Nikon D3100 vs Sony a390 --Where to start?

[Terap]

Hi all,
I am an absolute beginner to DSLRs, looking to buy a good entry level DSLR.I am keen on doing Night photography,City Scape, sports/action.

The cameras I am currently considering are;

1) Nikon D3100: (Pro: Has 1080p movie!) (Con: No IS)
2) Sony a390: (Pro: Tiltable screen; IS; stylish design) (Con: No movie)
3) Pentax K-r : (Pro: Same as Nikon D3100) (Con: Bit more expensive)
4) Canon E0S 1100 D (Rebel T3) : (Pro: Same as Nikon D3100) (Con: No IS)

There is very little difference in the speces of the four above. In the end, I want to base my decision on 1) how easy/cheap will be the lenses for the camera 2) Which will allow me to grow as a photographer 3) which will keep it's value for the longest (in case I want to upgrade)

Here is a full comparsion of the four if you wish to take a look:
http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/side-by-side?products=nikon_d3100&products=sony_dslra390&products=pentax_kr&products=canon_eos1100d

I will greatly appreciate any feed back

 

[889Media]

IS can be found in the lens. Just spend a few extra $$ on the kit you buy, and you should be able to get the body and a lens that comes with image stabilizer!

 

[StringThing]

Welcome to the forums. I can only speak for the Nikon D3100 on your list because that is what I have. Nikons do have IS in their VR line of lenses. The kit lens with mine was the 18-55 VR and it works well / as designed.
If a tilt LCD is a pro for you, you could consider moving up one model to the Nikon D5100. I think with either the Nikon or Canon on your list, any lenses or flashes you buy you could upgrade the camera body later and still use them, as long as you stay with the same manufacturer, i.e., Nikon or Canon.

HTH

 

[flatflip]

I thought the Canon had IS. Like said before, The Nikon Kit lenses have Vibration Reduction (as well as the expensive long lenses).

The Nikon and Canon are easy to find used lenses and accessories for. They are also easy to get a lot of forum tech and fan support.

I chose Nikon because a friend recommended it. Which brings me back to support. I really think a beginner should consider what their family and friends have / use. You might even be able to borrow a lens to try it out.

 

[ZapoTeX]

They've all got their pro's and con's. Before you buy, don't forget that buying an SLR does not just mean buying a product. It also means "entering a platform", made of lenses, cameras and accessories interchangeable with each other within the brand, but not out of it.

Nikon and Canon are the largest eco-systems. Wide range of lenses and accessories (and cameras). On the entry level, at the moment Nikon has a slight edge over Canon (I heard pro-photographers who use Canon say that about entry level cameras)
Pentax has an amazing quality to price ratio and the best performance in low-light. Only issue is that it does not have full frame cameras (=if one day you decide to go-pro, you'll have to adjust your habits to a different brand of cameras).
Sony: I don't know much them (I never tried one of their cameras) but my PERSONAL, HUMBLE opinion is: since digital photography exists, every company makes digital cameras. However, I would stick with a camera maker that turned digital, rather than buy from an electronics company that become a camera maker. True that Sony makes Nikon's sensors, true that Sony lenses are developed with Zeiss... but still, Sony is not a camera company.
Anyway, the final test is: go to a shop and get your hands on all of them. Personally, I find the Nikon wheels and buttons very comfortable and intuitive, but (for example) if you use your left eye in the viewfinder, you'll find Nikon's front wheel a pain.

Ciao!

 

[Terap]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. It seems Nikon and Canon are by far the favorites. I am dropping Sony for the reasons zapotex noted. Pentax isn't bad either. But, based on the opinions, I feel comfortable selecting a Canon or Nikon.

I have to say that I love the feel of Canon. It is very well made. Easy to handle and stylish. Nikon, even though nominally lighter, feels a bit bulky to carry around and has really unattractive design.
Another point worth mentioning is that it is slightly easier to get hold of Nikon Lenses (from friends/family/2nd hands and third party producers).
I will update once I make a final decision. At this points, it's between Canon 1100 D and Nikon D3100.

What do people think about buying second hand cameras? I am personally suspicious of buying 2nd hand because damage to sensors may not be visible. What do people think? Any one has experience with good websites?

 

[flatflip]

I'm not afraid of used if the price is right and I can check it out good.The D3100 is $550 at bestbuy. At that price I would probably not look for a used one.Im a Nikon Fan but I might agree that the Canon is more attractive. I believe I would lean heavily towards the one that feels good in my hands too.

 

[Kerbouchard]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. It seems Nikon and Canon are by far the favorites. I am dropping Sony for the reasons zapotex noted. Pentax isn't bad either. But, based on the opinions, I feel comfortable selecting a Canon or Nikon.

I have to say that I love the feel of Canon. It is very well made. Easy to handle and stylish. Nikon, even though nominally lighter, feels a bit bulky to carry around and has really unattractive design.
Another point worth mentioning is that it is slightly easier to get hold of Nikon Lenses (from friends/family/2nd hands and third party producers).
I will update once I make a final decision. At this points, it's between Canon 1100 D and Nikon D3100.

What do people think about buying second hand cameras? I am personally suspicious of buying 2nd hand because damage to sensors may not be visible. What do people think? Any one has experience with good websites?

When friends ask me what camera they should buy, I usually tell them Nikon.

IF they are a good friend, I usually give them better advice.

My first question is, do you have any friends or family that are photographers that you can borrow gear from and get support from? If the answer is yes, I typically say to go with that.
If the answer is no, I ask them what feels best in their hands and tell them to go with that.

For me, I hate the Canon ergonomics. Everything is in the wrong place, and when I pick one up, I feel like a complete novice. I grab my D700 and all is right with the world. I started with Nikon. If I would have started with Canon, I would probably feel the exact opposite.

So, IMO, what feels right in your hands is paramount, but I think it is a learned behaivor, especially since some people think Canon feels better and IMO, I think they are just nuts.

But honestly, for a beginning photographer, not looking to invest a lot into a system(by a lot, I mean several thousands of dollars), piggy backing off your friends investments makes a lot of sense. If you can try out certain gear before you buy it, if you can borrow things you don't have, if you can call them up to ask about a certain function or problem, or if you can coordinate your purchases so that you are buying things that compliment each other, you'll be better off.

I mostly shoot weddings and the guys I shoot with use Canon. I use Nikon. We can't borrow lenses, flashes, batteries, etc. It's a bit of an inconvenience that we don't have a built in backup or support network. I'm not going to switch. They aren't going to switch. But, if I had it to do over again, knowing what I know now, I might of went Canon...

Just kidding, but it sure would be nice to be able to borrow their lenses when needed.