So, I'm starting school in the fall for photography.
And I've been looking into buying a DLSR... and since I know there's a few of you out there who have these kinds of cameras, I wanted to ask your opinions on them.

I'd like to stay below $900 if at all possible (I've seen some in the $600 range, but part of me worries that it won't last me long if I buy one that cheap.) but I have no problem paying more if I get something that I love and I know will last me for a few years at least.

That being said, what kind of DLSR do you have? Do you like it? Do you wish you would've purchased a different kind instead?
Also, if you guys have any suggestions on different lenses, that would be helpful as well ;D


Thanks in advance! :]

Well, I'm a genius. *** DSLR, not DLSR

Derrr.

I went Canon because I found they give more bang for your buck than Nikon. They're the main two brands at this end of the camera market (aside from the Olympus K7).

I got the Canon 500D with a twin lens kit (18-55mm and 55-250mm) and it cost about $1600 Australian. But I could have gotten it with just the standard 18-55mm lens for like $1300 Australian.

You also have to consider the necessary accessories - tripid (a MUST), UV lens protectors (they put a piece of glass between your lens and the world so they prevent your lens from getting scratched and so on), and a flash (the camera does come with a flash but it's pretty lame). Flashes are expensive though.

To expand on lenses, the 55-250 is like a zoom lens. It's pretty good for doing things like taking photos of the moon or other far-away things. :D And it gives you a nice shallow depth of focus on things that are a few metres away, as opposed to the 18-55 with which you have to get right up close to get the same shallow depth of focus. I do use both lenses quite often, and don't prefer one over the other; they both have their select uses.

Thanks :] I'll keep all of that in mind.

Why do you say a tripod is a must?
I hadn't even thought of one, since I can't really see myself ever using it.

Tripods are used for longer exposures, to keep steadiness. :)

Oooh. I didn't even think of that. ;D
Are they usually pretty expensive?

You can find nice ones for $40-$50 ish! Not too expensive!

Yeah that isn't too bad. Although I think it's going to have to wait until I have a little bit more money to spend, lol.

I'm pretty sure I'm just going to get a camera and some sort of lens to go along with it. Since that's all I really NEED right now ;D

Most digital slr cameras come with an 18-55 mm lens so you don't have to worry about that. If you check on Amazon you can find packages with the camera, that lens plus a 55-250mm lens, memory card, tripod, filters, etc for a decent price!

Eeeh. I don't like buying really expensive things like that online. I like to be able to have it in my hands, and have someone to bitch at in person if it's totally screwed up ;D

Haha true! Well I know there's a lot of places that give student discounts on equipment if you show an ID card, so definitely check into that! There might even be a preferred place for your school, and they usually have a list of things needed for the course and they can help you pick the items according to the curriculum and your budget. :)

you really want to look into getting a UV filter if nothing else too, you can live without a tripod for a bit, but i've scratched lenses and its not fun :( also a screen protector is the second must! my screen has a nasty scratch on it :(

Oh definitely lol. I learned my lesson on that stuff. I didn't get the scratch protector things for my glasses and now they have this scratch on them. I'm just glad it's not really noticeable when I have them on ;D

Mine was $10 xD

damn, that was me

and by $10, i meant my tripod. i have a canon eos digital rebel xsi but i don't know how much it cost because my parents bought it for me as a grad gift : )

mine came with my 18-55mm lens and a zoom lens

Hehe, I figured it was you. I don't think Doodles has a DSLR ;D

But yeah, $10 is a hell of a lot better than $50. If that's the case I'll buy one right away ;D Otherwise it's waiting until next semester lol.
I haven't even looked at how much tripods are for the two cameras I like... I should really do that.

Tripods are one size fits all.

generally a tripod will fit any camera. they give you an attachment which screws onto your camera and you just use that. i got mine at this big bulk type store called XS Cargo and it was on sale for $10... but i really don't think the non-sale price was much more than that xD. Mind you, mine's nothing special or anything hahah

@Jess: Tripods are a necessity, but not an immediate one. xD I strongly recommend getting one eventually though. They're vital if you want to take nighttime or low-light shots using the ambient light (i.e. without a flash). The shutter needs to stay open for longer in order to let enough light in, but that increases the risk of blurriness from camera shake from holding it by hand. The tripod eliminates hand-held camera shake. I use mine quite a lot; if you remember my 365 photo of the moon, that was a more recent time I used it. It's also good if you just don't feel like holding the camera anymore... they can get damn heavy quite quickly. XD

Well I found one that I really like for $550, and apparently its on sale for $500 a lot, so if thats the case, I may just get the tripod right away (if the camera is on sale, that is.)

I figure I can just get a cheaper one right now, and become a little bit more experienced with using it. And then in a year or so (by then I'm sure whatever camera I get will be extremely out-dated anyhow lol.) I can get a more expensive model with a lot more features.

I have a Nikon D3000 and LOVE it.. I'm still learning the ins and outs of it. I spent about $500 on mine. I have the lens that came with it that I believe is 18mm - 55mm. I can get a great shot of the mountains far away with my camera or if I switch to 'flower' on the camera I can get a great shop up close. Like i said I'm still learning about the camera but i absolutely love it

My personal opinion is that the body of the camera doesn't matter as much as the lenses that you put on it.
I have a Canon Rebel XSi and I love it. Granted, I only have the base lens for it, so my opinion is based purely on the body with the 18mm-55mm lens that it comes with.
I paid just over $700 for it, and I don't worry that it won't last me for years.
My advice is to go to a store and actually get the feel for one. I chose Canon because I'm familiar with the brand, but also because it just FELT better in my hands compared to any other brand. Some people prefer the feel of a Nikon. Test one out. Play with it. Figure out which one you'd feel most comfortable with :).

So for the lenses 18mm-55mm is how far away/close it'll focus?
(sorry, I know jack about lenses.)

Yeah. It doesn't have the greatest reach, so you'll definitely need to invest in a zoom lens.