DSLR Advice

[Barakka]

My wife is after a DSLR camera and is mighty confused....

She used to have a Pentax film SLR years ago, and then a Canon EOS 1000Fn film SLR in the past and has been using our Canon G7 Bridge camera for the past year or so but is aching for an SLR again.

Been looking at the Canon EOS 1000D with the 18-55 IS Lens Kit and possibly a 55-200 lens or a 75-300 lens - should be able to use the lens off the old EOS 1000Fn film camera which is something like a 38-80 but no IS.

Was also looking at the EOS 500D with the 18-55 IS Kit lens and it is VERY nice but lots of wonga

OR what about the Nikon D60 ? Lots of reviews saying the D60 and the 1000D are very much on par but the Nikon edges ahead, but the Nikon appears to be very menu heavy and I don't think has bracketing on it, but by all accounts a better lens

So what am I asking ?

Camera:
Nikon D60 with Kit lens and a zoom lens
or Canon 1000D with kit lens + old lens + zoom lens
or Canon 500D with kit lens + old lens and wait to get a zoom lens

Lenses:
was thinking with the canon, kit lens is 18-55, old lens is 38-80, zoom lens for 75-300, or will that be a pain ? better with 18-55 and 55-200 ? without the middle lens in between ?
How significant is the USM (ultrasonic motor) option on the Canon lenses ? A lot of the more afordable ones seem to lack it ?

She wants to be doing mostly landscape work and as we're going on holiday to AUS and NZ and she will have plenty of opportunity to practice.

Sorry if this is a bit rambling but we went to a camera shop yesterday with the intention of buying a Sony A230 kit for £350 and left after we were close to parting with nearly £1k for a 500D with two lenses, bag, data card, battery etc etc

[mmh]

You could always save yourself some money over the 500d and still have a better camera than the 1000d by going for the 450d with kit lens... currently £465 on amazon marketplace...

http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/

^ An idea of camera prices ^

Dont know your price range, but the extra saving of £120 has to help on getting some nice glass eh?

[Barakka]

You could always save yourself some money over the 500d and still have a better camera than the 1000d by going for the 450d with kit lens... currently £465 on amazon marketplace...

http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/

^ An idea of camera prices ^

Dont know your price range, but the extra saving of £120 has to help on getting some nice glass eh?

Doh! Should have put the budget is around the £500 mark, although I know that's more 450D than 500D territory, but with the 500D having 1080p video capability it would probably be worth the extra.

[mmh]

ah right, fair enough then...

as for the USM... depends what you are going to be doing... for the sunny landscapes of AUS and NZ then i dont see why you would need IS/USM... its going to be a fast enough shutter speed that you shouldnt get any motion blur... if you want to do some low light, or longer distance stuff then you may struggle a little bit more.... but if you rest the camera/get good footing you should be fine without it.... afterall, your old film camera never had it

[kalniel]

but with the 500D having 1080p video capability it would probably be worth the extra.

I doubt it - the video isn't great quality and you're better off getting a digicam if you want video.

There's tons of choice in your £500 budget - get her to a shop to handle them all though as they all feel different, while the difference in output at realistic viewing is minimal.

Ones I would consider:

Canon 450D kit (18-55 IS) http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk/index...oduct_id=11537
Nikon D3000 (18-55 VR) http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk/index...oduct_id=43429
Olympus E520 DUAL kit (14-42 + 40-150) http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk/index...oduct_id=20884
Panasonic G1 kit (14-45) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-Lu...314037&sr=1-26
Sony A380 kit (18-55) http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk/index...oduct_id=68756

Of those the Olympus dual kit has the best lenses, and you get two of them which will keep you going for a long while, but it's not as good in low light as the Canon and Nikon. The Sony is probably the easiest to use. If you're pixel peeping the Canon would probably give you the cleanest output, while the Panasonic G1 is the smallest and can come in blue or red as well as the usual black.

