SLR camera advice please

[Steve Bullman]

I know there are a lot of budding photographers here so thought I would ask your advice. Looking to buy an slr camera as a gift, but have no idea on the jargon other than megapix count. Budget is around £300. Is this a realistic budget to get something decent in the slr range or would I simply be breaking into slr territory with a sub standard camera?

 

Looking at jessops currently, any of these stand out to anyone?

 

Digital SLR Cameras - Jessops

[phedders]

Well "you cant go wrong with canikon" is the usual reply. And to an extent that is true. Or it was...

 

But both Canon and Nikon have been resting on their "name" for years. They are not innovating in years now, and they charge a huge premium for the name.

 

If you want compact, innovative and value for money check out (particularly the mirrorless camers) from Sony, Panasonic and Olympus (and maybe Pentax).

 

Personally - I think some of the Sony cameras are particularly interesting - I love my A6000, but the 4/3rds cameras have many appealing points too.

 

The caveat is that there is still a wealth of awesome glass for the canikon universes... the flip side is that you can use _all_ of that glass on the mirrorless cameras (particularly Sony's) with adapters because they have a shorter register distance.

 

So if you really want a huge range of lenses and dont want to use adapters then its canikon still. For everyone else... there are better options.

 

And just to throw a spanner in the works... do you really need a changeable lens camera? There are some amazing bridge cameras with brilliant and well matched lens in the 300 quid bracket that I would look at first. Unless you really want to be able to use some extreme wide angle/fisheye or really fast (read expensive) or massive telephoto lenses... then the megazoom bridge cameras are a great deal. And lets face it - if you want to buy lots of interesting lenses, your 300 quid budget is fantasy

[phedders]

For example you could look at something like this with a _huge_ zoom range

 

Samsung WB2200F Digital Smart Camera (EC-WB2200BPBGB) - Wex Photographic

 

Or if you can stretch a little - this has a fast lens - wonderful for low light/action and is an amazing little camera.

 

Sony Cyber-Shot RX100 II Digital Camera - Black (DSCRX100M2CDN.YG) - Wex Photographic

 

 

 

PS Do not care about Megapixels. Unless you are doing magazine or billboard shoots. We are well past the days that it makes an iota of difference for most users.

[Peter]

For £300 I probably wouldn't bother with an slr, unless you really want interchangeable lenses. If the person you're buying for already has lenses then go for something compatible, if they want to buy their own to suit the camera then I'd go for one of the better bare cameras, otherwise go for a compact.

[mendiplogs]

For example you could look at something like this with a _huge_ zoom range

 

Samsung WB2200F Digital Smart Camera (EC-WB2200BPBGB) - Wex Photographic

 

Or if you can stretch a little - this has a fast lens - wonderful for low light/action and is an amazing little camera.

 

Sony Cyber-Shot RX100 II Digital Camera - Black (DSCRX100M2CDN.YG) - Wex Photographic

 

 

 

PS Do not care about Megapixels. Unless you are doing magazine or billboard shoots. We are well past the days that it makes an iota of difference for most users.

HI STEVE THAT what we the sony RX100 good for the money ive mate that payed ££££££ thats ok if your well into thanks jon

[Steve Bullman]

Thanks for the advice Phedders, will look at those options

[Steve Bullman]

For £300 I probably wouldn't bother with an slr, unless you really want interchangeable lenses. If the person you're buying for already has lenses then go for something compatible, if they want to buy their own to suit the camera then I'd go for one of the better bare cameras, otherwise go for a compact.

this is sort of what i was thinking would be the case

[IVECOKID]

For that you should get you could or should get a decent 2nd hand Nikon digital D3100 Which is a very capable camera and what I use now , I learnt photography with a 35mm Olympus OM10 .

 

Ste

[IVECOKID]

Ps. Has said above dont get Fixated with pixels has anything above 11 million pixels' is not noticeable to the human eye.

 

Ste

[carlos]

we have the nikkon d3200, seems like a good camera, might depend on what they want to do with it, ie close up, sport etc, we just got the 18-55mm lense with it which only seems to shine at close up portraits and additional lenses can be pricey.

carl