Entry Level DSLR

g0g

Looking for some suggestions on good value deals for entry-level DSLRs. I know there's the cheap option of simpyelectronics but for something like this I kinda like the idea of buying in B&M store. Has anyone been through airport recently and know what deals are like there? I'm flying to Germany soon and could plan to pick up something there if prices are good. I've also heard Argos is excellent for prices?

Models that seem to be coming up are Canon 1100D, Nikon D3100 and also maybe the next level up (I think!) 550D or D5100.

Not too fussy on getting a second lens with it for the moment.

Any suggestions appreciated!:)

Moon54

Argos have a good price on the Nikon D3100 @ €490
Out of stock in most places but 1 left in Clonmel Extra shop. There may be others.... didn't check them all
EDIT: also 2 left in Letterkenny...

The Canon 600D is also a great camera, more expensive though.
I have it and love it but I don't see any online deals for it anywhere.

indough

a 550d is a much better choice if you intend on doing any filming at all, you can pick one up on adverts for around the price of a new nikon. although the panasonic gh2 is meant to be better again but im not sure what the going rate is for them. i also have a 600d but it would be well out of the price youre looking for and the only real difference between that and the 550d is the swivel screen.

any of the ones you mentioned are ok if you dont want to use it as a camcorder but i just find it handy to be able to do both

g0g

Moon54 wrote: »

Argos have a good price on the Nikon D3100 @ €490
Out of stock in most places but 1 left in Clonmel Extra shop. There may be others.... didn't check them all
EDIT: also 2 left in Letterkenny...

The Canon 600D is also a great camera, more expensive though.
I have it and love it but I don't see any online deals for it anywhere.

Thanks yeah looks to only be in stock in a few contry stores on the checker. I'm wondering if the price will be much better in the airport. 1100D is € 467 on Argos and seems to be in stock everywhere.

indough wrote: »

a 550d is a much better choice if you intend on doing any filming at all, you can pick one up on adverts for around the price of a new nikon. although the panasonic gh2 is meant to be better again but im not sure what the going rate is for them. i also have a 600d but it would be well out of the price youre looking for and the only real difference between that and the 550d is the swivel screen.

any of the ones you mentioned are ok if you dont want to use it as a camcorder but i just find it handy to be able to do both

Thanks! 550D is € 713 on Argos - ouch! Seems to be € 680 on Simply Electronics so not much saving there...

Not sure about second hand. Like the idea of new with warranty and I'll know history from day 1, plus if I go Canon it'll include a course they told me in the shop.

I do like the idea of being able to use as camcorder too though.

indough

personally i wouldnt buy off simplyelectronics! they have some good feedback but also a lot of negative.

heffsarmy

Amazon are doing 600d body only for 539sterling canon currently have a cash back offer we're you can claim 50sterling on the 600d. Free shipping, you could pick up a cheap lens. Keep your eye out on warehouse express, I got a cracking deal 600d with a free canon mg 5350 printer for 549 plus 15quid shipping, but I can claim back 50quid on The camera and 30 quid on the printer, which was 485sterling, the offer is gone.

MrAbc

Just to mention some options... hard to say they're obvious bargains, but very possibly better value in the long run....

If your budget could stretch to it, I'd suggest leaning toward a better lens: ie. fast aperture, stabilised zoom eg Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 VC (not the LD version). Lens on its own is ~€380
Nikon D3100 kit €755
...Helps avoid use of slow shutter or noisey high ISO, helps focusing in low light, gives better ability to blur backgrounds, (arguably) better resale value.
Another option is Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4.0, not as fast but the longer reach over a standard zoom might appeal more than getting a second (slowish) lens soon.
There's also the (slowish) Nikon 18-105 f/3.5-5.6.

Also, very personally, instead of the entry models, I'd really opt for a used higher-grade body with a much better viewfinder and easier(and more) controls: ie. bigger, brighter view for composing/focusing[the essential function of a camera! nb LiveView=slow focusing]; bigger comfortable grip, quicker button & 2nd dial access to functions. And you might catch a good bargain of included kit if so inclined, or a bargain body if very patient.
eg body-only Nikon D80 (viewfinder 95% x0.95) on Amazon market or eBay sample. Maybe €300 inc P&P?

Just a few thoughts :-)

g0g

MrAbc wrote: »

Just to mention some options... hard to say they're obvious bargains, but very possibly better value in the long run....

If your budget could stretch to it, I'd suggest leaning toward a better lens: ie. fast aperture, stabilised zoom eg Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 VC (not the LD version). Lens on its own is ~€380
Nikon D3100 kit €755
...Helps avoid use of slow shutter or noisey high ISO, helps focusing in low light, gives better ability to blur backgrounds, (arguably) better resale value.
Another option is Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4.0, not as fast but the longer reach over a standard zoom might appeal more than getting a second (slowish) lens soon.
There's also the (slowish) Nikon 18-105 f/3.5-5.6.

