looking for a good DSLR ... Any suggestions?

[GermanlookT3]

Ok how do you like your sony A300? Thats a pretty good entry level camera right? I just fiddled with my friends A330 that he got. That seems like a good camera to me. My whole thing is this, if I dont have to spend $800 on a camera then I wont. I'd rather buy a body then some lenses from CL. I already enjoy taking pictures of things. Scenery and anything with cars. I know I have the bug. I took over 700 pics of old broken down cars in NorthDakota sitting in the Fields. That was really the start of me wanting to get a good camera for things like that and more. What im mostly looking for is something that gives me photos that look great without all kinds of $$$. To me ( from what ive been looking at ) I really like the A300 and A330 from sony. I like the way they feel in my hand and the User interface. Seems less complicated than the Canon Rebel Xsi that my Brother has.

Anybody want to post up pics from either a sony A300 or A330 without photoshop?

[Stephen]

... ok


Several year old point and shoot, little to no PP







And German look, ill find some un molested A300 shots for ya

[87e30]

Ugh, you guys need to reread what i wrote

He said he has a budget of 800....i said use it.
I didnt say to go buy a 5dmk2, or a 1dmk3, or a 7d.
I just said to buy the best you can the first time. thats all

Okay, re read what I wrote. What is 800 dollars going to buy you?

New: d5000 kit or rebel kit

Used: d90kit or 30d kit

None of those options are significantly better than a d40, which would cost you 250. THEN you can decide what you want and step up to something that is signifigantly better if you so decide (d200, d300, 40d, 5d, plus nice glass)

Here is what a d40 can do in my inexperienced hands:








I chose these shots becasue they are essentially unedited. I think I did I minor levels adjustment on these and that's all.
And those are ALL with the kit lens.

[FreshLikeSushi]

there is alot of detail lost on the watches if you zoom in. and your PNS does the same mine does with ISO
i **** my PNS
this is the bullshit it puts out

[Stephen]

From the A300 without PP

[FreshLikeSushi]

Okay, re read what I wrote. What is 800 dollars going to buy you?

New: d5000 kit or rebel kit

Used: d90kit or 30d kit

None of those options are significantly better than a d40, which would cost you 250. THEN you can decide what you want and step up to something that is signifigantly better if you so decide (d200, d300, 40d, 5d, plus nice glass)
.

40ds are liek 500 bucks with a lens.
i saw a few on fredmirande for 450 body only.
50ds are more, but whatever

Rebels feel like toys.
I mean, ultimately you, and he can do whatever you want.
I just know what i and others i shoot with have done, and instead of just buying cheap shit, we all wish we would have gone for the mid level first to save hastle of selling and buying later.

[87e30]

it was a 40d
Must be your monitor on teh underexposed thing though. All my monitors it looks right to me.

dunno ifyou haev seen the iso diff on a rebel nad a XXd body at higher iso, big diff.

the last one is soft, but whatever, its all for m.

Im still suggesting a 40d or 50d for the ol chap

Look underexposed to me too. Any of those shots could be taken with a low end camera... higher end bodies just give you more flexibility on the go. It really comes down to glass.

[87e30]

40ds are liek 500 bucks with a lens.
i saw a few on fredmirande for 450 body only.
50ds are more, but whatever

Rebels feel like toys.
I mean, ultimately you, and he can do whatever you want.
I just know what i and others i shoot with have done, and instead of just buying cheap shit, we all wish we would have gone for the mid level first to save hastle of selling and buying later.

The point is you'd still sell and buy later, but you'd have a greater loss if you ever decided you didn't want to upgrade or weren't interested. And mid level cameras really don't offer much more over lower end besides a bigger number in the name.

[FreshLikeSushi]

whatever you say
il remember that when i buy studio lights again. Ill buy ebay first until i find out its not good enough, then sell them and buy alien bees.

[87e30]

Ok how do you like your sony A300? Thats a pretty good entry level camera right? I just fiddled with my friends A330 that he got. That seems like a good camera to me. My whole thing is this, if I dont have to spend $800 on a camera then I wont. I'd rather buy a body then some lenses from CL. I already enjoy taking pictures of things. Scenery and anything with cars. I know I have the bug. I took over 700 pics of old broken down cars in NorthDakota sitting in the Fields. That was really the start of me wanting to get a good camera for things like that and more. What im mostly looking for is something that gives me photos that look great without all kinds of $$$. To me ( from what ive been looking at ) I really like the A300 and A330 from sony. I like the way they feel in my hand and the User interface. Seems less complicated than the Canon Rebel Xsi that my Brother has.

Anybody want to post up pics from either a sony A300 or A330 without photoshop?

Okay, this is getting ridiculous. I just don't want you to spend more than you need to. You know my stance on it. Feel out some different cameras but don't think you have to spend a lot initially, if you get into it you'll see that nice gear is expensive. But that comes with time and understanding why it's nice.

I personally wouldn't buy sony due to the used selection of equipment, but they do make a nice camera. All in all, it's not the gear that matters. You can't go wrong no matter what you choose. Hope I helped you some.

[GermanlookT3]

From the A300 without PP

ALRIGHT! I think I found myself a nice little camera! BTW.. what lens were you using? Kit lens?

[FreshLikeSushi]

yeah, dont buy a sony unless you have a friend with lenses

[Stephen]

Kit lens for all those shots.

And minnolta = sony these days so dont be scared when people tell you Sony only makes a handful of lenses. Minnoltas work too

[FreshLikeSushi]

they make plenty of lenses for sure
BUT with the canon/nikon side of hte camp you will ALWAYS know someone with the lens you are looking to buy, so you can borrow it and see if you really need it.
there is an advantage to the big two, and its the communities. I like to try stuff before i buy them. Like i am glad itried the 16-35 and hte 17-40, convinced me to go for the 16-35 after i actually was able to use them.

[Dane]

whatever you say
il remember that when i buy studio lights again. Ill buy ebay first until i find out its not good enough, then sell them and buy alien bees.

thats a silly statement. someone buying lights already knows that they are pursuing the hobby further. someone asking about "what first DSLR to get" obviously has no idea what they need or want. they just know they want to take "nice photos." maybe they wont like it as much as they think they will. maybe it will sit in the closet and never get used. its better to start out small and grow slowly.

buy a cheap used body, and a decent lens. bodies will always depreciate at a rapid rate, that is the nature if camera bodies. on the other hand, if you spend the majority of the budget on a nice lens, chances are good that you wont lose much if you decide not to pursue the hobby further.