that a dSLR is necessarily the "best" way of doing things. Maybe read this, too: http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=120537

Bret


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## ClarkeG (Jun 17, 2006)

Well old man! My camera is a Nikon D40, as said above they have discontinued that range but have a new replacement model. In SLR terms it's an entry model but you have seen for yourself it produces good quality photos and that's for simple detailing photos. I love the Nikon menus as I find them far easier to use than Canon's. You can't go wrong with Nikon or Canon but if you do buy yourself a Canon don't come to me asking how to work it 

Clarke


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## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

My advice is go to a shop and handle the camera's they all havebuttons in different places and do feel different.

Once decided look for the best deal on the net, having said that the last two camera i bought were both cheaper in store than on the net.


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## Ronnie (Nov 15, 2006)

I had been thinking about the D40/60 as numpty has a D40 and if he can use it and get good pics, well then it must be idiot proof!!! LOL. was looking at the new range but wondered what the benifits were. I also looked at the new Lumix range but was not sure if they were any good.


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## Bunky (Feb 1, 2008)

Most users never exploit DSLR's. If you leave it on program or automatic or use the scene modes, you will never really take advantage of it. You need to understand how the camera thinks (what it wants to focus, how it determines exposure, etc) and then make adjustments to tweak.


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## scaryrob (Dec 1, 2009)

hey. if its nikon your after have you taken a look at jessops yet? they have a few offers on nikon at the mo.
also have a look at this review which would is the d60 replacement http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Nikon_D3000/index.shtml
hope this helps


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## JohnZ3MC (Mar 9, 2008)

Interchangeable lenses, closeup ability, and the ability to take 5 or more pics in rapid sequence will guarantee that perfect shot with a little ronnie's first step, a champagne bottle breaking at a launch, or candles being blown out at a birthday.
When you handle various brands, ask about how many come back for repairs and check ebay for aftermarket lenses.
Good luck,
-John C.


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## ClarkeG (Jun 17, 2006)

Ronnie said:


> I had been thinking about the D40/60 as numpty has a D40 and if he can use it and get good pics, well then it must be idiot proof!!! LOL. was looking at the new range but wondered what the benifits were. I also looked at the new Lumix range but was not sure if they were any good.


:devil: :lol: Well if you do end up going for a Nikon I can show you stuff like apeture priority, shutter priority, depth of field, exposure, etc. Trust me it's not easy to get your head around it


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## Ronnie (Nov 15, 2006)

yea my wife is really big into her photography before our second boy was born she even developed her own pictures!! there is a course in our local tech that I was thinking about going to to learn about all the cool things to do!!


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

.. .so why not let her choose the cam? If she has an old SLR, then picking the right brand means looking at the lenses she has stashed away. Bodies come and go, glass stays.

Bret


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## ZedFour (May 6, 2008)

I have just got the Nikon D3000 (with the 18-55 VR lens) (£269 with £30 cashback) and as a complete dSLR novice I find it excellent and very easy to use. It has a _Guide_ mode which basically takes you through what you are shooting and then sets the camera up for you. The good part of this is that is explains which settings it has changed and why so you can learn a bit.

I would highly recommend it. I am sure there are better functions on other cameras but for a complete _I know nuffink_ camera user like me, it's great


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## aron147 (Sep 5, 2009)

lookfor a nikon d3000 of d5000
d3000 is the easiest cam around, and it evens tells you what it does, and why he does it..
it's got a learning feature and all..

or step up to a d5000, wich has the similar internals of the d90 (same sensor / chip e.d.)
and loose the learning feature's


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## Bunky (Feb 1, 2008)

ClarkeG said:


> :devil: :lol: Well if you do end up going for a Nikon I can show you stuff like apeture priority, shutter priority, depth of field, exposure, etc. Trust me it's not easy to get your head around it


Depth of field (what is in focus at any given aperture) is something most new DSLR owners need to understand since there is generally less with DSLR's.

On my D90, one interesting aspect is the camera prefers to shoot wide open (low f-step) with the flash in auto/program mode, and then adjust exposure by controlling flash duration. This means depth of field is going to be smaller and can surprise you sometimes.


