Best D-SLR for £900?

Yeah I use Dpreview – good pile of advice so far, thanks.

Jamie,

There are many good DSLR’s on the market, each with their own pro’s and con’s and supporters of course. In my opinion some of the best and most unbiased reviews can be found at this site http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/ , complete with comparison examples of camera’s in the same category.

And yes, I have a favourite too (Nikon D2x), but this doesn’t mean that I disqualify other makes and models. My advice: read as many reviews and user reports as you can. Decide which aspects are the most important to you. Make a shortlist and try to handle as many of the camera’s on your shortlist as possible and decide for yourself.

Good luck and enjoy!

Best DSLR

Hey
I’m thinking of spending about £800-£900 on a decent D-SLR to drastically improve my air show photography so I can get my site sorted out how I actually want it (if anyones interested my gallery which I’ve only just setup is here) as well as learning a lot more about photography.

For £900, what do you think the *best* VFM D-SLR is in terms of features, effective/max pixels etc? I’m looking at the EOS 20D or a second had 10D but I’m not too sure to be honest.

Regards,

Jamie.

Don’t be brain washed by Canon or Nikon, people buy these products because of their name alot of the time. From test reports the best upcoming camera is the new Minolta Dynax 5D, you do not need an image stabalising lens with this camera or the Dynax7 which is a bit dearer. tha actual CCD sensor moves within the camera itself. In otherwords you do not need to spend upto a £1000.00+ on IS lenses. Also if you walk round airshows those big white metallic lenses you see are anything upto £5,500.00. Go for the Minolta and do not be brain washed by this lot on these forums. Do not always think more Pixels is better. There is a test on the new Minolta in last weeks Amateur Photographer Magazine Tel 01707-273773 or there website is www.testreports.co.uk/photography/ap
Don’t be sucked into the Canon/Nikon trap you cannot buy youself out of it once your in it

Rob

You set the shutter speed on the camera and i wouldn’t bother getting a 75-300 with image stabiliser, the 75-300usm mk3 isn’t that heavy so i doubt it would really be any use to you. And it’s more expensive too.

Thanks, the 350D seems a good choice for the money. One n00b question – how do you set the shutter speed on a D-SLR? On the camera or lens? 😮 – Like if I had a 75-300mm lens I’d be wanting to set the shutter speed for moving aircraft at 1/300 of a second yeah? Also what’s this about Image stabilisation? is it worth the extra money or would a fast shutter speed do?

Well I’m only 15 so I don’t want to go and rock the boat spending loads…I’ve got to buy a new a new laptop yet. In terms of Lenses, I don’t have any Canon EF lenses seeing as I’ve never owned a SLR camera in my life so it’s a first for me 🙂

I’ve been reading up more on SLR airshow photography. Erm a focal length of atleast 300mm? So how much would a 75-300mm Sigma or Canon EF lens be for the 10/20D?

Thanks for the reply,

Jamie.

It would pay you to shop around to get a good deal and with places like Jessops you should always try and knock their prices down as they do a price match scheme, They will match warehouse express prices. You should get a magazine like practical photography and compare dealers prices before you decide to go and buy a camera. Also remember with places like Jessops some of the staff know less than you do about photography so don’t get baffled by their bull sh1t, Just know what you want and how much you can get it for before you use people like that. I have a 10D and a 20D and both are very good and currently i only use a canon 75-300 but that will change as i have recently sold one of my play things. Park cameras were advertising some 2nd hand 10D’s a while back for under £500 but you may also want to consider a 350D for £529 body only. There seems to be quite a few 75-300 lenses on E-bay from time to time so might pay you to look there as they are £168.99 in Jessops and more in some other places.

Okay well thanks, I’ll look into it.

Ah right, I’m having a look at Nikon’s site right now…what Nikon product do you recommend – like the D70 or D100?

Try this chart http://www.nikonians.org/html/resources/nikon_articles/body/chart/nikon_dslr_chart.html

I would say the D70 is your best bet, with D50 if you want to spend more on Lenses

Ah right, I’m having a look at Nikon’s site right now…what Nikon product do you recommend – like the D70 or D100?

Thank you mate, that’s great 🙂 – I’ll go and do a good bit of research into that. The only reason that I was specifically looking at the Canon range is that I know their cameras all are of excellent quality and are good feature wise, however it does pay to shop around. I’ll have a better look at Nikon and Olympus. What about Kodak?

