What brand to choose among DSLR

[andy02]

Hello,

I want your advice on what DSLR camera brand is the most convenient to buy considering the following:

I have little notions about photography and that you pick a camera depending on what are you planning to do with it. In my case, I am use to shoot at anything that calls my attention, no matter if it's nature, pets, buildings, people, etc.

Here is my little backgroud related to photography. I have taken pictures since I was 7 years old (i never thought about going pro) and since then the cameras I have owned have been only point-and-shoot ones but now I want a DSRL. My first camera was a random one, the second was a kodak autocolor flash 35mm, then i got a canon SD600 and last year I bought a canon SD1400.My mom loves pictures and she had a Nikon FE 35mm. She got it when she was in her 20s and now she's 50 (she gave it to me recently and it still works but I think something is not working properly

I plan to get photography lessons next year so obviously i won't buy the camera now because by then there would be better technology. I don't plan photography become my job but if people likes the pictures and they want to pay for them, it would be more than welcome (lol) Still, it's good to know which of the ones available right now are the best to pick.

My first option is a Nikon. I know one of the best at the moment is the D90 and also the D7000. On the other hand, a friend told me that some Sony cameras are good as well, also they are easy to use. I like canon but not really sure about getting a SLR in this brand. Sometimes the point-and-shoot I have dissapoints me.

I hope anyone can help me, thanks in advance.

[Matthias099]

Besides going into a store and 'play' around with some that you like, there are several sites that do comparisons etc.

I found one that I really like, because the author does also videos where he describes, explains and shows new features for each tested camera and/or lens.

Here is the link:

http://www.cameralabs.com

I posted this link somewhere else in this forum before, but don't worry, I don't get paid by them. I just like their approach to helping people get to know the camera and it's features.

[inkista]

To me, the basic answer to the question "what brand of dSLR should I get?" is an easy one: "The same one that all your lenses are in."

Lenses are the other half of your camera. And whatever dSLR you get is going to lock you into a mount system, which is going to dictate which lenses you can put on the front of it. Mixing and matching different brands is possible, but not without some serious PITA difficulties, and loss of function. So if you get a Sony, you'll pretty much only use Sony lenses on it. And if you get a Nikon, you'll only use Nikon lenses.

So look to the glass.

Nikon and Canon are the Big Two: they have the largest systems with the widest offerings in lenses and both have the option of full-frame bodies to upgrade to. If you don't know what you want to shoot or how much you're going to eventually spend on the system, these two offer you the most ways to go in the future, as well as the broadest 3rd-party support.

Sony, Pentax, and Olympus make great cameras and great lenses, and their systems can cover all the basics and are just as good for beginners. But their gear tends to be slightly more targeted, and due to the smaller numbers, third-party support can be thinner on the ground. Sony/Minolta's flash gear, in particular, can be a pain because they use a proprietary hotshoe nobody else does. If the feature set or lower prices on the bodies appeals to you, just make sure the lens lineup covers what you want to shoot.

The problem is if you don't know what you want to shoot. In that case, it may be "safer" to go with one of the Big Two. If you don't, however, it's not a tragedy if you find down the line that you want to switch systems. Most folks will sell their current system to help fund the new one, so while you may lose some money (particularly on the camera body), you won't lose everything you spent.

Lenses hold value better and longer than camera bodies. The camera bodies are, weirdly for someone coming from P&S cameras, the most disposable part of the system. As digital electronics, like cellphones and computers, most folks upgrade their cameras every three to five years. The glass is your permanent purchase.

So, imho, the camera you should get is the one that works with the lenses you want to use.