Also, very personally, instead of the entry models, I'd really opt for a used higher-grade body with a much better viewfinder and easier(and more) controls: ie. bigger, brighter view for composing/focusing[the essential function of a camera! nb LiveView=slow focusing]; bigger comfortable grip, quicker button & 2nd dial access to functions. And you might catch a good bargain of included kit if so inclined, or a bargain body if very patient.
eg body-only Nikon D80 (viewfinder 95% x0.95) on Amazon market or eBay sample. Maybe €300 inc P&P?

Just a few thoughts :-)

Thanks for the reply, although you've now complicated things for me further!!! A lot of what you were saying means very little to me - I'm purely beginner at this stuff! However, the internet comparison I did of D3100 vs D80 suggested D3100 as being much better? Did I understand you right that this Live View thing isn't necessarily good? I'm used to it from bog-standard digital camera and phone, but is it significantly going to slow a DSLR down relative to what it could do without one?

g0g

So I just got through to the airport shop. This bundle is € 589 in store (includes the course) versus € 446 in the airport. Is that as good a deal as I'll get? Camera plus 18-55mm lens plus 75-300 lens.

The woman on the phone reckoned I'd be better going for Nikon 3100 for € 480.67 with just one lens, but she said the HD video capability would be worth it?

MrAbc

Semi-helpful, meandering thoughts follow :
On the point of Live View... being quite heavy and/or using a long zoom setting makes a DSLR a challenge to hold steady during exposure. Having the camera out in front of you to see the screen makes that extra-difficult, unless you can always rest the camera on something sturdy or use a tripod. Hence Live View, while occasionally handy for awkward angles, isn't great generally IMO.
Also, contrast detection (mechanism for focusing during Live View) is typically slower that phase detection.
The mechanical speed of focusing achieved by a certain model of lens is a different question - just obviously to do with the engineering of the lens and the camera system.
Most are quick focusing, the odd few are poorer. You could, conceivably, find a fast (max aperture) lens is slower than usual at focusing due to bad mechanical design or simple inertia of a big lens.

I might add here that where I mentioned (possibly then confusingly) the kit lenses being "slowish" that that was in the context of exposure... ie the shutter speed achievable using the lens at its widest aperture
eg f/4 lens is "slower" than f/2.8 lens (by a factor of 2 in fact) etc etc. A 'slower' lens (at max aperture) admits less light into the camera and so a longer shutter duration is required and makes camera shake more likely, or you need to use higher ISO. Focusing becomes more of a difficulty in low light where the viewfinder image you (or the electronics) use for focusing is dimmer (and Live View looks grainy) etc etc.

On (my pet peeve LOL) viewfinder sizes, snapsort illustrates it graphically here.
Compare Nikon D90 and Canon 1000D!!
D90 == D80
1000D == Canon 1100D and == Nikon D3100


For comparing the D3100 and the D80, then, the issue would be what you might value most in the camera.
Is it the much bigger viewfinder of the D80 and its 2-dial control interface?
Is it the Live View and movie spec of the D3100 or a Canon?
Is it the internal focusing motor of the D80 which lets it focus with many older (cheaper, some better) lenses, not just the later AF-S spec as for the D3100 or D5100?
Is it the fact that the D3100 is a bit lighter to carry around, versus the D80 might feel better balanced if using a heftier lens?
etc
etc
For example, a high-res display screen might be nice but it's not for watching TV :-) More important that's it's readable in daylight and gives good histogram info to guide you to the correctly exposed photo.
each to their own!!

Very important to read the in-depth reviews on DPreview.com. Even just the conclusions.
Handy for comparing specs too, though not always written up perfectly in their database!!


On eBay today, there is a nice offering:
Nikon D80 + Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 might go for <€400 inc P&P?
A person could later add a fast prime, say Nikon 35/1.8G ~€200
or eventually sell the 18-70 and upgrade to ultra-versatile Nikon 18-200 VR ~€500 [Pricey but better than Tamron, Sigma offerings for this type seemingly]

There's the same in the Canon way of course:
nice fast Tamron 17-50/2.8 SP LD ~€285 ...not stabilised version :-( [saves €100 on this]
+EOS 1100D ~€340 or EOS 550D ~€500


Regardless, pretty much any combo will take good pics in normal conditions... hope you catch a good deal. NB I'd still suggest slowly figuring a spec list for yourself of what you want and getting the best price on that rather than jumping on a great deal on some kit that doesn't quite suit you.
The phrase TL: DR springs to mind, apologies if that applies