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steven07968
14-05-2010, 15:11
Hiya, well I've just got married, and have ended up with some money that I'd like to invest in a DSLR.

In the past I've had point and shoot digital cameras, and love to take pictures, however, I've mainly just left the cameras in "auto", and snapped away.

The holy grail has always been to get a DSLR, but they've just been way down the line in priorities. But with the wedding and honeymoon all paid for, I've now got some money to purchase one :)

So, as you'd appreciate, I'm a real newbie at this, so will need to research how to actually use one of these cameras with all of the manual settings etc... But I'd like to know what cameras and lenses that I should be looking at.

My budget in total is £700 - £900.

Any help / advice appreciated :)
thescrounger
14-05-2010, 15:22
One thing you should ask yourself is do you really want a DSLR or just a better camera with more manual control. It's very easy to want a DSLR, get one, be excited with it for a couple of months and then put it back in the bag never to be used again just because of the size of it etc.
Dan
14-05-2010, 16:58
Canon 550D
DeadYankee
14-05-2010, 18:26
They are all similar beasts so just try some in your hands and see what feels most comfortable. Think about what you are most likely to use it for and then that might help determine what lenses you might find most useful. That may then guide your choice as to which system has the best quality/value lenses which meet your needs.

My initial budget was similar to yours but, believe me, it wont end there so think long term and buy quality now.
Apep
14-05-2010, 18:59
As above, give the Canon & Nikon offerings a try and see which you like best. Personally I chose Canon and with your budget I would suggest a 550D - you will need some overhead for extra glass/bags/memory cards etc.

As DY says, buy quality - some of the stuff is very expensive but most of it is worth it and can always be sold on again; quality items tend to have a good resell value.
RESSEH
16-05-2010, 08:42
My initial budget was similar to yours but, believe me, it wont end there so think long term and buy quality now.

Yep. totally agree with that - kinda regret getting the Panasonic GF1 :(
Subdivisions
16-05-2010, 14:00
One thing you should ask yourself is do you really want a DSLR or just a better camera with more manual control. It's very easy to want a DSLR, get one, be excited with it for a couple of months and then put it back in the bag never to be used again just because of the size of it etc.

This seems like a very good point. It's hard to say if you will bitten by the bug in which case you will end up wanting more and more expensive kit, as someone else mentioned a couple of posts back. If, on the other hand, you just want a bit more quality and control than a point and shoot but not much more (and wish to retain a degree of portability and convenience) then a high end compact such as Canon S or G series or even a Panasonic G1 will do the job.

I have been pondering about a DSLR for years (takes me at least a year to pontificate about any technology purchase!). Enjoyed my film SLR for years but when making the move to digital, actually went back to compacts and still thinking! Probably in the next 12 months...
RESSEH
16-05-2010, 17:44
then a high end compact such as Canon S or G series or even a Panasonic G1 will do the job.


this one looks amazing

http://www.digitaltrends.com/digital-camera-reviews/sony-alpha-nex-5-review/
Subdivisions
17-05-2010, 18:45
this one looks amazing

http://www.digitaltrends.com/digital-camera-reviews/sony-alpha-nex-5-review/

It does look good. it's brand new i.e. just announced so will be interesting to see if it gets consistently good reviews.
steven07968
17-05-2010, 19:21
Yep. totally agree with that - kinda regret getting the Panasonic GF1 :(

That's my main concern about getting a compact point and shoot camera with more manual control. In that I'll regret not having just gone for the DSLR straight away.
thescrounger
17-05-2010, 19:24
It does look good. it's brand new i.e. just announced so will be interesting to see if it gets consistently good reviews.

That does look good and as Kevin Spacey says 'don't be a tourist'.
Woz
17-05-2010, 23:50
That's my main concern about getting a compact point and shoot camera with more manual control. In that I'll regret not having just gone for the DSLR straight away.

On the other hand, you're not going to be able to afford the top end of the DSLR ranges, so there will always be something better out there.

If you get a good compact then it will work alongside a DSLR when you decide to get one. I still use my G10 even though I have a 7D because often it's nice to have something more portable.
In fact, I still look at the Ricoh GR Digital III and think I'd like one!
Maybe once they stick a larger sensor in it...

Edit: I'm not suggesting you get a GRDIII by the way - they're aimed at a very particular market.
Cirrus888
29-05-2010, 04:58
just having a dslr gave me the excuse i needed to get out and enjoy life a little more. it is heavy but when you look back at the photos you glad you did. Besides your married and your probably going to take baby photos so its more than worth it.
bigsimes
29-05-2010, 06:22
I'm not a real camera buff like most of you guys, but was frustrated with results I had with a compact and wanted to learn more. I had a little spare cash and it was Christmas, so picked a bargain from Canon's offical ebay outlet. Whilst I can't claim my shots are any better I do feel I'm having more fun trying.
So my suggestion is have a look at the Canon ebay site to see if you can get a bargain there to get you started.