I fancy getting an SLR and haven’t really got a scooby doo what I’m looking at.. I’m after an all rounder I can try a lot of stuff with, but I guess mtb’ing shots would be a little higher up the list than everything else.

Any advice would be much appreciated.
Cheers

I bought a second hand Pentax K100D+18-55mm Kit lens in minted, boxed and hardly used condition for £75.
Today two more lenses arrived- a 50-200mm kit lens and a 50mm old school manual lens – for £65.
So for the price of a half decent point n shoot I have a DSLR, with 3x lenses.
It *is* an old tool, but like biking it is my skill that is the limiting factor. It is a steep learning curve, but I am getting there, and enjoying it. The K100D certainly gets excellent reviews, as do the three lenses I have (for the price they are).

Thanks Matt. Maybe I dont need to spend as much as originally anticipated.. I’ll have a look at the Pentax gear the nou.

Cheers

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Canon-EOS-600D-Digital-SLR-Camera-18-55mm-II-Lens-Refurbished-/390483574700?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_DigitalCameras_DigitalCameras_JN&hash=item5aeaa27fac

New – Nikon D3100 is a good bet. Recetly got one myself and it’s doing great work.

Second hand might be tricky if you don’t know what you’re doing. I was so baffled and confused when I was looking. I realised that I had an equal chance of picking up some old junk as something fab. So stuck to buying froma shop and having the fall back of the warranty etc..

In the end I know I will upgrade, just as long as soon as I figured out what all the buttons and knobs do!

There’s brand new Canon EOS 600Ds available for £350 all over the place right now. That’s body only though, but kit lenses are on the crap side anyway.
Have a look at Onestopdigital 🙂

DSLRs plus lenses are very bulky, especially if you intend taking them out on the trails. Basically it ain’t gonna happen, unless you’re really dedicated (in which case you’d probably be looking at spending more).

These days you can get good results from smaller packages, and many are into their second generation so second hand should be an option. Look for something with a large-ish sensor and wide-ish max aperture to get depth of field, and good performance at high ISO – this is a good sign that you’ll get decent results at a more normal range – and shoots RAW.

DPReview and eBay are your friends.

Thanks for the suggestions. Would prefer to get one new from a shop I think just for peace of mind really. Will check out the models noted above.

Ta

DSLRs are very reliable, and most people upgrade long before they’ve worn out their camera. I’d look at a second hand Nikon / Canon – just pick a recently discontinued model eg Nikon D90, so the price will have fallen off a bit.

Another reason I went Pentax is that image stabilisation is in the camera body, not lens. Add in that any Pentax lens will fit any Pentax SLR/DSLR and you have a very cheap way in.

Would prefer to get one new from a shop I think just for peace of mind

Have a look at shop prices, then look at Onestopdigital, 7dayshop, Digitalrev, Gadgetinfinity etc and be prepared to weep.
They all have fantastic reputations and superb customer service. Think CRC/Merlin Cycles and you’re about there.
I ordered a 650D from OSD on Sunday evening 2 weeks ago. It arrived on Tuesday. Less than 48hrs from Hong Kong and £150+ saved. I’ll go with that EVERY time!

http://www.digitalrev.com/product/canon-eos-600d-with-18/MTExMDY_A

http://www.onestop-digital.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=33907

You could get an Olympus E-PL3 for that money or thereabouts. Much smaller and lighter than a DSLR.

This may be relevant. If I were going to take it biking I’d look for small size and weather sealing.

The E-PL3 isn’t sealed, the cheapest sealed one is the Pentax offering I think.

You might also consider a bridge camera, for £300 you can get the waterproof drop proof Olympus TG-1 which will give you great pictures and you can get it covered in mud if you like then rinse it off in a stream.

I don’t take my DSLR biking, or to the beach.

Sorry wasn’t very clear there, i was including online shops when i said shops. As long as its new and i have some form of recourse if there’s a problem.

Will check out the links. I have a lumix compact, one of those 10x optical zoom jobbies and its pretty good but never really here people rave about lumix for dslrs.

I was going to recommend the Canon 600D from the ebay canon outlet, but nickdavies has beaten me to it.

The new alternatives from DigitalRev and Onestop-digital are from Hong Kong. I prefer DigitalRev if there’s nothing in it pricewise as they do a pickup service for warranty.

Mountain biking can often be about focussing, so read up on all that.

Libraries have absolutely loads of photography books which offer great general DSLR advice. There’s always one which explains it in a way that really makes sense to you. For me, it was Understanding Exposure.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-Exposure-3rd-Edition-Photographs/dp/0817439390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351157936&sr=8-1

One more thing – Photography isn’t a cheap hobby, you’ll son find yourself wanting a flash, wireless triggers, bag, spare battery, large SD card, tripod, etc, etc so adjust your expectations accordingly 🙂

the canon 550, 600 and 650 are the same base camera with a couple of finesse upgrades (600 got a pull out screen, 650 got something else 😳 ). Read up on the difference and decide if the add-ons are worth it to you.

They werent to me and I got a 550D.

Loads of DSLR threads on here if you use search function (I linked 10 to the last one).

650 got something else

Touch-screen

The 550D is also fine (although for video the tiltyswively screen on the 600D is great), but the problem is that new prices aren’t much better now that the 600D has suddenly dropped.

