Good DSLR camera for under 700$

[SaII]

My dad decided to get a new camera and wanted a DSLR for the rapid shooting and stuff.

but that's all we know about DSLR's :shrug:

if you could, please recommend a camera that is more than 7 MP and has the rapid shooting feature.

thanks

[Jupiler]

Check out some guides and reviews at Dpreview, they're known for making excellent reviews and you'll find all the info you need regarding to cameras.

http://www.dpreview.com/

[Grinch]

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos400d/

[SaII]

Check out some guides and reviews at Dpreview, they're known for making excellent reviews and you'll find all the info you need regarding to cameras.

http://www.dpreview.com/


oo, thanks

[Soulburner]

Is this the budget for the whole package or just the camera itself? Because you need to consider memory cards, batteries, charger, and the most expensive of all, lenses. You will not get the best results with the included lens on any SLR camera.

You can get a good DSLR for $700 but you will end up closer to $1000 all said and done.

I will also recommend www.dcresource.com.

[SaII]

wouldn't batteries and chargers come with the camera?

memory cards are cheap these days, so that's not included into the budget.

well lenses... i guess that should be in the budget...

I am right now eyeing

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos350d/

cheapest one from from a trusty store is around 500$

I guess that leaves 200$ for lenses

[xpsentity]

Lenses are the most expensive part. A decent consumer grade lens will set you back from 200-600$.

350D is not bad at all for an entry level DSLR. I'd go, with that budget, a 350D or 400D(XTi). As far as lenses go, if you get the package with the "kit" lens, it's not TERRIBLE, just rather slow. Stopped down to F8, it's pretty sharp as well. If I were to recommend a walk-around, do it all lens, I'd go with the Sigma 17-70. It's an all around excellent lens, especially for the price.

My personal opinion is that Canon is the way to go. Not only for the bodies, which are quite good, but for the EF lens mount. There are SO many choices with the EF mount.

Oh, and I'd HIGHLY suggest buying from B&H Photo/Video. I've spent far too much money with them, and I've never had a problem. It's the highest recommended online camera store in the US. You won't be dissapointed ;)

[Grinch]

my lens cost me $1400.00...my camera cost me $1100.00

[Soulburner]

wouldn't batteries and chargers come with the camera?

memory cards are cheap these days, so that's not included into the budget.

well lenses... i guess that should be in the budget...

I am right now eyeing

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos350d/

cheapest one from from a trusty store is around 500$

I guess that leaves 200$ for lenses
Included batteries often leave something to be desired...and it is always a good idea to have backups. What will you do when your battery is dead? Your shooting day is over. You can add up to $100 just by getting an extra battery (proprietary) and a good SD card. My 4gb Transcend SD 150x cards only cost around $40 so I have two of them, and I use them both.

[SaII]

Included batteries often leave something to be desired...and it is always a good idea to have backups. What will you do when your battery is dead? Your shooting day is over. You can add up to $100 just by getting an extra battery (proprietary) and a good SD card. My 4gb Transcend SD 150x cards only cost around $40 so I have two of them, and I use them both.

I see O_o

[Sparky]

Lenses are the most expensive part. A decent consumer grade lens will set you back from 200-600$.

350D is not bad at all for an entry level DSLR. I'd go, with that budget, a 350D or 400D(XTi). As far as lenses go, if you get the package with the "kit" lens, it's not TERRIBLE, just rather slow. Stopped down to F8, it's pretty sharp as well. If I were to recommend a walk-around, do it all lens, I'd go with the Sigma 17-70. It's an all around excellent lens, especially for the price.
I myself wouldn't consider the 350D an entry level DSLR (I own one), maybe more entry to midrange. But if it is really technically an "entry level" then that just goes to show how much of a n00b I am with it then :eek: :p:

Agreed on the lens, kit is OK but not stellar. Kind of like a stock heatsink that comes with a CPU ;) I have a Sigma 28-105mm F/3.8-5.6, although the camera never goes below F/4 with it for some reason.


