Need Help with SLR camera

[slinkerpon]

I don't know the slightest thing about SLR cameras, other than my fiancee has wanted one for... forever.

I've been on site after site trying to understand photography lingo and my head might explode.
This is the only thing she wants, and I don't know where to start.

I've been looking at the Nikon D60 and D80, and the Sony A350K and A300K.

If someone, anyone could please help me. Talk to me like I'm 5 years old, I don't care. I just want her to be happy.

What's the best SLR camera I can get her? My price range is up to $1,000.

please please help.

[caleb]

I have the D60 and think it's great... except even at iso800 it has so much noise it's nearly unusable. If she wants to shoot action (sports) or in low light situations (indoors), it's a real pain in the ass to get great shots. I believe the D80 is better with this, although I'm not sure. Other minor things I don't like about the D60, no bracketing and only 3 frames/second. I think the camera's great otherwise.

I looked at the Sony A models originally and decided to go with a Nikon, more brand name than anything... Although I had concerns about lens compatibility with the sony models. I don't know if that was a valid concern or not. The sony's do have a viewfinder on the LCD that pulls out for shots where you are holding the camera really low or overhead. It may be a nice thing to have, but I didn't want to pay extra for it.

[Frog]

Oh boy!
I don't know enough about the Sony's.
For myself, I would buy the d80 but that's because I know what I know about using a dslr.
You really need to find out what she wants from a camera. What she wants to shoot and how much she knows about using a dslr.
Does she have any experience? Does she have any lenses?
If without experience, is she open to taking classes or is she good at learning from on-line resources?
BTW this thread will soon be moved to another forum.....probably disgital slr forum where it will get more response.
And when she does get her camera, get her to sign up here and she'll get lots of help on anything and everything to do with photography.

[Pink Dragonfly]

Canuck is the guy who knows all there is to know about the Sony's, hope he sees this thread. I was going to get the 300 or 350 but fell in love with the a700 in the shop (helped along by a cash back offer...) and I'm totally in love with it I'm not sure what price it is the US but it would be worth considering. Didn't care much for the pull-out viewfinder on the 350, and I don't miss having it one little bit! But if you narrow it down to the Sony's, try asking in the SONY forum, you are sure to get some really useful responses!

Happy shopping

Mette

[JamesV]

Hello and Welcome,

I was going to mark other but decided against it only cause I have shot with Canon. Well you at least have an ideal as to what she wants, that is a great start.

I might want to add that even if someone suggest one model over the other it is best to have her go to the store and get a feel for the cameras herself. Because in the end if she doesn't like how it feels when she is out shooting she will not take it out as much. When I purchased mine I looked for a few months at a number of different stores, so many I forgot and my girlfriend didn't even want to go after the first 5.

Good luck and have her post when she gets it.

James

[Franglais]

For manufacturer I would say Nikon because they're in the top two in the marketplace. Sony are somewhere in the top 5. They make good cameras but I follow the crowd.

The D80 has now been replaced by the D90. The D60 is a simplified D80 with some updated components. I could make a case for either:

D80 advantages:

- better viewfinder, really big and clear
- more focussing points, better if you want to do sports and have the camera follow the subject
- bigger body with more controls. If you want to set something yourself (example: aperture) then you find the button or wheel is just under your fingertips. On the D60 you are often pressing a button and turning a wheel or going into the menus
- better kit lens if you buy with the 18-70 which is really excellent, metal construction. The 18-55 kit lens on the D60 is actually not bad (the latest version has vibration reduction which is very useful to avoid blurred images in low light). But it's made of plastic and serious users get tired of it quickly

D60 advantages:

- sensor cleaner (important if you have several lenses. I find I have to clean dust spots off the sensor every 6 months or so- on my cameras that don't have a sensor cleaner)
- latest image processor (I have the D60 and I don't agree with the person who said there was noise from 800ISO)
- small size. It's really tiny. This might appeal to a woman of not. If she's thinking of looking professional with it then go for the D80)


If you can get a D80+18-70 lens for the same price as the D60+18-55 lens then go for the D80.
If she wants to get into photography seriously then go for the D80
If she just wants to do pictures without having to get too deeply into it then the D60 is fine

[Frog]

The D80 also is able to use non afs lenses and retain auto-focus.