Part two: Starting in DSLR

[Buschmaster]

The old thread may be locked, I wanted a poll for this, so here it is.

Which would you buy if you were in my situation as stated in my first thread? In order of price....


Choice 1:
Pentax
Price : $ 519.95
K110D, 6.1 Megapixel, SLR, Digital Camera (Camera Body)


Choice 2:
Samsung
Price : $ 539.95
Digimax GX-1L, 6.1 Megapixel, SLR, Digital Camera with Schneider D-XENON 18-55mm Lens Digimax GX-1L SLR Digital Camera with Schneider 18-55mm Lens


Choice 3:
Olympus
Price : $ 539.95
Evolt E-500, 8.0 Megapixel, SLR, Digital Camera Body (Black) Evolt E-500 Digital Camera Body (Black)


Choice 4:
Pentax
Price : $ 599.95
K110D, 6.1 Megapixel, SLR, Digital Camera Kot with Pentax Zoom Super Wide Angle SMCP-DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Autofocus Lens K110D Digital Camera Kit with Pentax SMCP-DA 18-55mm AL AF Lens


Choice 5:
Any of the above with my own choice of lens. Please specify in a post

 

[Spectrum]

It's not one of your choices, but...
I'd get the Nikon D50 with its kit (18-55) lens. It's a great starter combo.
here
for $699
If you see it with the 18-70 lens, that's a better lens/deal still.

 

[Buschmaster]

It's also $100 over any of my choices. I'd love to splurge, but that's pretty far out there for now.

But thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Buschmaster]

I see there are 2 votes for option 4. Maybe because it is the most expensive and therefore probably the best bang for the buck... But can I ask why not option 2? What advantages does #4 have over #2 that makes it a large difference?

 

[kwajo.com]

it's either option 2 or 4, and IMO the extra couple dozen dollars would be well spent to get the K110, if only for the shake reduction

 

[Buschmaster]

I thought only the K100D had the shake reduction...

I'm going to go to Circuit City today or tomorrow and actually handle these cameras and go through the menus and stuff. They actually have nice prices on both the *ist DL and the E500 right now, they come with lenses, so dont be thrown by what you initially see...

 

[kwajo.com]

lol my mistake, that's a typo, I meant K100D See this is why I hate numeric naming, why can't everyone use model names like iPod or iMac, instead of cryptic things like K100 or PT13553

 

[ChrisA]

None of the above

None of the above. It's pretty much a Nikon v. Canon debate when it come to DSRL. All the oters will need 20 years to build up their systems and add 20 mores lenses to their line ups.

 

[beavo451]

It's also $100 over any of my choices. I'd love to splurge, but that's pretty far out there for now.

But thanks for the suggestion!

I would still go with either Nikon or Canon. It is not splurging. It is buying into a system that you will know is going to be around and has better quality stuff.

 

[Spectrum]

It's also $100 over any of my choices. I'd love to splurge, but that's pretty far out there for now.

But thanks for the suggestion!

It's far from a splurge... The quality that your $699 buys would have cost 3-4 times that much the same number of years ago. It is a REAL bargain to get into DSLR so cheaply. Heck, I spent almost twice that just a year ago on the D70+kit lens, and the D50 can pretty much match it in image quality, if not quite in features.

My point is: If you've decided you really want to go dSLR, then there is no point trying to save a hundred bucks. Buying into a more established brand is well worth it. And besides: You're going to spend a lot more than that on just your single next lens purchase. Go try out the camera/lens - and choose the one that feels "right". To me it was the Nikons: the build quality is great and everything feels very intuitive.

Edit: Ah. I see beavo451 had pretty much the same to say - I left it ages before actually submitting the post!

 

[mrkgoo]

Aww...no Canon 350D?

Canon or Nikon.