My personal opinion is that Canon is the way to go. Not only for the bodies, which are quite good, but for the EF lens mount. There are SO many choices with the EF mount.
Another canon fan :D I like them as well, as does my brother (really knows what he's doing with his DSLR! Has a good eye and knows his stuff).


Oh, and I'd HIGHLY suggest buying from B&H Photo/Video. I've spent far too much money with them, and I've never had a problem. It's the highest recommended online camera store in the US. You won't be dissapointed ;)
Though you weren't directly recommending them to me, I'll keep them in mind for when I finally get around to getting a longer telephoto lens for my camera. Thanks :D

[SaII]

how much difference can you see from a good lens vs a stock lens?

I mean, if the difference is very little, than I would just skip the lens part right now and save that for later.

[Sparky]

Kit lens takes pics OK, the only real problem with it is the focal length is very short.

[xpsentity]

Kit lens takes pics OK, the only real problem with it is the focal length is very short.

Meh, it's nice and wide on the low end, and 50mm on a 1.6X crop sensor is long enough for a decent 'walkaround' lens.

That said, it's the kit lens. It's slow, the AF is slow and loud, and it's rather soft wide open. Even then, I've seen STELLAR photography with it. It's not so much the lens, though the gear of course does help, it's more the photographer.


Of course... who doesn't want nice gear eh? :D

[Grinch]

with a kit lens (18-55) you would have to stop it down to about f/8 to get some really good shots..

[Magnj]

Pentax K100d
Glass is more important than the body for the most part.
Buy a low-mid range body and buy great glass to back it up

[Grinch]

for me it was simple...I watch alot of sports...and I would always see BIG white lenses on the sidelines...only 1 brand makes those...canon.

[xpsentity]

for me it was simple...I watch alot of sports...and I would always see BIG white lenses on the sidelines...only 1 brand makes those...canon.

Funny, I always think that, but never really mention it when recommending cameras.

It is quite true though :D

[Magnj]

Oh and if you NEED rapid shooting...your gonna pay...entry level DSLR's won't shoot more than like 5 shots at 2-3 fps in RAW.

[Grinch]

eos 30d 5fps
my rebel xti 3fps

[Sparky]

My 350D will shoot a burst of 20 or so. The 300D doesn't shoot quite as fast and has a smaller buffer so it can't take as many in a burst.

[Ad1tya]

The Canon 300D/350D is a great choice!

Later on you can replace the Lens Kit too, and get even better shots :).

[NWEng]

I'd go for the 350 over the 300. I had a 300 and it just didn't do it for me and ended up replacing it with a 20D. (Love it.)

[SaII]

thanks for all that information!

[Aerou]

would totally recommend Pentax K10D,
its fast, the new menu is great, has VR, antidust and is fast too, also nicely built, for the price best thing you can find,
I own a Nikon D200 myself, but I guess its out of your budget ...

[Lestat]

you could always go with a Panasonic Lumiz FZ50

superb auto modes and better manual modes.
they can be had for a little over 500.
10mp
vs the 5mp 300 or 350d

and i think its a better camera right out of the box.
plus it has anti jitter built in which is a life saver.

i have the FZ5 which is its little brother without the manual focus etc, and i love it.

[Soulburner]

Well the FZ50 is not an SLR, plus it seems to have problems with noise, even more than my Canon S3 which is its direct competitor (and beats it in many areas).

Plus if he doesn't plan on making big prints 10mp images don't have much use and its purely marketing. Especially when they cram it onto such a small sensor.

Otherwise it is a pretty good camera.

[Magnj]

Well the FZ50 is not an SLR, plus it seems to have problems with noise, even more than my Canon S3 which is its direct competitor (and beats it in many areas).

Plus if he doesn't plan on making big prints 10mp images don't have much use and its purely marketing. Especially when they cram it onto such a small sensor.

Otherwise it is a pretty good camera.

idk the K100d is a big step up from the DL/DS series for Pentax. If its a GOOD 10MP sensor than it does make a difference. 6-10 is a 60% jump.

[Anemone]

Love my 350D

[Soulburner]

idk the K100d is a big step up from the DL/DS series for Pentax. If its a GOOD 10MP sensor than it does make a difference. 6-10 is a 60% jump.
Right but nowhere was I talking about the K100d...a completely different camera. That IS an SLR, and has a much larger sensor than the FZ50.

