Choosing My First SLR Camera, Need Help

[Matt930]

Hi
There's a lot of SLR camera's out there and I really dont know which ones are good or not.
I love mainly taking photos of Wildlife, Nature and Animals, so probably going to be taking photos from far away.

I've never had an SLR before and taken photos with compact camera's before. Got reasonably good photo's from them but not close to what i'd like to get. It's only a hobby at the moment so not looking to do anything professional, just something that can take quality pictures and some pictures i can be proud of .

I've already looked at the Canon 450d and that's my favourite choice at the moment just looking to see if anyone recommends anything else or can tell me that the Canon 450d is the right choice.

Matt

[Ana Vanessa]

Hi Matt,

I have the 450D and I cannot recommend it enough. Granted it is not a pro SLR but it's the lenses you use that are important. If you have the 450D with a decent telephoto lens then you will achieve great wildlife shots. It is also very easy to use if you haven't had a digital SLR before. I'm sure others here may disagree with me but I promise the 450D won't disappoint

Good luck!

Ana

[Matt930]

Hi Ana,
Thanks for the reply, just needed someone to give me an idea of what its like and that it's a good camera. From the pictures i've seen on the internet that have been taken with the 450d I was impressed with it. Just wondering what telephoto lens you would recommend that's good for taking wildlife photos?

Thanks very much
Matt

[ianpinion]

Hi Matt and welcome to the forums.

It can be hard choosing your first DSLR, particularly as there is so little to choose between any of the entry level models, in terms of quality, offered by the likes of Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Panasonic and Pentax. Each one is capable of capturing great images once you know how to use it. So which one should you go for?

Canon and Nikon offer the most extensive range of lenses and accessories for you to choose from as you build up your photography system. Sony have lead the way in terms of trying to give you more features for your money, possibly at the slight expense of cheaper build quality. Both Olympus and Panasonic have focused more on tackling the bulkiness and weight issues, that beset many DSLRs and have compiled a range of lighter and more compact DSLRs that again are fully featured with superb quality lenses. Pentax have continued to produce fine quality cameras, though their lens motors can be a bit noisy and slower than their rivals.

So where do you start, when looking to buy a new DSLR. Well you can read the reviews on each model, canvas opinion of other photographers, but none of them will be able to answer the one vital question. That is, which is the camera that is going to best suit your needs, because this is very much a personal decision. My advice would be to try a few out, have a bit of play with a few of them. See which ones you like the feel of and which ones you find easiest to use because the controls are intuative and are ergonomically placed. Have a look through the menu systems, again to see which you find the simplest to use, because the more you can focus on the image you want to produce and not get confused wondering how you set the camera up to capture it, the better!

Now if you're looking for a camera to take wildlife pictures, as Ana has mentioned you will need a telephoto lens to get you close to your subject. It might, therefore, be worth looking for a bundle deal that includes a telephoto lens with the normal kit lens as it could save you a lot of money and get you started. Decent telephoto lenses are very expensive and very heavy so you might as well practice with the starter telephoto lens and start saving up for the lens you really want to buy at a later date, because you can pay upwards of £500 for one of these, some cost several thousands of pounds.

So in summary, there is nothing to really separate any of the current range of entry level DSLRs except their different menus and where they have place the controls. Their build qualities may also vary a little, but not to the extent that this should be a major factor. So set yourself a budget, have a look round to see what deals are available for a twin lens kit and be sure to trial the final three camera on the shotlist you draw up. If you're still unsure and have a few more questions, just post them on here and one of us will give you a prompt answer.

Best of luck with your quest!

[Matt930]

Hi Ian
Thanks for all the advice, its given me a better idea of what each manufacturer provides. I still feel my favourite is the Canon 450d and i'll probably get a Canon 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Telephoto lens. From pictures i've seen of it and pictures of the combination of the two, it looks like it takes very good quality pictures. I've been able to have a go with the Canon 450d and it had a good weight and size, shame i couldnt see the kind of picture quality that it gives because it was just in a shop. i still need to look at the lens and I haven't been able to use them together yet and hopefully it won't be too heavy. Is there any cameras or lenses that you would personally recommend and know they are very good?
Thanks again
Matt

[ianpinion]

Hi Matt,

Well if you've already made your mind up on which model to go for, then why post a thread asking which camera would be best for you? As I mentioned, you will find equally good photographs taken with a Nikon D3000, Sony a380, Olympus E450, Panasonic G1 and Pentax K-x plus as you will from the Canon 450D, so I'd be a little bit more open minded until you've tried any of them. What would happen if when you tried the Canon 450D and you didn't like it? Would you just look at the Canon 500D instead or would you consider another brand? Besides, it's not the equipment that really determines how good your images are, but the skill of the person operating it. I know many a professional photographer who could produce a better quality image with a cheap compact than I could with a pro quality DSLR!

So the Canon 450D is a fine camera, though it's been superceeded by both the 500D and now 550D and the 55-250mm IS lens performs reasonably well within it's limitations, but do try before you buy just so you can be safe in the knowledge that it's the right camera for you.

[Matt930]

Hi Ian
I posted the thread just to get an idea of what other cameras that people recommended, because to be honest I'm still not completely settled on the 450d, and to see if anybody had any good ideas to help me out. Thanks for telling me what other cameras manufacturers made that produced similar quality pictures because i'll look at them next time i go to a camera shop to see what i think of them. I know that equipment isn't the main factor, it's how good the person is at taking photos but i've got to have the camera in the first place to be able to take photos lol.
Thanxs for the advice i'll take a look at those other cameras when i can
Matt

[ianpinion]

That's okay Matt, I'm just advocating that you keep a bit more open minded at this early stage until you try some cameras out, because you never know you could be pleasantly surprised by one of them.

The problem you'll find is when you talk to a lot of photographers they all have their own particular loyalties to a brand and will try to colour your judgement accordingly. For instance, I use Olympus cameras, but I could have so easily chosen a Canon or a Nikon or indeed a Sony. Some photographers choose their first DSLR because of which brand of film SLR they had previously, as they've accumulated a load of lenses and other bits of kit that would be compatable to use with their new camera. This saves them a shed load of money buying replacement lenses, but this isn't applicable to you. Your mission is to find the camera that best suits you, so in the first instance take a look at this link just to give you a bit more information on the latest entry level cameras.

[Matt930]

Thanks for that link, i think you've probably helped me to be a bit more open minded lol. The Olympus E-450 on that list looks like a good camera. Just wondering as you use Olympus cameras, is there any less lens or equipment range as there is with a Nikon or Canon?
Matt

[donoreo]

I have the 450D and the 55-250mm lens. I love it, works great. I also have the Canon 50 mm f/1.8 (a great cheap prime lens). I second the "go into a shop and hold the cameras" approach. I did not buy the 450, my wife did for my birthday. She did a lot of research and at the time so from a technical standpoint it was great. However, I have larger hands and it felt a bit small. This "problem" was correct for me with a battery grip and a second battery. I am one photo away from 4000 on this camera now.