DSLR's....I want one but not sure which one!
 

Okay, so here is the deal - my husband tells me that b/c I haven't given him an exact model of a dSLR that I want (for the past 5 years for Christmas) (yeah right :blink:) that he hasn't gotten me one. So this year I'm going to give him the exact model I want, but I don't know what I want! I feel like I'm jumping in the deep end of a pool and am about to drown in information overload when I look online.

I know you guys will give me the best been there, done that advice.

So here's what I know I want to use it for. The everyday moments of catching my boys play, possibly setting up some "home" photo shoots with the boys and their cousins, and taking photos for my Etsy shop.

This is one where you need to 'test drive' the camera. Go to a store that has two or three models that intrigue you and pick them up. Opt for the one that feels best in your hands and meets your requirements.

I really like my Nikon D90. I have a 28-300 Nikon lens that is a great all purpose lens, but the 18-200 is also a good all purpose lens. The drawback to these lenses is that they are pretty heavy.
I took Candice Stringham's Oh Shoot class at Jessicasprague.com and I would highly recommend it if you do get a DSLR. She explains aperture, iso, shutter speed, etc in a way that is easy to understand and has really helped me learn to use the camera. She also gave us this site to read reviews on the various camera models and lenses. http://www.dpreview.com/ It's a good place to go to sort through all of the mumbo jumbo. You do want to make sure that you get a model that has auto focus built into the body of the camera. If you don't then the lenses that you buy need to have auto focus built in and that makes the lenses more expensive.

Ditto, Ditto, Ditto!!!

Buying a DSLR is kind of like buying a bra...you're gonna have to go try a few out before you find the one that fits you best!!! :thumbup:

But I will give you this advise....SKIP the kit lense if you can, either pick up either the 50mm 1.8 or if you can spring for a few more buckss get the 35mm 2.0.

Both top brands (Canon and Nikon) have this lens and for those low light indoor shots you can not beat those 2 lenses!!

What Leila said. I am partial to Canon and had a Canon S5IS before getting my DSLR. I got the Canon 60D because I liked the way it felt, I found an incredible deal on a bundle (with two lenses, a bag, tripod and 2 memory cards and of course the body). The controls to me on the Canon are simpler to me to understand as well. I have used my sisters Nikon to compare and I was kinda lost. Also one feature I love love love about the Canon is the swivel screen. I can swivel my screen out to view photos and back in to protect the screen when it is not in use and so I do not get sweat and skin cells and gunky stuff all over the screen when taking pictures. But really the only way to know for sure is to go to a store which has several models to try. Going in with a price budget to helps because then you can tell the salesman ok I have XXX amount to spend show me models in my price range. And while I always heard not to get the kit lens the two that came with mine (18-135 & 55-300) are both pretty decent lenses.

And I'm the exact opposite of this. My brain totally gets Nikon's controls but not Canon. I also have just always preferred how Nikon cameras feel in my hands. I think some "test driving" of cameras is a great idea! :)

Ditto everyone who says to try them out... I had done all the research and was planning to get a canon until I played with it... It actually hurt my wrist and the controls were confusing to me... The Nikon ended up being a better fit for me... You honestly can't go wrong with either one so choose the one that fits best for you since you're the one that's going to be using it


I also ditto getting the body and then a faster/better lens

To me, it comes down to the $$$. You'll get used to whatever you have, just like you would if you switched from an iPhone to an Android, or a PC to Mac. But just like those examples, you can get a lot more for your money if you go one route, but either option is seriously great. You won't be disappointed with either Nikon or Canon, and you will get wonderful pictures once you've learned how to use manual controls.

So obviously I prefer Canon! (And Android, and PC's, lol) because I would rather get MORE from my photography budget. And not just with the initial purchase, also with future additions of lenses, etc. and upgrading the body later. As others have said, don't bother with a kit lens, for the most part. Go for the body, BUT if you are going for Canon, I bought a bundle this summer with a great zoom lens that I read awesome things about before purchasing. It's bundled in, but it's not a crappy kit lens, it's a great lens and it has an all-purpose range. Add to that a 50mm for $100 or so and you're good to go!

This is the bundle I got: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...01_i00_details That range of lens is usually pretty pricy on it's own.

Depending on your budget, I also usually tell people to shop a model or two back- you can get a great deal and you can't really go wrong with anything in the last few years.

If you do go with Nikon, and you're really interested in photography, skip the consumer level (I don't even know what the model is these days) where you have to buy even PRICIER lenses with motors that you won't need in the future when you upgrade your body to a normal DSLR with a motor in it.

Good luck!

Ditto about tryin the camera out....im a canon girl but honestly you cant go wrong with canon or nikon.and i agree about getting a nice prime lens (35mm or 50 mm)......

Try them out.
Yes skip either of the base models (nikon for lenses, canon for controls) and don't get the kit lens. It really does sound like you are going to use it indoors quite a bit, so get a prime lens 35mm 2.0. You can get a zoom later. But low light conditions of indoors you need that wide open aperture that you cannot get with a variable aperture zoom lens.

Since this is 5 years in the making you don't want to go cheap and then regret it for another 5 years.

I always recommend the Canon T2/T3 for those who prefer Canon and the D7000 for those who prefer Nikon. Both are upper level consumer models and you won't outgrow them in a year or two. The D90 is nice as well, it just is older technology but if you can find a deal on it, then go for it!

I prefer Nikon's controls, less menu's and such to deal with. But it is about what feels good to your hands and such. Even if you start out in Auto you want to be able to know how to get in there and change your White balance and such...that makes a huge deal in the outcome!

good luck and make a decision already! LOL