[Repoman]

Included batteries often leave something to be desired...and it is always a good idea to have backups. What will you do when your battery is dead? Your shooting day is over. You can add up to $100 just by getting an extra battery (proprietary) and a good SD card. My 4gb Transcend SD 150x cards only cost around $40 so I have two of them, and I use them both.

I've been 110% impressed with the battery for my 350D.. I don't even remember the last time I charged it :cool:

[Magnj]

Right but nowhere was I talking about the K100d...a completely different camera. That IS an SLR, and has a much larger sensor than the FZ50.

Didn't see you talking about any camera in particular...I thought it was a general statement.

[pcsky3]

Hey I happened to know a good digital SLR camera, Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10.1MP ,some of it's specifications are :
10.1-MP SLR, 9-point autofocus, 2.5" LCD screen, Compact Flash Expansion
Self-cleaning sensor unit, plus Dust Delete Data Detection in software
DIGIC II Image Processor provides fast, accurate image processing .
And as far as I know the lowest price for the camera is $713 ,it is a deal :
http://www.dealstudio.com/searchdeals.php?deal_id=57605
Well I think this is a good camera and the price is good for you also ,only $13 above your budget.By the way they offer a free 60GB external hard drive w/ bundle, ends 9/24. All in all hope this helps.

[TorquedJetta]

I love my XTi, but why not buy a D40 or a D80. With the D40 you don't get autofocus on all the older lenses but its cheap.

[Fujimitsu]

Canon XT, XTi
Nikon D40
Pentax K100D

Depending on your choice from those 4 you can get a kit, or a kit with an additional lens. I just bought the D40 for my girlfriend and weve both loved it so far, you can get the D40 with the 18-55 kit from newegg for under $550 shipped (they often have combo deals with it as well), the kit lens is very nice and when you feel you need an upgrade i've heard great things about the nikon 55-200 for around $250.

Those two lenses combind with the D40 make the best kit for under 1000 IMO, I like canon but the XT and XTi feel cheap to me so i went with nikon.

[pRS317]

i'd recommend getting a used cannon 20d or 30d. the 40d will be out soon and there will be quite a few used ones floating around. the only issues is that they only have is in the lenses, not the body.

if you can swing another $100 or two, you might want to look at the olympus e-510. pretty nice camera, that one, tho the iso isn't as good as the cannons.

ditto the recommendation for www.dcresource.com

[Lestat]

Well the FZ50 is not an SLR, plus it seems to have problems with noise, even more than my Canon S3 which is its direct competitor (and beats it in many areas).

Plus if he doesn't plan on making big prints 10mp images don't have much use and its purely marketing. Especially when they cram it onto such a small sensor.

Otherwise it is a pretty good camera.

actually yes the FZ50 is an SLR it just doesnt have the removable lenses.
it has a full auto and a full manual mode where you are in control of the focus just like a canon XT/Xi and other dSLR.

SLR doesnt mean the lenses come off, but thats what people associate it with

as for noise, im not sure where you get that my Rebel XT had more noise in it than my FZ5 and the FZ50 does.
but its a digital camera there is no digital camera in the world that doesnt have noise in it and the ojnly way to get around it is to take full 10+ mp pictures and reduce them down to 8.5x100 or smaller so that the noise is not visible any longer. you would have to search pretty damn hard to find a camera under 5 grand that doesnt show noise at full resolution.

which is exactly how its done and why huge 10mp and higher cameras produce such insanely great pictures that are smaller then 10mp in size ie; 8.5x11 the reduction closes in the noise and makes it barely visible.

but better cameras have less noise this is fact, but all cameras have noise and if your not careful auto mode's on cameras will almost guarentee you a noisy picture.
manual mode is the only way to reduce noisy pictures.
that and raw mode shots and using photoshop to reduce the F stop and other factors which produce the noice.

