I have been looking at "budget" DSLR's and would welcome user opinions on the main contenders (Canon 450. Olympus E 520, Sony A350 etc-even the Lumix G10 which has the electronic viewfinder). I have read lots of reviews but not managed to come to any concrete decision. I have a couple of Canon Zoom lenses from My EOS 500N-28-80 & 75-300 EF Zooms so could possibly utilise those although there would be a focal length difference & lack of anti-shake.
Canon or Nikon are safe bets but Sony one are doing just fine too.
New Canon 500D is out so you could treat yourself to one of them or look for bargain 450D.
If you have the lenses I'd prob go with the canon. I have a sony A200 and am very pleased with it.
There was a "Best Kit of the Year" brochure fell out of my last photo mag. Independently reviewed stuff, not an advert but it reckoned the best entry level DSLR was the Olympus E 520, uses a Four Thirds lens system.
I recently went through the same dilema. I bought the Nikon D60 in the end.
I liked the Olympus E520 but was a bit put off by its nicheness and lack of OEM lenses etc. The Canon 450D seemed very "plasticy" and didn't sit very comfortably in the hand. The Nikon has a lot of pluses the major limitation in my view was the lack of Live View - but I concluded I could live without that.
i'm loving my 450d, its way better than i am atm, but i'm improving
the major limitation in my view was the lack of Live View - but I concluded I could live without that.
on my list that would come after the colour. Nothing beats a proper optical viewfinder :o) Why emulate a compact ?
Spend as much as you can, cos it means your pictures will be amazing, cos its got nothing to do with the photographer... 😐
Well thats what my friends think!
I would go for Canon, especially if your old lenses fit the EOS range. Must be some bargains on 2nd hand 450D's as the 500D has been released.
I've got an Olympus and you'll struggle to find the full feature set on another entry level SLR. It's great for learning on. The kit lens is very very good as well. In body Image Stabilisation is pretty useful. The Oly lenses are really good in general and I don't miss the lack or poorer quality Sigma lenses, but it does mean that there aren't so many available second hand. If you end up getting faster lenses, they are generally smaller on the 4thirds system.
The E520 is a bargain at the moment as they've just released the E620 which has some updates (a couple more MP, articulated screen, more AF points). Depends what you're going to use it for as to whether these things are important. I decided they weren't worth the extra £200 when we got my gf's E520. Only £455 for the two lens kit at the moment [url= http://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/412/Olympus-E520-Digital-SLR-Camera-with-Olympus-14-42-40-150-Lenses.html?referrer=froogle&utm_source=google&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=pid412 ] here. [/url]
Pretty much all the entry SLRs are good and you're not really tying yourself into a system until you choose to upgrade with more lenses.
If not the Oly, I'd get the Nikon, but that's not really based on any in depth experience!
if you can, try them in your hand, that's what turned me off the 350D when I was choosing.
Currently it is the Olympus PEN that is giving me some serious horn 😉 I actually almost ordered one this week, though finances can't really take that kind of extravagance at the moment. And this is from someone with a Canon EOS 5D, Canon EOS 5D mkII, and bag full of lenses with red lines around the ends 😉
Seriously - I don't think there are any bad cameras out there at the moment, it's a case of deciding which one fits your requirements best. The new Olympus is teeny - almost pocketable with a pancake lens on it - offers a huge feature set and would, I think, be about the perfect mountain biking camera.
If funds allow in a month or two (post moving house which is the real killer) then I may just get me one 😉
Forgot poor old Pentax again.
The K-m is their entry model and then the mid range K20D followed by the new K7 which seems by the early reviews to be very good indeed
Also well worth a look is the recently discontinued K200D, excellent camera and weather sealed too for the price of one of the entry level Canikons
Even better they take all the old K mount lenses of which there are loads at a goodly price