Need help deciding what my first digital SLR should be!

[allyv]

I'm not well versed on Digital SLR cameras, but I am looking into buying a good one for 500 bucks and under. I found these good ones so far, a Canon and a Sony for both the same price of 450, and a Nikon D3000 for 470, which I thought was a good deal especially for the Canon, since it is on sale from 670. All are 10MP. The Canon one gives this: EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens. The Sony says this under lens focal length: 35mm equivalent 27-82.5mm. The Nikon says 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens.

I am leaning towards the Canon and Nikon, and even if I don't get any of these, I would like to know which one is worth the buy or should I shop around for something better? Any other brands that are better? Which brands should I stay away from? I am trying to find a good deal, nothing too expensive, and something not too fancy, just something for a beginner to play around with. I also need it to photograph artwork with too.

I just want to make sure I won't regret what I buy!

[Anbesol]

You are referring to the Canon XS then I presume (unless the XTi?). The Sony also comes with an 18-55. These are their 'kit lens'. All have the same focal and aperture range and are pretty damned equal in performance. None of them are particularly useful for indoor/low light photography. For that a fixed focal length standard angle lens is ideal (~50mm f/1.8, 35mm f/1.8, etc)

The Sony however could be a number of different models, without knowing which sony its hard for me to advise. Was it the A230? The A330? If its one of Sony's live view models, it would offer the best live view of the 3, with the only fast-focus live view option.

Canikonony - Canon Nikon Sony, are the big 3 manufacturers of DSLR and where most of the market is. There are others and they are certainly also worth a look, Pentax, Olympus and other 4/3rd mount dslr, or a very unique new kind of SLR thats great for beginners is the micro 4/3rd mount system, including some SLR's from Panasonic and Olympus (though a bit more $). If you are wanting something small, portable and convenient in those regards, the micro 4/3rds is terrific.

The imaging industry is intensely competitive so there is (practically) no such thing as a bad camera, or a brand to stay away from. If you stay around here a while you'll see people who use all types of cameras all posting incredible photographs. Personally, I'm a Sony user, and their built in image stabilizer (as opposed to lens base) makes outstanding legacy lens capable of stabilization. Thats a big advantage for cost and being easy on the wallet, however, aside from that - Sony is pretty much ordinary on pricing and nothing special, pretty equivalent to all others.

[Frog]

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[havana_joe]

I'm always going to throw my vote in for a Nikon D40, especially since now it's recently discontinued and you can get some really good deals. Great little camera, "only" 6MP but that is more than enough for most people (up to 8x11 prints easy), it's easy to use, and a good starting point. I like mine so much I never upgraded the body, only the lenses and flashes.

[allyv]

Thanks everyone!

Anbesol, I don't know if I can link here, but here are the links to the cameras on amazon.com:
Canon- http://www.amazon.com/Canon-XS-Digit.../dp/B001CBKJGG

Nikon- http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-D3000-Di...3353970&sr=1-1

And the sony one I saw on bestbuy.com:
Sony- http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sony+-+A...&skuId=9342473

Hopefully that helps?

But yeah, so far it seems to be that everyone has a different opinion for each model and type. I guess at this point I need to make sure it has all the things I need on it. I need it mostly for a class at this point, but I also want it to be something I am going to use for a long time and enjoy. I think one of the things my professor said he wanted on the DSLR is that they have a full manual control. I need it to photograph artworks for portfolio, but for me personally, I also would like to practice outdoor photography, such as nature and wildlife.

Also, if there is anything about these cameras I need to worry about, please let me know. But I am sure you are right about there not being a bad camera, Anbesol. I just figured that buying a camera was like buying a computer and that it is possible to get jipped and wind up buying something and getting less than what you deserve for the money :P But at this point, I really like the Canon, but I also like the Nikon. I feel so scared to make a choice! :P And thanks for the link, I will be reading it over!

[Anbesol]

Thanks everyone!

Anbesol, I don't know if I can link here, but here are the links to the cameras on amazon.com:
Canon- http://www.amazon.com/Canon-XS-Digit.../dp/B001CBKJGG

Nikon- http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-D3000-Di...3353970&sr=1-1

And the sony one I saw on bestbuy.com:
Sony- http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sony+-+A...&skuId=9342473

Hopefully that helps?

But yeah, so far it seems to be that everyone has a different opinion for each model and type. I guess at this point I need to make sure it has all the things I need on it. I need it mostly for a class at this point, but I also want it to be something I am going to use for a long time and enjoy. I think one of the things my professor said he wanted on the DSLR is that they have a full manual control. I need it to photograph artworks for portfolio, but for me personally, I also would like to practice outdoor photography, such as nature and wildlife.

Also, if there is anything about these cameras I need to worry about, please let me know. But I am sure you are right about there not being a bad camera, Anbesol. I just figured that buying a camera was like buying a computer and that it is possible to get jipped and wind up buying something and getting less than what you deserve for the money :P But at this point, I really like the Canon, but I also like the Nikon. I feel so scared to make a choice! :P And thanks for the link, I will be reading it over!

Actually its sort of the opposite of buying a computer. Most computers are OEM junk, throw in a bunch of bottom line cheap parts that barely work and you have what is most computers. Personally, I just build my computers - its a bit more expensive, but its the way I can control the quality.

I did forget to mention something that may be a deal breaker for the Nikon - the Nikon does not have an internal focus motor. There is a huge number of lens that use the internal motor, those lens wont be able to autofocus on that Nikon. If the only lens you ever feel like throwing on the camera is the kit lens, then that is all fine and dandy. But the moment you feel like purchasing a new lens, you're limited to AF-S series (or just plain manual focus). Granted, the majority of current lens are AF-S, some crucial ones and legacy lens are in fact not (like the very essential 50mm f/1.8). For this reason alone, I would advise against the Nikon. Aside from that, the Nikon is a fine camera.

Between the Canon and Sony, the Sony is slightly more full-featured with all metering modes, on the flip side - Canon has live view, the A230 does not. Many people don't like the small grip on the Sony as well, but its not much different with the Rebel either.

All of the DSLR's will have all the manual modes you need (M/A/S, or M/Av/Tv with Canon).

I'd go to your local shop, hold the cameras in your hand, see which one is the most comfortable, and see which interface you like the most, and would offer you the most fluid response. You really can't go wrong with any of them, taking into account the AF dilemma that Nikon puts you in.

[Frog]

If you want to be able to keep your body for a long time, then I would not suggest getting an entry level camera.
If you choose Nikon and want to use some of the older but excellent lenses then you will need to go to D90, or d300 or afs. The non afs, afi lenses will work on the d40,d60, d3000, d5000 but won't auto-focus though I think most will meter.