Advice on DSLR camera

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum, and have few questions. I hope I can learn a lot here!

Please advise me on a new DSLR camera. I have never owned one, but I need one the latest, Friday.

My budget is €600 or US$700.

My needs for the camera as follows:
-A lens for close-up objects and landscape
-Video recording capability for 30min or longer
-Large memory card to store the video

Not-so-important, but welcome:
-Flash
-Optical zoom
-Large aperture for high-speed shots.

Megapixel count isn't very important, but I guess the minimum should be eight.

Thanks!

If you need video, you can't get a DSLR within your budget. Right now, only 2 DSLRs have any video capability. The Nikon D90 would cost at least $1000 with the cheapest kit lens. The only other DSLR that does video is a Canon 5D Mk II, which costs over $3000 with any lens.

I would guess that several new DSLRs that come out over the next year will add video capability, and one of them might fall into your price range. But right now, the only thing that's even close would be a Nikon D90, and with a lens that meets your needs, you'd be looking at at least 1000 Euros or $1200 US

What is it that you need this week - a video camera, or a still camera? Because you can certainly get either one for inside your budget - you just can't get a single camera that does both. If you don't need video in the camera you get now, there are several nice DSLRs that could be gotten inside your budget:

These include the Nikon D60, the Canon Rebel XS, the Olympus E-520, and the Sony A-300, among others.

There ARE cameras that do both still and video within your budget, but none of them are SLRs. They all have fixed lenses and either separate optical viewfinders, or electronic finders using the LCD screen. You need to think more carefully about what it is you actually need. Do you need an SLR? I am not convinced that you do. You may be fine with a regular fixed-lens camera that does both video and still images.

I've just received an email from a friend, saying that I don't need the DSLR.

I've narrowed my choice to three cameras: Nikon Coolpix P6000, Canon PowerShot G10, and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3K.

Now I'm really confused. The Lumix has HD720 recording if I am not mistaken, which makes it very attractive...What is your opinion?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by meraj

I've just received an email from a friend, saying that I don't need the DSLR.

I've narrowed my choice to three cameras: Nikon Coolpix P6000, Canon PowerShot G10, and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3K.

Now I'm really confused. The Lumix has HD720 recording if I am not mistaken, which makes it very attractive...What is your opinion?

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Honestly, I have no expertise at all about the video capability of these cameras. As still cameras, both the Canon Powershot G10 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 K are excellent. The Canon has a lens that is better as a telephoto, while the Panasonic has a lens that is better for normal and wide angle shots.