DSLR help needed please

[koolpc]

Right, i am after a DSLR and i have 4 choices as these are within my budget:

1. Pentax K-x £399
2. Canon 1000D (With IS lens) £399
3. Nikon D3000 £340
4. Sony A450 £299 Brand new!!

Can’t for the life of me decide which to get. I have handled all 4 and like them all. The Sony is bulkier than the rest.
Can you please give me some input as to what you would choose and why? My max budget is £400 and after a fair bit of research habe narrowed it down to the above 4.

Thanks

[ady1970]

Right, all are good cameras. Well not sure about the Sony but others are. The Nikon and Canon have a very good selection of lenses to choose from. Though the Pentax aint far behind. If it was my money i'd get the pentax for a couple of reasons.
1) Shake reduction built into the camera.
2) Good resolution for the money. Sony is the highest but according to What Digital camera the pentax pips it for quality
3) High burst capture rate at 4.7. Though again the sony pips it.
4) Highest rated by What Digital Camera magazine.

http://www.whatdigitalcamera.com/

But having said that i dont know much about sony cameras. Also if your budget would stretch a bit further i would also look at the D5000 and the 500D.

Hope this helps and i am sure that others will be along to add their wisdom.

Ady

Also the Pentax has just won this award.

http://www.tipa.com/english/award-details.php?iId=1768&sAward=Best+DSLR+Entry+Level

[ady1970]

Just re-read your post. Scratch my comment about the other two cameras. However i would like to know where you have seen the sony for that price. As the cheapest i have found it is 380, and thats without a lens! So taking that into account it's the Pentax for me every time.
But thats just my opinion.

Ady

[cje]

I've got a Canon EOS 400d. Cracking camera, cracking quality.

However, one big flaw is the expensive lenses that canon have. On the other hand, I myself have a few Tamron lenses which are pretty good quality. Can't comment on the other cameras, but from my experience, Canon do good cameras as I had a non-digital EOS camera before this one and that's still going strong taking cracking film pics.

[codemonkey]

The issue I have with Image Stabilisation built into the camera is that it does not produce as good results as IS built into the lens as they work in slightly different ways. And every magazine article I have read about it that does a comparison backs this up.

However, this does make the lenses with IS more expensive than the non-IS equivalents. But in all honesty a decent camera does not make a decent photographer. I have seen some absolutely amazing images taken with cameras of much less quality than my Canon 450D that I would not be able to take in a million years.

The best advice I have been given is to buy a decent body that is acceptable and feels nice in your hand and then spend as much as you can afford on the glass (lenses) as the better the lens then the better the colour reproduction, the less pin cushioning, and the better they will perform at really small apertures etc. And the better lenses mainly have Nikkon or Canon fits. Those are the only two brands I would personally consider.

Plus with the Nikkon and Canon fits you get the third party manufacturers like Sigma and Tamron making most of their lenses for them. Which in turn gives you a wider choice, and with the extra competition that gives, you can find some bargains.

So after all that... go for the Canon 1000D ;) (but I am biased)

[koolpc]

Even at £399 for both the Canon 1000D (With is lens) and Pentax K-x, you would still say the Canon is the right one to buy?

[codemonkey]

Even at £399 for both the Canon 1000D (With is lens) and Pentax K-x, you would still say the Canon is the right one to buy?

Personally yes, as I plan to constantly improve in my photography.

And with the money invested in Canon or Nikkon lenses then I can take the lenses with me as I upgrade the body.

This is possible with Pentax as well... BUT as the bodies get better and better then your only two real choices are Nikon and Canon.

So of the ones you listed I would personally only go for one of those. And Canon feels better in my hands (hence the bias ;) )

But it depends entirely on what you want from your photography. If you want something for taking snaps or holiday pics then any of the ones you listed would be great. If you want to take the photography more seriously and plan on upgrading bodies etc at a later date then stick with Nikon or Canon

[cje]

Personally yes, as I plan to constantly improve in my photography.

And with the money invested in Canon or Nikkon lenses then I can take the lenses with me as I upgrade the body.

This is possible with Pentax as well... BUT as the bodies get better and better then your only two real choices are Nikon and Canon.

