Digital SLR...Which one?

Okay, I am currently using a Pentax 35mm SLR kit but want to upgrade to a digital SLR. I'm not too phased about keeping the lenses from the pentax kit so any make is cool. I just need to get a really good but reasonably priced bit of SLR kit. I'm not after an "entry level" camera but more of a semi-pro bit-o-kit unless the entry level is of as good a standard as the semi-pro stuff...

Any suggestions

There's three main choices at the moment, for a decent semi-pro:
Nikon D80
Canon EOS 400D
Sony Alpha 100

Practical Photography this month gives the D80 an amazing review, calling it "the best d-slr an enthusiast photographer could buy at the moment". It doesn't have some of the nice features like anti-shake or sensor dust cleaning though.

Sony took over Konica-Minolta's camera division, so the Alpha 100 is the successor to the Minolta 7D. Build quality might not be quite up to Nikon levels but the anti-shake technology is *very* impressive.

I haven't read a review of the Canon yet, but it looks like it will also be a superb camera.

Your best bet is to read all of the reviews that you can get your hands on (www.dpreview.com is the best site on the net for camera reviews) and make up your own mind.

Pentax have announced the new K10D which might be worth investigating.

The dark horse is the Sigma SD14. I've no idea of price, but it features the amazing Foveon sensor

Well there has been a lot of chat on the pixel front recently.

OK, this is my personal view from experience. Oh and don't just count pixels as better image quality, it ain't always.

Nikon has the build quality and handling that the others dream about, D50 is a bargain, D70s is likely to be cheap as it's been replaced by the D80 (that has a much better larger viewfinder view). The stock 18 - 70 is also probably the best of the bunch.

Canon had just released the EOS400 that replaces the 350, the 350 will be going cheap. The semi pro 30D is a better build but will cost. From experience, consumer Canon kit has arguable quality control.

Sony is a new bod, feature rich but if you want to put other makes lenses (Sigma or Tamron) on it you might have problems, same goes for Pentax. The Sony used Minoltas' lens mount so there will be a ton of stuff on e*bay. This model is good value but allegedly feels cheap in comparison to the others.

Pentax is about to launch a 10MP new camera that will be well built and perform very well all round and will accept your exiting Pentax glass but with the lack of independant lens support will probably sell about the same as the Sony.


For your money, I'd wait a tad and see the new Pentax with 10MP and image stable stuff.

Canon may have the spec but may not last. The sony is worth a try, Nikon will seem expensive.

My money, I'd not bother, as I've already been using a D70 for clients for the last 2 years. For my own photo stuff.... well I'll stay with that old film stuff, using a rangefinder or use my very old medium format Bronica.

The first question is What type of photography do you do? it may have a bearing on what camera you require also try to handle as many cameras as you can some will feel more comfortable in your hands than others. Both Nikon and canon have great lens choices from themselves and 3rd party suppliers.

Have a look at Ephotozine .co.uk probably the best on line Photo resource in the UK.
[Shameless plug on] if you want to look at my work I'm vfr400 on there too [shameless plug off]

chris

Just a thought, the Olympus system of cameras is worth a check. Not used them myself so cannot comment on em. The reviews seem to like them.

Good luck with your search.

The Canon EOS would get my vote. I have a friend who is a former FI official photographer and even he swears by them.

Originally Posted by Peter Henry

The Canon EOS would get my vote. I have a friend who is a former FI official photographer and even he swears by them.

Funny this should come up, as I was in Jessops this morning trying out the EOS 400D and Nikon D80

To me the EOS felt a bit lightweight, you could feel the difference with the Nikon. It feels better made.

They both have very similar image quality when they are used with a good lens. The canon lens that comes with the 400d kit seems a bit cheap, where as the nikon is a 300quid model.

Or you can of course buy the body only and choose some £5,000 Canon L lens

Im currently considering the Nikon D80 or a D50 +extra lenses with the spare cash.

10mp vs 6mp, but its only a 30% difference in print size (proportional to the square root). So im not sure, given the 40% price difference as I wont be able to use the D80 to the full, but its nice to have toys.

Anyway, I have found www.dpreview.com is quite useful in these matters.

Im going back on friday to take a look at both and take some test pictures.

Also, if you would prefer to buy this off the high street (i.e. jessops) they will price match off of the internet. Which is nice.

Dan

Nikon D50

£200 cheaper than the D80 and the same functions. Feels a little lightweight but will take better pictures than you can belive.

I got a D50 + 2 lenses for £500 new

I am a bit of a buff and find that it will do everything that is needed and MORE.

Can't go wrong with a nikon... Also ALL lenses Nikon made will fit straight on

Iv,e been lucky enough to be using the Nikon D50 and D200 recently plus a panasonic 8MP bridge camera. FZ30 (£500)

The 6mp D50 produces much sharper pictures than the 8MP bridge camera so its much more than Megapixels that make a good camera. Also the D50 produces better looking J-pegs than the D200 at first glance but with minimal tweaking the D200 produces amazing photos with amazing sharpness and colour saturation.

The D80 seems to have all the ease of use and compact(ish) size of the D50 with most of the image quality and advanced spec of the D200 and is probably the best sub £1000 DSLR on the market. (but some Canon fans might disagree)

I am thinking of selling the D50 soon, (butI dont really want to let it go)

I use Canon kit. I have an EOS 10D (now been replaced by the 30D) and I think it is the best camera I have ever owned.

I have used it at professional Guiness Premiership Rugby in conjunction with a 70-200mm IS USM f2.8 L lens and the results are amazing.

Just my 2p worth.