Newbie Set Up DSLR

[Coneyhurst Blue]

I am sure that this has been done to death but here goes......................
Looking for a package to go for. I have a Sony Cybershot but am getting a bit fed up with the 'out of focus' shots I keep getting. I am guessing this is because of the lag between taking the photo and capturing the image, and my hand moving in-between. Or alternatively the subject moving. I think therefore it may be time to upgrade and I really quite fancy a DSLR so if the bug bites then I can improve my kit !
What sort of buget should I be looking at and what sort of kit. I don't want to walk into Jessops and be confused and end up with whatever they need to get rid of.
Any suggestions would be grateful !

[GetCarter]

Buy a Nikon or a Canon. Spend between £350 and £3500.

Most in here spend nearer the former than the latter for the body. There are some great cameras out there in the £400 - £600 range and some stunners if you can spend more.

Really depends on how much you want to spend and what you want to photograph as to what is right for you.

You can't go far wrong with the two market leaders (above).

i.e.

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.as...

or

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.as...

Edited by GetCarter on Monday 15th September 14:02

[Triumph Coupe]

Go and see what feels best in your hands. Can't really go wrong with canon or nikon. I'm a canon kind of guy but others will sing praises of nikon and i won't argue with them - that is for you to decide which camp you will join.

[4hero]

Triumph Coupe said:

Go and see what feels best in your hands. Can't really go wrong with canon or nikon. I'm a canon kind of guy but others will sing praises of nikon and i won't argue with them - that is for you to decide which camp you will join.

• cough* CANON *cough*

[VxDuncan]

4hero said:

Triumph Coupe said:

Go and see what feels best in your hands. Can't really go wrong with canon or nikon. I'm a canon kind of guy but others will sing praises of nikon and i won't argue with them - that is for you to decide which camp you will join.

• cough* CANON *cough*

See above - Canon's make you ill (from all the cheap plastic).

Go Nikon if you want to make it through the winter.

(just avoid the "betamax" cameras - ie non Canon/Nikon as these systems aren't as well supported).

[Jack Blag]

If you're looking at a DSLR, there are only 2 options as mentioned above. I've been using Nikons for nearly 20 years, but Canon are just as good. As far as budget goes, spend what you can (comfortably) afford.

[4hero]

GetCarter said:

Buy a Canon or a Canon. Spend between £350 and £3500.

Edited for correction

Triumph Coupe said:

Go and see what feels best in your hands. Can't really go wrong with canon or canon. I'm a canon kind of guy but others will sing praises of canon and i won't argue with them - that is for you to decide which camp you will join.

Edited for correction

VxDuncan said:

4hero said:

• cough* CANON *cough*

See above - Canon's make you ill (the quality is so good you will not believe it).

Go Canon if you want to make it through the winter.

Edited for correction

Jack Blag said:

If you're looking at a DSLR, there are only 2 options as mentioned above. I've been wishing I'd bought a Canon 20 years ago, Nikon are not as good. As far as budget goes, spend what you can (comfortably) afford.

Edited for correction

Edited by 4hero on Monday 15th September 15:38

[Triumph Coupe]

Look what you have started now!

[Simpo Two]

INTERMISSION.

Back to your corners gentlemen. People post for hopefully unbiased advice. The name on the camera rarely affects what comes out, that being 99.9% down to the skill of the user.

Edited by Simpo Two on Monday 15th September 16:06

[VxDuncan]

I think we got the only buy Canon or NIKON message across though!

[bramley]

With respect to the OP, is there perhaps a thread that someone could start as a definitive guide to Getting Started or Buying Your First SLR or similar, in which the basic points that have been covered are listed?

I only suggest it as this sort of question gets asked on a weekly basis, and whilst it's nice to see that people still respond, the fundamental response is the always the same. It could maybe be a sticky? TBH I'm a bit out of touch with all the 400d/40d/XXd permutations so I'm probably not the one to write the answer, however the idea seems sensible.

(And to the OP - I'm definitely not having a dig, your question is entirely valid and worth asking)

[Simpo Two]

I think it depends on how seriously you're going to take it. If you just want *a* DSLR with a lens or two, then I'm sure all the entry level ones will be OK, be they from Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax or Samsung.

However if you want to expand later and move up, maybe get more specialist lenses etc, then the big two make more sense because they have a far bigger range of bodies from newbie to pro, and there's much more choice of bits, not forgetting second hand too. About half my lenses were second hand. How many s/h Samsung macro lenses are there?

[miniman]

I know a few people with non-Canon / Nikon kit (e.g. a couple with the admittedly capable Pentax K100D / K200D and to be honest the majority of them either regret buying "different" and / or are looking to replace with Canon or Nikon, simply because of the choices available in the lens / accessory market.

[Zad]

The fanboy posts are so helpful. Not.

Whatever you do, just check the comparison sites before you buy. I saved £130 or so on mine by keeping an eye on things before I bought.

e.g.

http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/prod636.html
http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/prod204.html