Which digital SLR camera to choose? (1 Viewer)

Puggy

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I might be getting my first digital SLR camera soon. The problem is, which one to choose.
I like Nikon over Canon, but have not made up my mind yet. I have the price limit of about 450 euros
including the camera and the lence.


I will make my decision between these choices:
Nikon:
http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/dslr/d3200/
http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/dslr/d5200/
Both of these cameras above comes with a lence:
http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/zoom/normalzoom/af-s_dx_18-55mmf_35-56g_vr2/index.htm

Canon:
http://www.canon.co.uk/for_home/product_finder/cameras/digital_slr/eos_1200d/
Canon is sold with the lence:
http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/ef_lens_lineup/ef_s_18_55mm_f_3_5_5_6_is_ii


Also, which kind of macro would you choose for the second lence? Remember, I don't know much
anything about them macros at the moment.

I have taken pictures a lot with other kind of cameras, but have not own SLR before.
So help is needed.

In the Autumn, huge amount of chip pr0n will be uploaded.

Thanks

-Puggy
 
What are you going to be shooting? Just chips or vacation shots as well?

Canon vs Nikon pretty much comes down to preference. I use Nikon. It has a better dynamic range than Canon because they use Sony sensors in them. Canon uses its own sensor. From what I have read the Nikon has a better dynamic range so when taking landscapes you will get a better color.

I currently own the Nikon D7100 and love it. It is the top end for crop sensor cameras before getting into full frame. My dad owns a Canon T5i and I have switched to his camera with little trouble. It is really about where the buttons and dials are. My suggestion would be go into the store and hold both and see which feels better in your hand.

I personally would pick up one of the NIkons, just because I am more of a Nikon guy. Both the Nikon and Canon comes with the same lens pretty much. And it is a decent kit lens. Where you are really going to get crisp pictures is in upgrading the lens. I have used an old 2007 Nikon with a nicer lens and the photos came out great. You can see those here on my Flickr album.

The 5200 has an articulating screen which I don't believe the 3200 has. It's a nice feature.

My suggestion would be get the D3200 and then get AF-S DX Micro-NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G retails $279.95 US or if you can find some more money to spend the AF-S DX Micro Nikkor 85mm f/3.5G ED VR retailing for $529.95 US if you are looking for a macro lens. You can also get non-nikon brand lenses from Sigma or Tamron. I have good experiences with Sigma lenses. I currently use the 17-50 F2.8 Sigma lens and would recommend this if you want to get something other than a macro lens. The macro lenses can double as a portrait lens from what I have heard.

My current set up is:

Nikon D7100
Nikon 35mm f1.8
Nikon 50mm f1.8
Sigma 17-50mm f2.8

For more images using this set up check either my flickr page or my photo site I started.

Hope that helped a little.
 
Chips, vacation, landscapes, nature. Some distance and some macros (read: bugs and chips).

Thanks for the "hold" tip. It really might be about the feel.

Awesome pics in your flickr. Loved those b/w and night pics. Have to check them properly when I get back to my laptop.

Thanks also for lence ideas. I will stick with Nikkors (oh...I might be a Nikon guy too I notice now).

This helped a lot. Thanks Jake.
 
My European trip pictures were all using the Nikkor 35mm lens. I wanted to try something different and only took that. It was a nice walk around lens and it was only like $150 US. The 50mm is actually made for full frame sensor cameras so effectively has a reach of 75mm on the DX format cameras.

Also don't always stick with the Nikkor lenses. Sigma and Tamron make lenses that are almost and sometimes better than their Nikkor counter parts. And they are much cheaper.
 
I took the Underground picture to my desktop wallpaper. Love it :)
Thanks.
 
Not sure they have anything in your price range, but try a Fujifilm camera. I've always been a Canon/Nikon man myself until I bought my first Fujifilm. It's unlikely I'll go back.

Now, granted, the Fujifilm was in a different pricerange than the Nikons and Canons I had before, and it's not even an SLR camera but a point and shoot, but the detail in the pictures is amazing. No digital noise whatsoever. And I'm putting that down to the superior image sensor.
 
Great topic. When I worked in newspapers long ago, the question would not have even been asked. (All the pros used Nikon.)

But that was.before the dawn of digital. I have a Canon and like it. It's fine for what I shoot. Sometimes I wish I went in deeper and got a Nikon.

