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Buying first DSLR

By Hugo Lim + August 30th, 2008

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I spent hours discussing with XW giving him opinions in buying his first DSLR today. Here’s some complication that may be useful for you!

Sony is hot now!

The big three? Okay, maybe I should say The Big Two. Canon and Nikon.

The next best possible player that bite up the juicy DSLR market would be Sony. Sony is new young aggressive player in the emerging hot DSLR competition lately. Sony is being aggressive in pumping features into its body like Image Stabilization built-in to their bodies.

If you ask me, well it depends on what level you are in now. Too much of variables, read on!

Read more about Nikon DX lenses:-

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/dx-lenses.htm

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/underwater-photography/243712-nikon-d40-any-good.html

What the heck is crop body/ full frame?

I can simply conclude that most of professional DSLR are of full frames, the rest are crop body just to give you the rough idea. For your first body, usually, go for crop body.

There are too much of resources on the Internet so I will save my breath from explaining what is crop body/full frame.

Read up at:-

http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Glossary/Camera_System/sensor_sizes_01.htm
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=326872

Conclusion?

Go to shop, try it out, read some reviews and make your own conclusion.

PS: Beware, once you have bought your DSLR, you will start buying possibly brand dependent accessories. It will be too costly to jump ship (change brand) as there are too much of things to discard and you can’t reuse them. Of course if you have money to burn, this isn’t much of an issue at all.

Also, I’m a happy Canon clicker! Personal opinion again, Canon 400D or Canon 450D? I’m an existing 400D user, I will not certainly upgrade to 450D. There isn’t quite a big ‘jump’ in features/spec. I will stay loyal with Canon for the time being because of the Canon 50D announcement!

Appendix:

Chat Log:

