Which camera?

[liza]

You know what i reckon ?? I reckon youre confusing the hell out of yourself by looking at specs, and resolution and MPs and bla bla ...

Take a deep breath and slow down

First, what level of experience do you have ?? Where are your skills at ?? Do you have an understanding of how to use a DSLR correctly ?? No point worrying about 17 v 24 MPs if you dont have the an understanding of the basic fundamentals.

So tell us a bit about where youre at, what you would mostly like to do with the camera, and your upper limit budget. This will get you the best advice possible on where you should be looking to spend your money

Hi
Thanks for all comments.
I have to agree with you I am really confusing myself and more information I get, more confused I am becoming. What can I say about my skills. I haven't done any shooting with SLR, yet. Right now I am using Canon Powershot camera. I have been taking my photography a bit seriously for the last year or so. I have understanding of shutter speed, aperture, ISO, etc. Honestly I even don't understand really what is actually the difference between SLR and compact camera (except in technology and in fact that SLR produces better pics) - I mean in terms of usage (hopefully the question doesn't sound to silly, but as I just wrote I haven't used SLR yet). I try to practise as often as possible and try to take photos practically of everything, but I enjoy the most in shooting landscapes and wildlife.
I haven't limited the budget. Right now I am doing a bit of research and I'll probably weit for a couple of months to save some money - how long I'll have to wait before buying depends of the camera price (but of course, I rather spend less than more if it is possible).

[dmdigital]

Don't get too concerned about the megapixels. Canon and others make a big deal of how many mp's they have on their sensors. Whilst at first it may stand out a scream "buy me I'm bigger" it's not really that much of a big issue. All of the cameras you've mentioned will take excellent pictures regardless of how many pixels they have.

I would recommend looking at the lower spec bodies (eg D90) and spending more money on better lenses. As you learn you will want to upgrade the body, but a good lens is an investment.

But what ever you do, try the body out at a camera shop. Personally I hate Canon, not because they are inferior to Nikon, but because I can't stand the ergonomics of the camera body. Others will have the opposite opinion.

[I @ M]

(but of course, I rather spend less than more if it is possible).

We all want to do that

Quite frankly, there have been some brilliant photos posted on here (AP) as well as the rest of the web that have been taken with far less than professional level cameras and it has all come down to the ability of the photographer to see the scene and to understand the functions of their camera and its' limitations.

My advice -- go forth and buy whichever semi entry level camera suits your budget and the feel of your hands using it, use it it constantly and wear it out inside of the warranty period to the stage that you KNOW that you are being held back in your photographic endeavours by the level of equipment and then unleash the credit card on the next level of lenses and bodies to get the result you want.

In the meantime, read heaps on here, join in, post some images for critique and have a ball.

[bigdazzler]

Hi
Thanks for all comments.
I have to agree with you I am really confusing myself and more information I get, more confused I am becoming. What can I say about my skills. I haven't done any shooting with SLR, yet. Right now I am using Canon Powershot camera. I have been taking my photography a bit seriously for the last year or so. I have understanding of shutter speed, aperture, ISO, etc. Honestly I even don't understand really what is actually the difference between SLR and compact camera (except in technology and in fact that SLR produces better pics) - I mean in terms of usage (hopefully the question doesn't sound to silly, but as I just wrote I haven't used SLR yet). I try to practise as often as possible and try to take photos practically of everything, but I enjoy the most in shooting landscapes and wildlife.
I haven't limited the budget. Right now I am doing a bit of research and I'll probably weit for a couple of months to save some money - how long I'll have to wait before buying depends of the camera price (but of course, I rather spend less than more if it is possible).

ok now were getting somewhere, we have a starting point ...

First of all ... Keep an open mind. You can rest assured that every camera manufacturer in the market today is making great products and ALL are very capable of producing outstanding results. The camera is a tool, a means to an end, and like any tool, it will only perform as well as its operator can operate it .. so never forget that bit However, in saying that, there is one major advantage to sticking with Canon or Nikon over the other brands, and that is the availability of second hand lenses. Other than that, all the manufacturers including Pentax, Sony and Olympus are producing outstanding gear these days. So as I said, keep an open mind.

Second of all .. Given you have stated that you havent used a DSLR as yet, before you even think about buying anything, I would STRONGLY recommend you go into your local store and hold and feel up as many cameras from as many different manufacturers as you can get your hands on. Ergonomics can vary greatly. Some will feel great in your hands, others will feel awkward and uncomfortable. Take note of obvious things like can your right index finger reach the shutter button comfortably ?? These are the types of things you cant learn on the internet. YOU need to hold the cameras for yourself.

Thirdly .. Once youve decided on a brand, be aware of the fact that youre not only buying a camera and a lens, youre buying into a system, and over time this usually equates to quite a substantial financial investment. Once locked into Canon or Nikon or whatever else, and you have accumulated a few lenses, flashes etc, for most of us it is simply too expensive to go changing. So take into consideration the different lenses that are available from different brands that might suit your needs. As I mentioned before, in this regard the BIG 2 have a distinct advantage over the others for 2 reasons. One, they have a wide variety of lenses available for pretty well all applications from ultra wide angles for landscapes, right through to super telephoto lenses for sport and wildlife, and 2, there is an abundance of second hand gear floating around, much more than you will be able to find from the other brands.

So have a think about what kind of kit your like to get you up and running. Given the genres you mentioned, you will most likely want a body, lenses covering say 18mm to 200mm, and a sturdy tripod. Dont discount second hand bodies either, most photographers look after their gear very well and you can find a lot of very good second hand gear going cheap. Your money is better invested in lenses than bodies. Bodies will come and go. Lenses (at least QUALITY ones, for the most part) are with you for life

Theres a few things to think about before you go shopping anyway .... Im sure there will be a lot more advice coming your way but just remember to do your homework, heed the advice of the guys around here, and be patient. Youll end up making wiser decisions and end up with a more suitable kit bag if you spend a little bit of time thinking about things ...