Finally Decided to Buy a DSLR....I think.

NCspotter · Mar 21, 2015

Hey everyone,

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this or not, but here goes nothing.

I've been contemplating buying a DSLR for some time now and I think I've finally made up my mind to actually buy one. I found a Nikon D3300 with 18-55mm VR lens at a local camera store for $500. I'm trying to figure if this would be a good buy, or if I should keep searching for something else

I can post the link if anyone wants to see it. All opinions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Nicholas

Derrel · Mar 21, 2015

Here's a good, comprehensive review of the camera from a Nikon expert. Nikon D3300 Review byThom Thom Hogan

I am not up-to-the-minute familiar with the pricing of that camera. Be aware that there is officially warrantied "USA warranty" equipment, which costs more than unofficially imported or so-called gray market (or grey market) equipment. Gray market prices found on the web often give people a false impression of what actual, retail prices are. Keep in mind that regular, walk-in retail prices are pretty competitive between dealers in every market. If the equipment has a country-of-sale, official warranty, the prices are usually pretty similar between one dealer and another one in the same market.

tirediron · Mar 21, 2015

If at all possible, buy it from a real bricks and mortar camera store (NOT a big-box store that also happens to sell cameras), even if it means paying a little more. That little extra is generally the premium you pay for advice, help, and guidance, as well as ease of return if there is a problem or warranty work is retired. The D3300 is, IMO, a good starting point. You may also want to look around and see if you can find the two-lens kit (18-55 & 55-200) for a little more if that fits in the budget.

NCspotter · Mar 21, 2015

Derrel said:
Here's a good, comprehensive review of the camera from a Nikon expert. Nikon D3300 Review byThom Thom Hogan

I am not up-to-the-minute familiar with the pricing of that camera. Be aware that there is officially warrantied "USA warranty" equipment, which costs more than unofficially imported or so-called gray market (or grey market) equipment. Gray market prices found on the web often give people a false impression of what actual, retail prices are. Keep in mind that regular, walk-in retail prices are pretty competitive between dealers in every market. If the equipment has a country-of-sale, official warranty, the prices are usually pretty similar between one dealer and another one in the same market.

Thanks for the link. The store I am planning to buy it from has been around for a while, and advertise the exact same prices as Nikon does.

tirediron said:
If at all possible, buy it from a real bricks and mortar camera store (NOT a big-box store that also happens to sell cameras), even if it means paying a little more. That little extra is generally the premium you pay for advice, help, and guidance, as well as ease of return if there is a problem or warranty work is retired. The D3300 is, IMO, a good starting point. You may also want to look around and see if you can find the two-lens kit (18-55 & 55-200) for a little more if that fits in the budget.

Good point. I'm going to buy it from a small business in Charlotte next weekend. I haven't actually seen a D3300 in a big box store in a while anyway.

Designer · Mar 21, 2015

Oddly enough, I got the two-lens deal, and have used the 18-55 almost exclusively, and the 55-200 rarely.

The two-lens deal will cost a bit more, but that is an excellent way to get the other kit lens. And who knows, you might use it more than the other one.

NCspotter · Mar 21, 2015

Designer said:
Oddly enough, I got the two-lens deal, and have used the 18-55 almost exclusively, and the 55-200 rarely.

The two-lens deal will cost a bit more, but that is an excellent way to get the other kit lens. And who knows, you might use it more than the other one.

I could swing the two-lens deal, but I'm just too dang frugal that I'm not sure if I'm willing to pony up the $150 or so extra for the 55-200. It is a better deal though, but I haven't used a 55-200 yet, so I'll have to see if the camera store will let me try it with the 55-200.

Designer · Mar 21, 2015

Just don't leave the store without the 18-55!

Derrel · Mar 21, 2015

Well, with a single-lens kit, with just the 18-55 kit zoom, the 55mm top end will leave you wanting a lot more "reach" for distant subjects, and for achieving that "telephoto look", which is a narrow angle of view, and decent magnification of both foreground subjects, but also a magnifying of background subject SIZE, and also a sort of what is commonly called telephoto compression, which mkaes more-distant objects appear closer, more "looming", than when a shorter lens length is used.

