# What Camera is best?



## conspiracy (Dec 11, 2012)

Hi guys! I have been searching for a while and have been trying to figure out what camera i should get. I am thinking a beginner-intermediate DSLR is what i would want. I am looking for something around 500-600 dollars. I have seen ups and downs on both the Nikon D5100 and the Canon T3i. If you have any suggestions, feedback on your recommendations would be very appreciated. Thanks! ccasion14:


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## Alt_Reality (Oct 5, 2010)

I'd actually recommend going a lil cheaper for your first SLR and buying something like the feature packed D3100 used or refurbished on eBay and then using the money you saved to eventually buy an additional lens. Even more important is learning how to crank good shots out of it with an easy to read book like this: 

Nikon D3100: From Snapshots to Great Shots: Jeff Revell: 9780321754547: Amazon.com: Books

btw, Canons are just as fine, I just happen to shoot with Nikon now (D700) so more familiar with that brand.


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## rfrich74 (Jan 18, 2012)

My suggestion would also be to look for something used to start with. Check out either photography-on-the.net or fredmiranda.com Both have great classified sections in their forums. I am a Canon shooter so I would tell you to look out for a used 50D and then pick up a 50mm 1.8 "nifty fifty" lens. It is an expensive lens that has IQ that rivals Canon's L series glass and it can shoot in low-light. I believe Nikon also has a 50mm lens that performs as well in case you go Nikon. I also highly recommend Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson and The Digital Photography Book by Scott Kelby. They are both "must reads" IMO for anyone starting out in digital photography.


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## Casual (Feb 9, 2011)

Need more info as to what you want it for. Video? Snowboarding? Landscape?

If you want video a lot of people like the T3i but your going to need a really wide lens like a 10-20 or an 8mm fisheye.

If you want stills I'd take a used 50D over a T3i anyday. That being said you might like the compact body better and IQ might not be a big issue to you.

Not going to comment on Nikon because I'm a Canon user but I'm sure they have equal bodies relevant to the same arguments.


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## gmore10 (Dec 23, 2011)

If you can find one a used nikon d90 is probably your best bet, plenty of features you cant get bored with. A camera body isnt really the most important thing. If you can find someone selling a package with multiple lenses and an external flash you'll save yourself more money in the long run. Also im not a fan of nikons new line of cameras.


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## RickB (Oct 29, 2008)

my 2c

skip dlsr's altogether, its not quite like buying a vhs player but it will be that way before we know it.

if you want to do it all, maybe a panasonic dh2 (just replaced by the dh3) and get some nice lenses going (panasonic/olympus)

or how about a sony nex 5n (should be some good deal out there for it)


/popcorn


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

RickB said:


> skip dlsr's altogether, its not quite like buying a vhs player but it will be that way before we know it.


Nothing wrong with micro 4/3rds but I hardly think we're all going to abandon APS and full frame sensors for the micro 4/3 system... :dunno:


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## TorpedoVegas (Dec 25, 2011)

RickB said:


> my 2c
> 
> skip dlsr's altogether, its not quite like buying a vhs player but it will be that way before we know it.
> 
> ...


I have to admit he's got a point. If I didn't already have tons of cash sunk into a DSLR system then I might be going with one of the new mirrorless camera systems. That being said, I love my DSLR, but what you really have to understand is that it's more about the lenses then it is the camera when it comes to image quality. The DSLR will help you track and capture action images easier (snowboarding), but the image quality and speed of autofocus might not be what you're hoping for with the cheap kit lenses. Someone previously mentioned the "nifty fifty" 50mm, while it is a nice intro to the world of prime lenses and can be very sharp, it doesn't quite match up to any of the Canon L glass in image quality and is painfully slow in the autofocus department. I haven't seen many lenses under the 600.00 mark that are really worth owning in the long run, and you have to realize that a complete DSLR setup with multiple quality lenses can be a costly investment. I take my 7D to the hill every once in a while if the weather looks sunny and the snow looks to be good, but if I had a smaller mirrorless system I might be more inclined to take it more often, another thing to think about.


