new here

Rick Camren · Nov 9, 2014

Hi everyone,

I just joined the forum. My photogray experience is fairly limited. I started out as a child using a 110 cartridge film camera, moved up to 35mm point and shoot, and then to digital point and shoot with decent zoom cameras. I am currently looking to get a beginner dslr such as the Pentax k-50 or the Nikon d3300. The problem with deciding which one to get is figuring out which features are important to me. The reason I want to upgrade to a dslr is the larger sensor, versatility, and being able to gradual expand equipment as I progress in my hobby. Being as that this will be for hobby use and not for work I don't want to large of a start up expense.

dennybeall · Nov 10, 2014

Nobody can tell you what the best camera for you to buy is but with more information a lot of people can make suggestions based on some information you provide. Use search to find and read some of the many threads here about various cameras and also update your post.
Mention what you want to do with the camera, your general budget and where you are located as equipment can be more or less expensive depending on where in the world you are.
Also, if you're retired and well to do you may be planning on doing photo safari's or traveling the world or you may be on a very limited budget. All effect the advice you'll receive.
There are also a very few folks on here that absolutely know exactly what is right and they will pipe in also.

Rick Camren · Nov 10, 2014

dennybeall said:
Nobody can tell you what the best camera for you to buy is but with more information a lot of people can make suggestions based on some information you provide. Use search to find and read some of the many threads here about various cameras and also update your post.
Mention what you want to do with the camera, your general budget and where you are located as equipment can be more or less expensive depending on where in the world you are.
Also, if you're retired and well to do you may be planning on doing photo safari's or traveling the world or you may be on a very limited budget. All effect the advice you'll receive.
There are also a very few folks on here that absolutely know exactly what is right and they will pipe in also.

Well I'm not poor but am on a limited budget...the more I read about the various cameras the more I am liking the Pentax K-50. As far as that camera goes I like that the vibration reduction is in the camera and not the lenses, the weather resistance, The ability to use older K mount lenses, the ability to use AA batteries if I need to. The things I like about the Nikon D3300 is the longer battery life, able to do panorama photos in the camera. I figure with the Pentax I can keep extra AA batteries or by a couple of extra LI-ion batteries and the panorama shots I can use photo editing software to stitch together. I have checked the pictures for both cameras on Flickr and like the picture quality for both of them. I would like to take family photos, get more into astro photography, action shots, and outdoor photography. I'll probably use the auto focus more at first and try to experiment with the various settings so I can eventually get better pictures. The thing I like about digital photography is I can take plenty of photos and delete the ones I don't like.

dennybeall · Nov 11, 2014

That's good info. I like the Nikon myself just because I've used them for many years and there has been a lot of support and accessories for whichever Nikon I have at the time. I have a Nikon F that's well over 30 years old and still works fine. That's just my Nikon bias talking and there are certainly other brands that have good cameras also.
I always suggest a person goes to the most camera they can afford since most of us get more into photography and find we want more camera pretty quickly.

elemental · Nov 11, 2014

Though the partisan rambling about which brand/system is best will never end, when you step back, you've really got many great options. I'll add that when you're considering cameras, don't forget to consider the available lenses for that system. The best thing to do is browse your favorite camera gear retailer looking at lenses and see if you can find lenses you'd like to own or grow into that fit your price range. If you love ultrawide landscapes and there's nothing quality under 28mm for less than $2500, that could turn into frustration a short time from now. If you see 4-5 lenses you'd love to own in your "maybe down the road" price range, that's a good sign.

The thing I miss about Pentax digital SLRs is the effortless compatibility with legacy K-mount lenses, which you also mention. This is why there are so many competing options: What's very important to one person may be entirely irrelevant to the next.

Rick Camren · Nov 12, 2014

elemental said:
Though the partisan rambling about which brand/system is best will never end, when you step back, you've really got many great options. I'll add that when you're considering cameras, don't forget to consider the available lenses for that system. The best thing to do is browse your favorite camera gear retailer looking at lenses and see if you can find lenses you'd like to own or grow into that fit your price range. If you love ultrawide landscapes and there's nothing quality under 28mm for less than $2500, that could turn into frustration a short time from now. If you see 4-5 lenses you'd love to own in your "maybe down the road" price range, that's a good sign.

The thing I miss about Pentax digital SLRs is the effortless compatibility with legacy K-mount lenses, which you also mention. This is why there are so many competing options: What's very important to one person may be entirely irrelevant to the next.

Looking at the various pictures taken by the different brands os cameras they all look like they take great photos. At the point for me it is a question of features for the price. I am also amazed by what you can get for the 500 dollar price point. My first digital camera was an HP 5.1 megapixel that cost 500 but wasn't a dslr

Designer · Nov 12, 2014

I understand that you are currently comparing features, but my advice is to concentrate on what system will work best for you in the long run. TBH, things such as batteries, pixels, in-camera editing techniques, etc. are not really that important in the long run.

You mentioned astro photography, so do some research on what adapters are available for the system. As you gain experience with your new DLSR, you will want to try some different lenses, so try to look ahead to what lenses you will want to get in the future.

I, too, will suggest that you max out your initial budget to get the most camera you can afford, because you will grow into it.