What dslr for a beginner? Any essentials different lenses etc?

Budget?
What do you want to take photos of?

£500~
And subject matter is everything and anything really

Pentax. They all fit all lenses from the last 20 years so you can pick up outstanding glass for less.

Any dslr will take lovey photos if you stick in and learn to use it

Go to a camera shop and try a few in the hand. By far the most significant differences between them at each price point are the way they feel in *your* hands and whether you like the control layout.

The key to great photos is the person behind the viewfinder, so is recommend a basic slr and lens kit and understand how to use it.

Plenty of books, online guides and local Facebook photo groups tho critique and go out shooting with.

What CP said.

If you fancy a Lumix I’ve got a GF2 I’ll sell.

Its also well worth looking at the 2nd hand market, mpb is my fav site for 2nd hand stuff. Some of the bodies will have the recorded shutter counts which will let you gauge what sort of nick the camera is in.

Seriously I wouldn’t consider buying a DSLR. Instead, do a little homework and look at purchasing a compact system camera,(CSC). The quality, both build and image of the Fuji systems are hard to beat, and whilst i personally dont have one I know many other pro’s that do, Wex photographic have a good deal on now for an x-pro1 with a couple of lenses and case for £600 or look into their used cameras, a decent body is less than 200 quid.
There are so many more advantages into having a csc than a budget DSLR, but do a bit of homework as to what will suit your needs

The main problem with mirrorless is the price of lenses. Unless size is important dslrs still offer better value and for moving targets are generally better (although this is becoming less of an issue).

I’d look at Nikon, Canon, Pentax and Sony. Price up a body, kit lens, 50mm f1.7 or 1.8 and 75-300 (or similar) and see how they compare. Keep in mind any lens will be stabilised on a Pentax or a Sony as they have sensor based stabilisation, but you need to buy stabilised lenses for Nikon and Canon.

For the budget a new body and kit lens plus used lenses to complete the kit is the best bet.

Any essentials different lenses etc?

I wouldn’t run out and buy any glass / accessories until you’ve learnt enough to understand what you need. Well, other than a bag maybe and a good book (the dSLR for Dummies one is surprisingly good as a starter).

It’s very easy to buy expensive tat you’ll never need, and even easier to wind up eBaying the lot six months later when you’ve realised that owning an expensive camera doesn’t automatically create great photos and you wish you’d bought a point-n-shoot instead.

5thElefant – Member

The main problem with mirrorless is the price of lenses. Unless size is important dslrs still offer better value

Well the thing to remember is you can use any old manual lens with an adapter. I’m using a couple of adapters I got off ebay for £10 each and I leave them on my old manual Nikon lenses. So I can get lenses from virtually anywhere dirt cheap and since I prefer manual analog lenses and focusing manually there’s no issue. If someone wanted to buy into a specific brand of smart lenses they can buy the appropriate metabones adaptor and have full functionality.

5thElefant and for moving targets are generally better (although this is becoming less of an issue).

It’s not an issue. Sony claim the a6000 had the fastest auto focus of any camera in the world (although several others claim this too). Whilst it might not be the fastest full stop it auto focuses with incredible speed and accuracy and has beaten the Canon D7 MKII in numerous test on this. I have a kit lens for this application should I need auto focus and I got it used for £80. I’m glad I got rid of my dslr in favour of mirrorless.

Why buy an SLR if you’re not a Pro photographer? They’re big and heavy, and you’ll have to lug a load of gear around in a bag that will take a chunk out of your budget.
I guess you’re not a Pro else you wouldn’t need to ask the question on what to buy. To be honest if your budget (is only) 500, you are not going to get a quality camera and all the lenses. To do that you are going to have to at the very least triple your budget.
So instead I’d follow purple moose’s suggestion and look at Fuji compact systems. The x-pro1 has an APS sensor and a decent number of MP’s. To me who has spent half a photographic life hauling cameras and lenses up hill and down dale and recently moved to a more compact system then its a no brainer.
Have a look at [/url] for some good reviews of all thats available.

For that budget I’d be looking at used.

Back in 2002 I bought a Canon DSLR setup (new) with a simple 50mm prime lens and 1gb microdrive card. Total price was over £2k. A few years later bought a newer model (used) for about £200. Still years later it works fine and takes great shots (Canon 10D)

Usually bargains to be had with the endless rush towards newer tech.

It’s not an issue. Sony claim the a6000 had the fastest auto focus of any camera in the world (although several others claim this too).

Yeah, there are some that match a dslr. The a6000 being the best example but there goes the budget on the body, then you still can’t get away from the price of lenses.

Compare a sony 50mm f1.8 with a canon equivalent.

Granted, if you’re a manual lens user mirrorless are the obvious choice, but you’re getting into full on photo nerd territory, not beginner.

I got a bridge camera as my first (semi) serious effort. I ended up with a Fujifilm HS30EXR off ebay (tellingly bought by a husband for his wife and never even taken out of the box).

My thought was that it will do 90% of what a full dslr will do, be a bit more convenient, and still give the full manual experience. It’s a proper camera, but I don’t have to lug a big bag around for when I want to take good shots on a whim.

I’ve still not outgrown it after a couple of years, but yes I’ll upgrade eventually.

5thElefant

Yeah, there are some that match a dslr. The a6000 being the best example but there goes the budget on the body, then you still can’t get away from the price of lenses.

I got my body from Digitalrev for £389 posted iirc. The 60mm 1.8 kit lens is absolutely brilliant and can be found quite cheaply, and I had a couple of Nikon lenses already.

The 60mm 1.8 kit lens is absolutely brilliant and can be found quite cheaply

There is no 60mm kit lens? If you mean the 50mm (which isn’t a kit lens), it’s over twice the price of the canon equivalent.

If you’re a specs wearer, especially bifocals, try to have a play with
one before committing. I had my heart set on Pentax because I have a bunch of the old film kit, but just couldn’t get on with reading the viewfinder settings on the K50. Different layout and fonts on the Nikon and I’m fine.

This is STW, aren’t you just supposed to recommend what you have yourself? In which case a Nikon d3100 with kit 18-55 lens, and a 75-300 zoom, a gorillapod or similar and a proper tripod too.

Seriously though, just peeked on ebay and there are loads for under £200 buy it now, and with a bit of savvy on the auctions I’m sure you’d get one for well under £150

5thElefant

There is no 60mm kit lens? If you mean the 50mm (which isn’t a kit lens), it’s over twice the price of the canon equivalent.

I don’t know what it is then, but it’s a 60mm sony e-mount f1.8 that’s just brilliant. Got it off gumtree for £80. Same guy was trying to sell me a Sigma 30mm 2.8 for buttons too but I didn’t have the cash.

Edit: Sorry it is a 50 but because of the crop factor it’s more like a 60mm so in my head I refer to it as a 60mm.

Crop is 1.5, so 75mm.

Yeah, I had one. Expensive for what it is (you can get a dslr equivalent new for £80). Not as expensive as the Sony Zeiss 55mm f1.8 I’m ordering next week. That’s the trouble with mirrorless, they recalibrate what you think is reasonable.