Bang for the Buck

I'm looking to purchase my first slr but I am having a mind war between Nikon, Canon, and Sony. Specifically, the models I have been jumping back and forth between:

Sony a230 or a330
Nikon D3000
Canon t1i

I've been reading review after review, and I am still stuck on which to buy. It's not so much the lowest cost that I am looking for, but rather the best bang for the buck. Particularly, which of these has the least technical issues - ie over/under exposure, slow focus, need for repairs constantly?

I will mainly be taking landscape scenes, people, dogs -- mostly still shots (except for my crazy dogs) -- I won't be using movie modes, by the way ... and I'm debating if live view is necessary (I read Canon's is a joke, for example).

Which, in your opinion, would be the best bang for the buck, and why? And which one should I shy away from?

Thank you in advance for any input.

A good photographer will make any of those three cameras proud.
Having said that, I suggest that you go to a camera store and fiddle around with all three and see which one feels the best.
Can't really go wrong with any one of those three.
Good luck.

The contributors to this forum are mostly users of one system, not two or three. We can't do comparisons between systems from our own experience. If you want a comparison, particularly of reliability statistics then look out for a review in a magazine. This is what the journalists are supposed to do.

In fact nobody much talks about reliability. I have the impression that the systems are pretty reliable, even though we're talking about entry-level here. I haven't read any bad stories in the French press about the three models you mention.

If I were you I would still go for the Nikon but I'm biased. I don't think that Live View works any better on the Nikon than on the Canon. There's supposed to be a modification to the lenses coming next year to improve it.

The Sony cameras and the Nikon D3000 are a slightly different class of camera from the Canon T1i. Nikon's D5000 is the head-to-head competitor with that Canon model at the moment.

The Nikon and Sony model in question have menu systems designed to be more helpful to the beginning DSLR user.

The Nikon 3000 is somewhat stripped down in some functions as cameras in this class which include Canon's EOS 1000D all are for cost savings. With the Nikon there is also the lens mambo, some unit are fully functional others (non-CPU) have different performance, and AF will not work with some.

The two Sony's have minor differences and are primarily different in the articulated display and minor menu functions.

The Canon T1i(500D) is one in a long line of incrementally improved models of the original dRebel series. It is a step or two up from the other cameras and may allow more flexibility in the long run.

They will all produce great photos right of the box. So the real questions may be:
1. How much you want to spend on your first really good lens?
2. What accessory functions (remotes, flash, etc.) are most desirable and at what added cost?
3. Do you have any legacy lens inventory to support?
4. And a few non-photographic intangibles like weight/size and certainly support from friends with like or similar cameras?

The live view and video issue is somewhat a personal choice. I've not found live view helpful but I haven't used it on an articulated DSLR screen except in 'the shop'. I want an articulated display but haven't sprung for the new camera yet.

Video on the DSLR cameras is in its infancy. Don't be quick to discard the option. These are not camcorders which is what they are generally compared to and that isn't fair or the same. It does mean you can make a video without changing cameras.

Hope some of this provides some clarity to your 'mind war'.

Good luck and Welcome to photography review.

We'll look forward to some photos from whatever you decided on as your new camera!