Can someone recommend a camera?

nij

Hi guys,

Could someone recommend a professional/high-end digital camera around the €1000 mark? There are many to choose from, and I know there must be one that has the edge on the others!

This is for a gift

Thanks in advance!

RoryW

Nice gift

I have the Nikon D80 which I would recommend.
It comes with an 18-135mm kit lens and costs approx €1100 in Ireland.

see http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond80/ for a review


Comments on many more cameras can be found in the sticky above

mathias

If its a gift do you know if the person has lenses already , if so , check what type , they dont fit all cameras ,

If its their first camera , go Nikon or Canon , Im a Canon user so I'll throw a recommendation in for the 40D , can be had for just under 1000 and brand new on the market.
Review here ,

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos40d/

There are various pretenders to the Dual throne of Canon and Nikon , but for sheer choice in terms of lenses and flexibility , they are the two best , no doubt about it.

elven

If this is a gift, I'm guessing the person must be quite into photography already. Don't go buying something without at least attempting to find out if they have any preferences. There's no such thing as a single camera that is better than all the rest, they all have particular strengths and weaknesses and then it comes down to personal preference for lens choice, and modes of operation (canon has most functions in menus and nikons generally have a button for everything) so it can be a big mistake to go with the wrong one just because it has more megapixels or other gimmicks.

Drop some sneaky hints before making any purchases...

ThOnda

If it is for me, so Pentax K10D, battery grip, two 4GB cards, pancake prime and UV filter for that :-)

As mentioned above, camera of that price and range should be chosen by user, not just given. Familiarity with brand design, controls and functions is really helpful. Not to mention compatibility of lenses and flashes.

You shouldn't be wrong in that price level, if you don't buy from the most expensive shops. Compare, make a list and present it as a "wish list". And buy it after christmas - you'll save 10-15%. Make a personalized "Voucher".
Make the decision making process a part of that gift.

nij

Thanks for the replies so far guys. Seems a lot of people have different preferences.

Yeah, she's really really into it and wants to get involved professionally in some capacity. She's expressed interest in a high end digital camera in the recent past, and is so bummed about not being able to quite afford one. I realise it would always be best to consult the person when dealing with a pricetag like this, but I'd like to keep it a surprise if possible. I'll work on getting some more info from her...

rahtkennades

Nij, as pointed out below, this is really something the person will probably have their own ideas for.

So, bring her to a camera shop and ask her which one she wants!

It's that or...... a voucher.:eek:

Thirdfox

Or just cash in a brown envelope

The reason there are so many is because no one camera has a massive edge over another (or else everyone would be using that camera!) So more details are necessary before we can give advice.

But hey just for the fun of it - get him/her a Nikon D40 with 18-55mm kit lens and 55-200mm VR lens and SB-600 speedlight (flash) - should be around E1000 and will keep someone coming from a P&S very satisfied.

A higher end body e.g. Nikon D80 would mean you don't have any money left to get the other lenses, flash etc.

It all depends on how "professional" you want the camera to be...

Phil01

Hi,

I'm in the same position, i'm looking to buy a pro camera for a friend as a bday gift, i've already layed some hints and they want a nikon or canon camera.

So basically i dont care which one, the person doesn't own any lenses, so thats not an issues.
I'm looking for a pro cam under the €1000 mark, if thats possable?

Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks.