Is there a good Digital SLR camera for under $1000 dollars?

Question

I have been camera shopping and want to upgrade to a Digital SLR. I am looking into doing photography as a side profession... like doing senior pics, maybe weddings. Would you recommend getting an SLR or could I get away with just a higher-end point and shoot? ( since I know photoshop )

Answer 1

1. Check B&H Photo for used equipment.  You'll save hundreds! on a camera thats been used just a handful of times and is in perfect condition. (they check them all)    Usually come with manual, battery, charger.   You'll have to buy a lens separate and a memory card.

2. BUY NIKON! Everything in the last 18 years or so is compatible- all AF lenses, and most external flash modules as well.   So if you bought a 10 yr old lens, it would mate fine.

So my recomendation would be to buy a USED Nikon D100, D70, or D1.  You could pick one up for less that 500 easy.  Then a Nikon or aftermarket zoom lens. 18-70 should do fine for general portrait/wedding photograpy.  Those run about 250 used.  So for around 750, you've got a semi-pro setup. And yes,  they take MUCH better pictures that ANY point and shoot.     the batteries last way longer too.  Let me know if you've got any questions.

Answer 2

There are lots of possibilities depending on where you shop.  I picked up a Canon Rebel Black 12.2MP Rebel XSi with lens from http://www.digitaldealz.net.

Got free shipping, no tax, and quick delivery.  Very happy.

Answer 3

If you want equipment good enough for that kind of professional work then $1000 might just buy you a good lens such as Nikkor 105mm f2.8 VR.  A decent body would be at least twice as much again.  But, there again, you know Photoshop.  So the world is your oyster.

Answer 4

Of course ...

Right now the Nikon D40 has the best bang for the buck.

At under $470 (Amazon) for both the camera and a AF-S 18-55 mm ED lens you will have money left over to buy a 70-300 mm Nikon lens if you want to shoot sports or action shots.

P&S cameras have a few differences you may find important as you do your research.  P&S sensors are about 15 times smaller than DSLR's ... P&S cameras have lenses that are permanently attached to the camera ... DSLR's have hundreds of new and used lenses available for use on them.

Answer 5

If you are serious about taking photography into a profession then I'd consider an SLR. If you are just going about it as a hobby, you may still want an SLR (depending on your budget), or you can get an advanced point and shoot (those with manual controls). The basic DSLRs can be had for just a few hundred more than the average point and shoot. You're looking at about $300 for a higher end p&s, and about $600 for an entry DSLR with kit lens.

Answer 6

There is also another class of camera that I think is perfect for you it is in-between a compact and  Slr, its called the Super zoom class and you can do a lot of the manual settings of what an SLR camera can do and its a lot less of money. The super zoom cameras come with  10x,12x,15x,18x, and even 20x zoom(The zoom level will go up in time)! and that is good if your at a ceremony and far away from the speaker, because you can get really close with the zoom power of the super zoom class also known as SLR like cameras! I am  the photographer for my school and I use a Kodak Z812 and its perfect! Also another bad thing about SLR cameras is the weight that you have to carry because some of those SLR cameras can be heavy to hold.

There are several brands that I would recommend that are under 1000$. If you want to take pictures like a professonal, I would recommend reading a book or taking a class about photography if you want to get pictures like the ones you said. If you were to take photography with just a basic point and shoot, you could not do the things of what an SLR camera can do. For example: Ajusting shutter speed. But if your just going to be taking pictures of people in good lighting conditions then I would go for a compact camera(point and shoot camera).

I would recommend the following for SLR:

Canon EOS 450D ,Sony Alpha DSLR-A350 ,Nikon D80 and D40, and Olympus EVOLT E-510

The Point and shoot camreas I would recommend :

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 ,Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35,Canon PowerShot SD870

For superzooms I would go for

Lumix FZ18,Lumix FZ50, Kodak Z812, Olympus SP-570UZ, and Sony H9

If I were you, I would go for a superzoom instead of an SLR because of the following: they are not as heavy as an SLR, they have a big zoom which means you can get right into the action if your far away, you dont have to buy lenses for them, and they are a lot cheaper.

Answer 7

If I were considering hiring you to take some photos, and you only had a point & shoot, I would definitely not hire you!    I would think you didn't know much about photography, even though some very good pictures can be taken with a point & shoot.  

If you want to be taken seriously as a photographer, you will need a DSLR.   Good luck!

Answer 8

Definitely a DSLR.

Sony (A350), Nikon (D60), Canon (XSi) , Pentax K200D and Olympus E-520 are all under $1,000.00 with lens.

Although some will claim that having image stabilization in the lens is better, Sony, Pentax and Olympus have their version in the camera body. Thus, any lens used will have that benefit.

If you go to http://www.shutterbug.com and type maxxum 5D in the Search box you can read a review that shows the benefit of in-camera image stabilization. It shows a twilight hand-held shot of a ship in a harbor. One was taken without stabilization and one with. When a section is blown up you can easily see the effect of having the image stabilization ON, even with a short zoom lens. The Maxxum 5D is a direct ancestor of the Sony "Alpha" DSLR series.

Sony can use every legacy Minolta Maxxum AF lens made since 1985.

Pentax can use every K-mount lens made since 1975 with limitations.