Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Wife Wants an SLR camera

Ok, the wife tells me two weeks before Christmas she want an SLR camera. I don't even know what that is; however, I realize the Cannon Rebel is a popular one. Can anyone recommend a brand and model? Would be nice if it would not break the bank either.

Thanks!

i have a t3i, really like it, got it new on ebay with the lens and stuff for a little over 600 with shipping.

I have a Vivatar $199 my wife has a Nicon $235 both are easy to use.
Both are digital.

Get one with roll film.

What's your budget? You can get a kit for around $600, or spend over $6k on just a body.

If you don't already have a good point and shoot digital camera I'd recomend getting a cannon G series. Honestly I think it's a better camera than a low end SLR, and it's small enough to always have on you.

Nikon. They also have the best quality lenses & are easier to operate than the Canons.

No, don't get one with roll film, but if you do it won't cost much, maybe 50 bucks. A Digital SLR camera is great. Just buy an SD card for 10 bucks and take 500 pics with it. Not bad for 10 bucks. Better yet, delete all the pics you don't like and try again. I have a Nikon 3100 D. It's a great camera. I bought it used for 357 wit tax a few months ago. I would have rather bought the Canon Rebel t3. They run about 450 buck at Walmart. Other camera stores sell it for the same price though. The Nikon is better when it comes to lenzes. Here is why. A Nikon lens made 40 years ago still fits any Nikon made after 1959. Canon can't say that cause they changed lens adaptors . A Canon Rebel T3 will take better videos because the focus is much more in tune and adjusts focus much faster. My church uses a Canon Rebel T3 for their videos on a big 10X 15' screen and it is very clear for a screen that big. Put it on a 40" tv and you will get one heck of a picture, to the point it no longer pays to have a camcorder anymore. These two DSLR's are at the bottom of the price for DSLR's but don't let the price fool you, it will takes pics just as good as a 1,000 dollar camera. I can say they are a bit clumsy though and I find myself taking a lot of pics with my smaller cameras for fun and while hunting or fishing so the DSLR does not get recked. If you decide it is out of your price range I have a camera that takes unreal pics for it's cost. It is the Canon 160SX. I believe. It was on sale for 100 dollars. It is an awsum camera. I payed 225 for mine 4 yrs ago and still love it.
Another thing to consider, don't get fooled by the sales pitch of megapixels. With a good lens, it doe no good at all. My Nikon has 14 Megapixels. I adjust it down to 8 and it makes no difference. The more megapixels , the longer it takes to load pics and it fills the SD card faster.

I would recommend the Pentax K-50. It is weatherproof, gets great reviews, and retails with a water resistant 18-55mm lens for about $600.

I have a Pentax K-5 (older model than the K-50) and the images are top notch.

Get her the Nikon D300

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond300

SLR means Single Lens Reflex; which probably means nothing to you. In more simple terms, they�re the larger cameras where you can swap lenses.

The Canon digital Rebel is popular because it�s one heck of a good camera. The two most trusted names in SLR�s are Canon and Nikon. They�re like Ford and Chevy; and just like Ford & Chevy, both are very good and will get the job done.
I have an 8 year old EOS Rebel and I have absolutely no intention of upgrading anytime soon; if ever. It does anything and everything I need it to do, and although greater resolution would be nice, it�s really not anything I NEED; but it would be nice. The newer Rebels or Nikons will have more resolution than you�ll ever need unless you intend to do large wall posters.

The great thing about the Rebel is that it can be setup as a point and click with everything being automatic, or you can go completely manual and control everything. If you want to do your homework, Bob posted a link to DPReview which is an absolutely OUTSTANDING web site for reviews on digital cameras. Most of the information will go right over your head, but do some study and it will all begin to make sense. DPReview is the best "review" web site of ANY kind I've ever seen. If someone did the same thing with guns, they'd make a killing.

If you just need to make a quick purchase and let the wife figure it all out, then either get the D300 that Bob posted in his link (Nikon), or pick up a Digital EOS Rebel. You could literally flip a coin between the two and end up with a fantastic camera.

Along with the camera, pick up a copy of Digital Photography for Dummies and that will get her started. Next thing you know, she�ll be shopping for image manipulation software (Photoshop, GIMP, etc.) and lenses.

There are some other really great cameras out there, but I�d recommend you go with one of the two standbys. Don�t sweat the hardware/equipment�just like shooting, it�s the person behind the camera. A Nikon or Canon will do anything you need it to do. The question is, are you (or in this case, your wife) up to the challenge?