Kodak make sensors and camera’s, but have just pulled the plug on their Hi end pro model DSLR. And they don’t make lenses. So its a matter of watch this space for them. For example whilst Olympus is relatively small in DSLR camera’s at present they are large in optics in other fields, so have vast experience making lenses for astrophysics and medical equipment. This is why their lenses are so good. Some are very expensive also!!!!!

Thank you mate, that’s great 🙂 – I’ll go and do a good bit of research into that. The only reason that I was specifically looking at the Canon range is that I know their cameras all are of excellent quality and are good feature wise, however it does pay to shop around. I’ll have a better look at Nikon and Olympus. What about Kodak?

Jamie, as you are starting from scratch, you have the DSLR word at your feet and the opportunity to buy into a designed for digital system and not invest in a system that relies essentially on legacy designed for film lenses. Before you buy anything, check out the New Olympus E500. This camera is priced in the EOS 350D Nikon D50 range but has the features of the 20D. Not only this, but the Olympus kit lens are far and away the best on the market, and the build quality is second to none. Just ask the shops how many come back for repair. Also the Olympus JPEG engine is reputedly the best on the market bar none, and this is important for beginners who are not necessarily set up to convert from RAW files themselves.

The 4-3rds system that Olympus has designed is the only DSLR system that has been designed for digital and this means you are investing in a system that will still be able to take advantage of greater resolution of digital sensors that will be around in 10 to 15 years. Most legacy film lenses are now at the limit of what they can produce with 6 to 8 Mega pixel sensors, and this will severely limit your expectations further down the line assuming you wish to take your photography on, and emulate some of those who post on this forum. Another factor to bear in mind is that if you wish to branch out into other areas of photography and take advantage of wide angle lenses on reduced frame senor camera’s at reasonable prices then you will find that Olympus is currently the only manufacturer that can offer quality wide angle lenses at reasonable price. Also the Olympus DSLR’s are the only cameras with self cleaning sensors.

The Current twin lens kit from Olympus of E500 and (14-45mm + 40-150) is outstanding value for money and comes within your budget. Nowhere else will you get such value. You will note that the focal length of these lenses produces a field of view equivalent to twice the focal length, so a 150 is like 300. Combine this with the 1.4 converter and you have 420 with no loss of quality. Or try the single lens kit, (14-45mm) and buy the outstanding 50-200 that will give 400mm, or 560mm equivalent field of view in combination with the 1.4 converter. One area where a Canon has a clear advantage over Olympus is in hight ISO noise levels. However I don’t think this is as a pronounced as is often made out and The E500 appears to be an improvement over the previous E300.

Camera bodies are being upgraded/ replaced every two or three years currently, if not more often and it is better to put your money into quality glass, than it is to spend on bodies and cheep glass. Canon and Nikon base their reputations on their professional range of cameras and lenses which are fantastic. But it is not often realised that especially in the case of Canon that these camera’s use full frame sensors and require only the very best of lenses to give acceptable results. Consumer quality lenses are often hopeless on these cameras, EOS 1Ds 5D etc whilst giving acceptable results on reduced frame sensor camera’s EOS 20D, 10D 300D 350D. So, whilst the growth path may look clear, it is often quite blurred.

Panasonic is due to release a DSLR body next year, possibly at PMA, in February 2006, that will be compatible with the four thirds system, where all bodies and lens built to this standard are completely interchangeable. This will improve the choice you will have going forward and if you look at how Panasonic has revolutionised the camcorder field, then you have to assume that they would not invest in a system that does not have a big future. Checkout the following links and visits the various forums. It’s very enlightening, and will help you make your decisions that you will be able to live with for years to come.

One last point, don’t get hung up on mega pixels, anywhere from 5 to 8 will do, and 8 is not necessarily better than 5 on all camera’s. It’s the quality of the pixels that matter.

http://www.4-3system.com/ This site is a good site for all that is available in the 4/3rds system. Read it all and get a sence of how the system has been developed

http://www.dpreview.com/ this sight is good for camera reviews and the forums will give you an insight into reliability. I urge you to check them out.

http://www.myfourthirds.com/ This sight for images taken by ordinary photographers like you and me that demonstrates the superiority and potential of the fourthirds system.