[hieuhef]

you can get a pretty one sided debate when it comes to recommending a camera, so you have to be careful whose advice you take. as a student, i've come to realize people aren't just looking to help you, but push the agenda of said brand they shoot with.

as far as entry level dslr goes, there are great ones out there. the d40/d40x, the xti, the pentax k100d, the olympus e-volt 510, and the sony alpha a100, just to name a few. it's hard to go wrong with any of them really, the entry level has elevated to a state of epic proportions in features and quality. it can be a coin flip as to what camera you can get next, but don't let the market share be the push in that decision.

each of these companies put forth, and there are existing, amounts of glass that will do more than impress in the right hands. canon has amazing glass, yes, but how many are willing to plunk down for L glass when they're starting out? some never will pick up L glass, or go for the 70-200 2.8, or 300 2.8, or 400 4, etc. etc, which is produced by the big 3 [canon, nikon, formerly minolta/now sony]. as a starting point, what features do you like in a camera? some people mentioned anti-shake, which canon and nikon only offer in lens, while pentax, olypmus, and sony have in camera, which makes every lens attached anti-shake. which feels better in your hand? which has the best viewfinder when pressed to your face?

these are things people overlook, and when they get it, the ergonomics can feel all wrong and make it a bad call. i wouldn't recommend buying without at least holding what it is you're getting, because when it comes down to it, you're going to be holding the camera a lot, and the ease in which you're able to go through its functions is critical to the overall image. remember, you want the best camera for you, not what they tell you is the best.

[jinu117]

Another Canon fan. Last years model is really cheap on Costco right now and well under the mark you are going for :) I haven't try to take good shot with it as of late but it does take wonderful pictures even with kit lens. In fact, I think it is quite good for kit lense :) Now... if you start spending money on Canon lens... might be diff story as lens will cost more than body :)

[jinu117]

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11234479&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|79|83|1236&N=4001462&Mo=9&pos=2&No=4&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=1236&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC10604-Cat83&topnav=

Rebel XT :)

[Stratman]

Remember that the Pentax K100D super has built in image stabilization, and you can use ANY Pentax lens ever made, even the old screw mount lenses with an inexpensive adapter. I have the K110D < no image stabilization > and love it, been buying old glass off of ebay, and having a blast !!

Taken with an RMC Tokina 28MM f2.8, less than $30 on ebay

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2156/1795324700_9fa12f446c_o.jpg

Another with the same lens

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2190/1794482531_bf6d8eba10_o.jpg

Vivitar 400MM f5.6, bought from a fellow Pentaxian on Pentaxforums.com. $125

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1318/1394264714_a8b0566cec_o.jpg

[charlie]

Is this the budget for the whole package or just the camera itself? Because you need to consider memory cards, batteries, charger, and the most expensive of all, lenses. You will not get the best results with the included lens on any SLR camera.

You can get a good DSLR for $700 but you will end up closer to $1000 all said and done.

I will also recommend www.dcresource.com.

that's a great web site for reviews!!!!

[shazza]

Here's another "plug" for the Panasonic Lumix FZ-50. The optical zoom and good image stabilizer on this camera make it a great choice for someone who wants more than a "point and shoot," but doesn't want to carry around a selection of lenses. Here's a couple of pics captured just using "auto" mode ... not saying they are great shots, but perfectly good for capturing memories of the day.

Taken from a boat while whale-watching:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/shazzasmd/tailx2.jpg

Taken at the zoo ... (the tiger was behind glass, used the zoom for the close-up).

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/shazzasmd/tiger.jpg


Noise is not a problem for the average user, unless you're shooting in low-light or want to blow images up. Is this a perfect camera? No, but it's got lots of advantages, and is a good way to get into digital photography.

(Note ... my husband has a Canon 5D and a bunch of extra lenses. It's a great camera, and I'm finding a world of difference compared to the Panasonic when using it for low light applications - but I still prefer the convenience of the FZ-50). I don't think the OP will go wrong with the current cameras from either Canon or Nikon in his price range - it's just always nice to have options.

[Cold Fussion]

I saw a 400d kit with 2 lens for 1100 aud the other day. You should get a simular deal in America.

[chunkylover77]

http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=PKK10D1855

If anyone is looking that is an insane deal. I played around with the 10D just the other day and it is a monster. I have gotten stuff from buydig before so they are reputable.

