What’s the best digital slr camera for a beginner?
Sunday, May 1st, 2011 at
4:36 am
I've always wanted a slr camera but I have no idea which one to get :/
I've always wanted a slr camera but I have no idea which one to get :/
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I own and always recommend the Canon Rebel XS (1000D) It’s an excellent camera, pretty easy to learn and use.
However, if you want this camera just to operate it on full auto save some money and buy something cheaper. These cameras are not gimmicks, they’re not loaded with “features”, they’re designed for serious photographers who know how to operate them.
Do take note that there is no best camera. Give Ansel Adams a Holga and he will most definitely create a masterpiece with it. Give the best and most expensive dSLR/lens combo to a clueless person and all he’ll get are forgettable snapshots no matter how hard he tries.
That said, there are a couple of factors which can help you in deciding which one you really want:
1) Budget.
This is not a cheap hobby so you also need to consider how much you’re willing to shell out for other important stuff such as filters, tripods, dry cabinets, remotes, etc.
2) Ergonomics and ease-of-use.
Having a camera with a bad feel is like climbing the stairs in crotch-hugging jeans. You have to be comfortable with the button allocations as well.
3) In-body stabilizer or not?
I say in-body. That way I can buy non-IS/VR lenses and still get image stabilization. Also, non-IS/VR lenses tend to be cheaper since they don’t have extra whatchamacallits inside the barrel which significantly adds to the cost.
4) Brand.
Any. They’re all good. Don’t be swayed by people telling you that this system has more lenses than the other. Are you buying all those lenses? No. You’re only buying what you need and all systems have what a regular guy needs.
5) Peer support.
Get the brand that your friends use. This will prove useful when you get in a rut with the controls, troubleshooting and such. You can swap lenses as well.
6) After-sales support.
Self-explanatory.
7) Read reviews and compare.
Asking something like this on here is akin to disaster. Not a lot of people will give you proven claims and you’ll just end up buying something you’d regret later on. Try dxomark.com, dpreview.com or lenstip.com. They give honest feedbacks based on real testing modules.
Hope this helps.
If you can afford to learn on the 60MP Hasselblad H4D which costs around $60,000 then so be it. All dSLRs are basically the same so get the best one you can afford.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Q32DLZ63V4T6BVR535ON3HBNLM/blog/articles/168248?listPage=index
I recommend the Nikon D3100. I own this camera and it was my first DSLR. I’m still using it now and it’s a great camera, with over 14 MP. It takes amazing pictures and has HD video too. And it’s only about $600 which is a good price for such a good camera.
Not only consider the camera, but also take a look at lenses too! Save a little more and buy a nice pair of lenses. For lenses, I recommend the 55-200mm telephoto which has good zoom.
Hope this helped
http://bestdigitalcamerasforsale.info/ reviews the top 10 digital cameras of 2011 and has reviews of great digital cameras for around $100.
Nikon D3100 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera
United States: http://amzn.to/fPMal1
United Kingdom: http://amzn.to/i9hzyG
Review: For the cost of this camera, I don’t think you can get anything better. The low light performance is off the charts. As a wedding photographer I regularly shoot with Nikon’s high end professional equipment and I was amazed how close this camera is to a pro camera. Now let me get specific. In order to compare I took a look at 100% files out of each camera I own.
Which camera excels Nikon D3100($Cheap) VS. D300($1600) VS. D700 ($2,700):
* Lens = The D3100 is the only camera that comes with a lens at it’s normal price
* ISO Performance = Tie between D3100 and D700! (It could be Nikon’s new processing but the JPEG looks fantastic I was shooting D3100 on 6400iso with very little noise at all)
* Low Light Focusing = D700
* Focus Speed = D700
* External Buttons & Controls for Pros = D700
* Menu Navigation = D3100
* Ease of Use = D3100
* Megapixel = D3100 (14.2)
* Sensor size = D700 (Much more important than megapixels but I won’t get into this)
* Can use older lenses with functionality = D700 & D300
* Video = D3100 of course! 1080P video looks amazing.
* Frame Rate = D300 at 6 photos a second
* Weight = D3100 (light as a feather)
* Ergonomics = D700 (big enough for all my finger)
Lens:
The lens is a kit lens, it will work outside but not so great in low light. The Vibration Reduction will help indoors but Vibration Reduction can’t stop a child or pet in motion indoors. Consider buying a 35mm 1.8dx AFS for around $200 and you will be super happy with this camera.
Video:
I purchased the 3100 specifically to shoot video, so I put on Nikon’s brand new 85mm 1.4g Nano lens and shot video with it. The lens costs more than double the camera but I wanted to see how the 1080P video looked. It has the look of a cinematic movie. After the 85mm, I put on Nikon’s 50 1.2 manual focus lens and was able to take very cinematic video in manual mode. In order to make it brighter or darker you either need to use a really old lens like the 50mm 1.2 and hit the AE-L (auto exposure lock) and twist the aperture to change exposure. Or you can hit the AE-L button when you get the exposure you like. Its not a perfect system but it works well for me. Inside the menu options you can change the AE-L button to hold the setting until you reset which is helpful.
Jello Cam (What’s not so great):
This camera still suffers from the “Jello Cam” look in video if it is not on a tripod and you are shaky. The video can look like jello if moved too quickly. Use a monopod or tripod when shooting to avoid this. I’m not sure if a faster video frame rate 60fps would help – but at 24 and 30 it can suffer badly.
Conclusion:
This is an amazing deal! Unless you make most of your income from photography or have a stockpile of old lenses (this camera can only autofocus with AFS lenses) then this camera is the must have camera of the year. If you have good composition skills and an eye for light you can take photos worthy of a magazine with this. Seriously, you won’t regret buying this camera. When you do, do yourself a favor and buy an additional Nikon AFS lens that has a maximum aperture of 2.8, 1.8 or 1.4. These lenses will take better portraits and deal better in low light than the kit lens.
The D3100, while a fine entry level camera
The D3100 to be quickly switched between Single, Continuous, Self-Timer, and Quiet modes without needing to resort to the camera’s menu system.
The Nikon D3100 includes the company’s three-pronged strategy for controlling dust on the image sensor.
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