For future budget you could add the excellent Zuiko 9-18 wide angle with the E520, that would give you a compact and lightweight system going from 18-300mm in 35mm film terms, and be great for landscapes. For the Canon/Nikon there is the Sigma 10-20 which is quite cheap though of less quality than the Zuiko. Can't remember if it mounts the Sony or not, but the wide angle for the Panasonic is very much more expensive.

[BUFF]

For the Canon/Nikon there is the Sigma 10-20 which is quite cheap though of less quality than the Zuiko. Can't remember if it mounts the Sony or not

it does along with the Tamron/Sony 11-18mm & 10-24mm.

[Barakka]

Ones I would consider:

Canon 450D kit (18-55 IS) http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk/index...oduct_id=11537
Nikon D3000 (18-55 VR) http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk/index...oduct_id=43429

Would you go for the 450D or D3000 with the 18-55 kit lens
OR
would you go for a 1000D or D60 with the 18-55 kit lens and a 55-200 zoom lens too ?

She likes the feel of the Canon and the Nikon, probably likes the Canon more as the software is familiar, it has bracketing, and has an ISO dial, where with the Nikon it's in the software.

Hadn't seen the Olympus dual lens deal but will have a look for that one, I believe the E520 is pretty good too?

[kalniel]

Would you go for the 450D or D3000 with the 18-55 kit lens
OR
would you go for a 1000D or D60 with the 18-55 kit lens and a 55-200 zoom lens too ?

The D60 with the VR versions of the 18-55 and 55-200 would be my choice out of those. The 1000D had something important missing which I can't remember - spot metering?

She likes the feel of the Canon and the Nikon, probably likes the Canon more as the software is familiar, it has bracketing, and has an ISO dial, where with the Nikon it's in the software.

You really won't miss bracketing that much.

Hadn't seen the Olympus dual lens deal but will have a look for that one, I believe the E520 is pretty good too?

It's slightly behind it's peers in terms of absolute quality, especially at higher ISOs, but you wouldn't notice if you were looking at a print or a picture resized for viewing on a computer.

[Bobster]

The 1000D had something important missing which I can't remember - spot metering?

wow what have i done for all these years without spot metering!!!!! its not important..

side by side of cameras listed - http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/comp...ra380&show=all

[kalniel]

wow what have i done for all these years without spot metering!!!!! its not important..

hehe I guess it depends on usage then. I've only had my camera a few months and I've already used spot metering loads.

[Bobster]

hehe I guess it depends on usage then. I've only had my camera a few months and I've already used spot metering loads.

well if your camera doesn't have it, you cant miss it

[Barakka]

Cheers for the replies guys, she's had a look at the suggestions, and been out looking again today...

The winner so far is the Canon 1000D - she's used spot metering and bracketing before as the G7 has both, but feels bracketing is something she'd use more than spot metering so that puts the Canon in the lead (for now )

[Blastuk]

having used both the 1000D and 450D, the spot metering area doesn't feel that much smaller than the partial you get on the 1000D anyway.

[Barakka]

Dilemma for today is what lens combination to get.....

18-55 & 55-200
or
18-55 & 75-300 - plus use the old 38-80 from the old EOS film camera

Then which lens would you say is most important/significant to have USM and/or IS

i.e. get the 18-55 IS lens with the 55-200 (Non IS) USM
or get the 18-55 USM (non-IS) and the 55-200 IS
or the 18-55 IS and 75-300 (non USM)

Also Canon over Tamron on the 75-300 ?

Or stuff it get the cheapest deal you can

[kalniel]

Get the 15-55 IS and the 55-250 IS. Or is that not an option?

USM is a cherry on top, it doesn't actually gain you anything in terms of shooting, just adds to the impression of a well built lens (if it's a proper ring type USM).

[Barakka]

OK the plot is thick enough now, so time for a twist - found a place selling it for a good price with the 18-55 IS Lens and with good prices for the 55-250 IS lens.

HOWEVER - ordered it and they took the cash from the card but immediately replied to say it was out of stock with no ETA - but they have the Japanese version the "Kiss F" which they can offer us for £15 less.

My wife checked the store out first and saw good reviews posted on the web - but I know nothing of import cameras - run a mile ???