Do I need a DSLR?

passerby · Jan 25, 2008

jsearing said:
Right now I have 600 to spend on a SLR. Any other options?

Johnny

If you have spare money keep that sony and buy the cheapest DSLR on the market. I think they are Pentax d100 and Nikon D40, I don't know others. Stick with it (whichever) for up to a year see if the love of shooting is in you. If not - well you can sell it 2nd hand and still have the quality snap shooter handy. If you love shooting than you move up. Money means nothing for the thing we love, don't you think so?

jsearing · Jan 25, 2008

passerby said:
If you have spare money keep that sony and buy the cheapest DSLR on the market. I think they are Pentax d100 and Nikon D40, I don't know others. Stick with it (whichever) for up to a year see if the love of shooting is in you. If not - well you can sell it 2nd hand and still have the quality snap shooter handy. If you love shooting than you move up. Money means nothing for the thing we love, don't you think so?

Smart Idea. Now you got me thinking.........couldn't I shoot for a year and see if I have the love for it with just the Sony? Would a SLR really make me love it more?
If in a year I love it, then I could buy something even better than the XT?

And yes I agree...money means nothing for the thing we love!

Johnny

Parkerman · Jan 25, 2008

jsearing said:
Smart Idea. Now you got me thinking.........couldn't I shoot for a year and see if I have the love for it with just the Sony? Would a SLR really make me love it more?
If in a year I love it, then I could buy something even better than the XT?

And yes I agree...money means nothing for the thing we love!

Johnny

lol, i thought the same thing, then after seeing all the DSLR photos, and how much i was enjoying it... I ended up getting a DSLR like 4 months after.

I say do it the right way to begin with. I wish i would have.. I would have had more money to throw at a different lens... or to throw at a small compact slim P&S.

nhsmitty · Jan 26, 2008

From my experience, more than likely you will want to move up fairly quickly after learning the manual controls on the Sony. But yes, you can learn exposure and the manual controls on a non-DSLR just as I did with my Canon A75. Fact is I didn't get the picture quality I was searching for until I moved up. At least by cutting my teeth with the A75 I wasn't blindsided by all the options on a DSLR.

If you don't want to go with a DSLR just yet, get a more compact P&S with manual controls. That way you can learn the controls and when you decide to move up to a DSLR you will have a more pocketable but capable P&S for when you don't want to carry a big camera around.

My D40X takes a great pic but I have no desire to carry it around ALL the time, or for general pics, so I take the A75.

alabama1980 · Jan 27, 2008

Wow, so im not the only one here without a DSLR.....

I bought my Sony h7 about 6 months ago and I really love it. I am considering uprading to gain some more artistic freedom, however the learning curve of using the manual (thats practically the only mode I shoot in) settings has been great. I have no intentions of getting rid of my h7 even after I upgrade. In my mind a point and shoot comes in handy sometimes and is sometimes practical.

photoguy912 · Jan 27, 2008

I would def. get aDSLR if you can afford it.. and as far as that goes.. check out ebay. I have a canon digital rebel XTi... and i buy all of my goodies online, and i have sold a lot of camera gear online. If you have a dslr and good lenses..... in two years when something better comes around, just sell the body online and invest in a new one that will take your lenses, and you will have a new setup again!

jsearing · Jan 27, 2008

Hello,
Thanks for all your info! I really appreciate it.

I've been reading all the reviews and comparisons on the Canon Rebel Xt and the Nikon D80.
From what I can see the Nikon has more of what I need in a camera. In fact after reading all the stuff on DSLR's I can't believe I even got the Sony!

Anyways, what's important to me is:

1. No lag. I want real snappy shooting. I don't like the lag time some cameras have. The way I shoot and the stuff I want to shoot, I need instant snaps. From reviews the Nikon D80 is quicker than the Canon Xt or Xti.

2. I have big hands and the Nikon is bigger than the Canon. From reviews it is a very comfortable camera. The sony is small and it is hurting my hands!

3. Quality. From reviews the Canon is richer in color but about the same in everything else.

I know I probably need to worry about other specs but these are the main things I need right now.

So on to the Nikon....Should I just buy the body and then buy a lens somewhere else? Or can I buy the Nikon packages that give you a 18-55m lens?

See this http://www.shopcartusa.com/P_Nikon_D80_Digital_Camera_Body_Only_25412/PT_Y/?ic_campID=98

Then see this http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-10-2MP-...?ie=UTF8&sort=quality&index=0&page=13#gallery

RKW3 · Jan 27, 2008

D80's are awesome. Actually a D80 is a level up from a XT/XTi. The D40/D40x are on the same level as an XT would be.

just x joey · Jan 27, 2008

YES, you always need a DSLR. thats like saying you are going to war, do i need a rifle?

photogincollege · Jan 27, 2008

Well most nikons come with an 18-55 lens, but I suggest getting body only and maybe looking at the 18-70. I got a great deal on a very very gently used on on ebay for 139 with shipping. Its a step up from the 18-55 that you can find for a really good price.

trapspeed · Jan 27, 2008

I, too, made the same mistake. I didn't know much about cameras but always loved photography. I went out and bought a Sony S2 IS powershot. Soon enough I felt the camera was holding me back and I needed to get a DSLR to really get serious about learning exposure.

I bought a Rebel XT about a week ago and am very satisfied with the upgrade.

