... an entry level SLR digital camera

ChuckleVision_2

I've been looking at the Nikon D60 (and D40) and also the Cannon EOS450D but just don't know what to go for.

I want to have the vibration reduction.

There are very little deals about, and all the prices seem to have gone up (due to exchange rates apparently).

any recommendations please?

Bluelion

Is it for personal or professional use?

I ask this because I bought a D80 for professional use as I do a few weddings and parties throughout the year. But I regret not spending a little more as the D80 isnt full frame.

Otherwise if its for personal use then either is fine. My close friend leans towards Canon, however I like my Nikon. You'll also find what matters most with cameras is the lens, not the body.

Best thing I can suggest you do is walk into a specialist camera store and ask to have a play with them. I found some cameras which had the right specs I wanted were far too small for my hands and I couldnt get a proper grip. Eventually I went with the Nikon!

ChuckleVision_2

Thanks for the feedback. It is for personal use. This will be my first SLR camera and I'm overloaded by the wealth of options

Bluelion

ChuckleVision wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback. It is for personal use. This will be my first SLR camera and I'm overloaded by the wealth of options

Haha no worries, yeh again just go into a specialist store (forget currys or jessops) and tell them your budget, ask for advise and have a play. Calumet are a a friendly bunch. I know they have a store in Manchester and a few more dotted around the country. Check their website.

Also something to note, if you buy a camera, you can either buy it just on its own as a body, or as a kit, which basically comes with a standard lens. If you can afford it, get the body only option and buy a seperate, better lens. You will thank you self later when you find the aperature is some what limiting you to what you really want to do. The price of buying seperate shouldnt be all that different either. I bought my D80 with a kit and I hardly use it. I have a faster Sigma lens which is absolutely awesome, its crisper, clearer so much easier to play with in darker environments.

Enterprise_1701C

I bought the Nikon D40 for my first DSLR. It is really simple to use and totally menu-driven. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

[Deleted User]

Any of the cameras you mention should be fine. I'm a Canon user myself and have no complaints. I started with the 350D and worked my way up to the 40D and now i have a 5D too.

Have a search on the net for reviews of the cameras you're interested in. It will give you an idea of which are the better camera bodies. I know the previous poster didn't recommend going to Jessops to try out cameras, but i would say do go because they let you have a play with the cameras. If you'r e a male with "sausage fingers" then you may find the smaler bodies a wee bit fiddly. Jessops aren't the cheapest place to buy, so you may want to buy from someone else.

On both the Canon and Nikon systems, the vibration reduction is via the lens, so you would have to buy Canon IS lenses or Nikkor VR lenses.

As mentioned, you can buy body only and you buy an additional lens, or you can buy the camera body with what they call a "kit lens". The kit lens is supposedly a general purpose walk around lens, but it's not a top quality lens. I started off with the kit lens but soon bought a Canon 17-85mm IS lens which i had much better results with.

The prices have gone up quite a bit in the last month, so now isn't the best time to find a bargain. Have you thought about buying second hand from somewhere like Ebay? I bought my first DSLR from there and it was a good buy.

Here's a mini review of both the 450d & the D60 http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-cbKu5F55lD8/canon_eos_450d_and_nikon_d60_comparison_review/

You can compare the images of both cameras here http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM

It's a very expensive hobby, i must warn you!

northern_munky

The Sony A200 has got some good reviews.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/digital-cameras/review/2008/02/15/Sony-Alpha-A200-Digital-SLR/p1

£263 from Tesco with an 18-70 lens

http://direct.tesco.com/q/N.1999762$4294966993/Nr.99.aspx

And a 70-300mm lens is £99.00-£149

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/Products/Search.html