Buying a DSLR Camera

It isn't easy to buy a bad DSLR. The quality and reliability of all brands is very good. Canon is probably still the brand of choice for entry level DSLRs, but Nikon is a very good alternative. Nikon sell only half as many DSLRs as Canon, so their is a bit of elitism around owning a Nikon if you like feeling "special". That is not to say that Nikon is better, and it doesn't mean Canon is the best; Nikon sell fewer cameras partly because they have fewer models than Canon, so it is harder to match your exact needs; partly it is because Canon has a hugely loyal user base, but mainly it is because it is very hard to catch up when you have fallen so far behind the brand leader (it is a Coke vs Pepsi kind of thing). The rest of the market is shared between some very well established brands and a couple of relative newcomers. All of them produce great cameras, but in their efforts to peg back Nikon and Canon, they often offer really innovative and useful features, and pack more into their cameras for the dollar. In particular, the Nikon and Canon cameras do not have vibration control built into the bodies; for that, you need to buy more expensive lenses: Minolta and Sony do. I never think that beginners should buy a camera that will keep them at the novice level. You need a camera on which to learn and grow, so too much automation is a bad thing, and so is too much complexity. My short list would include the Canon 1000, Canon 450D, Nikon D80, Pentax K200D, Olympus E510 and the Sony Alpha 300. There are a few that I would not bother with: The Sony Alpha A350 and the Nikon D60~ both have fans, but they just don't stack against the competition when it comes to price and image quality. The D60 is not much more than an overpriced D40x with a stabilised kit lens, while the 350 is a high megapixel 300 with little more to offer for a lot more money. Make a short list then handle the cameras yourself. My favourite cameras at the moment are the Nikon D300 and the Canon 50D (neither one are beginners' models); when I first got to handle the D300 I loved it; over time, I have come to appreciate the 50D rather more than the Nikon for its speed and flexibility... on image quality is impossible to separate them, but the Canon just feels better. Why did I add that note? To emphasize that it isn't the specs or other people's opinions or even your immediate impression that counts: you have to use the camera. I know you can buy some bargains on line, but unless you really know what you want, remember: good camera stores are more than happy to let you spend time with the cameras you are interested in, so shoot off lots of photos (bring your own card just in case they don't have one available); come back a few time and try out features you have read about; don't buy on the first visit...oh yes: don't take the first price they offer you; there is a bit of room to bargain, especially if there is more than one camera store in the area!

I personally use a Nikon. All of my professional photographer colleagues all use Nikons. All of my amateur and hobbyist photographer friends all use Nikons. You won't go wrong getting a Nikon. If you're looking to save some money on a DSLR camera, I would recommend buying a used one. I bought a used Nikon D70 about 3 years ago, and it is still in excellent condition. I haven't had any problems with it at all! And I shoot A LOT (between 10,000-20,000 photos a year.) I also bought a used Nikon D50 about 6 months ago, and it works just like new! Adorama.com and BHPhotoVideo.com both have used sections where you can buy used DSLR cameras. You can also check eBay and Craigslist. And you can also check out your local camera store to see if they have any used DSLRs in.

I would suggest a Canon or Nikon. Both have a long history in the SLR camera starting with film cameras and now with digital. You can find your lens easly and there are many third party lens that are excellent. Some of the other name brands in the digital SLR field are new and there are not the cohoce of lens, you have to use their brand which are more expensive. I would look at a refirburshed camera or an older model both of which are much cheaper, but will come with the same warranty. I would also suggest that you check the cameras out on www.dpreview.com This is a web site that I like for their reviews. You can also review older(6 months to 2 years) models to see if they would meet your needs. Good Luck

I would suggest Canon EOS 400D. You can buy it as body only if you are planning to buy tele-focal zoom lens as the full kit comes with 17-85mm lens. It is a 10MP camera and has got quite a lot of features. Price is reasonable.

Hey there! You should try looking at Canon or Nikon DSLR cameras. The Nikon D40 is good camera for starting out. I know a lot of people who have started out with the D40 and have good feedback about the camera. It's is also quite affordable so it's a really good choice.

would like to suggest nikon d60, its good for a beginner, im a beginner myself, but i just bought nikon d90 haha whatta heck right?

I have the Canon Rebel XTi and I love it... It wasn't cheap though, I paid $600 for it last year. A newer version is out now so it might be a little cheaper. I know that there was at least one other digital Rebel before that one though so you could probably find one of those for pretty cheap. I went through beachcamera.com and they had the best deals on the cameras that I was looking at.