[Grinch]

I would buy the rebel xti over the pentax...*-)

http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=CNDRXTI1855B

[Vapor]

I would buy the rebel xti over the pentax...*-)

http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=CNDRXTI1855BTo each their own....

I started on Canon 300D, 350D and a 20D with a variety of lenses (some L). None were mine but I had full 24/7 access (and use priority over everyone else who had access :p: ) and I've got to say the K10D is a lot more appealing than any of the Canons were (and I've since briefly used a 400D).

Frankly, I've gotten a little tired of the too-clean look from Canon. And the photographic-control-end of them is very bland....limiting exposure modes (well, in all fairness...they're equal to Nikon), archaic Auto ISO.... No SR without super expensive lenses, newer 400D is uncomfortable for my hands (have to grip with my fingertips because the grip is apparently made for tiny hands).

Don't get me wrong, it takes very, very good pictures without much effort....but compared to the K10D and even the Nikons, it's less fun to use and doesn't have any uniqueness from a feature or output point-of-view.

The shooting modes are more flexible on the K10D for people who are familiar with aperture/exposure/ISO/shutter/etc (i.e., people who prefer to not use scene or Auto modes and can properly expose a photo on their own)...the sensor is the same one from D200 but with only a uni-directional AA filter (meaning higher resolution in exchange for an occasional demosaicing artifact...in RAW if competes with the 40D for detail)...it has in-body SR (no need to have it in-lens [which is very expensive]) and compatibility with every k-mount lens made (yes, SR works on every k-mount lens made...:D)....it's a heavy, solid camera with weather-proofing seals....great viewfinder....and with firmware 1.20 and 1.30, it has hard-buttons for adjusting everything you'd need. Compared to other ~$700 cameras, it's a lot more bang for the buck. It's not the be-all and end-all of cameras...it's not great for sports or BIF or super low-light, but for a personal camera, it's wonderful, fun to use, intuitive, has amazing image quality in RAW (and film-like in default JPEG mode, which I don't personally find useful) and not to be shrugged off as easily as many Canikon users do.

I personally hate SD(HC) cards, broken too many just in casual use...probably one of my readers being slightly too small and stressing the casing (which falls apart...never had any other problems other than the casing comes apart). So that definitely is a drawback of the K10D for me...probably because I also started on CF MicroDrives which are built like tanks.

Here's my selections for various DSLR niches (btw...I don't shoot JPEG at all)

Starting photography (but want DSLR results/something to build on):
Buy into whatever system you feel you'll use in the end. 3x0D, D40(x), K100D, E410, etc. The basic line, just to make sure you like what you're doing. Get a feel for each one before you buy...some don't 'feel' right even without use.

Small-body DSLR: Oly's...they sacrifice a bit with the 4/3rds system, but the small bodies are really cool and handle very, very well for their size.

Personal (experienced) use: K10D...even more so than a D80/D200 or 400D/40D. Such a vast catalog of lenses at full disposal...great sensor and SR (though the SR isn't as good as some ultra-expensive lens' in-lens SR...but hey, it works with lenses made in the 70s and modern ones just as well, sure-as-poop better than nothing, worth a stop or 2 usually), awesome shooting modes, great viewfinder. No reason to spend more unless you need higher FPS or faster AF (at which point, you're at bodies that are double the cost anyway...see "business" category).

Personal (somewhat inexperienced): 40D/400D most likely...very forgiving cameras with clean image quality. Definitely the 'it' choice...but very conservative in features. Almost the point-and-shoots of the DSLRs... For those wanting to learn a little bit about photography (not hard at all...), K10D...more to grow into and enjoy :)

Business (not sure what to call this...): if you're good at photography, and have a need for higher FPS or getting moving targets, the D300. D300 is an amazing new camera really...but it's also expensive and if you don't need the extra advantages, no need to spend the extra money.

