What DSLR camera should I get?

[Kuro]

Ah yes I know its been asked a few times already but I'm looking for a Point and Shoot DSLR equivalent
My last camera that "I" owned was an Olympus Trip when I was 10 lol I'm 20 now...

I want to keep it for a long time so it needs to be top notch.

Requirements: Edited

-Price range under $1,200AUD approx 1,071 USD (current exchage rate 05/12/10)
-Excellent low light shots. (Low light, Dusk, Night, Dawn)
-It will be used for:
Action such as car/motorbike/gravity bike racing events. (Still shots and Video)
Landscape and Architecture.
Indoor Shooting/Professional "looking" photos of products.
-720p or 1080p video capture. (preferred)
-Nikon brand preferred (Family has 5 Nikons) I don't mind Canon though.

Happy to hear all suggestions.


Thanks guys for your responses so far but there has been a change of plan.



EDIT:

Hahah I just talked with my brother, he said just get something that can point and shoot for the time being and borrow a DSLR from University when I need one... :o I suppose its true

Are there any good small Point and Shoot DSLR equivalents?

This looks promising?
-Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS Digital ELPH (Canon IXUS 300 HS) via: Slash Gear (http://www.slashgear.com/canon-ixus-300-hs-digicam-10mp-with-720p-hd-hdmi-1185086/)

[Baleful]

If you're looking for a Nikon, the D90 is usually at the top of the list. A new D90 + a few different lenses would easily be within your budget.

Though, the D90 doesn't do 1080p video, only 720.

I don't own a DSLR, so I can't comment from experience, but from reviews I've read, I prefer Canon over Nikon. Canon just seems like a better value camera for the regular consumer, you get more bang for your buck.

[Xilikon]

D90 is the one you should get, it has the features you would need.

[NeverGive7]

The Canon recommendations would fall on the 7D or the 5D Mark II. If you want some in depth info on those cams you can check the dslr section of another forum I am on at http://www.hv20.com

[Kuro]

Edited main post sorry guys.

[NeverGive7]

Even at your edited price range you could still get a DSLR. Even if you could borrow one to use all the time I would have to say nothing beats having your own shit.

[Kuro]

Yeah the Rebel is approx $700USD on newegg with a lens and there some other one too.

I suppose the convenience and compactness of a point and shoot would be handy. Hang on why not have both :p :rofl: It would be about $1400 USD together?

[Snyxxx]

Even though I shoot canon, I have to recommend the Nikon solely because your family should have some lenses you could borrow or swap.

Digital SLRs bodies come and go like our computer hardware, but the lenses last for generations.

[kinghong1970]

Canon T1i or T2i is still a great entry level body...
don't blow all your cash on body... get one of the above and then spend money on glass.

the T1i is quite a camera... yes, it's rebel series but still, you are not blowing all the money on the body...

with some funds, you can invest in some prime lenses for low light indoors... then get a nice general zoom for your walk around lens... the rest will come as you begin to realize the limitations of the camera/lens...

always...

User > Lens > Body

[Kuro]

yeah well ill be a beginner to all the functions and no auto :P

[kinghong1970]

did you decide on a body yet?

what are your photo interests?

[kinghong1970]

-Excellent low light shots. (Low light, Dusk, Night, Dawn)

get a good prime for low lights... f/2.8 is ok... but f/1.4 or a f/1.8 on a prime is where you want to be at...


-It will be used for:
Action such as car/motorbike/gravity bike racing events. (Still shots and Video)
well, how much action shots will you be taking? if this is a key criteria, check out the 7D for fast action/sports... but the body alone is already over your budget. honestly, you can start with a rebel body... even a good condition used body... you may be able to find a 50D used with low shutter counts for a good price... then a nice zoom lens would fit the bill...

Landscape and Architecture.
now you're talking about an UWA (ultra wide angle lens)
8mm is serious wide... 10~12mm is not bad... if you're looking at 1.6 crop bodies...

Tokina 12-24mm
Tokina 11-16mm
Canon 10-22mm
Sigma 8-??mm
are some options...
above being canon candidates, but they do have nikon versions on the non-canon brands.

Indoor Shooting/Professional "looking" photos of products.
-720p or 1080p video capture. (preferred)
-Nikon brand preferred (Family has 5 Nikons) I don't mind Canon though.

most modern DSLR's does videos... i have not used it to date... i just give the wife a camcorder... because i rather capture the nice shots...

[Mr_Sushi]

well, how much action shots will you be taking? if this is a key criteria, check out the 7D for fast action/sports... but the body alone is already over your budget. honestly, you can start with a rebel body... even a good condition used body... you may be able to find a 50D used with low shutter counts for a good price... then a nice zoom lens would fit the bill...

7D??!?!?! More like a 1Diii IF he wanted Canon, which I can't say I prefer. Besides that an older Nikon D200 would be a pretty good deal.


now you're talking about an UWA (ultra wide angle lens)
8mm is serious wide... 10~12mm is not bad... if you're looking at 1.6 crop bodies...

Tokina 12-24mm
Tokina 11-16mm
Canon 10-22mm
Sigma 8-??mm
are some options...
above being canon candidates, but they do have nikon versions on the non-canon brands.


Landscape =/= UWA. And not necessarily architecture either. You don't NEED an UWA, and each brand also has a pretty good UWA so that doesn't matter much. IMO a 35mm or so is good for landscape - it is just what the human eye can see.


My suggestion? A Pentax K-x. Awesome low light (ISO12,800, IS in the body, better high-ISO than anything under $1,500), video mode (albeit only 720p), 4.7FPS shutter rate for sports, and built in wireless flash control.

Best part? It costs $500 US.

[kinghong1970]

7D??!?!?! More like a 1Diii IF he wanted Canon, which I can't say I prefer. Besides that an older Nikon D200 would be a pretty good deal.



Landscape =/= UWA. And not necessarily architecture either. You don't NEED an UWA, and each brand also has a pretty good UWA so that doesn't matter much. IMO a 35mm or so is good for landscape - it is just what the human eye can see.


My suggestion? A Pentax K-x. Awesome low light (ISO12,800, IS in the body, better high-ISO than anything under $1,500), video mode (albeit only 720p), 4.7FPS shutter rate for sports, and built in wireless flash control.

Best part? It costs $500 US.

good points Mr. Sushi... but dude... that 1DIII comes with a heavy price tag...

as for UWA... well, 35mm FL on a 1.6crop is going to give you ~56mm... but as you said, depends on the shooter... i shoot with my 24-105 for 90% of my shots...

[MartinM2]

I just bought a Canon 550D/t2I and really happy with it. I've had a 300d and a 20D, but the 550D is easiest to use. The new focusing and metering system makes your hit rate a lot higher.

The 1080p video quality is amazing, never though it would make such a huge difference.

I'm going to sell off the 20D now.

Also the new kit lense is really good from 18 to 35 even wide open and the IS works really well. The old kit lense was worthless I got rid of it, but this new kit lens is a whole new thing and I've been really impressed..

I also has a sigma 20mm1.8, Tokina 12-24, sigma 50-500, canon 35f2, canon 50f1.4, canon 85f1.8. All good lenses for different things, but I probably used the tokina for most things..check out dpreviews lens reviews...you can compare sharpness and CA between many lenses. Just don't waste your $ on super zoom lenses like the 18-200s..major compromises, most suck wide open and don't get much better stopped down either.

But considering you already have nikon in the family, I'd probably be leaning that route too if you don't plan on buying more lenses yourself. I went the canon route with the 300D came out many years ago.