Sony a380 or Nikon D3000??

[Bri w]

Help.

Been out shopping for a couple of weeks now and narrowed it down to the above.

Got a decent compact digi and not sure if the leap is worth it.

Is the pic quality that much different?
Will I need another lens to zoom in shots as well as my compact (5 x optical)?
How many pics will fit on the SD card (the XD on my compact will hold over 900) that comes as standard?
How practical are they for taking anywhere compared to the compact?
Best place to buy from (not much choice around here), willing to travel?

[speedplay]

Help.

Been out shopping for a couple of weeks now and narrowed it down to the above.

Got a decent compact digi and not sure if the leap is worth it.

Is the pic quality that much different?


Yes



Will I need another lens to zoom in shots as well as my compact (5 x optical)?


Not sure, depends on what you want to do with the camera, I got an extra lens (70-300 for te longer stuff)



How many pics will fit on the SD card (the XD on my compact will hold over 900) that comes as standard?


Depends on the quality that you save them in


How practical are they for taking anywhere compared to the compact?


Not as practical as a compact, but then the clue is in the name - compact ;)


Best place to buy from (not much choice around here), willing to travel?


Shop about online, have a look in your local store, have a fettle and decide which one you like then go on the net and find it cheaper ;)



.

[fizzwheel]

1. DSLR will take a much better one. But it can depend on the lens on the DSLR, but in general I'd say yes, vastly superior.

2. You may do, it depends on how far away the subject matter is. I have a 70-300mm for just that reason the standard lens doesnt give me the pics I want if I taking sports photography pics.

3. I have a 8gb card, in my Nkion D40 its good enough for over 2000's pictures, but I mostly shot in JPG at maximum resolution. If you are shooting raw you might need a bigger card.

4. Depends, my DSLR, with the 18-55 standard lens on it fits nicely into a tankbag or a rucksack, It can be a pain in the bum particularly on a longer bike trip if space is tight.

5. I got all my gear from Jessops, but theres plenty of other places, ebay can be useful for 2nd hand stuff. Personally I'd rather buy it from a retailer and then I have somewhere to go back to if I have a problem.