What should I buy?

[Gnome]

Hi!

My name is Emil, and I'm quite new both to photography and this forum. I'm currently in the market for my first digital SLR camera, and I need some advice. I've been using pocket cams from Casio up til now, but I feel it's time to find something better, because I use it much for concerts and sports (I'm a skateboarder for instance)

I've been looking at the (obvious?) Nikon D40 and D50, and I've found some decent deals on them on eBay. Also from shops that are in NYC (where I'm going for a short holiday in mars). But my concern is how long it will take before I want to upgrade. Everywhere I go I see "the perfect beginners camera", and I've seen that if I step up $100 dollars I can find second hand Nikon D70's (not d70s, d70's ) which AFAIK is better.

The deals on D40 and D50 are somewhere between 550 and 600 dollars. For about 700 dollars here in Norway I found a D70 with lens and a 512mb memory card.

As you see, these are the camera's I've been looking at, but I'd like some suggestions for other brands and models. I've seen a relatively cheap second hand Olympus C-8080, but I've never been a fan of first generation digital stuff (bad experiences in the sound biz where I'm more familiar).

Anyhow, are cameras from Sony, Minolta, Olympus etc. worth collecting? Or is it Canon and Nikon that are "the best"? (pardon my ignorance, but I've sensed some tendencies in that direction).

Hope you guys can help me out, this seem like a great forum.

Regards, Emil

 

[Alex_B]

Welcome!

Anyhow, are cameras from Sony, Minolta, Olympus etc. worth collecting? Or is it Canon and Nikon that are "the best"? (pardon my ignorance, but I've sensed some tendencies in that direction).

Nikon and Canon are the biggest players in the (D)SLR business. So at least chances are very good that the still live in a couple of years time. Also I would guess that they do not sell their camera business, as it is one of their core businesses.

Sony is big too, but they are not really a company for opical things, but more for consumer electronics. So I personally would not rely on them to stay in the DSLR business ... if it pleases their shareholders they will simply discard that part without any regret.
That is why I personally would either stick with Nikon or Canon, but that does not mean other companies do not make good cameras.

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

Canon and Nikon are clear leaders...but there are others who make good cameras as well.

The Nikon D40 and D50 would probably be a good starter DSLR for you...as would the Canon Rebel XT or Rebel Xti. The best advice is to go into a store that sells them...and hold them in your hands. Get the one that feels best to you.

Beware of 'deals' that you find on the internet...especially from New York. Most of the 'bait & switch' scam shops are in New York...and they usually operate under many different names. Check them out at www.resellerratings.com before you make any orders.

Also in New York, are two of the biggest and best camera stores in the world. B&H and Adorama...there are links to them on this forum's links page. They will have very fair prices and good service.