Hi,
Am after a digital SLR camera for a christmas present. I am looking at spending less than $1,500 (so it's more of an entry level thing). Am totally unsure about best brands, etc.
Is there anything I should look out for? Any recommendations? Any good bargains?
Thanks.
Agree on the D90. The dynamic range is good… go to flickr or any photo sites to see the sample images from D90!
It costs about 1,600 Singapore dollars in Singapore local set currently I think, with a 18-105mm kit lens included. Nice stuff. It can be idiotproof somehow IF you don't really know how to use it initially.
A grey set might cost even lesser than 1600!
Get any friends residing there to bring it over for you.
Thanks - will keep an eye out and see what I can find!
Hi guys,
Managed to get a Nikon D90 with the 18-105mm lens and also with a free bag and extra 12 months warranty from Myer for $1430, plus 12 months interest free. Pretty happy about that :) Thanks again!
Wow, I thought that it is $1649 in Myer. How did you manage to get that price? Can you scan your receipt please so maybe I can price-match? Thanks, really appreciated. :)
Hi mate,
The reason why I got it for so cheap was that they had a sale on-top of a sale (so to speak). Until 1st Nov, they had a deal for every $75 dollars spent, you get $10 off on electrical items - I didn't see cameras mentioned, so we went up to the counter and they said yes, so with that sweetener I got it (had to buy a $3 pen so I went over the $1650 mark to get the extra $10), so then got $220 off. Unfortunately the deal ended on Sunday 1st Nov, so you wouldn't be applicable for it now.
Hey mate,
Myer told me it did not aply to this Nikon D90 with the 18-105mm lens package & would not give me the $75 deal. Which Myer store you went to?
@tonyw36: Got it from Orange - what I would have done (if I lived in Syd) was perhaps rang around? I must have struck it lucky!
Congrats my mate. I'm very sure you will enjoy your new purchase for the next 1.5 years at least. = )
The Nikon D90 is a beautiful camera. It takes amazing shots, has video, and can use both motorised and non-motorised lenses. It's $1,275.00 from European Camera (camera.net.au) for body alone (you'll still need to buy a lens). I have this camera and would marry it if it were legal. I use it with a number of different lenses, but the 50mm 1.8 is my current favourite lens to use.
A cheaper option is the Nikon D5000 but there's a catch - you can only use autofocus with certain lenses(it doesn't have a focusing motor built into the body, it needs it to be in the lens.) This means that if you plan on building a collection of lenses, your choices will be restricted. That said, if you're happy to buy one or two lenses to cover a range of possibilities, you'll probably not care so much. European Camera has it for $1,075.
Lower entry level, again, is the D3000. This is new and I don't know a huge amount about it - it looks like it has the same 10 MPixel CCD sensor as the D60 used to have. http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1034&messag… has more info.
As you can probably tell, I lean towards Nikons. However, Canon produce some great SLRs as well but since I am heavily invested in Nikon lenses I don't generally look at them.
By the way, if you are having trouble physically getting to a store nearby that has a cheaper price, I generally take a printout to the local Teds and they pricematch. (If it's an official Nikon dealer and not a gray importer from asia.) For more information and pretty detailed reviews, I suggest http://www.dpreview.com