DSLR suggestions

[icymatrix]

I am a Novice in this field of cameras and photography

Currently I have a Sony M1 camera and I am very happy with it. However, I wanted to get a digital SLR and decided to search on Google for some ideas. This is where the confusion started. I do not understand any technical terms (ISO, Noise ……) :mad2:

I went to a local best buy and went to the DSLR section to check them out.
Of course I did not have any idea on what to see or how 

In digital cameras the LCD shows you the live view on what you want to capture and I did not find this in any except the Sony A350. I had to keep looking into the small glass to see the subject

Also, the zoom can be adjusted by a button in the digital camera and I could not find this in the SLR. I had to do it manually

Is this normal in DSLR? I am confused and return home

Please let me know a camera that will conquer my desire to have a SLR sit @ home and use it sparingly

I will be using the camera for taking family photos and when I go out on vacations. Please help me out guys

[poker]

Buy used. You can great deals on Ebay.

Take a photography class at a community college to get acquainted to how a DSLR works. I miss photography classes. There something about a good photography class to challenge you.

Best Buy sells gear at very high prices. Consider shopping using one of the forum sponsors. Or support you local smaller camera stores that will give you personalized service and answer your question before and after you buy.

I recommend getting the least expensive DSLR you can buy until you learn more about. I don't think it's good to buy a $1500+ system and not need all the features. I'd rather have a good lens anyway.

Oh yeah, welcome to the forum.....you can learn lots here.

[poker]

To be more specific to your topic....

Canon Rebel line of DSLRs (old or newer versions)

or

Nikon D40 (old or newer version)

[icymatrix]

Thanks for the suggestions

Any information on these

Does DSLR have live-view in the LCD screen or you have to use the small glass
Do they have auto zoom adjustment (+ and - buttons) for regular digital cameras

Regards

[Frog]

Only a few of the slrs have live view and I don't think many use it for composing pics.
The zoom is in the lens, not in the camera. With your p&s you only have one lens, so it is done with the button. On a dslr you will get a lens with x amount of zoom and/or buy lenses with more or less zoom. You turn the lens to zoom in or out and you'll have much finer control of the zoom.
Here is a glossary of photo terms http://www.photographyreview.com/photoglossarycrx.aspx

[Anbesol]

I would encourage you also to look at the Sony A300 - its got the best live-view feature of any current DSLR, and the lens are great and very well priced. The A300 is basically the same as the A350, minus 4 megapixels.

"I had to keep looking into the small glass to see the subject"

That 'small glass' is called a viewfinder. Personally, I much prefer looking through the viewfinder than an LCD view, that way, you see a more organic and real life view directly through the lens. DOF and focus points are much easier to tell. Once you become more acclimated to your DSLR, you will likely also prefer the viewfinder. I actually chose the Sony A700, which has no live view feature. I prefered this, because the internal parts that create the live view take up space in the pentaprism/viewfinder, in laymens terms, it gives me a larger, brighter viewfinder to look through.

However, for a more casual photography experience, I would certainly recommend a camera with live-view.

You will need to understand ISO, noise and the sorts to maximize the benefits of using an SLR. Particularly, you will definitely want to learn how to meter an exposure, so you can use one of the manual modes. Manual modes being Aperture priority, shutter priority, and of course, full manual. My camera stays on Aperture priority 90% of the time, and it gives me a lot more control over the end result than using an automatic mode would. A photography class can help you with that, but so can a lot of reading and experimenting. You could even check out the wikipedia articles on 'Aperture', 'Shutter' and 'ISO'. The 3 numeric values that triangulate into a single exposure. It all revolves around letting the right amount of light through the lens and to the sensor. You can use these manual modes casually, once you know what you are doing - and it will maximize the quality of the end result, and give you better control over the final exposure.

[flowers26]

i'd suggest looking at the casio cameras. the exilim cameras are great, the ex-f1 is the dslr camera. it takes great videos as well, even in slow motion. i am a novice myself, but so far so good with my casio.


www.youtube.com/casiousa

[Frog]

Casio ex-f1 is NOT a dslr.