Whats the best SLR digi camera for under $700?

Question

Hey i plan on buying a slr camera for under $700. just wondering the best brand and type

i am really looking for one with with great image quality!

i currently have the olympus fe 280 and im not happy with it as when i click it to the time it takes the photo is ages and i have to be steady as for the quality of the image to be sharp

im thinking of studying photography in vce and also traveling the world so i want a camera to take those great snaps

thanks

Answer 1

The whole thing about image stability in the body in only partially true, it is not always best at all.  IS in the body only works with a generally short lens.  The longer your zoom the less effective this body IS is and is frankly worthless if you hit over 60mm.  

With that out of the way, buy as much camera as you can afford right now, or you will get left behind in the dSLR world very quickly.  Nikons and Canons have the best glass (aka lens) options where as Olympus and Sony are very limited in their glass and overall accessories.  You can get off brand lenses and save some cash but no offbrands are making them for Olympus or Sony, so you are stuck to those brands once you make that brand leap.  You can buy diffusers, lenses, etc all offbrand that fit Nikon and Canon but they are rare or non-existent for the others.

Now for image stability, or IS, you buy that in your lens if you so choose and that's a call to be made in how much you want to spend and what your situation is that you are shooting in.  If you shoot while riding a horse, then IS would be for you.  If you shoot like most of us, with both feet on the ground, then it's a nice option but not needed.  

For the price you mention, look at the Rebel XTi and a lens you like or the Canon XSi and it's kit lens maybe.  Nikon I think has come out with the new D series though I don't know it's number, 60?  Also said to be *very* good.  

Consider the lens in your budget.  Will you be happy with the kit lens or do you want something better in which case you'd just buy the body and then the lens.  Hit a camera shop and tell them this, that you are wanting a newer model (so you don't get left in the dark ages by next year) and a good lens.  MENTION the lens or you might get stuck with a camera you love and a lens you hate with no money to get a new lens.



And don't let anyone tell you Nikon is better than Canon or vice versa.  They both rock the photography world.  

IMO, I'd steer clear of other brands, they are not soley camera companies and it shows once you begin to advance into broader aspects of your photography.   Again, just my two cents on that one but everything else mentioned is fact. :)  

Good luck and congrats!!!!

Answer 2

I work the camera section over at Future Shop, I'd say the best deals right now are the Nikon D60 at 699, Olympus-E510 for 499, Sony A200 for 499 or you want to invest in a really good camera right now, another 100 would get you the latest Rebel, the Canon Rebel XSi aka 450D MSRP is 999, on sale this weekend for 899, and if you don't have any lenses to start with, we offer the 75-300mm for a whole package at 1099 regular sale price, but this weekend it would only be 999

Answer 3

For under $470 you can purchase a DSLR with a 18-55 mm lens on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Digital-18-5...

If you decide to buy longer lenses for shooting sports or wildlife, there are VR lenses available that help reduce camera movement.

Answer 4

I would suggest the Olympus E-510, but you may be turned off due to your bad experience with Olympus. The E-510 has several features the D-40 doesn't, including IS in the body so it works with all lenses, not just a few expensive ones. Also, the kit lens is autofocus, many low end kit lenses from Nikon and others are manual focus, so you would need to buy an autofocus lens. The E-510 tends to be a bit cheaper and a better value overall. The quality of the E-510 is great and compares with other 10MP DSLR's. It's also smaller and lighter, making it better for travel and carrying around.

I am wondering what shooting mode you have your camera on. Most cameras on Action/Sports mode have shutter speeds of around 1/200 of a second which is plenty fast. You may want to check and try different modes, you would not be the first to have a camera in a slow shutter by mistake.