[klb5090]

Hey guys,
Figured i'd ask here for an opinion since there is a lot of knowledge floating around. I've had a few point and shoots and i'm really thinking about stepping up to a DSLR, i really don't have a lot of experience and i'm looking for an entry level DSLR camera. Any recommendations? opinions?

[Big Mac]

It seems like, based on the reviews, almost any DSLR camera you find you'll be happy with because they're almost all very high quality. I think the market leaders are Canon and Nikon.

[Oisín]

More or less all entry-level DSLRs are close enough in features and image/build quality that the differences are negligible to someone who’s just starting out. It won’t matter.

What is really important, though, is that you try out the camera before you buy it, to see if the size and shape fit your hands, if you like how the buttons are places, etc. Personally, I’m a Canon guy (bought a 350D a few years ago and upgraded to a 40D this May—and have loved both), mostly because Canon’s fit my hands better. I know plenty of Nikon people who don’t like using my camera, because it just ‘feels wrong’ to them, and I have a bit of the same with their gear. Similarly, there are some avid Pentax K10 proponents here—Timo and Mastrap, you know who you are—who take great pictures with their Pentaxes and love them to bits; but when I tried Timo’s Pentax, it just felt all wrong and didn’t fit my hands at all.

Feel > specs.

[mduell]

Canon has the better entry level (~$500 body) at the moment, IMO, with features like LiveView; the Nikon D40/D60 are a bit long in the tooth.
For about $800 you can get a Rebel XSi with a wide-medium lens and a medium-tele lens.

[OreoCookie]

What Oisin says, all cameras take good pictures these days, the feel of the camera is that much more important than perceived features. Megapixels don't matter either.

[hedmisten]

I'm a huge nikon user. I have shot everything from a d40 with 300mm lens to a d2hs with a 300, f/1.8. It is all about your personal preference. When I was starting, it was helpful to have nikons on camera help that kinda gives you a rough preview of what your picture will do on settings. I have shot canon's, pentax's, fuji, and obviously nikon, but I enjoy the feel of the Nikon the best.

Test out the cameras, go to a wolf camera or ritz to try them out.

[Timo]

Pentax K200D is a terrific value -- check it out. And Pentax lenses (especially their primes) are stellar, well priced, and a few are of "pancake" design -- very compact.

I've been very happy with my K20D, which at $700 now is a steal.

And don't listen to Oisín about ergonomics: he has flippers rather than hands. Sad, really.

[Timo]

If you don't want to do a lot of research, you can go to kenrockwell.com. He's partial to the Nikons; but more importantly he makes a good case that entry level dSLRs are plenty of camera for most people.

[shellyl]

I've used Canon DSLRs and been happy with them apart from the fact that you can't mount them on the desktop as a drive. That's not a deal breaker, of course. I find them easy to use an they seem to produce very decent images. I've not used many others though, to be honest.

[Veltliner]

Always handle a camera before buying.

There's a new brand of DSLR coming out, called micro four thirds by Panasonic and Olympus. It's between an SLR and a Point-and-shoot in size. It's small because it hasn't an optical viewfinder. Some coming models will have an electronic viewfinder. MIght check this out.

The best for photography is an SLR.

You can't go wrong with a Rebel. Comes with excellent RAW converter (even if you should not know what this is, it's important and saves you money because you don't have to buy one).

The Nikon D90 is liked by many, so is the D40/D60. But in my opinion the Nikon viewfinders are too narrow, even on the upscale D300.

I'm not saying this to attract thrown knives by Nikon users, but to show you you need to handle a camera for yourself to see if you like it. If, for example, you had bulging basedow eyes, no viewfinder would be too narrow...

I had a Pentax - never, ever again. They have so many lenses that suck, and the file quality doesn't by far match Canon quality. Sure, you're possibly a beginner, but why should you buy something that's of less quality, when you get something for little more that's better. You get what you pay for, and there's a reason why Pentax is so cheap.

Above all you shall enjoy your camera. So, if you don't like the feel of a Canon, a Nikon will be nice, too.

Consider an Olympus. It has a smaller sensor, but the lenses are excellent. The cameras are also very good. It's not for me, but it's worth looking at.