 

[shieldyoureyes]

I say you should go with canon or nikon also. If you must, save up for another month. The Nikon D50 is actually quite affordable, if you look around. I bought a refurb and I have had absolutly no problems with it yet, and haven't heard anything bad about nikon refurbs either.

D50 reburb - $445

18-55mm nikkor ~ 75 lightly used
look around, quite a few for sale that are almost new. This is a very capable lens for the price.

Mack Warranty ~ 25-40
The more expensive one will even cover accidental damage such as impacts and sands damage.

Total Cost ~ $560 pus some for shipping

not a bad deal at all if your looking into getting into DSLR cheap.
This is exactly what I did and but I ended up geting the 18-70mm, but overall, I saved about $300

Do it....you know you want too.......

 

[FrankieTDouglas]

The Nikon D50. If it's $100 more, then wait a little longer and save up. Other than turning around and switching companies later on in the future.

 

[YS2003]

How come there is not a choice for "none of the above?" Canon or Nikon brands would be a good choice as there are many high quality lens options.

 

[kwajo.com]

I would still go with either Nikon or Canon. It is not splurging. It is buying into a system that you will know is going to be around and has better quality stuff.

ummm, since when is Pentax not high quality? Last I checked they had some of the best lenses ever made.
Also, I have no concerns at all about their sustainability in the market, especially given their partnership recently with Samsung which is one of the largest companies in the world

 

[macdaddy121]

6. None of the Above

Commenting on your above post about the D50 being too much money. Local wolf camera stores are selling D50 bodys with Quantaray 28-90 lenses (not a bad lenses....even does some pretty good macro) for 549.99 + tax. Atleast my local store is.

 

[kwajo.com]

None of the above. It's pretty much a Nikon v. Canon debate when it come to DSRL. All the oters will need 20 years to build up their systems and add 20 mores lenses to their line ups.

I disagree rather strongly, and I'm not sure you are fully informed about the other players in the photography market. If anything your last sentence applies more to Canon and Nikon than Pentax, because it is Pentax that has the larger, more complete support for lenses, going back to the early 70s, all of which will mount and support full metering and even focus assist, and with a screw-mount adapter you can go back even further. The only reason to discount a brand like Pentax is if you are planning to do inordinate amounts of high speed sports photography or the like. Other than that you should not narrow your view simply to Canon and Nikon just because they have the larger marketing budgets and are more popular, after all, we're Mac users, we should be used to looking at what smaller market manufacturers can offer.

 

[beavo451]

ummm, since when is Pentax not high quality? Last I checked they had some of the best lenses ever made.
Also, I have no concerns at all about their sustainability in the market, especially given their partnership recently with Samsung which is one of the largest companies in the world

When I shot film, I used a Nikon FM and a Pentax PZ-1P. I liked the FM a whole lot better even though the Pentax had more features, AF, and a motor drive. But, it was an excellent film camera. They just seemed to have started to lag in the digital era. Nikon lenses from the 70's can mount and meter as well. Canon used to use Nikon lenses. Leica, Rollei, Mamiya, and others have also started to lag in the digital era. They still make (or used to) make great stuff, but are just so over priced that it is not worth it anymore.

I discount Pentax because the lenses are not as widely available, not enough people use them, and rental lenses for them are extremely rare. I'm for smaller markets and all, but not when they don't offer as much as the big companies.

 

[kwajo.com]

well I've never felt limited by my system choice, and I have no trouble at all finding lenses, so I can't quite agree. To each his own I suppose.

And Nikons can mount older lenses, but there are a bunch of limitation of which ones on which body and you can't do something like take a super sharp old SMC-M 50mm 1/1.7 that you bought for 40 bucks, slap it on your dSLR and get not only get full metering & focus assist, but also sensor shift shake reduction. To me that's value and versatility, but maybe I'm alone.

 

[Abstract]

The question was "Which of these 5 choices would you choose?" It wasn't asking for anything other than that. You all had the other thread to say what you wanted to say about Nikon and Canon, which are apparently the only 2 companies in the DSLR world. That other thread asked for suggestions. This is only to ask for suggestions within a narrow range.

