I'm confused waht model shall I go for. Since you didn't say "some small photography business," I will assume that you are just looking for some of the advantages of an SLR without top of the line pro features.
I have two that I am going to suggest to you, because they give great results without breaking the budget.
The D40 is a great little camera, very easy to use and quite reasonably priced. It will get you in the Nikon family which is a great place to be. If you buy accessories and lenses, you will be able to use everything on any Nikon that you might upgrade to later on.
Here are a few reviews, in case you have not read them yet. Be sure to note that they are several pages long and some of the reviews also have some sample images that you can look at.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40...
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_revi...
http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3756/cam...
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40/d40...
It is true that there is a "problem" with older Nikon lenses not autofocusing on the D40, but if you do not own a bag full of older lenses, it is not going to be a problem.
You can get this at B&H Photo (available through Yahoo! Shopping or at 1-800-622-4987) for $550 (April 2007). You will want to add a decent SD memory card and I recommend a Sandisk Ultra II or Lexar Platinum II - either 1 GB or 2 GB would be great. You can get one from B&H also for $30-45.
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The cheapest DSLR that is worth owning is probably the Pentax K110D, and this is coming from a Nikon fan.
This is a decent camera.
You can click on individual user comments on this page: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/read_opi...
You can also read this review of the K100D, which is the same camera as the K110D, except that it also has image stabilization in the camera: http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_revi...
Check out this set-up. You can get the body, the "kit" lens for $395 after a rebate from B&H Photo in New York. (Rebate ends 4-30-07) You can find B&H by going to Yahoo! Shopping, as they are one of the retailers that Yahoo! links to. You can also call 1-800-622-4987.
"Pentax K110D, 6.1 Megapixel, SLR, Digital Camera Kit with Pentax Zoom Super Wide Angle SMCP-DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Autofocus Lens." You will still need a memory card, which you can buy for about $30-45, depending on the size you choose.
If you want "shake reduction" built into the body, which is a nice feature, you can get the Pentax K100D for about another hundred dollars.
If you want "higher" quality and want to spend double the money, get back to me............and I'll tell you about the Nikon D80. Pentax has the best compatibility with older lenses hands down. the K100/K110 are excellent cameras for the price. you can also look at the K10D with kit lens for about the same price ($999) as your limit. |
