Which camera for first one?

[jashiwa5793]

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum. I am contemplating on which camera to get for my first camera and I am thinking if I should get the Olympus Pen e-pL1 as my first camera. This camera costs $289 but should I save up a little more for a really cheap dslr camera priced around $350? I'm wondering which would be better for me and if you know some really cheap DSLRs, please tell me. Thank you.

 

[jashiwa5793]

Oh and I just looked up the Nikon D40 w/ 18-55 lens. There is a used one for $220, but which would be better?

 

[ulrichsd]

Oh and I just looked up the Nikon D40 w/ 18-55 lens. There is a used one for $220, but which would be better?

Hi, I'm not familiar with the Olympus, but for a little more money you could get a factory demo D3100 with 18-55mm lens for $419. I bought my D90 this way from Cameta and it was in perfect condition and comes with a Nikon warranty. The nice thing about Canon or Nikon is that they dominate the DSLR market so it is just easier to upgrade in the future. I've not used the D40. It was popular a few years ago for entry-level, but is now a bit outdated, you can probably find them pretty cheap all over Craigslist.

 

[Designer]

How much experience do you have with photography? A used DSLR has many features that are difficlut to understand and manage if you have no prior experience. Often our first camera is a simple "point and shoot", which makes fairly good pictures in spite of its limitations. Besides, you can keep the P&S even if you decide to upgrade later for those times when you just want to have a camera in your pocket.