Good Entry-Level Digital SLR Camera

[roactive]

Hey guys,

I'm looking for a good entry-level digital SLR camera. I've been looking at the Nikon D60 w/ 18-55mm VR lens and 55-200mm VR lens kit. I've also been considering the Canon XS.

So far, I've found a deal on the Nikon kit for $708. There's Microsoft Live Cashback too, but I'm not sure what the cashback percent is right now. Do you guys know exactly what it is?

Are there any other deals? Any other cameras that you guys would recommend around that price with the same lens options?

Thanks in advance!

[kyzen]

XSi kit w/ 18-55mm IS + 55-250mm IS lens @ Amazon for $750.

[roactive]

XSi kit w/ 18-55mm IS + 55-250mm IS lens @ Amazon for $750.

Hey kyzen. That seems like a great deal, but I can't find it. =/ Do you have a link?

[kyzen]

Hey kyzen. That seems like a great deal, but I can't find it. =/ Do you have a link?

You have to find the Rebel XSi, choose Amazon.com as the merchant you're buying from (not one of their 3rd party affiliates), and add it to your cart.

Do the same for the Canon 55-250mm IS lens.

When you check out, and get to the page where you choose shipping, a $200 discount will be applied to your purchase.

I'm posting from a phone right now, so I'm not really able to search around, but there were more than one thread about this in the Hot Deals section, if you search for Canon, Rebel, or XSi you should find it.

[jdpatt]

There are a lot of good cameras made by a lot of established companies. Nikon, Canon, Sony currently are considered the best DSLRs, although there's not many bad ones out there, to be honest.

Personally, I've always preferred Nikon cameras, digital and film before that, for one important reason. Nikon lenses and bodies are, with few exceptions, backward compatible from todays models back to the 1950s. You'll lose features (for example, a pre-autofocus lens won't autofocus, some of the more modern metering won't work with older lenses), but the lens will work with the camera.

Why is this important? It allows you to pick up lots of special purpose lenses dirt cheap at used camera stores or Ebay. Want a 500mm lens? You can pick an older fixed aperture one on Ebay for about $200. Anything you want or need (but won't use frequently) can be picked up (in an older version) for a fraction of what a new one costs.

Over the years, I've picked up a 500mm, a fisheye, a perspective control lens (for photographing buildings without distortion), and various other oddball lenses for probably 10% of what I'd have paid for new.

I highly recommend investing in one good all purpose lens, maybe 2. A pair of f/2.8 zooms will cover 90% of what you'll shoot. That last 10%, though, can be covered a lot more cheaply with older, low-tech lenses. You still get great quality glass for a lot less than even an off-brand lens.

JMHO, yours may vary.

With that in mind, any of the D40 or D60 packages offered recently on SD are a steal. If you have a little more to spend, the D200 at Best Buy for $600ish is a much better camera. A D90 for $800 refurbed or $900 new is a great camera as well.

[JustAnEngineer]

Discussions of Canon vs. Nikon can easily degenerate into fanboyism. These are the two dominant brands in the DSLR market, and both make excellent equipment.

I chose Canon over Nikon for the reason that jdpatt stated: Canon has better compatiblity with older autofocus lenses, and a larger selection of new and used autofocus lenses from which to choose. Canon has been using the same all-electronic EF mount with their EOS cameras since 1987. Every Canon EF lens sold since 1987 is fully-functional on even the cheapest Canon DSLR. Manual Canon FD lenses from pre-1987 can be mounted with an adapter, but they'd be totally manual. :(

To autofocus with Nikon lenses (including about a third of the current lineup of Nikon lenses (http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/lineup/lens/af/index.htm)) that lack built-in motors, (non-AF-S), you'll have to move up to a much more expensive Nikon D80/D90/D200/D300 camera instead of the entry-level D40/D60/D5000 models. Nikon has recently introduced new AF-S lenses to fill out gaps in the lens line, but they're more expensive than similar AF-D lenses that lack internal motors.
http://www.nikonians.org/nikon/slr-lens.html

Canon also offers a slightly wider selection of lenses than Nikon does. You'll end up spending slightly less for high-quality Canon lenses than for comparable gear from Nikon. This still has the potential to be a very expensive hobby.


Both Nikon and Canon offer excellent cameras and a full range of lenses for both hobbyists and professionals. Sony has developed the technology to compete with Canon and Nikon, but they don't have the same selection of lenses yet, and Sony's most competitive sensors are in their more expensive high-end models or the ones that they sell to Nikon. There are enough lenses available for the Sony/Minolta mount to satisfy most hobbyists. Hobbyists are probably not as likely to need the large professional lenses that run into the thousands of dollars. Used Minolta lenses (such as the popular 50mm f/1.7 and 70-210mm f/4 lenses) offer some affordable options for the Sony Alpha cameras
http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/index.asp

[Kiro01]

I just purchased a Sony Alpha 200 kit for $299 at Wal-Mart. You have to ask them to check in the back or clearance section. I also got a Quantary 70-210 lense for $38.36 for the Sony in the clearance section of a Ritz Camera.

[travfar]

I just purchased a Sony Alpha 200 kit for $299 at Wal-Mart. You have to ask them to check in the back or clearance section. I also got a Quantary 70-210 lense for $38.36 for the Sony in the clearance section of a Ritz Camera.

Same with my A200. I also picked up that 70-210 lens, a 70-300 Quantaray, a 18-200mm Quantaray, a 18-55m Sigma and a 75-300mm Sony lens at Ritz. Everything but the Sony and 18-200mm Quantaray was $7-$15. The 18-200mm is by far the best lens.

Right now, I'd grab an unloved and widely available K110D kit w/lens for $200 at the non closing Ritzs. It's a fine camera for $200. I don't know why people aren't gobbling them up. It'll work with any lens every made by Pentax.