I myself got my first Olympus camera an OM1 in 1973 during my last year of school, and was recommended it by a school mate who had his dad’s Nikon F1 to use. I was the envy of my class. I followed up with an OM2 in 1980, and an OM4 in 1984, along with 7 lenses and have never had to have any repairs done other than one lens checked out after it was dropped. (cost me £35). This is a record not match by my friends who followed the flow and bought other makes based on marketing hype and share. I’m currently awaiting the new E3(?) due out next year.

Jamie I hope this helps and as you have some time on your hands I urge you to do the research and not jump too soon. It would pay you check out Nikon carefully as well, as they also produce outstanding camera’s. A choice from 3 makes is going to make you more comfortable than a choice of 3 models from one manufacturer.

I am sitting it out myself at the moment. The reason I didn’t bought the 20D was because of it very poor RAW buffer of only 6 shots (I never shoot jpg). So what I am hoping for is (let’s name it) a 25D with 1.6 crop and a 10mp sensor. With that I can do what I want for the coming years without needing to update. It it is still 8mp , which I hardly believe, well, then a used 20D will do it for me. I believe 8 to 10 mp is perfect for almost everybody. I am using a 1D, of 4.5 mp, and even that gives me A3. BW Roger

Interesting Roger S, thanks for that.
I’m trying to draw a line between expense and quality, I am not a professional photographer, I do not regularly make money from my work and it’s a hobby, not a job, so I think the 20D and it’s future equivalents in the range are top of my league.

Be interesting to see the spec, they keep pushing the number of megapixels upwards, but for general non-publishing business, is there need? In a few years, will people be buying compact cameras like the IXUS but with 18megapixels? :S

I love this hobby but damn it’s expensive. I was pondering over whether to upgrade to the 20D in the next few months or go for L glass, I think the L glass has won, 70-200 F4 L. 😀

I see – I’ll probably be buying in January or February so I’ve got time to look around, thanks for the suggestions so far 🙂

Before next years season start, the 20D will be replaced. The new one is expected to be lauched before the 2006 PMA, in February 2006. So expect a price drop, and a lot of used ones, in early 2006. If you can sit it out, just wait a few months. BW Roger

Shame your budget can’t stretch a bit, you can get a 20D for £799 for the next few months, that’s including £100 casback from Canon (oh and a free 256mb CF card too)

There’s still a few second hand D10s floating about the last time I looked, though if you don’t want to take the risk with second hand equipment, how about a 350D? You can find the body only selling in the Uk for around £530.

Lens is another ball game altogether. At the minute I’m using Canon’s 75-300 USM IS (not the DO one) which cost just under £300. The cheapest you’ll find a Canon 75-300 lens is just over the £100 mark, but remember, you get what you pay for! I can’t speak about Sigma as I have no first hand experience with them.

Well I’m only 15 so I don’t want to go and rock the boat spending loads…I’ve got to buy a new a new laptop yet. In terms of Lenses, I don’t have any Canon EF lenses seeing as I’ve never owned a SLR camera in my life so it’s a first for me 🙂

I’ve been reading up more on SLR airshow photography. Erm a focal length of atleast 300mm? So how much would a 75-300mm Sigma or Canon EF lens be for the 10/20D?

Thanks for the reply,

Jamie.

Jamie,

The 20D is comfortably a better bet than the 10D – effectively, the 20D replaced the 10D which is only available second hand now. The 20D has more pixels (8mp vs 6mp) and a much better focusing system, as well as a substantially quicker “wake up” time. However, you need to consider lenses too. Does your £900 budget need to include a lens/lenses, have you already got Canon EF-mount lenses, or have you got additional money to spend on lenses? If your budget needs to cover both camera and lenses, then you’ll be hard pressed to get a 20D and useful airhow lenses for £900 and in this case I’d recommend considering a second hand 10D and a lens or two. Also, if you haven’t got lenses, you might want to look at the Nikon range (although I’m biased and only recommend Canon!!!!) as I believe they offer DSLRs in your price range too.

Andy

PS: For airshow photography, you need to consider at least two lenses – one going up to 300mm (at least!) for flying subjects, given the distance between crowd and display line these days, and a wide-angle lens for statics