Entry/Mid Level dSLRs

[monkeykoder]

Well I'd say have your pick of them Canon is the only one you listed that really has a pro line as of now (that I know of) so if you're looking for ability for a high build quality body go there. Pentax seemed to be a nice little camera when I tried one out but you're not looking at that one anymore.

 

[BeemerPhotography]

Well I'd say have your pick of them Canon is the only one you listed that really has a pro line as of now (that I know of) so if you're looking for ability for a high build quality body go there. Pentax seemed to be a nice little camera when I tried one out but you're not looking at that one anymore.

Ok, thanks for your help.

 

[wharvey86]

I just recently bought my first Dslr after doing months of research. I picked the sony A300. I would have to say i am very happy with my choice. I find this camera to be very easy to use as someone new to dslr's and it takes a very nice picture. The only downside i would say might be that the viewfinder is alittle bit smaller than other's and that sony may not have as many assesories as the big competators (nikon and cannon). But i would HIGHLY reccomend this camera to anyone. Also i believe best buy still might have the sale where you can get the a300 and 75-300mm zoom lens for $600.

 

[TBAM]

I did not mean to flame you. However when I say you have shown no vested interest in the questions you're asking, I mean you haven't embellished on what you want to know and are expecting everyone else to do the work for you.

For example:

"What car should I get, a Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Ford. Tell me which one you'd pick and why?"

A more involved approach would be to go and research the cameras yourself, or even read user reviews (which are abundant on the internet) and see why people did choose those cameras.

There is a lot involved in replying to such an open question of "tell me what I should buy and why", and (to me) it givest he impression that you want everyone else to do the leg-work.

I did not intend to be mean. For that I apologise.

However, to better articulate what you are after how about you answer me this:

Why did you choose to put a Canon Rebel XSi on your list?
Why did you choose to put a Sony A350 on your list?
Why did you choose to put a Pentax k200D on your list?
Why did you choose to put a Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 on your list? (I'm pretty sure this camera has a digital viewfinder and has the same lens mount as Olympus 4/3 cameras)
Why did you choose to put an Olympus E-520 on your list?
Why did you choose to put a Nikon D60 on your list?


It seems to me that you're less concerned about what brand or model camera you want, and more concerned about whether it fits in your budget, and whether it has 10 megapixels. Of which i'm assuming all cameras do.

What you need to do is articulate what you want in a camera to a level where we can start giving you specific advice, because at the moment, all of those cameras shoot pictures, all of them have transferrable lenses, all of them are on or over 10 megapixels, all of them have fully manual mode, all of them go to ISO 1600 or higher, all of them output in RAW as well as JPEG, all of them have flash hotshoes, you see what I'm getting at?

You listed a number of cameras, said you want to shoot everything, want to print as big as you can. Then asked us which one?

My favourite colour is red, does that make red an objectively better colour? No it doesn't. Does me owning a Pentax mean that my preference for purchasing the Pentax camera makes pentax a better camera? No.

All of those cameras pretty much do exactly the same thing, exactly the same way, look almost exactly the same, have the same features, the same limits, the same resolution etc etc.

So you can buy any of them. Whichever one you choose.

What it depends on, is the lens system more than anything. Which, again, is just as open a question as your body questions. Because all company's now have a pretty good amount of lenses for all focal lengths and applications. Some (like Nikon and Pentax) have old film lenses that can still be used on their latest cameras so provide a wider choice when it comes to replacing your lenses or buying used lenses. But again, you haven't expressed any interest in knowing that.

What I'm getting at is, if you had been more specific in the first place, and done some research yourself into the cameras you want to purchase, people might be more forgiving.

However, in most cases the best response to your question is "Go and hold the cameras yourself and whichever one feels best, is the one you should go for" However I don't think this is the answer you were looking for.

 

[Joves]

Well I'd say have your pick of them Canon is the only one you listed that really has a pro line as of now (that I know of) so if you're looking for ability for a high build quality body go there. Pentax seemed to be a nice little camera when I tried one out but you're not looking at that one anymore.

Excuse me! Does Nikon not have a pro line? On that note Im not a fan of the D40/60s because of the fact that not all lenses work with their systems. You have to use the AF-S/I lenses for full functionality. The D80 would be a better choice but that is more than you want to spend.

 

[reg]

i cant knock the other ones dont know a lot about them, but my going experience is go with either nikon or canon the others just dont seem to cut it.

Okay, so in what experience do you not know a lot about "the others", but DO know that they "don't cut it"?

 

[skieur]

What would you guys choose, and why?

Canon Rebel XSi
Sony A350
Pentax K200D
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1
Olympus E-520
Nikon D60

I will use the dSLR for all-around photography: macro, portraits, landscapes, cityscapes, nature, etc.

I'm probably going to just get the body-only, and buy a lens separately.

I bought the A350 for the tilt screen and live view. I chose a 2.8 wide angle macro zoom 18mm to 50mm. and the Sony G lens 70mm to 300mm.
With quality glass, it works much better I am sure than with kit lenses.

skieur

 

[Katier]

Of the ones listed I would get the Pentax, because of the durable body and the have a bunch of new lenses but you can also use tons of old lenses. I would take a look at the Nikon D40. If you are just starting it will take you time to out grow and when you do you can sell it and get a D90 or D300 or something. D40 also allows you to use tons of old lenses too

Sadly the useability of the D40 with old lenses is terrible. I agree, the K200D is the best option in the price range without a doubt, especially for what the OP wants.

 

[JerryPH]

D40 also allows you to use tons of old lenses too

Incorrect info.
The D40 has no internal focus motor. All those older lenses you speak of are now suddenly a manual ONLY focus lens that on a higher end model camera with a focus motor integrated into the camera will focus automatically with.

This is one of the largest complaints of D40 owners.

 

[smyth]

Incorrect info.
The D40 has no internal focus motor. All those older lenses you speak of are now suddenly a manual ONLY focus lens that on a higher end model camera with a focus motor integrated into the camera will focus automatically with.

This is one of the largest complaints of D40 owners.

well, for the $700cdn price difference between the D40 and the D90, I'll manual focus.

And jerry, technically he is right, you can use all those old lenses. They still mount and take pictures

 

[Katier]

Incorrect info.
The D40 has no internal focus motor. All those older lenses you speak of are now suddenly a manual ONLY focus lens that on a higher end model camera with a focus motor integrated into the camera will focus automatically with.

This is one of the largest complaints of D40 owners.

D40 wont meter non-cpu manual focus lenses.. that's not good at all.. so my finor is essentially correct.

K200D WILL meter the equivalent Pentax lenses.

 

[JustAnEngineer]

If you're going to go the Nikon route, D40/D40X/D60 won't let you get much use out of older Nikon lenses that lack internal motors (or over one third of the currently-offered Nikon lenses). You might end up spending less overall if you started with a better Nikon camera like the D80/D90/D200 and then were able to buy and use some of the less expensive non- AF-S lenses. The other brands don't have the same caveat. The cheapest Canon DSLR is fully-functional with every EF lens sold since 1987.