Digital Camera (SLR) for beginner (Houston: live, friendly, transit)

[TexasCatherine]

Another thumbs up for the Canon Rebel -- love this camera!!!

[Txgal33]

Originally Posted by tdhg566

????? Even the $500 Rebel has an LCD screen on the back. In fact, I doubt you can find an SLR without the LCD screen. Even the first generation SLRs from many years ago had LCD screens.

Maybe you're referring to another feature.

As far as complexity, at the same price point all cameras will have similar features. The market dictates this. But indeed, some will be more intuitive than others. That's why for your first dSLR, don't buy it mail order. Go to the store. Hold it. Try it out. Make sure it's a good fit for you.

In fact, I would go so far as to dissuade you from making the selection for your husband. Forgo the surprise factor and take him with you, esp if HE is going to be the one to take the pictures.

Yes, I was not speaking correctly. Mine does have an LCD screen. The feature I was referring to was the ability to look at the LCD screen when taking a pic instead of having to look thru the lens. Sorry!

[Sampaguita]

A Canon Rebel for entry level DSLR - it's what a few of my professional commerical and government photographer friends recommended for me some years back. Best advice here, though, is from tdhg66:

A note of caution. You should GROW into photography, not GO into it. Don't overbuy your camera. Even a $500 camera is better than 99.99999% of the world's photographers. I always tell people that until YOU are better than your camera, you don't need a better one.

I actually exchanged my Rebel last month for the Canon G11 because I wanted to exhaust (learn) all the capabilities of the G11 before advancing to the DSLR. Owning a DSLR is an expensive "hobby" plus I realized that right now isn't a good time for me to be wielding a DSLR with 2 small kids in tow. I only had the Rebel for 2 weeks but it was enough to give me a goal towards moving into a DSLR as soon as I can.

I agree that having your DH pick out what HE wants would be ideal - he may already have a pretty good idea having already done prior research. I know I've done a LOT of research on the camera best suited to me. Maybe print out a personal gift certificate from you about buying him a DSLR?

BTW - as far as video capabilities on a DSLR: my brother and a few friends have the Rebel T1i and they've said that using the video takes up too much space, drains the battery a lot faster and hasn't been too practical a feature when they're using the T1i. My brother has a flip and prefers to use that to video. I guess it's personal preference. I'm not that interested in having video on a DSLR - would rather spend that money on glass.

[Nbbphh]

Originally Posted by Sampaguita

BTW - as far as video capabilities on a DSLR: my brother and a few friends have the Rebel T1i and they've said that using the video takes up too much space, drains the battery a lot faster and hasn't been too practical a feature when they're using the T1i. My brother has a flip and prefers to use that to video. I guess it's personal preference. I'm not that interested in having video on a DSLR - would rather spend that money on glass.

Agree with this - I have a Nikon D90 (which is great for still photos, and would recommend as an option for the OP), which can shoot HD video, but it's not really good for this - it's big, the lenses don't autofocus for video, the audio options are limited - I can't speak for the newest DSLRs, but I would guess that a standalone video recorder would still be a better option (actually, I think even my iPhone is a better option).

[ethanw]

Canon Rebel T2i or T1i is the way to go, pictures and video. Start with the auto settings then adventure into manual. Very powerful camera almost as a pro when you master the manual settings. Later get you a lens and you will be fine.

And here are some good deals:

Staples Canon Rebel T2i, 18-55mm, 55-20mm, Canon Pro9000 printer+stuff $777 AC/AR/GC/B&M T2i w/kit $655.Also XS and T1i.

Canon Rebel T2i + 18-55mm + 55-250mm @Abesofmaine for $839.95

Canon EOS Rebel T2i with 18-55 IS lens refurbished $619.99 with free shipping + tax

T2i - Reviews and Compare Prices

T1i - Reviews and Compare Prices

[Houston_2010]

I also some good reviews about the Sony A330...anyone has opinion about that one?

