Looking for entry level DSLR

Lord Shagrim

Hails

I want to work on photography as a hobby and Am looking to buy an entry level dslr for around 20 k.I have looked into Nikon D40 but it seems too old.Are their other options I have?

Also is having dslr a must? I will not be restricting myself to any one type of photography.I will be shooting landscapes,people,animals etc.Will a digital camera with 10 mp and 15x optical zoom be good enough?

paintedlotus

A DSLR will give you higher resolution in your photos which is better. But it all depends on your budget.

Older isn't necessarily bad; I have a couple of friends with the Nikon D40 and they love it. I think Nikon just came out with the "new" version of that camera if you absolutely must have the newest gadget; it's called the D5000. If you're open to different manufacturers, Canon makes some good entry-level DSLRs. The Canon T1i is the newest version that competes with Nikon's D5000. Sony also makes a good entry-level DSLR as well but I can't remember the model name off the top of my head.

Generally speaking, the theory (I emphasize THEORY!) has always been that Nikon makes the best camera bodies, Canon makes the best lenses. Personally I have found that Canon's lens lineup is much better, especially for the price. Take from that what you will.

I suggest spending a lot of time reviewing the cameras you're interested in, and then going to a shop and giving them a try. In my experience here in the US, the shop personnel always tried to emphasize Nikon... enough that it really started to bug me. I found out from a friend in the camera industry later that Nikon is the only company that pays a commission.

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

kausiks

Nikon D40 may be old, but it is one of the best, even if compared with some of its later models. That is the opinion of some of the experts. May be this article by Ken Rockwell will help you. Moreover, at your budget this would be the best available option.

On the other hand, you first need to decide whether you want to go for a DSLR. One single lens may not be sufficient and you may need to purchase additional zoom lenses. You need to budget for it also. On the other hand, compact cameras that act as a bridge between point-and-shoot and SLR might suffice your requirements. Canon, Sony and Olympus have got some very good models in this category - though I cannot give you the model names right away.

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vinayverma

First question that you've asked in is having a dslr a must? the answer is NO. many of new range of point & shoot digi cameras gives you freedom to switch between modes of taking pics from 'Auto focus' to ' App priority' to shutter priority to 'complete manual'. They also allow you to change the ISO setting, and with high megapixel availability, you can shoot good pics with an good pont & shoot camera. At the same time they are easy to carry during the trips requiring less careful handling. I've both a DSLR and a P&S camera with features mentioned above and unless I'm not going on a trip specially for photography, I prefer carrying the small/compact P&S camera. Moreover, my family including my kids can use the camera easily.
Now coming to DSLR, yes, if you want to graduate to a level of photography where you've got your basics of photography all in your head and are ready to 'play' with the science and art of photography using the technology, then you should go for DSLR.
One of the good entry level camera and not very old is Canon EOS 1000d Kit.
Go onto some photography focused websites like photo.net for more information...

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burf

i guess P&S will help you explore

DSLR would warrant some sort of discipline at some stage

vaibhav_arora

The Nikon d40 is a fantastic camera as far as ease of use, flexibility and just plain fun in using is concerned. Though not the newest camera out there, it is a great camera to enter the DSLR world with.

Some of the 'bridge' cameras can help if you're more interested in just a camera with a great zoom, and ofcourse, saving on the weight of a DSLR. Also, shooting everything using a DSLR wont really happen without having either the expensive Nikkor 18-200 MM VR (which seems to be on perpetual backorder) - costs about $650 or having a bagful of lenses. Both these options will take some fun out of using the D40 or an equivalent small DSLR.

Olympus E series cameras with a two lens combination may work well since they are very lightweight cameras. Also the 14-42 mm lens is very wide and great for landscape.

Please dont expect professional level or even real close up wildlife photos with any DSLR without a specialized lens, tripod, and maybe even a remote.

For general walkabout exploration and travel photos, either the Nikon D40 with a single lens, A canon Digital ELPH series (880IS/1100 IS) or the olympus should work well.

Good luck!

vegan

I would say that current Point & Shoot cameras are very high in quality and could be a starting step in your hobby. I almost exclusively use my Canon pocket camera for its ease of use while my first camera - Nikon FM2, still liked by many professional photographers, remains in storage.

Lord Shagrim

What I am looking for is a versatile camera.Although I will more often use it to shoot landscapes, I will also be shooting people,animals,moving objects,using it in low light,etc.

Considering these do you think I should go for a dslr?
Is a P&S camera good enough for landscapes?I would be looking at the high end P&S cameras ,those with 15x optical zoom.

vaibhav_arora

@ Lord Shagrim

Your expectations from the camera are too much. I would segregate your 'subjects' into two categories as follows:

1. People, landscapes - a P&S would work well.

2. Animals, Moving objects, Low light usage - DSLR works better. P&S would largely give a compromised result. Also, each of these subjects require a specialized lens and considerable playing with settings to get a reasonable result.

So unless you intend to carry a bagful of lenses and spend a lot more, a good P&S would work better with your budget.

As vegan suggest earlier - the P&S also wins on ease of use grounds.

Lord Shagrim

So which P&S within the range of 15-20k would you guys suggest.I would look at the sample pics from that camera and decide if that is what I want.Otherwise I am gonna go for Nikon D40 as its probably the only DSLR that fits into my budget.

vegan

There are a few sites like dpreview which do thorough reviews of cameras. Amazon's user reviews are sometimes useful too. And you may go to manufacturers' web sites.

If you are keen on entry level DSLR and keen on Nikon (a brand I won't buy personally) new Nikon D3000 might be worth checking out.

unclelach

Have been using a Pentax K-m dslr for eight weeks in S-E asia.

I bought the K-m in May as my first digital camera as it was well reviewed in Australia as a good light weight moderately priced dslr.

The Pentax K-m has met all my needs for tourist photos except that the built-in flash failed in the first week of the holiday. Expect to have it repaired now I'm back in Australia

The lithium AA cells used by the K-m can be hard to find in Asia although alkaline or rechargeable cells may be used. I have seen only Energizer lithiums.

Hal

Canon Powershot SX10 is a good P+S. But it costs as much as a D40.
I'd go for the D40. Buy some good lenses when you can, and trade up the body later if you feel the need.

trooooon

Its true, once you enter the world of SLR's there's no stopping . . . That's the beauty and the pain of it!! I have a Nikon D60 (bought for 30k just over a year moths ago) . . . an 18-55 and a 55-200. I got some filters too, a polariser, red filter and the compulsory uv filter! The thing with the SLR is that you see what you get, that is you actually look through the lens, it doesn't have a seperate viewfinder approximating the frame! This helps vastly with things like focus, depth of field and even low light exposure. I'm not a professional photographer, but I would never buy a point and shoot, my phone had one, and i junked even that!!

In this digital age you hardly have to work for a photograph, gone are the days of carrying assorted grades of film, loading, labeling, coming back and being totally surprised by the results . . . I loved those days

Get your hands on a DSLR and try it out . . . If it doesn't feel special (do read up on the basics of photography first, Michael Freeman has written a couple of really good books!) then point and shoot it is!

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Lord Shagrim

DSLR it is then.

Now I've got to convince my parents.They'll not be wanting to spend around 25k on a camera and that too on one that doesnt have video recording.