new camera thoughts
 

I love photography, but I have never been a photographer. I am looking at these cameras on Amazon like the canon SD1100, 770 etc. I know some of you lads have some nicer, professional ones. But for a beginner like me who has no experience what should I be looking at? Would a point and shoot like the aforementioned suffice? I would love spending around 300 on a nice beginner but I am not so keen about spending more at this point...Thoughts?

Go to KenRockwell.com he has good advice.

I got sick of my point and shoot focusing on the window. thats a pain. Check out the Nikon D40. You can get it with a nice lens from amazon for 409. It will give you more room to grow than a point and shoot. I carry a D90 with an 18-200mm on trips. fits in the end pocket of my flight bag.

*Thread Revival*

Looking to step up from my point and shoot. I have narrowed it down the Nikon D40 and found one online on sale for $559 new, on emicrox. Is this a decent price? My online searches have all shown in the 650-700 range, but I noticed some post saying they are in the 400 range. Have the prices gone up that much over the last year?

Edit: Just found them online at photosuperstore for $469 and and dailydealdigital for $479.a...anyone know anything about these websites?

Be sure to check BBB. There are many online photography retailers that are nothing more than scammers.

$549 for a D40? I hope its coming with a whole slew of goodies. If that is just for the body, I wouldn't even remotely consider it. The D40 has been replaced 3x over. It is a discontinued item. The price would not go up unless its a scam.

You can get a D3000 + 18-55mmVR for $549 from BH.

bhphotovideo and adorama are your best bets for legit online photography sales.

new camera thoughts
 

I think the D-40 would be a good choice, great camera. However, I just bought a D-3000 Nikon for less than that amount and I can tell you that it has so many improvements with excellent image quality. I also own a Nikon D-5000 with even more improvements, but with about the same image quality as the D-3000. My Son and I used to have an aerial photography business and We found out that Nikon worked best for us. Good luck.

Not sure if this is a good deal or not but they have them for $499 at best buy with the following included. Although it's on the website, it shows not in stock anywhere...

* Nikon 6.1-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera
* 18-55mm f/3.5 - f/5.6 ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens
* Lithium-ion battery with quick charger
* USB cable
* Camera strap, body, eyepiece and accessory shoe caps, rubber eyecup and software CD-ROM
* Owner's manual

I am having a hard time finding a new D40, for a reasonable price, (I know they have been discontinued), although I am still looking. In the mean time I've decided to take a harder look at the D5000. Anyone have and good info on this camera?

The D40/60/3000 (same basic camera, essentially), is a great body to learn how to use a DSLR. I started on a D60, myself (10mp vs the D40's 6mp).

I know you said you're ready to move up from your p&s, but depending on how you see yourself using the camera, a DSLR may or may not be worth the several hundred bucks.

Just for family vacation/sight-seeing snapshots? I'd take a look at a high feature super-zoom camera. They have many of the features and manual controls that a DSLR has and are also easier to maintain than DSLRs.

Looking for the ease of full control and superior low-light capability that a DSLR offers or you're looking to pursue photography as a new hobby? Yeah, go for a DSLR.

The D5000 is an interesting specimen. High quality CMOS image sensor, but does not possess an internal auto-focus drive motor, which in your case probably isn't important.

Long-story short....if you see yourself keeping the camera set on the 'green box' i.e., auto-mode, and never using the manual/semi-manual modes, then I'd go for a high feature super-zoom. Otherwise, as an entry-level camera, the D5000 would work just fine to cut your teeth on using a DSLR.

This is exactly my goal! Thanks for all the information/advice.

*cough*Don't forget Canon*cough*

Haha, I thought a Canon guy would have to speak up. I did look into the Canons. A friend let me try his camera (Cannon T1i) and a I checked out a few in the stores. I just like the way the Nikons felt in my hands. I really don't think I could go wrong with either the Nikon or the Canon.

I think I have decided on the D5000. Now just wondering if I should buy new or get a refub, although refubs make me nervous...

I have a Canon T2i and I absolutely love it. It's extremely light though, which always makes me wonder about the build quality. So far however it's held up beautifully (just got it about 5 months ago) and I've come to really appreciate the extremely low weight.

My girlfriend has a D90, and she loves it. We both really like the solid feel of the camera. It's been dropped...gently if that makes sense, and it's held up perfectly.

We both prefer the Canon's photo's over the D90's, but honestly, they both take amazing photo's and you'd be pleased with any DSLR.

Thanks for all the replies. I went ahead and ordered a D5000...hope it's not too much camera. I was looking for a camera to do the standard family stuff but also learn to do more with photography.

I saw they just released info about the new D3100 and was thinking of waiting, but I figured I could wait forever if I always held out for the latest and greatest. May kick myself in the butt later but I don't think the extra MP's and 1080P was enough to sway me.