Bought a Lumix T series compact 6 months ago and it just doesn’t cut the mustard especially in terms of general speed and low light ability.

So thinking of getting a DSLR and pretty much running it in auto mode 99% of the time.

The basic budget choices are:

Canon 1100D with IS lens (£330)
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/80183/show.html
I assume IS means image stabilised lens

Nikon 3100D (£370)
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/78032/show.html

The Canon has a 2.7″ screen – Nikon has a 3″ screen

I’ve been told that the Nikon colours are more realistic but the Canon colours are more attractive. Both are about the same size.

What do you recommend please.

This guy likes the nikon.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d3100.htm
I like nikons..

D3100 £299 at Argos.

Buy into whatever family your friends / colleagues use so you can try out / borrow flashes, lenses etc. Nikon / Cannon are equally good.

D3100 £299 at Argos.

I can only find the D3000 at that price, link?

Sony.

I’ve been told that the Nikon colours are more realistic but the Canon colours are more attractive. Both are about the same size.

Both Canon and Nikon will satisfy your needs, and some.

D3200?

I stand corrected, misread the catalogue yesterday, just looked again.

D3000 at £299,D3100 at £379, Anyway, they are both good cameras. I have the D3100 and can’t fault it. Wouldn’t worry about the screen size much, neither is big enough to see focus well enough without zooming in, both are big enough to see composition and settings. Both useless in bright sun. Since there are a huge bunch around £3-400 go and have a play and see what you like in your hand/at your eye. I really wanted a pentax, since I had their film cameras BITD, but as a specs wearer their viewfinder was useless.

I’ve been told that the Nikon colours are more realistic but the Canon colours are more attractive. Both are about the same size.

Those colours will be based on the default jpeg settings in the camera – these can be tweaked. In terms of quality there’s nothing in it. That comes from the glass…the price of which will make your eyes water.

I still haven’t yet out-performed my old Canon 20D, I suspect it’ll be a few years yet before I do.

I still haven’t yet out-performed my old Canon 20D, I suspect it’ll be a few years yet before I do.

Can you do me a very, very, very, very, very, very large print, please? 😛
(Very happy 20D owner too). 😉

Please no links to Ken Rockwell 🙄

Can you do me a very, very, very, very, very, very large print, please?

Yes. Oh, you don’t want to see the individual pixels?!

http://www.photo4me.com/bucklevision

STW, four days ago.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/which-budget-beginner-dslr-d3100-vs-1100d

I’ve been told that the Nikon colours are more realistic but the Canon colours are more attractive. Both are about the same size.

If you can identify either camera’s output based on colour reproduction whilst shooting in full auto on a kit lens, I’ll eat my own shoes.

The Canon has a 2.7″ screen – Nikon has a 3″ screen

Who cares, you’ll be looking through the viewfinder rather than gazing at the screen 99% of the time when you’re taking shots.

Ordinarily I’d say that there’s little to differentiate a Canon and a Nikon dSLR at a given price point, and choice really boils down to personal preference; play with some in a shop and see what feels right and intuitive.

However, in your case I’d question whether a dSLR is the right choice for you (though without knowing more about your shooting it’d be hard to advise further). Getting away from full auto and learning to take control of your camera will make a far bigger difference to your photographs than any agonising over Canon vs Nikon dSLRs.

http://www.photo4me.com/bucklevision

Nice pics.