DIGITAL SLR's

TotalNovice

Well-Known Member
I want to buy a DSLR but I have to be honest I don't know which one to get, I have looked at a Nikon D3100.

Does anyone have any experience of these camera's?

Could anyone give me any advive an which one's to avoid, if any?



Thanks and best regards

TotalNovice
 
A friend of mine has the D3100 and really likes it. I will be honest, I like Nikon a lot, enough to have bought the D300 for myself, and my wife has the D90, as do a few friends.

However, so long as you get either Nikon or Canon you should not be disappointed. Buying from one of those two you know there is great backup, and a huge number of lenses etc available later.
 
A friend of mine has the D3100 and really likes it. I will be honest, I like Nikon a lot, enough to have bought the D300 for myself, and my wife has the D90, as do a few friends.

However, so long as you get either Nikon or Canon you should not be disappointed. Buying from one of those two you know there is great backup, and a huge number of lenses etc available later.



Thanks for the reply John_R, It looks like I may be going for the D3100, I just wanted someone else's opinion, just in case they were not an ideal DSLR.

You've just made the decision a lot easier.:)

Regards
TotalNovice
 
I agree with the comment that you will not be disappointed with either a Nikon or a Canon.

I'm a Nikon man myself. As to which unit you buy will be a mix of the usual budget and what do you want to use it for. This latter part may make a big difference as it will dictate what sort of lens you may want.
As in optics for your gun, I'd focus (DOH, sorry) on lens first and then body. As a starter for ten, if you want a really good general purpose lens that will do just about anything, consider the 18-200 VR. Not cheap at a shade over £500, but saves a lot of mucking around.
Then shop round for your body (unless you can get a package deal) - you should pick up a deal.

E t R
 
Two thing to consider....I didn't and regret it....Again between nikon and canon, If alot of your friends etc have one make i'd lean to the same, the lenses don't switch between the 2. My mate didn't know i was buying, he has a pile of lenses that would have been ideal for what i needed but I bought nikon he had canon!!

Also try to buy either a good body with a horrible lense that you can upgrade or vice versa. Its kind of a point in time whether you'll be a nikon or canon user forever. I got a nice body (can't remember model of top of head) and it had a cheap lense but now i hae a nice 18 - 200 and a nice macro and saving for a bigger lense. my close mate has a 2000 super dooper lense he rarely user, only on safaris that I could have been using!!!
 
I agree with most of the above, with Nikon or Cannon you won't go wrong! My perosnal view is that I find the Nikon menus easier to use. All of the New Nikons will take brilliant photos. One thing to look at is lens backwards compatability. Some of the newer Nikons (my D40 and the D3100) do not have a focus motor of their own and only autofocus with newer (and more expensive) AF-S, AF-I VR or G lenses.

Lots of info here:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/index.htm
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm

This might not be a problem. I think this lack of motor is what makes these new Nikons so light and small. It certainly cuts down your lens choice to a shorter and more manageable list!

The 18 - 200 mm lens looks awesome. I have gone down the cheaper alternative option which involves buying the 18-55 and 55-200mm VR. I don't find changing lenses a problem and generally leave the one of them behind depending on what I intend to photograph.

Good Luck!
 
May i steel on to this thread as i do take a camera while i am out stalking so it needs to be a compact. Are any of the above camers large pocket size and robust.;)
PS Thanks TN for the compliments but with a real good camera i am sure i could get some lets say out of this worl pictures of Roe Deer.
 
I agree that either Canon or Nikon will be find, some of the older models offer very good VFM as long as you are careful with lens compatibility and it's worth checking on the size of the LCD screen, I prefer the larger ones as I can see them better without specs.
 
Just got my daughter the new Canon 1100D for her birthday. Its really good. For the best price see the camerapricebuster website.


Ian
 
I've got quite a few lenses for my old Pentax 35mm SLR. Would they be useable on a Pentax digital?

Harry, the fittings will almost certainly match, but if they are AF, that may well not work. They should still work as manual lenses and the glass is probably a higher quality than one gets these days! You'd need to check specifically with the model you had in mind.
 
If they are K mount they will go on, but as someone else has stated above, the auto functions may or may not work.

Sounds like it might have to be a case of taking a lens along to the shop to try on the prospective purchase.
 
Total Novice
I would 2nd Muddy42's recommendation to have a look at kenrockwell.com for an opinion and practical user guide. Might help you decide if its what your after. Certainly seems quite compact and lightweight for an SLR and being Nikon you won't be disappointed with the quality.

6pointer
Realisticly these SLR's are a tad too big for carrying in a pocket when stalking. I have taken out a Nikon D90 and a D300 a few times but in a rucksack or gasmask bag
 
I've got quite a few lenses for my old Pentax 35mm SLR. Would they be useable on a Pentax digital?

I have a freind who did this. In most cases you have to have an adaptor ring but make sure it is a genuine Pentax one the copies tend to get stuck and resulted in camara and lens having to be sent away to be parted at a cost of around £100.

On the other point you wont go wrong with canon or nikon . I have had both but now have 2 300D bodies and a 7D which is the tits.

Mark
 
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I want to buy a DSLR but I have to be honest I don't know which one to get, I have looked at a Nikon D3100.

Does anyone have any experience of these camera's?

Could anyone give me any advive an which one's to avoid, if any?



Thanks and best regards

TotalNovice

Used to use cannon Eos range (great camera menu not to bad to navigate) Then changed to Nikon D90, 16-85mm, 70-300mm, lenses. The D3100 is a also great camera try to get as good a lense that you can afford (maybe a good second hand body, try park cameras, or london camera exchange, only thing i would say, hold the camera before you purchase, as cameras can be a bit of a personnal thing with how they feel in your hand.
 
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