Entry Level Camera Advice

[HouseCookie]

Hey All,
I am looking to purchase my first dslr camera. After doing some research I have narrowed down my decision to the Nikon D3300, the Nikon D5200, and the Pentax K-50. I am also considering the Nikon D5300, however I believe that may be out of my price range. I am always open to other suggestions as well.

I'm looking for advice on which would be the best for me. I intend to take mostly landscape and wildlife photos, but would also like a camera for decent action shots. At some point in the future I also see myself purchasing a waterproof housing to use for diving.

I am leaning towards the K-50 as it is weather resistant, has a higher max shutter speed, has 100% viewfinder coverage, and is cheaper than the D5200.

I am nervous however because I have read that it is noisy and I am having a hard time finding an underwater housing that fits it. I also am worried about Pentax as a company as they clearly don't have the market that a Canon or Nikon do.

What would you suggest I do? Will the noise factor of the Pentax be something that i should worry about?

Thank you in advance.

 

[runnah]

Nikon makes fantastic entry and mid level cameras. The 5200 is a great camera that will allow you to grow as a photographer. I would certainly go for that one over the Pentax.

The upgrades from the 5200 to 5300 is marginal.

 

[Derrel]

A "real" or "serious" UW housing can be a big investment, costing more than the entry-level bodies cost. Pentax has lost traction everywhere in the world, except in Japan. Pentax has almost zero market share anywhere except Japan, so yeah, it might be tough to find an UW housing for a K-50. It's not that Pentax is bad, they just do not sell well, and their market share is very slim. Hoya bought Pentax, held it, then flipped it to Ricoh--the office products, and cameras! people.

My advice on entry level cams? Just BUY ONE. Just obtain one, and start shootin' with it. Do NOT over-analyze anything except how much you can afford. Pick a price. Shop for a good deal if you need to, or wait for big camera sales periods (June, back-to-college,Black Friday, Christmas).

Just get your hands on that d-slr camera. You can get used to anything, Canon, Nikon, Pentax. The first step is to get the camera and to begin learning how it shoots.

 

[tirediron]

I'm going to disagree with Runnah, to a degree. Yes, the Nikon entry-level bodies are very good cameras, but... Pentax, IMO, has always been the best bang for the buck, especially in the consumer/mid-range area. For whatever reason, their marketing has always been abysmal, and while they don't have quite as wide a lens selection as Nikon or Canon, their value in terms of what you get for what you spend, exceeds any of the other major manufacturers. What I always recommend however before you actually spend any money is spend a little time playing with each body. You may find that the ergonomics of one, make it a total non-contender, and it would suck to spend as much money on a camera and lens as you have to, only to find that you got a cramp in your index finger every time you tried to press the shutter release.

 

[runnah]

I'm going to disagree with Runnah, to a degree. Yes, the Nikon entry-level bodies are very good cameras, but... Pentax, IMO, has always been the best bang for the buck, especially in the consumer/mid-range area. For whatever reason, their marketing has always been abysmal, and while they don't have quite as wide a lens selection as Nikon or Canon, their value in terms of what you get for what you spend, exceeds any of the other major manufacturers. What I always recommend however before you actually spend any money is spend a little time playing with each body. You may find that the ergonomics of one, make it a total non-contender, and it would suck to spend as much money on a camera and lens as you have to, only to find that you got a cramp in your index finger every time you tried to press the shutter release.

I am going to disagree with you!

Pentax may be good value for money but the downside is that it's such an obscure brand finding accessories will be tough. The used market for nikon is vast and full of great items.