DSLR Help - Page 2

Oh, one thing, the VR/IS will work, to a certain extent, but don't expect a slow lens with VR to match the fast lens in terms of shooting in low light. This is my own personal experience, as I shoot events for my school.

No prejudice, but if you get either cropped frame Nikon/Canon, you will have more choices on lens. As for the Nikon vs Canon thing, personally I don't care about it. It's up to your skill to make good use of your own equipments. 

 I would get the Nikon because the grass is greener in Nikon land. There is a whole universe of Nikonians, tech support, Nikon guide books, DVD help and fun endless Nikon gear that's at your finger tips. But if you rarely take photographs and you want a good DSLR quality pic from time to time, a budget Sony DSLR can be terrific and IMO, they feel great too. Before I got my Nikon, I was thinking about getting a used Sony DSLR for around $300 and that would be fine if you are really on a budget and have no plans on expanding on lenses and other flexibilites. But either way, I think Sony and Nikon both make good cameras.

For sure there are more options in the Nikon and Canon system for lenses, and everything else.

Not being a professional photographer, I did go the Micro 4/3 route with the Panasonic Lumix GF1.  I got it with the 20mm lens.  With this system, the lens is closer to the sensor, so a 20mm lens is more like the 40mm of standard SLR.  I added the 40 macro, and the sweet 7-14 wideangle.  I got one zoom (14-140) for the occasions that I am not close enough, although I am blown away at the non-flash pictures you can take with the 20mm 1.7 main lens.

The sensor in the micro 4/3 system is head and shoulders above the point and shoot cameras (I have Canon 8 megapixel something or ever that I loved until I saw these pictures), at 12 megapixels and RAW files, its amazing what you can do.

Not that the image quality is not there with the other DSLRs, I just prefer the smallness of the micro 4/3.  I was looking at the Leica cameras.  The nice digital camera BODY is only $7K, so I moved on quickly.

I'd vote for D3000.  It seems like the successor to the D40, and my brother sure loves his.  He bought it when he was 12!

I want to note that it isn't just selection that's important when it comes to lenses. There is a lot of competition between Nikon and Canon and the third party lens manufacturers (Tokina, Tamron and Sigma). Third party lenses are often as good, if not better than their brand name equivalents at a fraction of the price. Kit lenses are also great bang for the buck. I only know Nikon, but the 18-55, 55-200 and 35 1.8 would make a sweet kit  of lenses and would cost very little. I don't know if Oly has anything that can match the price for the same range.

A DSLR with just one lens might as well be a P&S.

If you think you'll use the camera only like a point and shoot, then it doesn't matter which one you get.

If you think you might want to use it like a DSLR, go with Nikon or Canon. Sony is in the consumer market and they don't really have intentions to go higher, at least at the moment. They have less lens choices, less accessories, less community support. Canon has tons of prime lenses for you to choose from; Nikon have amazing zooms. Both have huge user base.

There is an old saying which is very true. Canon makes the best cameras designed by engineers; Nikon makes the best cameras designed for photographers.