BIF: Nikon D300 or D3...AF is just awesome on them, go by price and needs (D3 better for dawn/dusk birds, or elusive high-speed dives of course). Not sure how the 1-D mkIII's AF system fares with BIF :-/

Sports: Nikon D3 or Canon 1-D mkIII....depends on which system you're invested in I suppose. D3 is better for basketball and volleyball (low-light, indoors stuff where ultra-high ISO is useful), 1D mkIII has slightly higher FPS and that could be useful as well. Image quality and AF on both are very, very good...but the D3's main selling point is a massive sensor with only 12MP.

Studio portraits: Canon 1-Ds mkIII...21MP, great tethered support, need I say more?

Landscape: Canon 1-Ds mkIII....21MP. Might be at Hasselblad territory by now though....

[chunkylover77]

Grinch that Pentax is built like a tank. The canon is a good camera but IMO not in the same class build wise. Canon does have a nice selection of lenses that is for sure but with IS built into the Pentax that makes it much more economical for someone who does not live off of taking pics.

[Fujimitsu]

Grinch that Pentax is built like a tank. The canon is a good camera but IMO not in the same class build wise. Canon does have a nice selection of lenses that is for sure but with IS built into the Pentax that makes it much more economical for someone who does not live off of taking pics.

That's my only complaint, and the reason I didn't end up buying one.

[Magnj]

Don't buy anything used.

[Torphoto]

+1 for the pentax cameras, I have 2 and adding a k10d, well worth the money.

[ineedaname]

I'm in the market of buying a similar camera myself. The pentax K100D is at the top of my list right now but I'm kinda wavering between that and the Nikon D40.

Both seem to be pretty good value.

I've seen some tests and the Nikon D40 seems to have slightly better picture quality and comes with its own li-ion battery. While I'm not quite sure how many pictures I'll get with the pentax with some 2500mah ni-mh batteries. I know u can get some li-ion rechargeables for the pentax but that would probably set me back another $100.

Looking at some of the lenses, some of them have so many abbreviations in front of them that I have no clue what they mean. Can i still get lenses with IS built in for the pentax or am I stuck with the built in sensor IS as the only option?

[Vapor]

K100D + Eneloops will do ~520shots CIPA (and reports of >750 from some people if used conservatively...) if memory serves me right. Sanyo Eneloops are like...$12-15 for 4. If you also get a decent charger that does a nice slow charge and has separate circuits, the Eneloops will last quite some time too, well over a year at 85&#37; capacity.

Unfortunately there are no K mount IS lenses that I know of...not even for those that want to spend the extra $$ for better IS.

And yeah...lens names are getting insane :p:

[Soulburner]

That's all? My S3 IS has done over 1000 shots with 4 Eneloops. I can always fill a 4GB SD card before they are dead.

500-700 is good, but not what I expected, especially since it has no live view LCD.

[[XC] leviathan18]

i love my eneloops best batteries ive used ever i paid like 20 from amazon with the carger and 4 batteries must have batteries for everything that uses battery in a house lol

[Vapor]

That's all? My S3 IS has done over 1000 shots with 4 Eneloops. I can always fill a 4GB SD card before they are dead.

500-700 is good, but not what I expected, especially since it has no live view LCD.DSLRs use a lot more power than nearly every P&S....

[Soulburner]

Still surprising to me, since they don't have a live view LCD to continually power, and a lot use manual zoom lenses instead of the automatics on point and shoots.

[Fujimitsu]

Still surprising to me, since they don't have a live view LCD to continually power, and a lot use manual zoom lenses instead of the automatics on point and shoots.

The battery in my D40 lasts an insanely long time, compared to any P&S i've ever used. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that the batteries are considerably larger.

[itznfb]

Still surprising to me, since they don't have a live view LCD to continually power, and a lot use manual zoom lenses instead of the automatics on point and shoots.

i didn't really follow what you meant by a lot use manual zoom lenses?? but most DSLRs require lenses that have focusing mechanisms built into the lens. cameras like the D80 and professional series cameras have that mechanism built in the camera, so they are compatible with both types of lenses.


The battery in my D40 lasts an insanely long time, compared to any P&S i've ever used. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that the batteries are considerably larger.

the battery in my D50 lasts for about 1200 shots w/flash and about 1700 w/out flash

[Soulburner]

itznfb;2627711']i didn't really follow what you meant by a lot use manual zoom lenses??
Turning the lens by hand rather than pushing a button to extend it.