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## aron147 (Sep 5, 2009)

if i have my 70-200 2.8 on.. and i shoot wide open, focus on someone's nose, his eyes are unsharp 
real smal dof..
BUT a lower f stop, will give you more light, 
more light means you can get higher shutter speeds, wich means you can extend the "nod need to flash" period..
or bring down the iso, so you get less noise.

only buy a dslr if you know what youre doing,
or buy a d3000, otherwise, you will regret the purchase


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## buckas (Jun 13, 2008)

Bunky said:


> Depth of field (what is in focus at any given aperture) is something most new DSLR owners need to understand since there is generally less with DSLR's.


only with APS-C/H sensor dSLR's it is 

it's all a piece of pi55 after a while, you'll only ever need the M function then

not read it but a lot of people rave about the book "understanding exposure" meant to be a good guide for newbies


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## coxy (Aug 3, 2006)

canon 450d or 500d excellant piece of kit


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## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

bretti_kivi said:


> .. .so why not let her choose the cam? If she has an old SLR, then picking the right brand means looking at the lenses she has stashed away. Bodies come and go, glass stays.
> 
> Bret


Great piece of advice, just make sure the old lenses are compatable with the digital


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## Ronnie (Nov 15, 2006)

I was but you can't ask the wife!!! I would never hear the end of it!!LOL!!! she has said if I have an idea she will go with me to look at tehm but its good to hear a few different opinions as to what is good


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

everything's "good", that's part of the problem...


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## Eddy (Apr 13, 2008)

ZedFour said:


> I have just got the Nikon D3000 (with the 18-55 VR lens) (£269 with £30 cashback) and as a complete dSLR novice I find it excellent and very easy to use.


Can I ask where you got this deal, everywhere I look this camera is well over £300?


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## PaulN (Jan 17, 2008)

Bunky said:


> Depth of field (what is in focus at any given aperture) is something most new DSLR owners need to understand since there is generally less with DSLR's.
> 
> On my D90, one interesting aspect is the camera prefers to shoot wide open (low f-step) with the flash in auto/program mode, and then adjust exposure by controlling flash duration. This means depth of field is going to be smaller and can surprise you sometimes.


Depth of Field is controlled by the lense not the camera.

Film makers like to have a short depth of field in certain shots to really help tell the story and keep the viewers eye on one part of the shot.

Cheers

PaulN


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

not true. The DoF is set by aperture in conjunction with the distance to the object and the lens used.



> Image clarity or sharpness is not just a matter of focusing a lens on the subject. There is an area in front of and behind the sharp focus plane that is also sharp or clear, and the extent of this area changes, depending on the focal length of the lens, the focusing distance, and the aperture used. This three-dimensional area of sharp focus is called depth of field.


from this: http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Bret


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## MattFletcher (Oct 27, 2006)

ZedFour said:


> I have just got the Nikon D3000 (with the 18-55 VR lens) (£269 with £30 cashback) and as a complete dSLR novice I find it excellent and very easy to use. It has a _Guide_ mode which basically takes you through what you are shooting and then sets the camera up for you. The good part of this is that is explains which settings it has changed and why so you can learn a bit.
> 
> I would highly recommend it. I am sure there are better functions on other cameras but for a complete _I know nuffink_ camera user like me, it's great


Can i ask were you got this from?

Thanks


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## ZedFour (May 6, 2008)

Sorry all, I did of course mean £369 (plus a bit more off with a staff discount)

Somewhere between my brain and my fingers I typed £269 which was badly wrong!!!!


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## Eddy (Apr 13, 2008)

Ok guys, depending on a few things I might be able to finally order a DSLR next week, problem is my budget seems a little small, I have around £300 although I could go a little over.

I am after either a nikon on canon, anyone know of any decent deals around? I have had a quick look on a few sites but can't see anything less than £400ish. One thing to note is if the camera is sold in either pc world or currys then I can get 10% off, although I did have a snoop around and they didn't have the biggest selection.


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

... the rises are on their way again, too, I expect.

camerapricebuster says £387 in currys. 

Bret


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