Almost all camera makers have gone to an 18-55 as the basic "kit lens" for everyday, all-around, general indoor/outdoor use, with flash being needed for low-light and indoor work, and then a 55-200 or 55-250mm or 55-300mm longer lens as the lens designed to handle everything from 55mm and longer. There's a reason that the camera manufacturers have standardized on the 55-200 or 55-250 and 55-300 lenses...

The 55-200 lenses with in-lens stabilizing give steady shots when using the lens hand-held, or when out of breath, or when the light level has dropped, and the photographer needs or wants to shoot hand-held in poor light and, or to "stop the lens down" to get more in-focus; there are both "VR" lenses, and NON-VR lenses in both kit and tele-zoom categories. The NON-VR makes more sense in the 18-55mm kit zoom; in the tele-zoom, the 55-200 or 55-250 range lenses, I personally think that the added money spent on the in-lens VR stabilizing system is money well spent. At the entry level of the market, retailers often try to tailor packages to people who are looking for the absolutely CHEAPEST prices, and so you might see packages that are a lot cheaper because one, or both, of the lenses are NON-VR models, or one is VR and the other is not, or BOTH lenses are VR models... SO, when looking at prices, keep that in mind: what might seem to be the "same stuff" might actually be different lens models.

Dave442 · Mar 21, 2015

My brother went with the 18-55mm kit lens plus the 35mm f/1.8 DX with his first Nikon, although he had been using another DSLR before that. There is overlap in focal length, but the prime can do things the zoom can't and of course the zoom gives you some extra coverage that is often needed. This gives you two lenses and I feel that one reason to use a DSLR is the ease of changing out lenses.
Anyway, the D3300 is a good beginner DSLR with the kit lens so if you feel good about the price go for it and start shooting as soon as possible, that is the most important part.

jaomul · Mar 21, 2015

Nice set up. Image quality should be excellent. If you can swing it the twin kit lens makes sense

NCspotter · Mar 21, 2015

Thanks for the feedback everyone. The twin lens kit is $650, or $150 more than the D3300 with just the 18-55mm, and they offer both a 55-200mm and 55-300mm in the twin lens kits. Economically speaking, it is undoubtedly a better buy to go with two lenses than just the 18-55mm package, but I'll have to see what they have in stock.

If I went for the twin lens kit, which would be the better choice; the 55-200mm or 55-300mm lens?

tirediron · Mar 21, 2015

I haven't tested them myself, but AFAIK, there isn't a lot of difference in IQ between the 55-200 and 55-300, so I would say get the 300; even if you don't need it, you've got it.

dennybeall · Mar 21, 2015

It's a crop-sensor camera so the numbers are not descriptive if you're used to 35mm cameras. The 55-200 is like a 82.5 - 300 lens for instance. The 18-55 is akin to a 27mm-82.5mm.
Covering 27mm to 300mm is good but 27 to 450mm coverage would give you a nice kit that will be very flexible. So I'd suggest two lenses and make one the 55-300.
They're not the top of the line super sharp lenses that you may want later on but can make you happy for now.

BrickHouse · Mar 21, 2015

I spent the last 2 years with the D3200 and both kit lenses. Honestly, after I got my 35mm 1.8 and my 85mm 1.8, I haven't touched either kit lens. If there was a way to save some money and get the body only and then pick up the 35mm prime, you would notice significant improvement in the sharpness of your images.

raventepes · Mar 23, 2015

I have first hand experience with it (actually, it's my wife's camera). It's simply a solid camera, especially if all you care about are stills, but don't expect it to be a D810. It's a tad small, coming from what I'm used to (D7100), but I don't find it at all uncomfortable, however it's VERY light. Even the 70-300 VR that pretty much lives on it make it very front heavy. Just not a whole lot to balance it out with from the body. But having said that, it's still fairly comfortable once I got used to the weight displacement.

It doesn't have all that great a feature set, but what it gives you are solid images.

All in all, I'd say I recommend it.