[Vapor]

Just to show what kind of variance DSLRs have...

(all with the same EL3e battery, CIPA)
D80: 600shots
D200: 340shots
D300: 1000shots

So there's definitely A LOT more than just basic 'what meets the eye' for figuring out battery efficiency.

(note....depending how you shoot, it's possible to get 1800+ shots out of the D200 if you cut back quality and don't use flash)

[Soulburner]

What's up with the D200's battery life of only 340 shots then?

[PoorManPcreview]

Cannon Rebel XT maybe?

[Vapor]

What's up with the D200's battery life of only 340 shots then?Probably has a very power-hungry processor. Seems when you minimize it's use by dropping megapixels and JPEG quality, battery life skyrockets.

[Magnj]

Watch for a K100 refresher in the near future...

[Soulburner]

To each their own....

I started on Canon 300D, 350D and a 20D with a variety of lenses (some L). None were mine but I had full 24/7 access (and use priority over everyone else who had access :p: ) and I've got to say the K10D is a lot more appealing than any of the Canons were (and I've since briefly used a 400D).

Frankly, I've gotten a little tired of the too-clean look from Canon. And the photographic-control-end of them is very bland....limiting exposure modes (well, in all fairness...they're equal to Nikon), archaic Auto ISO.... No SR without super expensive lenses, newer 400D is uncomfortable for my hands (have to grip with my fingertips because the grip is apparently made for tiny hands).

Don't get me wrong, it takes very, very good pictures without much effort....but compared to the K10D and even the Nikons, it's less fun to use and doesn't have any uniqueness from a feature or output point-of-view.

The shooting modes are more flexible on the K10D for people who are familiar with aperture/exposure/ISO/shutter/etc (i.e., people who prefer to not use scene or Auto modes and can properly expose a photo on their own)...the sensor is the same one from D200 but with only a uni-directional AA filter (meaning higher resolution in exchange for an occasional demosaicing artifact...in RAW if competes with the 40D for detail)...it has in-body SR (no need to have it in-lens [which is very expensive]) and compatibility with every k-mount lens made (yes, SR works on every k-mount lens made...:D)....it's a heavy, solid camera with weather-proofing seals....great viewfinder....and with firmware 1.20 and 1.30, it has hard-buttons for adjusting everything you'd need. Compared to other ~$700 cameras, it's a lot more bang for the buck. It's not the be-all and end-all of cameras...it's not great for sports or BIF or super low-light, but for a personal camera, it's wonderful, fun to use, intuitive, has amazing image quality in RAW (and film-like in default JPEG mode, which I don't personally find useful) and not to be shrugged off as easily as many Canikon users do.

I personally hate SD(HC) cards, broken too many just in casual use...probably one of my readers being slightly too small and stressing the casing (which falls apart...never had any other problems other than the casing comes apart). So that definitely is a drawback of the K10D for me...probably because I also started on CF MicroDrives which are built like tanks.

Here's my selections for various DSLR niches (btw...I don't shoot JPEG at all)

Starting photography (but want DSLR results/something to build on):
Buy into whatever system you feel you'll use in the end. 3x0D, D40(x), K100D, E410, etc. The basic line, just to make sure you like what you're doing. Get a feel for each one before you buy...some don't 'feel' right even without use.

Small-body DSLR: Oly's...they sacrifice a bit with the 4/3rds system, but the small bodies are really cool and handle very, very well for their size.

Personal (experienced) use: K10D...even more so than a D80/D200 or 400D/40D. Such a vast catalog of lenses at full disposal...great sensor and SR (though the SR isn't as good as some ultra-expensive lens' in-lens SR...but hey, it works with lenses made in the 70s and modern ones just as well, sure-as-poop better than nothing, worth a stop or 2 usually), awesome shooting modes, great viewfinder. No reason to spend more unless you need higher FPS or faster AF (at which point, you're at bodies that are double the cost anyway...see "business" category).