So of the ones you listed I would personally only go for one of those. And Canon feels better in my hands (hence the bias ;) )

But it depends entirely on what you want from your photography. If you want something for taking snaps or holiday pics then any of the ones you listed would be great. If you want to take the photography more seriously and plan on upgrading bodies etc at a later date then stick with Nikon or Canon

Totally agree with this as I have an old Canon macro lens that I had on my old EOS, and that works seamlessly with the new digital 400D.

[koolpc]

Right, £399 is better spent on the Canon 1000D than on the newer Pentax K-x. Ta

[cje]

Quickly googled, and found a tecchy comparison:
http://www.camera-catalog.com/compares/popular/pentax_k-x_vs_canon_eos_1000d

If that helps any? But seriously, my advice would go to a camera shop where they stock those models and have a play. See which one you can use best really.

[koolpc]

Quickly googled, and found a tecchy comparison:
http://www.camera-catalog.com/compares/popular/pentax_k-x_vs_canon_eos_1000d

If that helps any? But seriously, my advice would go to a camera shop where they stock those models and have a play. See which one you can use best really.

I have done that and i like them all!

[Peeej]

Its worth noting, if you are interseted in low light photography that the Nikon performs much better than the Canon, I have friends who each have one of the 2 models above and in a matching comaprison @ 3200ISO the Nikon blows the Canon out of the water. Pictures are much crisper and have far less noise.

A plus point fo rthe Canon is that although new lenses are expensive there are plenty of second hand ones around which are still excellent quality, especially with the credit crunch people are selling off thier old kits.

[codemonkey]

Its worth noting, if you are interseted in low light photography that the Nikon performs much better than the Canon, I have friends who each have one of the 2 models above and in a matching comaprison @ 3200ISO the Nikon blows the Canon out of the water. Pictures are much crisper and have far less noise.

A plus point fo rthe Canon is that although new lenses are expensive there are plenty of second hand ones around which are still excellent quality, especially with the credit crunch people are selling off thier old kits.

Yeah both the Nikon and Canon choices have their pros and cons.

I think the Canon 1000D only goes to 1600 ISO whereas the Nikon as mentioned goes to 3200 (The Pentax only goes down to 200 ISO not 100 like all the rest)

The Canon has a Live View feature which the Nikon does not. So for sharp focusing when on a tripod in awkward angles the Live View is invaluable.

I always feel the choice between Nikon and Canon is a personal one, much like PC or Mac :D

[Peeej]

Yeah tend to agree, the best way to choose between the two is to go to a shop hold'em in you sweaty little palm and see which feels best to you.

I don't think that you'd be dissapointed with any of the models in the OP

[ady1970]

Right, camera catalogue got a few things wrong on the pentax. ISO sensitivity is 200 - 6400, and can be expanded to 100 - 12800. Also the burst capture is 4.7 fps, which they did not quote. Alos the pentax has liveview. Follow the link for full spec.

http://www.pentax.co.uk/en/group/6/product/16701/body/specifications/Photo_Cameras.html

BTW i am not trying to knock the other cameras. They are all good cameras and scored within 3% of each other in What Digital Camera magazine. So whichever one you pick will be good. It is going to come down to your own personal preference. So try them all out again before makong your mind up. And no matter what one you get enjoy it and post some pics for us.

[koolpc]

Well, bought the Canon 1000D with an IS lens. Took quite a few picks, indoors of the daughter tonight. Very impressed so far!

[ady1970]

Glad you made your mind up. Hope we all helped. Glad you like it so far as well. You'll have to post some so we can all see how good it is.

[koolpc]

Cheers guys for your help etc.

[codemonkey]

Hope your still enjoying the new camera. Get a few pics up in the "Post your photos" thread! :thumbs:

[InFiNiTy]

Personally i'd go Nikon.
i have the Nikon D3000 and it's GREAT little camera, takes supperb pics and has a great choice of lenses like some people have mentioned.
The D3000 with the 55-200mm, VR lens is amazing!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4613125916_446b15b124.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4612466315_da32dcd214.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4561083479_4b01aed2dd.jpg

:)

EDIT: Didnt see you have chosen :(

i think we need a "Your Photography" thread like the other forum

[codemonkey]

i think we need a "Your Photography" thread like the other forum

We do. In fact we have two...

http://forum.novatech.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17664

http://forum.novatech.co.uk/showthread.php?t=19759

The second is more for snaps...

I've stickied them today so they are easier to find