DSLR Cameras - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

bernardos70 · 10-06-2008, 01:17 PM

So I'm seriously looking into some DSLR's and like to stay under 1K with at least a good multipurpose walk around glass. Does anyone have one? I might be able to stretch that budget a bit but not by much, and it's not for right now, but within the next couple of months. The Nikon D80's new discount price with an 18-200mm lens is going for 1200-1300, I think I could do that, but does anyone have experience with Pentax, Panasonic (Leica), Sony (Minolta), or Canon?

DirkFTW · 10-06-2008, 01:22 PM

I've got a Canon 30D, but I hear that the newer Rebel XTi model is pretty good (and cheaper). The lens I use for most everything is the 28-135mm IS lens. I am not steady, so I need the image stabilization a lot. That lens plus a good flash will get you pretty far, in my hobbyist opinion.

As for comparisons with other brands, I'm pretty useless because I've only used Canon.

bernardos70 · 10-06-2008, 01:33 PM

So at the wide end it is 44mm? The 40D is very heavily discounted right now, how's your 30D holding up?

DirkFTW · 10-06-2008, 02:19 PM

Oh right, I forgot about the crop effect... at the wide-end it is not really wide-angle. My 30D is holding up well. It is very well built, and the size is comfortable to hold. I've heard that the Rebels may be on the small side, making it harder to grip.

sike · 10-06-2008, 03:57 PM

some people have too much money

92bDad · 10-06-2008, 05:34 PM

I have a Sony A100 with two old film lenses from my old Minolta. At the time it was the best price/value within my budget.

About 2 months ago we purchased the new Canon Xti with two lenses...I forget the details and I am at the office, but suffice it to say that it was a package deal through Costco. We came in at about $800.00 delivered.

I use it for taking Sports Photography and I must admit, the Canon is blowing me away.

The Sony was great when we made the transition to DSLR and for the money, nothing competed, plus we were able to use our old lenses...but the Canon is like going from an Analog TV to HDTV in terms of the quality of the pics.

With the price that you are talking about for your budget, you should be able to find what you want. The Canon through Costco is a good deal...however at the time it was a Web Only deal.

By the way, Costco has a 90 day money back guarantee...no questions asked...so you can try it and if you don't like it...return it!!! They also extend the manufactures warranty out and as I've discovered on other products, they have a great warranty coverage...I have had electronics fixed at my house at NO CHARGE over a year after purchase.

It's worth the membership...but this is about cameras.

Best of luck and for what it's worth, I give a thumbs up to Canon out of experience and Sony out of experience...that's what we own and use today.

Flacolaco · 10-06-2008, 05:47 PM

I don't really know anything about this...but fwiw, the wife and I just got our first DSLR this year, a Nikon, and we love it....even though we hardly know what we're doing.

I'm sure for 1k you'll find a much nicer one than our D40, but just wanted to say that everything with the Nikon seems very intuitive and top notch to me.

alby · 10-14-2008, 04:22 AM

Team Nikon.

alby · 10-14-2008, 04:25 AM

For under 1K, you can get a Nikon D80 with a couple nice lenses that you can play around with.

The D90 is a new camera, I haven't read much on it yet however... but since it's a new camera, I'm quite certain the price is above your $1000 threshold.

The D40 is a great, great camera. It's small, extremely light, easy to use and a good camera to start on out if you are planning to dive more into photography. However, unlike the D60, 80, or 90... it doesn't contain a lens motor in the body which means non-AF-S/AF-I lenses are manual focus only.

Review of D40:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40/

Review of D60:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08012910nikond60.asp

Review of D80:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond80/

Review of D90:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond90/

After doing some brief research online, you can get the D90 body for right around 1k.

Personally, I would get the D40 to see if you really enjoy taking pictures with a DSLR... then invest in a better camera in a couple years. (you can get a D40 with the 18/55mm kit for under 500 now)
Or, if you know that you will be interested in photography and your attention span with it will be around for awhile, then get the D80.

alby · 10-14-2008, 06:33 PM

To answer your message, yes I do have a DSLR.

I have the Nikon D40, looks like flac and I are more alike than we had originally thought.