I chose the D50 because I like it. Let him choose what he wants out of the models he listed. He just needs a bit of help with these 5 choices, nothing more.

I'd go with Choice 2 or 3, but I picked choice 2 because it's the same thing as a Pentax anyway, and Samsung will aim high with their DSLR cameras. Why? Because Sony is aiming high, as is Panasonic (who collaborates with Olympus) with their beautiful camera.

 

[plunar]

if he buys one of those options and photography is something he sticks with then he's just going to end up buying a new body anyway next year when he outgrows the, say, samsung. AND, he'll realize the investment lenses are really worth, and will just buy a nikon or canon then.

at least if he buys a canon or nikon kit now, he'll at least have a lense that he can use on his next body. not to mention better resell value for his old body on ebay.

it's just the body. the lense is most important - some of my lenses are over twice what i paid for my D50! but they'll last me a solid 10 years too. that's how it works.

 

[Abstract]

if he buys one of those options and photography is something he sticks with then he's just going to end up buying a new body anyway next year when he outgrows the, say, samsung.

If photography is something he sticks with, then he can and should invest in better lenses, and not buy a new camera body. I doubt he'd just 'outgrow' his camera body.

I think people are still under the impression that DSLR customers are going pro. I'll always be a consumer level DSLR owner, and it would take a lot for me to outgrow a camera entirely. Getting better doesn't necessarily mean that my camera can't cope.

But you're right in a way: if you want to go professional and shoot pro sports, then go with Canon or even Nikon.

it's just the body. the lense is most important....

Exactly, although that's not what you were really aiming to say before.


Getting a Samsung is rather safe, actually. Sony is in this for the long haul, and Panasonic probably will be as well. Since Samsung has the biggest brand recognition out of all the electronics companies (Samsung surpassed Sony recently), I doubt Samsung is just going to hand Sony the market. They'll be in this, they'll develop better and improved cameras all the time with and without the help of Pentax, and Panasonic will also develop better and better cameras and lenses with Olympus' help.

If he needs a new camera body in 4-5 years, he'll get a better Samsung or Pentax body.

People should just get used to the fact that the electronics players are here to stay. It's not just a 2 horse race, and good lenses don't only come out of Nikon and Canon. I can understand why some people feel that Canon and Nikon are the only two companies to choose from, but it's kind of a rigid old fashioned way of thinking if you look at the market right now, even if the DSLR market is still young. The only advantage of Canon and Nikon is the number of lenses available, and the amount of information there is on the internet regarding these lenses. That's a big advantage of owning a Canon and Nikon, but that's not to say that owning a Pentax won't get him great photos, or that it's a bad investment.

 

[balofagus]

I planned on getting the K110D but have recently decided that the SR in the K100D is worth the extra $100. I just don't like waiting to save up that extra little bit. If I get it before you make your decision I'll let you know what I think about it.

I decided on Pentax because of their legacy of lenses. We are talking about EVERY Pentax lens EVER made (restrictions on some of the Manual Focus only and non K-mounts aside)

 

[Buschmaster]

Maybe some people are a little confused having not read the first part. I'm off to college soon so money is an issue...

And i'm not concerned about the quality of Pentax. I'd love to have a Canon or Nikon, but guys, maybe I'd rather have something else for now...

 

[macdaddy121]

Maybe some people are a little confused having not read the first part. I'm off to college soon so money is an issue...

And i'm not concerned about the quality of Pentax. I'd love to have a Canon or Nikon, but guys, maybe I'd rather have something else for now...

If you would have read my post.....you would see that you can have the Nikon for the same price as some of the options you listed above. If you want to not get a Canon or Nikon just so you can say, hey I have something different, then more power to you. But it is not because youd can't afford one....atleast if you can afford the above options you can afford the canon or the nikon.