Buying my first Digital SLR

[notareason]

Ok, so I want to take the plunge and make the investment in a digital SLR. I currently own a Canon PowerShot SD500. It’s great for stow-and-go but obviously doesn’t give me the photographic quality, versatility, and control over the photos I want to take. My preferences in photography are landscapes, travel/outdoor, night/low light and that occasional action/sport shot. Given the plethora of makes, models, and options on the market, how do I select a camera to fit my preferences in photography? I own a 35 mm but for the most part it sits in the closet gathering dust as film is so expensive to develop. While it might sound silly, I’d rather spend the money getting an entry level SLR then waste money developing film experimenting with photography. I’d appreciate any suggestions in equipment that will make photography fun without leaving me wondering if I make the right investment.

[kevincrafts]

Canon XTi?

[EcoSee]

The are two answers to this question.

1. Nikon
2. Canon

Don't look any further. It really comes down to these two brands as you want to consider whether you anticipate moving up later and whether you can take your lenses and accessorsies with you. I started with an Olympus and in a word "Regret" that choice. After extensive research and testing... I have joined the Nikon camp. I personally like their cameras a lot better than Canon's. I like the lense options better, the camera feel, and the technology. I think that Nikon does a better job with color and metering. I currently own a Nikon D300 and wouldn't trade it for the world. If I were you, I would make my decision between one of the following cameras for an entry level DSLR.

Nikon D40, D40x, D60, D70, or D80

or

Canon Rebel XTI

I wouldn't consider anything else. And for a great site to help you decide...
http://www.dpreview.com

My two cents!

[austriaka+]

There is a lot more than Nikon and Canon ;-)
If you don't stick to any lenses you already have, you have a wide choice in entry level DSLR.

One of the most wanted feature in DSLR you should not miss is Anti-Shake-Technology. Most systems have it built in the lenses (like Nikon and Canon), so using old Canon lenses for example won't have this.
Others have it built-in within the body like Sony and Pentax what means you can use the older lenses too without missing Anti-Shake.

I don't know much about other systems so I can tell you only about Sony: Although they are quite new in the DSLR Market they have bought the technology of Konica Minolta with all that experience (invention of Autofocus for example). Sony sensors are used in many (most?) other digital camera brands.
Right now they come up with a few very interesting entry level cameras, the A200 as a solid 10MP camera, the A300 and A350 with live-view and flipable screen (A350 even with 14MP). These new cameras lower the price of Sony's first DSLR, the A100 which is a wonderful camera too.
I think all of those are great deals and you can use any old Minolta AF lens on them. There is quite a big market for those old glasses and the quality of some of them is really amazing. Not the speed though since they have no Ultrasonic Speed motor, but the price difference between an old Minolta glass and a new USM lens is amazing too.

To bring it to a point: go out into a really big electronics store and/or a big camera dealer and take all into your hand, no matter of brand. How does it fit in, how can you reach the important buttons, how easy can you access important functions (via menu or button), how does it feel looking through, weight, size, it is more a question of sympathy than anything else.

Don't let you dazzle by lots of Megapixels or Frames per seconds: more than 10MB isn't really necessary and if you don't want to take action photos 3fps is enough.
ISO 3600 sounds great but you won't like the photos, and for 1/4000 shutter speed you may need lenses you can't afford.

Look out which camera fits best in your hands and for which system you can get the most valuable lenses for a reasonable price and how much accessories like flash or vertical grip will cost.
Consider shooting in RAW format, ask for the RAW format the camera uses and look wich RAW processing programs are available for that.

[jaywilliams+]

Good post Austriaka!

One thing I can't stress enough... the camera body is only one (small) piece of the puzzle. The most important part are the lenses. Fast, sharp zoom lenses (expensive), or prime lenses (normally less expensive) will make the biggest difference in picture detail quality.

It's not so much about megapixels as it is quality optics.

What good is a super megapixel camera if you are shooting through a junky piece of glass?

I have a Canon EOS-20D myself, and I can recommend that for starters, rather than getting a "kit" zoom lens, you're much better off purchasing the 50mm f/1.8 (or 1.4) prime lens. It's razor sharp, and super fast. And can be had for as little as $100 brand new. I'm sure Nikon and the other various brands have similarly priced lenses as well.

Oh, and BTW, I use the 3200 ISO mode, and I love it as you can shoot in almost pure darkness without a flash. And the RAW image format is the only way to go. JPGs are fine for snapshots, but If you want serious control in post, there is nothing like RAW.

[xact]

Originally Posted by EcoSee

The are two answers to this question.

1. Nikon
2. Canon

Don't look any further.

I don't know about you, but I'm really-really looking to this one. Too bad I don't have the money and I stay with my Nikon D40. Anyway, I'm proud of it.

Oh, back to topic...

I own a Nikon D40 which really does a very good job for me. My friend owns a Canon XTi (400D in Europe) and I played a lot with both, so if it comes the choice between these two, my opinion is that if you have the money to buy an extra lens (quality one) go with Canon XTi(400D) and if not, Nikon D40 does a very good job! Yes... the stock lens of XTi really suck!

[fredxeric]

what is your budget?

[notareason]

Wow, thanks everyone. I wasn't expecting so many replies over night. I am looking to spend between $800-1200, though I'd like to stay under $1000 USD.

[austriaka+]

does this budget includes lenses?
Or do you already have some lenses you can use for start?

[dakwegmo+]

Don't get caught up in the hype between Canon vs. Nikon, there's practically no difference in image quality between the two brands. In fact, a good photographer can get great photos with pretty much any dSLR made in the last few years. You can also take bad photos with any of these cameras. It's not the gear that makes the photo, it's the person using it.