I don’t take my DSLR biking,

Whereas that’s almost spcifically what I bought mine for! I was too limited by the compact I had at the time. Too slow, basically. The great thing about SLRs is that they seem to be tough enough to handle it as well. Mine’s been wet, covered in grit, dropped, crashed on and all I ever do is clean the sensor now and then and charge the battery. And if they do go wrong, you can get them repaired.
My last 2 compacts just packed up with no warning and no reason and were virtually worthless at 18 months old.

To be honest, my phone camera takes as good a picture as I need, for general snapshots (And panoramas) any more then that and out comes the SLR! 🙂

650 got something else

Movie mode is the big thing with the 650D IIRC. That and nice new video-optimised lenses to go with it.

Or perhaps not.

http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon-600d-vs-Canon-EOS-650D

EDIT: oh yeah – the 650D gets the newest DIGIC5 image processor. That’s where I was getting the idea from about movies.

movie mode is what I’d heard, just had a brain fart! Looks like touch screen and movie optimised constant focussing?

wet, covered in grit, dropped, crashed on and all I ever do is clean the sensor now and then

note to self; avoid used SLR kit being sold by PP 😛

650 got something else

Touch-screen

Also 5fps up from 3 fps
Better Digic5 processor
Higher ISO
And a few other odds and sods.

It has to be said the touch screen is very good indeed, I just need to get into using it rather than the buttons which I’m well used to!
I nearly went for the 600D on price alone, but, well, somtimes you buy what you WANT, don’t you? 🙂

note to self; avoid used SLR kit being sold by PP

Someone on this forum HAS bought it, for a very fair price, and is very happy with it. 😛 😉

And he saw the pics first:

IMG_1177 by PeterPoddy, on Flickr

Whereas that’s almost spcifically what I bought mine for! I was too limited by the compact I had at the time. Too slow, basically.

I tend not to want to take pictures of people actually biking. Just don’t care for that kind of picture, which makes my camera requirements much simpler.

I find that when riding, I’d rather ride, and if I am out to take pictures I won’t get any riding done. I have gone out on specific photo taking rides with my SLR, but I choose dry days 🙂

I will pick up a TG-1 when I get the chance, for biking, because I can stick it to my camelbak strap like I do with my TG-810 and take shots without even stopping.

Actually, you should see the lens I had on it. That was even worse, it actually has a chunk missing out of it, but it still works fine and takes great pics so I’m keeping it. 🙂

I find that when riding, I’d rather ride, and if I am out to take pictures I won’t get any riding done.

Very true. You have to decide if you’re riding, or taking pics, and accept it 🙂

I have gone out on specific photo taking rides with my SLR, but I choose dry days

It was hard work keeping rain of the lens all day in this set, and my flash is bungeed to a tree somewhere….

IMG_2845 by PeterPoddy, on Flickr

the touch screen is very good indeed, I just need to get into using it rather than the buttons which I’m well used to!

As an aside, do you get touch-screen controls instead of real buttons, or as well as? I’ve not actually looked.

As good as a touch-screen might be and it’s always nice to have options, I know where physical buttons are without looking; having to look away from the OVF and start fumbling about on a screen seems like a backwards step / gimmick to me.

As an aside, do you get touch-screen controls instead of real buttons, or as well as? I’ve not actually looked.

As well as.

I know where physical buttons are without looking;

Me too.
It works best when previewing shots: Pinch to zoom, swipe to scroll, like an iPhone basically.
But you can delve into more settings easier than with the buttons too, I think. I need to experiment though. I don’t think it’s just a gimmick, personally, to me it’s genuinely useful. 🙂

I had a play with a friends for a while – it was useful for setting up the less frequently used features like Bracketing, etc.

It was a step-up from 600D, but still nowhere near as nice as the 40D with it’s 2 screens and dual wheels.

I wonder if the Magic Lantern guys will find some interesting uses for it.

Talking of that – one advantage with older cameras is that hacks are available, and also older versions of software is compatible. For example, I’m perfectly happy on Lightroom 2.2 with my 40D. If I got a 650D, I’d probably have to get Lightroom 4 (for £100) or suffer a lengthy workaround for RAW.

Similar with video editing (although anything from the last couple of years should work with that).

hunta –
Member
DSLRs plus lenses are very bulky, especially if you intend taking them out on the trails. Basically it ain’t gonna happen, unless you’re really dedicated (in which case you’d probably be looking at spending more).

Total nonsense. Just shove it in a bag, take photos, get it a bit muddy (basically had mine immersed in mud once), put it back in bag, keep riding.

A compact in a pocket is great for quick scenic shots or whatever, bit nowhere near as good as an SLR

legend – Member

hunta –
Member
DSLRs plus lenses are very bulky, especially if you intend taking them out on the trails. Basically it ain’t gonna happen, unless you’re really dedicated (in which case you’d probably be looking at spending more).

Total nonsense.Your opinion. Just shove it in a bag, take photos, get it a bit muddy (basically had mine immersed in mud once), put it back in bag, keep riding.

FTFY

PP > useful, thanks.

Just shove it in a bag, take photos, get it a bit muddy (basically had mine immersed in mud once), put it back in bag, keep riding

There’s no way I’m doing that to my camera!

Why not? You do it with a bike…….

They’re built to take it.

If you want to buy a 600D new (not refurb) from an actual uk shop, then this is the best deal available:
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/canon-600d-dslr-with-18-55mm-lens-free-remote-free-battery-only-449-99-with-cur499-1345262

(works out at £409 for lens kit and also free battery and remote)

Nice one. Cheers for the link Alex