[10:34] Hugo: hello dai dai ko [10:34] XW: wanna ask pro some comment [10:35] XW: wat DSLR would u recommend me if u wanna get 1 end of this year [10:36] XW: aiks…..chat wit pro too stress…so many typo [10:36] XW: hahhaa [10:36] Hugo: haha if u ask me… [10:36] Hugo: hmm [10:36] XW: u’ll say canon [10:36] XW: hahahhaa [10:36] Hugo: for beginner.. i recommend either canon.. [10:36] Hugo: or sony also good gehh [10:36] Hugo: yes.. canon [10:36] Hugo: cheap price tag, features packed! [10:37] Hugo: nvr go for nikon for beginner model [10:37] Hugo: if you wan enthusiasts/ pro/ semi pro.. go for nikon d300 / d700 [10:37] Hugo: beginner.. .400d rocks! [10:37] XW: oh.. [10:37] XW: how bout the new 1000d? [10:38] Hugo: errr… [10:38] Hugo: dun lahhh [10:38] Hugo: not much diff in price tag between 400d and 1000d right? [10:38] XW: how much is 400d now? [10:38] Hugo: dunno [10:38] XW: 1000d is 1999 retail price..i think [10:38] Hugo: ooooooooo [10:38] XW: hehehe….get 450D..wahahha [10:39] XW: A350 look nice….how was it ar? [10:39] Hugo: 450d.. hmm.. can also [10:39] Hugo: a350… hmmmmm [10:40] Hugo: dunno much.. didnt study much bout it.. just read some reviews [10:40] Hugo: u go read read reviews first loh.. [10:40] XW: read alots already..hahaha [10:40] XW: this few days keep on reding review in office…hahahah [10:40] Hugo: take note: sony using sony konica-minolta mounting.. [10:40] Hugo: mounting is another good factor to think about [10:41] XW: canon have 3 type, right? [10:41] Hugo: canon using canon mount [10:41] Hugo: nikon using nikon mount [10:41] Hugo: sony using konica minolta mount [10:42] XW: icic.. [10:42] Hugo: i think nikon has the most lens variety line up [10:42] Hugo: canon i think second.. [10:42] XW: icic.. [10:43] XW: y very less ppl recommend sony dslr 1? [10:43] Hugo: good Q [10:43] Hugo: sony is new.. [10:43] Hugo: too new.. [10:43] Hugo: not mature in dslr market [10:44] Hugo: nikon is the super old bird [10:44] Hugo: canon is not as old as nikon but [10:44] Hugo: its gaining ground very fast and competing with nikon at some levels [10:44] Hugo: sony is aggressive even though its still very new [10:44] Hugo: it has limited lens line up [10:45] Hugo: very little.. and often very expensive as compared to other brands (nikon/canon) of the same range [10:45] Hugo: even if sony has the lens for that particular range [10:45] Hugo: hmmmmm.. [10:46] Hugo: sony appeals to newbies in dslr because of some very handy features like image stabilization [10:46] Hugo: while nikon and canon have their own justification on not putting stabilization feature built on camera bodyu [10:46] Hugo: *body [10:46] Hugo: whilist sony put it inside the body making every len tucked in has stabilization capability [10:47] Hugo: canon and nikon are both lens dependant.. must have stabilization mechanism built in [10:47] XW: so actually IS in body is better or in lens? [10:48] Hugo: good question.. i dun hav the definite answer [10:48] Hugo: some claims so, some not [10:48] XW: yalo… [10:48] XW: hey hey [10:48] XW: going to meeting awhile.. [10:49] XW: later come back chat wit u again ar.. [10:49] XW: paiseh paiseh [10:49] Hugo: k Wednesday, August 27, 2008 13:07:07 [13:07] XW: finally i’m back [13:07] XW: hahaha [13:07] Hugo: welcome back [13:14] XW: if i choose A350 will i regret ar? [13:15] XW: coz as i know sony’s picture have more noise then canon and nikon [13:15] XW: the view finder is oso smaller [13:15] Hugo: sony censor = out side~~~ [13:16] Hugo: canon sensor jajaja good [13:16] Hugo: big viewfinder is essential [13:16] Hugo: u choose a350.. buy it! [13:16] Hugo: then tell me a year later if u regret lahhh [13:16] XW: hahaha…. [13:16] Hugo: hmm. no need 1 year also i htink [13:16] XW: u help me pay half lo [13:16] Hugo: u buy it.. we sit down and compare.. then we know if its a good purchase [13:17] XW: then i straight go buy [13:17] XW: compare the image quality i dun think it will better then yyour cam [13:17] XW: ok make things simple.. [13:18] XW: wanna ask u 1 more thing [13:18] XW: a350 or a300? [13:18] Hugo: dunno… [13:18] Hugo: the bigger the number the better it is right? [13:18] XW: different is 350 is 4MP more but 2.5fps for jpeg only [13:18] Hugo: a350 then! tada~~~ [13:18] Hugo: 2.5fps can dieeee [13:18] XW: 300 is 10MP but 3fps [13:19] Hugo: can die alsooooo [13:19] Hugo: for your info: 3fps is not fast enuf for me [13:19] Hugo: i need more~~~~ [13:19] Hugo: 6 will be a good number at least [13:20] XW: oh…but all entry DLSR is around there oni [13:20] XW: even 450D i think 3.5fps only [13:20] Hugo: yes.. still not enuf! [13:21] Hugo: that if u r going into action / sports… [13:21] XW: icic.. [13:24] XW: 14 MP n slower FPS or 10MP n slightly faster FPS? [13:28] Hugo: harrrrrrr [13:28] Hugo: u talking bout a300 and a350 ar? [13:28] XW: yaya [13:28] XW: price different i think is about 400+- [13:29] Hugo: ooooooooo [13:29] Hugo: dunno… [13:29] Hugo: u go read review lah [13:29] Hugo: i have very limited info on sony’s [13:30] XW: review nothing wo..350 n 300 exactly the same..beside MP oni…haha [13:31] Hugo: ooooo [13:31] XW: what i wanna ask is worth to spend few hungred for that 4mp? [13:31] XW: hundred* [13:31] Hugo: err… up to your own justification worrrr [13:32] XW: oh….. [13:32] XW: but c end of year if affort to buy 450D i’ll buy 450D.hahaha [13:33] Hugo: hmmmmmmmmm [13:33] Hugo: comparing 450d and 400d… there isnt much big “jump” in spec lah.. [13:33] Hugo: hmmmmmmmm [13:34] XW: izit? not sure bout that..hahahahaaa [13:35] Hugo: err.. [13:35] Hugo: in other words.. [13:35] Hugo: current 400d users wont fancy upgrading to 450d… [13:35] Hugo: not much of “big jump” [13:35] XW: oh… [13:36] Hugo: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydslra350/ [13:36] Hugo: review = always a good source of info [13:36] XW: haha..read thru it already lo [13:38] Hugo: now read this! http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canoneos50d/ [13:38] Hugo: jajaja.. i wan this next! [13:38] Hugo: u wait till the end of the year arr.. very good [13:38] XW: hahaha…50D [13:38] Hugo: jajajaa.. i can sell u my 400d [13:38] XW: ahaha [13:38] Hugo: i want 50d! [13:39] XW: can u still use ur lens in 50D? [13:39] Hugo: yup.. can [13:39] Hugo: same mounting and… [13:39] Hugo: its a crop body also [13:40] Hugo: ok.. for canon.. there is EF and EFS [13:40] Hugo: EFS lens for crop body and full frame [13:40] Hugo: EF can be used for all [13:40] Hugo: for nikon.. there are FX and DX [13:40] Hugo: DX for nikon crop body [13:40] Hugo: FX for all bodies [13:40] XW: icic… [13:40] Hugo: for nikon, i think the info im giving is correct lah [13:40] Hugo: for sony.. i dunno anything [13:41] XW: hahaha [13:41] XW: Y JLica like sony so much [13:42] Hugo: is she? [13:42] Hugo: ooooo? [13:42] XW: ya… [13:42] XW: so like sony alpha so much [13:42] Hugo: oooo? [13:42] Hugo: hmmmmmm [13:42] XW: everytime i talk dslr wit her ar…she will say like alpha is the best like that [13:42] Hugo: ya keeee [13:42] Hugo: hahah… [13:43] Hugo: im not gonna be bias or discriminative… [13:43] Hugo: u do the judgement [13:43] XW: and i say 1000D to her [13:43] Hugo: no point talking about it only.. [13:43] XW: she say it’s not good…no feature [13:43] Hugo: see some sample pics, try it by urself [13:43] Hugo: check out reviews and so on [13:43] Hugo: do your on conclusion [13:43] XW: compare to sony sony better live view , performance, dr n etc etc.. [13:44] XW: wah…i kena tembak cham cham [13:44] Hugo: hahah…….. [13:44] Hugo: itu hard core biased sony supporter dy lahhh [13:44] XW: yalo… [13:44] Hugo: i wont force u into buying canon [13:44] XW: to biased… [13:44] Hugo: and i admit nikon high end models are better than canon flagship model [13:44] Hugo: but for low-end range, nikon sucks big time [13:45] XW: nola…actually i’m still new ma…so i wanna know what is the major consideration when choosing a dslr lo [13:45] Hugo: hmmmmmmm [13:45] Hugo: u wont go wrong with either canon or nikon…… [13:45] Hugo: lots of lens to choose from.. [13:45] XW: everyone will like sony coz of the live view.. [13:45] Hugo: sony.. im abit scared.. [13:45] Hugo: like what i told u, its still new.. very new.. [13:45] XW: but i know it’s not really useful [13:46] Hugo: live view, up to your own justification.. sometimes.. its damn useful~~~ [13:46] Hugo: most of the time, its not [13:46] XW: ya….when u need to hold ur camera high n snap , then it’s useful lo [13:47] Hugo: yes.. thats the only time [13:48] Hugo: i think i gonna write an article in my blog [13:48] Hugo: “buying your first dslr” [13:48] XW: lol… [13:48] Hugo: LOL [13:48] XW: hahahaha [13:48] XW: actually 1st camera i think i no need to demand so much in the performance, feature lo.. [13:49] XW: coz i don’t know anything yet… [13:49] XW: when i own my own unit only i’ll slowly find out what i really wan and wat feature is really important to me [13:49] Hugo: true enuf.. correct [13:50] XW: but… [13:50] XW: i need to choose a better brand lo.. [13:50] XW: coz during the 1st camera, i’ll buy the accesories d.. [13:50] Hugo: beware, u will start buying brand dependent stuff and… slowly.. u will kill yourself.. finding jumping ship is hard later [13:50] XW: so when i change body i still can use back those accesories lo.. [13:51] XW: yaya..that’s wat i wanna say…hahaha…u type faster then me [13:51] Hugo: hahah yess [13:51] Hugo: brilliant.. [13:51] Hugo: personal opinion: im a happy canon shutter [13:51] Hugo: [13:51] XW: hahaha… [13:52] Hugo: does JL owns one sony now? how can she knows so much about whats good? who knows she will have different say when she got herself one later?? [13:52] Hugo: you will never know~ [13:53] Hugo: brb.. very bz nowwww.. very… [13:53] XW: ya…u know her style lo….she nv hav 1…but when she so into and like something…she will talk till it’s superb [13:53] XW: okok

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