Need help buying a dSLR

[six-five-two]

Hey, this is my first post here and I have a question...
I own a Canon S3IS, the thing is that there is quite a bit of noise, even with pictures at ISO100. And ontop of that, the iso can only go up to 800, and at 800 it's very grainy. So I am looking for a camera with these specifications:

-Has ISO over 800
-Digital SLR
-Uses SD cards
-Good image quality
-Good price (anything under $1000 preferred $800 or lower)
-Decent image stabilization (preferred on the body and not the lens)

Preferred:
-Auto Exposure Bracketing
-Take pictures via LCD screen and not viewfinder
-Takes RAW+JPEG (saves it twice)
-Takes AA batteries

I think the Pentax K100D has all of these, but is there any SLR where you can take pictures via the LCD screen and not the viewfinder?

 

[DSLR noob]

You don't want live view. Trust me, once you've used a true SLR viewfinder, you'll wonder how you ever took pictures from 2 feet away in the first place. The Pentax K100D would be a great choice for you (no live view).

If you HAVE to have it, get an Olympus E-510.

 

[six-five-two]

Sorry a "live view" is basically electronic?

The reason why I want it to take pictures via the LCD screen is because sometimes I take pictures while I am driving, since sometimes there is nowhere to stop on the road.

 

[ANDS!]

Take pictures via LCD screen and not viewfinder

I remember using my A75 and almost NEVER using the viewfinder - it was cumbersome and pointless; however - on a dSLR it just makes sense TO use it.

Takes AA batteries

Good luck on this one. The D80 has a little kit that can have AA batteries tossed in; it takes six (iirc). You definitely want a battery pack. They come with their own charger and if you're really worried about running out of juice, but that AA-battery extender - takes AA's and you can fit an extra lithium battery in there.

-Has ISO over 800

Most newer models should.

-Digital SLR

Erm.

-Uses SD cards

D50/D80 do. D70 uses compact flash, as does the D200. Both are cheap.

-Takes RAW

Most do.

-Good image quality

Subjective, and the actual lenses you are using are going to factor into this as well.

-Good price (anything under $1000 preferred $800 or lower)

Canon 400D and the D40, D50, D70 all fit this bill. A D80 also, but usually body only (unless you get someone REALLY desperate to sell).

-Decent image stabilization

As far as I know, there isn't a camera on the market that has that built into the camera body. It all comes from the lens - IS for Canon and VR for Nikon.

It sounds like youre really just looking for a highend P&S maybe? The G-series from Canon might fit this bill.

 

[six-five-two]

Hmm, well so far I was looking at the Nikon D40 and the Pentax K100D... does anyone have any of these cameras? Do you recommend them?

I also edited my first post.

 

[ANDS!]

The Pentax is a pretty cheap camera (in price), but you're going to run up against lense selection for it. I dont know how many lenses Sigma and Tamron (the two big third party len manufacturers) make for the Pentax, but they DEFINITELY make a crap load for Canon and Nikon.

The D40 is a good choice too (both cameras are highly recommended by DPReview), but again - lens availability. If you dont mind buying new lenses with AF on the lens - youll be set. . .but there are ALOT of cheaper alternative older lenses you can get. Plus, you may well grow out of the D40 and get D80 envy. A D50 would suit your desire for dSLR needs, and would be SUPER cheap nowadays.

 

[six-five-two]

I don't think I'm ever going to get the D80. I was looking at the Pentax but now I am on the Nikon D40 side, due to better image quality and your able to take both JPEG+Raw at the same time.

 

[DSLR noob]

take the Pentax K110D over the K100D and you'll get the image stabilization bu8ilt into the camera as you so desire FOR EVERY LENS YOU USE, you'll also have combatibility with all Pentax lenses made since the 70s, which saves you bundles on lenses (most older lenses lose more and more features compaired to newer models like autofocus). But it is a great camera with lots of lens support, it takes SD cards, it is realitvely cheap, and has IS.

Get the Pentax over the D40. The D40 can't even use all current Nikon lenses and no offense to anyone that owns one, but is pretty much a joke in the Digital SLR society (this comming from a Rebel Owner). You can take professional quality images with it, but how is that going to help you if you can't afford the select few special lenses that will work on it properly?

 

[ANDS!]

The D40 isn't a joke if thats what your budget dictates. And there are more than enough lenses out there that will fit on the D40 and allow a person to take awesome-sauce shots.

I don't think I'm ever going to get the D80. I was looking at the Pentax but now I am on the Nikon D40 side, due to better image quality and your able to take both JPEG+Raw at the same time.

All three take good pictures, and the Nikons at least do what you're asking (JPEG+Raw) - but uhm. . .I seriously wouldn't buy a camera for that as its probably (to me) on the low end of "needed" functions.

 

[six-five-two]

Well now I'm on the Pentax side! Because it has Auto Exposure Bracketing (for HDR) and the Nikon D40 takes RAW+JPEG... in the lowest mode.

I am also bringing the Rebel XT into this, about $50 more than the Pentax (at the moment). Heard alot of good things about it... except it takes Compact Flash cards (I think you can buy an adapter for $30) and doesn't take AA batteries (but you can buy a battery holder at the bottom $130)...


Ahh! Too hard to decide.

I also prefer to only buy one or two lenses, I think good ones are like... $600-$1000.

 

[maddermaxx]

Why buy an Adapter when you can buy a Good CF card for $30?


Why do you need IS in the body and not the lens?

And why is the exposure bracketing a really needed function? for HDR your probably going to have it on a Tripod anyway and it's usually 1 button to change your shutter speed..

 

[six-five-two]

I need IS in the body because IS lenses are expensive as hell.

I want an adapter because I don't want to sell my current 4gb card.

I want exposure bracketing because it takes all 3 exposures at once and it's faster aswell, like if the wind is blowing or something there won't be any ghosting.

 

[anne921]

i need help because i planning to buy a canon s5. I just want to know if it's nice idea to buy that one or just buy a nikkon d40?

 

[six-five-two]

Make your own thread about it! Anyways, the Canon S5 is not much of an upgrade to the S3. Save your money and buy the S3. The S5 also eliminates some stuff such as the time lapse (insomethingmeter) and has worse battery life. The S3 has quite a bit at noise even at ISO100 though.

 

[jstuedle]

I need IS in the body because IS lenses are expensive as hell.

I want an adapter because I don't want to sell my current 4gb card.

I want exposure bracketing because it takes all 3 exposures at once and it's faster aswell, like if the wind is blowing or something there won't be any ghosting.

1) It's up for debate how well moving the sensor as opposed to a lens element is better, or works as well. IS and VR lens technology is proven. Time might tell that in-the-body IS works as well. But it's new technology and that is often problematic. Doing IS in a SLR is vastly different than a P&S. The biggest single issue is moving the bigger mass of a DSLR sensor as opposed to the 1/4"-1/3" sensor of a P&S.
2) Look up the threads here on flash card failure and using multiple smaller cards as opposed to a larger card. You might decide that CF cards are the way to go. Also, CF is the standard for pro and simi-pro DSLR's. The smaller cards are a carry-over from P&S cameras. They do afford a smaller body simply due to there size.
3)Exposure bracketing on a DSLR is multiply individual exposures. I am not aware of any DSLR that makes multiple files from one trip of the shutter. On this I could be wrong, but I'm aware of none.