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## bordsmnj (Jan 18, 2013)

Alt_Reality said:


> I'd actually recommend going a lil cheaper for your first SLR and buying something like the feature packed D3100 used or refurbished on eBay and then using the money you saved to eventually buy an additional lens. Even more important is learning how to crank good shots out of it with an easy to read book like this:
> 
> Nikon D3100: From Snapshots to Great Shots: Jeff Revell: 9780321754547: Amazon.com: Books
> 
> btw, Canons are just as fine, I just happen to shoot with Nikon now (D700) so more familiar with that brand.


this.



also i will add that the used route isn't a bad way to go but be careful-educate yourself. research! i will also add that costco sometimes has some really good deals on starter dslr kits from canon and nikon. for example i bought my first camera there 2 years ago- d5100, 2 decent lenses, carry bag- the whole shooting match for $900-ish. now that nikon came out with the d5200 costco was blowing out that same kit a month ago for 600! th best peice of equipment i bought when starting out though(also $20 at costco) was a book on digital photography. make coffee and spend some time at kenrockwell.com. good luck.


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## RickB (Oct 29, 2008)

poutanen said:


> Nothing wrong with micro 4/3rds but I hardly think we're all going to abandon APS and full frame sensors for the micro 4/3 system... :dunno:


sony nex is APS-c sized, i didnt just say micro 4/3rds anyway.


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## RickB (Oct 29, 2008)

and didnt mean to imply that full frame was going to go away either... we'll still see that size sensor, but it'll also be in a smaller/smarter(?) mirrorless set up


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

RickB said:


> and didnt mean to imply that full frame was going to go away either... we'll still see that size sensor, but it'll also be in a smaller/smarter(?) mirrorless set up


sony is coming out with a FF NEX in 2014. current APS-C NEX lenses will be cropped on the FF body but it will have an e-mount. 

if you need really fast AF get a dlsr, but know that you'll have to spend $$ on lenses to get truly fast AF.. most cheaper ones aren't. 

if you're all about video get a panasonic gh2 or gh3

if you want a very portable camera with great IQ look at a nex. 

if you want a pocket camera with IQ close to what you will get out of a t3i or whatever, look at the sony rx100


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## RickB (Oct 29, 2008)

samsung might beat them to the FF mirrorless punch, not that it'll matter that much.

serious question: is the auto focus of an entry level nikon/canon dslr really all that good? (i had a D40 for a very long time and it sucked pretty hard at it)

Or is it that most people lump all the dslr's in together and just say that their autofocus is really good? Because a top level dslr and an entry level are pretty far apart in capabilities


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## TorpedoVegas (Dec 25, 2011)

The cheaper bodies do not have as many autofocus points as the higher end bodies do. Most of the speed though is built into the lenses themselves. I have a couple Canon L lenses and a couple Sigma lenses and the L lenses with the Ultrasonic motors are more accurate and faster to focus for sure. The Sigma lenses aren't terrible and cost between 600-800 bucks each (so they aren't crazy cheap...but in the world of good lenses that's about bottom end) but the Canon glass is always my go-to lenses for sports or action shots.


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

re: samsung - yea, i doubt it. sony has been blazing the "big sensor in a small camera" trail way harder than any other company. the FF nex is a confirmed rumor, so it is happening right now. they're developing it and making lenses for it right now - in fact, it may be here soon enough that we don't see an APS-C sized successor to the NEX 7 before it gets here...

to your other point - you're right on. i don't know much about the specs on the lower-end dslrs but i know that my 7d is a much better camera for action/sports than a FF 5dmkII due to quicker focus, more focus points, quicker fps shooting, shutter lag, etc.


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## RickB (Oct 29, 2008)

right on. pretty sure i did read on a sony rumors site about samsung being very close if not closer than sony on full frame mirrorless.

re: rx100- this would be an excellent option for the original poster or anyone looking for a good camera. no excuses to not have an amazing camera in ones pocket all the time with that lil guy


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

well fair enough - honestly i don't know alot about samsung cameras. i think the FF nex is slated for next spring. 

i have a 7d with some nice glass, the nex 7 w/zeiss, and the rx100 - the nex is probably my favorite to use but man the rx100 can really take some nice photos. i feel like the rx100 IQ is much closer to that of an APS-C sized sensor than it is to the IQ of other compacts...


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## RickB (Oct 29, 2008)

osm. sony is definitely doing some amazing things lately


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

yea, the rx1 is completely amazing.


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## conspiracy (Dec 11, 2012)

Thanks for all the input guys! I found a really nice D5100 body package. I'll post that and the lens i want

Nikon D5100 DX-Format DSLR Camera Body Bundle 25476 KA
I can bundle that kit with a 55-200mm vibration reduction lens for only 150 more

OR

get that kit and this lens
Refurbished Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX VR Lens - Refurbished by Nikon USA 2179 B

i actually just found the bundle deal and thats looking pretty nice


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