Personal (somewhat inexperienced): 40D/400D most likely...very forgiving cameras with clean image quality. Definitely the 'it' choice...but very conservative in features. Almost the point-and-shoots of the DSLRs... For those wanting to learn a little bit about photography (not hard at all...), K10D...more to grow into and enjoy :)

Business (not sure what to call this...): if you're good at photography, and have a need for higher FPS or getting moving targets, the D300. D300 is an amazing new camera really...but it's also expensive and if you don't need the extra advantages, no need to spend the extra money.

BIF: Nikon D300 or D3...AF is just awesome on them, go by price and needs (D3 better for dawn/dusk birds, or elusive high-speed dives of course). Not sure how the 1-D mkIII's AF system fares with BIF :-/

Sports: Nikon D3 or Canon 1-D mkIII....depends on which system you're invested in I suppose. D3 is better for basketball and volleyball (low-light, indoors stuff where ultra-high ISO is useful), 1D mkIII has slightly higher FPS and that could be useful as well. Image quality and AF on both are very, very good...but the D3's main selling point is a massive sensor with only 12MP.

Studio portraits: Canon 1-Ds mkIII...21MP, great tethered support, need I say more?

Landscape: Canon 1-Ds mkIII....21MP. Might be at Hasselblad territory by now though....
This is excellent advice.

My personal question to you. I consider myself in the Personal (Experienced) category. You recommend the K10D. However, what if you threw in the requirement for good burst/continuous shooting ability? How does the K10D handle this, and would that change the recommendation? I occasionally shoot moving subjects and it's really nice to be able to review them later and pick out the best in the series.

I also notice you consider the 40D "almost point and shoot" of the DSLR's. So then what is the Digital Rebel?

[lowfat]

Well I just bought a new Digital Rebel XT for $400. Thought that I might as well buy an entry level camera to I figure out if i need something better or not.

[MaxxxRacer]

Your best bet is the Nikon D40x. Its a bit better all around compared to the Canon Rebel XTi and comes with a better kit lens.

Your best bet is to try to find a store giving the rebate where you get the 55-200mm VR lense included with the 18-55mm kit. At Costco they are selling the D40x with 18-55 and 55-200VR for 750+ tax.

I got the D40x and am currently using the 18-55 lense. Here is my flickr page. The more recent photos were taken with the D40x.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxxxracer



DSLRs use a lot more power than nearly every P&S....
I have to disagree with you. I have a prosumer Point and Shoot (olympus C-8080) and it eats through batteries pretty fast. Without any flash usage, I went through an entire battery before I filled up a 1GB CF card at full Jpeg resolution. On the other hand, with my D40x I can fill up a 2GB memory card long before the battery runs out AND that is with using the flash sometimes. furthermore, the battery on the Olympus is 1500 mah whereas the D40x has a 1000 mah battery. That tells me that the D40x is very frugal with battery life.

I have noticed that with Nikon DSLRs (not sure about Canon/Sony/Olympus/Pentax/Fuji) the power management is VERY agressive. The LCD only turns on when neccesary, and shuts off within a few seconds, the camera will go into hibernation after not using it for 8 seconds and the hibernation mode powers it down as much as the on/off switch does. That said, this does not hamper the usabilty of the camera as it takes 1/10 of a second for camera to become usable again.

[Soulburner]

Not all necessarily under $700, but the top choices right now, compared:

Canon EOS 40D
Nikon D200
Pentax K10D

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos40d/

[chunkylover77]

Man no one giving Sony any love? I got the Alpha 100 for XMAS and am loving it. Now just have to save up some money and get a better lens than the kit lens.

[TheGoat Eater]

my lens cost me $1400.00...my camera cost me $1100.00

what lens? I remember when we got a lens on loan from Canon that was like $14K and picked it up at the airport ... this was back in the good old days of film, like when I was 9yo and then we went to the river and took photos of the Bald Eagles as they are here in the winter. damn those are some good memories... somehow I got from expensive lens to really expensive to used one to what and when

[TheGoat Eater]

Good choices Soulburner

Pentax K10D->Some freakin great features on the K10D for sure - DNG is my favorite feature :up: