Hi

So the girlfriend would like one of these, was thinking of trying to pick one up in the sales. I know a fair bit about computers but nothing about cameras. Enlighten me! Any reccomendations, bargains or accessories we should look at? If it makes Amy difference we use Apple computers at home.

Thanks for the wisdom,

GB

I use a Sony A200. It works for me, although I am a long long way from getting the best out of it.

some of the photos on my flickr page (particularly Canada 2009, The Wick Effect@The Library and White Xmas Eve) were taken using it, others were taken using other cameras and even telephones.

No Really bad ones out there.
If you want a system then Nikon and Canon have best support.
IF you just want a camera with no plans for extensive numbers of lenses and separate flash units then any from Pentax/Sony etc will be good. Buy something in the sale.

Personally I use nikon.

We moved from Pentax to Nikon and haven’t looked back. D90 is a superb camera.

No bad ones, despite what some geeks will say.

Some are small and light, some are the best value for money, some have the widest range of third party and second hand lenses, some have flip out swivel screens, some are on sale, some come bundled with an extra lens, some fit your hands well etc etc etc.

Read the review sites, decide exactly why you want it and what you are going to do with it. Then choose appropriately. Me, I wanted small size, light weight and a flip out screen, and the Olympus E600 was half price 🙂

No Really bad ones out there.
If you want a system then Nikon and Canon have best support.
IF you just want a camera with no plans for extensive numbers of lenses and separate flash units then any from Pentax/Sony etc will be good. Buy something in the sale.

+1

There’s no straight answer to this question. It’s just like buying a bike – go to a shop, test them out till you’re sick of it and want to go home, buy the one that ergonomically speaking suits you best.

I have an old Pentax film SLR, fully manual and I love it, but have barely touched it in the last ten yeas since Digital came along. I really wanted the Pentax one to suit me. Problem is I wear specs and just couldn’t get a good view of the readouts in the viewfinder, same with the Olympus. I’ve opted for the Nikon D3100 and mrsmidlife bought it for chrimbo for me. 🙂

There are loads of modes to play with if manual doesn’t suit or you want to do more than point and shoot, the ISO setting lets you take decent pics in near darkness, this pic is a good hour after sunset

Night portrait mode good for ghosts too

Was just about to say Nikon 3100, as it seems neither of you know much about DSLR’s this one has a decent help menu and is therefore a bit more user friendly

That’s really helpful, thanks!

It’s just like buying a bike – go to a shop, test them out till you’re sick of it and want to go home, buy the one that ergonomically speaking suits you best.

+1. A colleague of mine went in to Jessops thinking the Panasonic 4/3 was just the ticket but she couldn’t get on with it and bought a Canon.

All the big brands – Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Pentax/Samsung and Panasonic – seem to be producing consistently top quality equipment, they’re all so good you can’t really say there are any duffers.

Yeah – they do all have different strengths and weaknesses though – and not just with picture quality. There are various ergonomic and economic factors too..