Best of luck to you sir�she�ll love her camera if you buy a Canon or Nikon.

Contact Joel or Doug at Cameraland.
Best service, advice and prices to be had.
http://www.cameralandny.com/

Been lurking for quite some time. First post here, but being something of a camera aficionado I think I may have some information that could be helpful. Over the past 35+ years I've owned dozens of Nikons from the back film era through some of their more recent Digital models. I still own eight Nikon film SLRs, two Nikon DSLRs, and more than a dozen Nikon lenses.

The D300 mentioned in this thread is indeed a fine camera and I own one, but it a camera that was designed with professional photographers in mind and it is no longer in production. When it was available new it sold for around $1800, and used ones are still selling bringing >$500. This camera was replaced by the D300s, which was a mild upgrade that included video capability absent on the D300. The MSRP on the D300s is similarly high. Both versions use sensor technology that is at least one or two generations old. Newer cameras (even the less expensive models) will undoubtedly surpass them in some ways.

Nikon also currently produces the D7100. This camera uses up to date sensor technology and some view it as the closest thing to a D300/D300s replacement. It currently sells for about $1100 (body only).

For someone just starting out in the DSLR world there are much less expensive models available (D3200, D5100) that might be a much better bet for a beginner. Being geared toward pro users both the D300 and D300s have a rather step learning curves to get the most out of your investment. The lower end models are much more beginner friendly and they take excellent photos. A new D3200 can be had for around $400 (body only) or around $500 (including a basic kit zoom lens).

If you just want to get you feet wet in the DSLR world on a budget you can probably find a nice used D50 or D70 with a basic kit zoom lens on ebay for around $150.

I can't really comment on Canons. I'm sure they make fine cameras, but I've been shooting almost exclusively with Nikon's since the late 1970's. As mentioned their lens backwards-compatibility is unrivaled. Old manual focus lenses that I have owned for upwards of 35 years mount just fine on my D50 and my D300.

I suggest looking into one of the lower-end more consumer oriented Nikon models, I think you will be pleasantly surprised how capable they are.

Here's wishing all of you around the campfire a wonderful Christmas season!

Nikon D70 if you want something that is close to professional, Costco carries them with a couple of lenses as a kit at a good price.

The D70 is a nice camera but it's a rather old model (2004). I'm surprised to read that new ones are still available.

Negative - film is dead.

I really like my Rebel, but there are newer technologies.

http://sonyalphalab.com/sony-alpha-...tutorial-guides/sony-alpha-camera-guide/

I would not get any SLR again, they are much heavier than these newer technologies, which also have great lenses, which is what your really after.

Get a Canon Rebel. Should be around 400.00 depending on where and what you buy.

Thanks to all of you for all the great advice. I knew I could get some info out of you guys! Merry Christmas!

Dan

Slidellkid: My wife literally tore from my hands my beloved Nikon SLR's that ran on old fashioned film!
I have three of these and five lenses, all by Nikon!
I literally could NOT get myself to set these aside and step up to the new computer (filmless!) technology!
She went out and bought us a Nikon D 5100 "kit" from CostCo and it was on sale about a year ago for 7 or 8 hundred dollars I forget!
Boy am I glad she mandated this upgrade.
I had used my beloved Nikon film cameras for 30+ years and got pretty handy with them but those old reliable Nikons do not even hold a candle to the wonderful and amazing things this new Nikon D 5100 can do!
The kit came with two very useful zoom lenses and a carrying case and built in flash and capabilities beyond my belief!
I have taken some stunning photos with this new Nikon and my wife puts together the high school yearbook photos as an extra assignment where she works - this new camera makes her complicated work EASY!
The new Nikon works flawlessly and editing and making pictures from its computer memory is easy to do (learn).
I highly recommend the Nikon D 5100 "kit".
Best of luck whith whichever you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

if you want a cheaper one, the Canon T3 is a good starter SLR camera, however if you're wife is well versed on SLR cameras, then I'd recommend spending the extra $200 and getting a T3i.

I bought the T3i kit at Costco with had two lenses and a 8gb memory card for $799.

That's a pretty good chunk of change but it does take amazing pictures.

Any of the new DSLRs (digital SLR) are going to be 3 things.

1. A high quality high speed digital camera
2. A point -n-shoot (ableit a very bulky one to carry around)
3. A video camera

I'm partial to Canon's because of the aftermarket availability of so many items.

Don't get one that needs film, that like buying a VCR.