[tdhg566]

One more note of caution:

Before you buy any additional lenses (other than the one which will come in your kit), be SURE you understand the difference between "digital" lenses and non-digital or traditional lenses (my terminology is from the Canon line - other manufacturers may use slightly different names)

A "digital" lens isn't "digital" in the way a digital TV differs from a non-digital TV. It refers to the mount, the bracket that connects the camera to the lens. Canon digital lenses are less expensive than traditional lenses. They're also smaller and lighter. They have different optical characteristics. This does NOT make them inferior in the sense that you should avoid them. You can take perfectly great pictures with them. The KEY difference is that they have a slightly different mounting bracket. How it works is that the starter dSLRs (like the Rebel), can accept BOTH "digital" lenses and traditional lenses. But the upper end Canon cameras can only accept the traditional lenses. The reason for this is pure marketing: Canon does NOT want you to mate an upper end camera body to an inexpensive lens. They want you buying the professional EF lenses. So if you were to buy a bag full of digital lenses, then someday graduate up to a more expensive Canon camera body, you might find that your digital lenses wouldn't work and you'd have to replace them all. Canon wouldn't mind that, but you might LOL.

It's very simple to keep the two lines of lenses straight: traditional lenses are an EF mount, while "digital" lenses are an EF-S mount. To add to the confusion, a few EF mount lenses are less expensive than other EF-S mount lenses. Both types have a range of prices. But the top end of the EF-S range is much less expensive than the top end of the EF range.

Again, the lower end camera bodies will accept BOTH types of lenses. The upper end bodies will not accept EF-S lenses.

To further emphasize that EF-S lenses are not inferior, I know some professional photographers who lead photographic expeditions in Africa and who travel and shoot game pictures with ONLY a Rebel type body and two EF-S lenses. And they make a living doing it. So don't let anyone tell you that EF-S lenses are inferior, and don't necessarily shy away from purchasing additional digital lenses. Just understand that they will need to stay paired with camera bodies which they can fit. It may take your DH years and years, maybe never, to graduate to the higher end bodies and lenses. And there will always be someone who can use the Rebel body and matching lenses.

[tdhg566]

Originally Posted by Txgal33

Yes, I was not speaking correctly. Mine does have an LCD screen. The feature I was referring to was the ability to look at the LCD screen when taking a pic instead of having to look thru the lens. Sorry!

The name for that feature in the Canon line is Live View. It can be a helpful feature if you use your dSLR on Auto, which is a great way to start. It's an especially helpful feature on the point-n-shoot cameras where the LCD swivels out from the back. And for some types of photography, e.g. celebrity pictures in crowds, watching the LCD as you hold the camera over someone's head can be important.

The problem with using that with serious dSLR photography is that you're reducing the field of view that the lens sees down to what's displayed on a low-resolution 2-3" LCD screen. And then you're trying to make composition decisions from that reduced and lower quality information. Putting your eye up to the eye piece allows the entire field of view to fill up your eye, giving you much more information, and quicker feedback from both the lens and display elements that are inside the eyepiece (e.g. focus lock, shot count, etc).

[ethanw]

Here is a great deal:

Canon T2i +Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS telephoto zoom lens +Tiffen UV filter $753.00 @ Amazon

[Malvie]

Originally Posted by captain_hug99

Exactly! I went to the store and held every single camera several times. I played with the buttons, figured out what I would do with it. I found that some cameras annoyed me more than others. I chose a Nikon because it fit right in my hands. I have a D80 (which was then replaced by the D90 and now the D7000). You might be able to get a great deal on a D90 if Nikon is the way you want to go.

This is EXACTLY why I chose the Nikon. I tried both and the Nikon fit like a glove; the Canon was fine (and I used exclusively Canon products for years, all my other cameras---three SLR's and 3 point and shoots---were Canons. I tried hard to like the Canon better, but the Nikon just fit my hand better.

I hope you took him with you.


Oh, a couple more things:

1. Avoid Sony.
2. If you really, really want movies, get a standalone movie camera. DSLR's take movies, movie cameras take stills, but neither does a very good job of the other's specialty. I.E., you'll get crappy, jerky movies from DSLR's and grainy, low-res stills from movie cameras. Maybe one day they'll have those cameras in "affordable" ranges---but not right now, at least not what I think of as "affordable".