Good starter Digital SLR?

[Megan]

I'm a new amateur looking to get my first digital slr. I've been playing with a point and shoot for a few years and am now wanting to get more serious about my photography hobby and obviously need an slr.

So I'm looking for recommendations for a good camera to get started. I will be taking both indoor and outdoor shots, probably a fair amount of action shots as well. I don't think I'll be making many large prints so that isn't a concern.

[Marko]

Hi Megan and welcome!

Key question here - What is your budget and are you willing to buy used?

Thanks,

Marko

[tegan]

Also be aware that the kit lens that comes with a new camera might be limited in both functionality and quality to meet your purposes. This may mean adding the cost of a new lens or two to the projected total cost.

Tegan

[Megan]

Would be looking at spending between 1000-1200, used is fine.

[Marko]

I think that's a nice budget and you'll have no problem finding a very good camera. Tegan is right, normally the lens that comes with the camera is, well, crappy.

If you already have lenses for a particular camera, then you probably want to see if those lenses will work on the camera that you buy and buy that brand. If you are starting from scratch I would see if I could get a Canon 20D or Canon 30D used. I can vouch for the 30D since I own it and the 20D is very similar.

The Nikon D-40 has also gotten good reviews and would be a good camera to start with to get the feel of an SLR. What I would AVOID doing is spending too much money to get bells and whistles at this point.

Hope that helps!

Marko

[Megan]

Thanks, that does help. If I buy a Canon, what would be a good lens to start with?

[arbie]

Thanks, that does help. If I buy a Canon, what would be a good lens to start with?

A good starter lens to go with either the 20D or 30D is the EF-S 17-85 f/4-5.6 IS. It's got a big zoom range and image stabilization, so it's great for all situations. The image quality is reasonable for the price: at $600 it won't break the bank.

When you get around to looking at prices, I suggest checking out http://www.photoprice.ca. It's a very useful price comparison website for Canadians.

[Marko]

Hey that's an interesting price comparison site arbie, Thanks!

The lens I started with is the Tamron AF 28-75MM F/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF)

It's a wicked good lens that I believe cost me about 400 dollars US. I still use it often.

Hope that helps!

Marko

[Lovin]

The Nikon D-40 has also gotten good reviews and would be a good camera to start with to get the feel of an SLR.

So Nikon D40 is still a good one?

Is it true, that Nikon cameras come with good lens comparing with Canon, that you have to buy, because what comes with the body are crappy ?
One of my friends told me that, for Nikon you don't have to buy new ones, only if you need also different lens(depends on each person what they need - but in generally Nikon lens that comes with the body are ok).
I was thinking that for me, Nikon D40 is good and I can't find it at a good price.
D80 is too science fiction for me now

[tegan]

So Nikon D40 is still a good one?

Is it true, that Nikon cameras come with good lens comparing with Canon, that you have to buy, because what comes with the body are crappy ?

Yes according to the mags that test such things, Canon provides the worst quality kit lenses with the camera, despite the fact that they make excellent high quality lenses. Nikon, Sony and the others provide better quality kit lenses.

So, if you are buying Canon, buy body only, and then choose the lens you want rather than taking the one that comes with the camera.

Tegan