IMO, I think you should return it.

Tennessee Landscape · Jan 27, 2008

jsearing said:
Right now I have 600 to spend on a SLR. Any other options?

Johnny

What I did was kepp my prosumer, ( which is what I believe your Sony is ) and learned how to operate the manual controls. I took lots of pictures forcing myself to use manual settings, what you learn will transfer over to a DSLR Nikon or Canon. That is what I did. Started with a Kodak ZD710, and when I bought my Nikon D80, even though there is a big step up in ability and features, it was not as daunting a task to learn. I would take your time with it. IMHO, you will be better in the end.......

Jon0807 · Jan 27, 2008

I would also suggest going to a store and holding the camera's you're trying to decide on in your hands and playing with them for a while. Before I got my Canon I was leaning twords Nikon but after playing with both, I realized that I liked the way the canon felt alot better. Also the placement of the controls and features were more to my liking.

Another thing to consider is that most of your money will be put into lenses and accessories for those lenses. You can always upgrade the camera body itself but usually you will keep the lenses and not all are interchangeable. Nikon lenses won't go onto Canon bodies for example. So when you do decide on which camera to get, keep in mind that you may want to choose a brand that you'd want to stick with for a while

Joves · Jan 27, 2008

jsearing said:
Hello,
Thanks for all your info! I really appreciate it.

I've been reading all the reviews and comparisons on the Canon Rebel Xt and the Nikon D80.
From what I can see the Nikon has more of what I need in a camera. In fact after reading all the stuff on DSLR's I can't believe I even got the Sony!

Anyways, what's important to me is:

1. No lag. I want real snappy shooting. I don't like the lag time some cameras have. The way I shoot and the stuff I want to shoot, I need instant snaps. From reviews the Nikon D80 is quicker than the Canon Xt or Xti.

2. I have big hands and the Nikon is bigger than the Canon. From reviews it is a very comfortable camera. The sony is small and it is hurting my hands!

3. Quality. From reviews the Canon is richer in color but about the same in everything else.

I know I probably need to worry about other specs but these are the main things I need right now.

So on to the Nikon....Should I just buy the body and then buy a lens somewhere else? Or can I buy the Nikon packages that give you a 18-55m lens?

See this http://www.shopcartusa.com/P_Nikon_D80_Digital_Camera_Body_Only_25412/PT_Y/?ic_campID=98

Then see this http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-10-2MP-...?ie=UTF8&sort=quality&index=0&page=13#gallery

That first links price is a little too low actually. I would go to reseller ratings to see how they fare before ordering. I suggest going to say BestBuy or any other store that carries them and, see how you really like them as, Jon said. The 18-55 is OK but, not great. But if that is the only kit you can afford then it will do for a start, while learning to use the camera. But you have been proviously warned, Dslrs will drain your pockets of cash aquiring new glass and, other gizmos. :lol:

Here is reseller ratings http://www.resellerratings.com check any site with really low prices first. There are alot of terrible etailer in the photoequipment biz.

mrodgers · Jan 27, 2008

gendarmee said:
I've seen 2 characteristics of few of Digi cam Noob's . I'm NOT referring to the thread starter here.
one, that they thing the smallest cam with highest number of mega pixels is the best camera around.
two, they are adamant about knowing more about the cam or using anything other than the auto mode, ( that includes not switching off the flash even in broad day light to not adjusting the white balance in chandelier light )

I've seen 3 characteristics of a few dSLR users. I'm not referring to anyone in particular here, but I see one characteristic quite frequently.

One, folks are quite arrogant when it comes to dSLRs. They call anything that is NOT a dSLR a point and shoot. Point and shoot is just as it says, you point it and shoot it. Nothing more needed, fully automatic. My "point and shoot" has the same settings as the beloved dSLR that all the "only buy a dSLR" crowd spouts about. I am only limited in the ranges of those settings. It seems to be a social status to me, where only the financially well-off can enter and all others are looked down upon.

Two, some dSLR users think a dSLR along with the highest number of megapixels is the best camera around.

And three, they are adamant about knowing more about the cam or using anything other than the auto mode, (that includes not switching off the flash even in broad day light to not adjusting the white balance in chandelier light).

There indeed are people out there who think it is all camera and has nothing to do with the person behind the lens. My coworker is exactly this for example. When asked how his $1500 XTi was, he exclaimed that it takes fantastic pictures, all automatic! The camera does everything. Sounds much like the small point and shoot folks that many dSLR users look down upon about.

When that coworker asked about my $200 "point and shoot", I told him it was fantastic. I can adjust DOF, get the shutter speed necessary to capture my 4 year old little speed demon who never stops. He said, "Adjust your DO What?"

Thus, the answer to the question, "Do I need a dSLR?" would be another question. What do you want to accomplish? Do you want to take random snapshots without spending a lot of money? Point and shoots are quite cheap. Do you want to do more with learning photography and learning about exposure and how to blur the background or capture motion? Again, the manual control NON-dSLR cameras are much cheaper. And they allow this just as a dSLR does. If you really want to get deep into the hobby of photography and have money coming out your behind, you can spend the equivalent of what would be a big upgrade to my car and get a dSLR. Then you can join the throngs of arrogant dSLR users and look down upon us non-dSLR, but also non-Point and Shoot users like we are nothing more than garbage to be tossed in the can.