Watching this one with interest.
 
Something else to mention is mirrorless cameras. Sony A7S and A6000 comes to mind. I think it is way out of your price range. Retails for $1100 (A7S) and about $550+ (A6000) US. Both I believe have interchangeable lenses. Smaller and more light weight than a DSLR. They also have different lens mount adapters so you can get a Canon lens or a Nikon lens if you really wanted.
 
Thanks.

I'm leaning now towards the cheaper Nikon D3200:
http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/dslr/d3200/

In the same bundle there is the lence I linked in the OP:
http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/zoom/normalzoom/af-s_dx_18-55mmf_35-56g_vr2/index.htm
and also a wireless mobile adapter:
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Wireless/WU-1a-Wireless-Mobile-Adapter.html

The bundle price is 379€, which is about $424.

The cheapest shop I found it will order more stock and I can get my hands on it maybe on Thursday.
Like Jake said, want to know how it feels. If it feels good, it'll be my first one.

But if I know myself, I will go bonkers soon and upgrade....
 
That's a good starting camera. I was happy for a long time with my camera a D40x which is 7+ years old at this point. But once you start upgrading, oh boy. Just like chips, the lenses I want are always $500-$1800 dollars.

And before you upgrade the camera body, upgrade your lenses first. You will see a world of difference in what the lenses will produce.

Once you really get into taking photos, I can't recommend Lightroom highly enough. It makes processing photos so easy. Keeps them organized, keywords and all. Once you have LR switch from shooting jpgs to raw files.

I sure picked expensive hobbies.
 
Nikon D3200 saves the following file formats:
• NEF (RAW): 12 bit, compressed • JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with fine
(approx. 1:4), normal (approx. 1:8) or basic (approx. 1:16) compression
• NEF (RAW) + JPEG: Single photograph recorded in both NEF (RAW) and
JPEG formats

I have used ACDSee for picture organizing and quick editing, but Lightroom might be a good idea. Will consider it.
Now....what's medium format?
 
Pltrgyst do you own a medium format camera?

Medium formats have always been dominated by 2-1/4 (6x6) cameras.

Not any more -- I recently sold my Pentax 6x7 and Mamiya 645, with digital backs and assorted lenses. Also had a Bronica and a 'Blad, many years ago when I used to do weddings and horse shows.

And, of course, in the earlier film days, TLRs -- a couple of Mamiya C330s and a Yashicamat 124G, if there are any real old-timers here. :cool:

Also sold about $20K worth of Nikon 35mm bodies and lenses when we moved to FL -- apparently, there's a huge market for older Nikon gear in China.
 
Wow. So you went from cameras to chips.

Was/is that your profession? And do you still do shoot professionally?

What do you own now or shoot with regularly?
 
Was/is that your profession? And do you still do shoot professionally?

What do you own now or shoot with regularly?

For three years in the 1970's, after getting out of the army (ours), I supported myself by doing wedding photography. I still cringe at hearing the term "mother of the bride."

After school, I married a woman who did three-day eventing and dressage, and wound up doing action shots at weekend horse competitions for about ten years, as a sideline to full-time computer work at RCA's Sarnoff Labs and MITRE Corp.

All I have now is a Leica D-Lux 5 and a Nikon L-830 for travel and snapshots. Oh, and a little pocket Canon.

Photography was an intriguing hobby. When I started out, all the fascination was with long lenses. Through the decades, I found myself moving to shorter and shorter lenses, For the last fifteen years or so of my active shooting, I thought in terms of 24mm as my standard lenses, with only occasional forays to the 55mm Micro-Nikkor and a 105 f2.5 for portraiture. I've spoken to several others who've followed similar evolutions of their "shooting eye" ...

What I miss most is the 55mm Micro-Nikkor and a body that offers full manual control. Sigh.

I'd be mighty tempted by something modern as simple as a digital Nikkormat, and those three lenses (24 f2.8, 55 Micro, and 105 f2.5).
 
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I'm so n00b with this stuff, I see. But....WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, got my D3200 :)

Next I need a tripod, a camera case and an external flash. Then, a macro lence. Hmmm,
methinks this is enough for this year. Now....where are my Colony Clubs? ATHY?

Thanks for the great advice I got.
 

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