I'm sure I've asked this very question before, but cant find the answer in search.

At what point do DSLR's reach the point of diminishing returns for someone who just wants an everyday versitile camera?

Looking 2nd hand (probably, unless I can be convinced otherwise) with a budget arround about £500. Err-ing towards a 350d for £350ish and a cannon f1.8 50mm lense for £100ish.

A 2nd hand 350D and 1.8 50mm together will cost you nearer £250.

just looking at that on london camera excange, my mistake, must have been looking at something else.

it's more to do with size you want to print out at imo. My d40 prints good prints up till A3, handles A2 fine. For regular 6×4's i'm not sure the difference between that and a much more epxnsive camera.

Sure you want a dslr though? Pretty big to carry everyday…

got a fim slr at the moment, just cant bring myself to press the shutter button sometimes as it a)costs money to get developed (I know I could run through a lot of film before recouping the cost of a dslr) and b) its a hastle to get developed and c) it would be two weeks between taking a photo and finding out I didnt have the flash at the right angle. It'd be great if I had the exprience to use it, but I recon I'd get more out of a dslr while I'm learning.

If your budget is £500 I'd suggest a 40d bigger and betterer than the 35Od, which with the 50mm you should just get for that money.

Try a Nikon D200 as well. I'm not a Nikon user but I've been impressed with how good they are.

You should get a 400D for that easily but also look at Nikon you can't go wrong. You may even get newer models on special deals with a bit of shopping.

400d looks promising, enough dough left over for a Nikon Coolpix 8700 as well which could be chucked in the camelpack and not woried about!! Although in reality it'd get justified under a seperate budget and the remainder spent on glass and a tripod 🙂

I've tried nikon and liked them, but also liked canon, on a "this just feels right" level the canon won I recon. But then someone told me the nikon works better in low light so maybe……..

Decisions decisions………………

Try looking a bit older, 20 and 30D's have much better build quality and will last far longer than the XXXd series.50mm 1.8 lens can be had for quite a bit cheaper than £100 too 🙂

cannon f1.8 50mm lense for £100ish.

They are only £70 brand new. Lovely sharp lens, but not ver versitile.

400D is significantly better than a 350D, I've been very happy with mine and it's had a right battering strapped to my chest on rides. I mainly use a Sigme 17-70 f2.8 lens which is one of the faster zoom lenses, and good enough for me. At the price you're talking about, you might get better than a 400D too… 🙂

I have just ordered the Cannon EOS 450D in a package from Jessop’s, I can’t wait for it to arrive, it comes with an extra lens two lens protectors a case and a 4 gig SD card. 0% interest over 5 months. 8)

Thinking of selling my 350d if you're interested in one?

Silver body – not a mark on it, 18-55mm USM kit lens, 4gb CF card (good for over 1000 shots on fine large Jpeg setting) Lowepro Nova AW bag, Hoya UV filter and hoya Polarising filter, 2 batteries, charger, leads, software, instructions and all original packaging. Looking for £300.

You can pick up a 50mm 1.8 for less than £100 – I bought mine online for about £65 3 years ago.