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Ask the Massive no. 347: Digital SLRs
Posted by Uncle Monty on 21 April 2010 - 10:35am.
I'm thinking of taking the plunge into DSLRs. I am a total beginner (though have obviously been snapping on compacts for years) - anyone have any not-too-pricey suggestions, or thoughts on features I should look out for?
Is there anything the Massive DOESN'T know about?
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DSLRs
You might find this thread of use.
Aaah
That'll teach me to use the search function first. Of course, I should have known that the huge ever-knowing brain of the Word Massive would have covered this before.
Cheers Fraser
No problem
btw - I've got a Canon 350D and a 40D for sale if anyone's interested.
Lenses
The Canon nifty fifty is a snorter for portraits. And alongside a Tamron 18-270, should cover pretty much all requirements. Well.. it does for me..
?
I don't know!
Don't buy new
As with cars, you'll get much better value buying used from a decent dealer. Something like a secondhand Nikon D70 or Canon 350D with kit lens would be ideal to start off with.
If you buy second hand
Make sure you have the sensor professionally cleaned, changing lenses lets all sorts of muck get in. If you can stretch the extra few quid buy a camera with an inbuilt sensor cleaner otherwise you spend more time cleaning up your images on photoshop than you will doing anything else.
I'm biased because I've used Canon for over 30 years, current kit is the 5D Mk 2 and a 1DS Mk 2, both not exactly entry level kit. I've heard amazing reports about the Canon 500D kits however if you have about £700 to spare (new).
Nikon D70
Can vouch for the Nikon D70. Mrs eddie bought one 5 years ago, it's brilliant. Fantastic build quality, perfectly weighted and beautiful images from a realtively old 6 megapixel sensor. There are plenty of 3rd party lenses available too if the Nikon lenses prove too expensive.
People still look out for the D70 on eBay, with a few accessories they are going for £400 second hand but you should be able to get one with the kit lens for c. £250.