question

[susan6]

I need some input on which SLR camera would be a good choice for a first one to use. I am now using a point and shoot but would like to upgrade. Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks:confused:

[wulf]

You'll probably get a lot of advice. Chances are that most people will recommend the one they own (we all like our little tribe to get a bit bigger) although some even-minded folk will point out that it's not what you've got but what you do with it that matters.

Having got that out of the way, are there any things that might sway your decision. For example, have you got any family or friends who have got DSLRs? At very least you should be able to get some hands on experience with their cameras and it may also a source of compatible lenses, etc, to borrow.

Also, do you have a local store you were thinking of using? You can do all your shopping online but there is something to be said for the support of a friendly local store. If they specialise in something, then that might be another factor to consider.

Wulf

[hpebley3]

Lenses are a larger and longer term investment than the body. So, find the lens system you want to commit to and then look at the bodies that support it.

[susan6]

Thanks. I don't have any relatives that have any SLR, but I have handled an old one years ago that used film. It was big and bulky. I know they are smaller now. I do know of a camera shop where they will let me hold them to see if one feels better in my hands or not. I'm just not sure where to start. I like taking pictures of all kinds. It is a passion of mine.

I will check around and see what I find. I have been doing a lot of online research for one.:)

[mattdm]

What do you do most with your current camera?

What are the things you want to do where your point & shoot feels limiting?

[RexK_Cozumel]

There are pros and cons to all the different camera manufacturers what system best suits you needs and feels best in your hands is the one you should go with. What are you looking for and what kind of photography are you into? This will help us recommend cameras.

[Saralonde]

Susan, as you can see there is a lot to choosing your first DSLR. What is your budget? If you are looking for a basic camera that you can change lenses on, you can try a Canon XTi (or even less expensive XT) or a Nikon D40x (or even less expensive D40). Although there are some differences between these two cameras, it is not so great that you'll go wrong choosing either one. Can you get to a camera store and try holding these cameras? That may help you decide. You may eventually settle on a different dslr, but this will give you a basic starting point.

[susan6]

I take all kinds of pictures. Portrait, landscape, people. You name it, I take it. My point and shoot doesn't give me the options I would like to use. It doesn't give the detail I want in macros, I have trouble blurring backgrounds and so on. I have used all the settings on my point and shoot and have gotten some good shots but, I want some great shots and point and shoots don't give them.
I am using an Olympus Stylus 1000. If anyone can give me some tips that maybe I haven't tried, that would be great.

Thanks:)

[inkista]

I need some input on which SLR camera would be a good choice for a first one to use. I am now using a point and shoot but would like to upgrade. Any advice would be helpful.
First, moving from a point-and-shoot to an SLR is not a straightforward upgrade, so much as a completely different way of doing things. The anology I use is that you're going from using a Swiss Army knife to a big red tool box. You get better, more specialized tools for specific tasks. But they're more expensive, and a pain to haul around. If you can't even conceive of carrying a camera bag with you, an SLR might not be what you want.

Secondly, your purchases only begin with the camera. With a point-and-shoot, you buy the camera, maybe a few batteries and an extra card and that's it. With an SLR, you're likely to end up buying multiple lenses, filters, a camera bag, an external flash unit, and a tripod. All in all, expect to spend (eventually) at least as much on "accessories" as you do on the camera body, if not far more.

And that's not necessarily the correct way of looking at it. Because the camera body becomes something you replace after 3-5 years. The lenses are the closest thing you have to a permanent "tool" purchase. Lenses also become important in that different lenses are designed to do different things well. To "do it all," you're gonna need more than one lens, if not half a dozen.

When you buy a dSLR and the kit lens, compared to a P&S camera, you're likely to be giving up macro, zoom range, and even some aperture. So even if you decide to go full auto and treat your dSLR as a point-and-shoot, you'll get different results. You'll get frustrated. You'll try to learn shooting in full Manual and discover there's a learning curve for exposure, and then that there's a post-processing learning curve. These are all good things, but they can sometimes be more than someone's expecting from an "upgrade."

From what you want, it certainly sounds like you're ready to go to an SLR. And your subject matter doesn't include heavily-equipment-dependent subject matter like indoor sports or wildlife shooting, so I'd say you're likely to be fine with any brand of SLR. But given that you like shooting everything, I'd say stick to Nikon or Canon, because right now they have the fullest and most complete upgrade paths both for bodies and lenses.

The newest entry level cameras (currently) are the Nikon D40 and the Canon XTi (400D). They're both great cameras. The D40's only caveat is its inability to autofocus with some lenses. And the Canon XTi's caveat is that it's about to be bumped down a notch by the newer XSi (450d) in April. I'd also highly recommend the dpreview website (http://www.dpreview.com) for technical information on digital camera models.

One last note: lenses are key. Don't ignore them--it's easy to put aside considerations of lenses until after the camera body purchase because of the online information overload factor, but once you buy the body, you're locked into a mount system. Put in the time to learn about lens basics, at least. Learn about focal length (http://www.paragon-press.com/lens/lenchart.htm), maximum aperture (http://www.digital-slr-guide.com/maximum-aperture.html), and stabilization (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_stabilization) until you can tell the basics of what a lens can accomplish for you just by its name. And then go look at lens prices at an online website like Amazon, B&H, or Adorama to start getting used to the sticker shock. :)