Sail_Away Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Hi DOLers, I'm sure this Q has been asked many times but as technology is constantly evolving I was hoping still ok to ask... I am looking at buying my first DSLR camera which I would like to use for agility photos, portraits of my dog, wildlife shots - whales in particular, scenery pictures etc... I have a GoPro which is great for videos & pics at the beach/water however, no zoom and I think the quality isn't as sharp especially if I want to print to canvas to display... So, doing some research it seems to be between the entry level Canon & Nikon's - most people say once you start with a brand best to stick with them, I imagine because you 'invest' in the lenses etc which are not interchangeable between the brands? I have friends with both brands, so I'm none the wiser as to which is best for my needs... I can't separate the two brands in terms of quality or what fits my purposes best. It is a fair amount of money so want to make the right choice. Willing to spend up to $1000. I know for whale watching I would need a lens 55 - 300 or similar. I have also read a little about Mirrorless cameras... any input on these? Are they the new DSLR of the future? Thanks everyone, any help appreciated!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denali Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 There isn't too much of a difference between the canon and nikons. My advice would be go to a shop and hold one of each. i personally preferred the feel of the canons and the locations of all its buttons etc were more natural to me. However, my friend hates using my canon and says it just feels wrong I started with a canon 1100d and love it. Still use it, but also bought a secondhand 7d which i just adore :) its previous life it was used by a professional surf photographer- now just used to photograph dogs mostly They both take excellent photos. And coupled with a good lens any would work for you :) Mirrorless, i cant help you with as i have only just recently heard about these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canisbellum Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Mirror less are the coming thing they are generally smaller physically and generally take better video. After market lens selection is limited but will improve. Saying that I have a Canon 70d and am happy with it. I use a 300mm lens which on my camera gives an effective 480mm and it's not long enough for long shots especially on things like birds. For whale watching I would probably go for a 100 to 600mm and dlsr for a year or 2 more. The new Sigma lenses can be sent back to get the mounts changed if you change camera brands as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted June 5, 2015 Author Share Posted June 5, 2015 Thank you both. It seems I am best to go in store and hold the various brands to get a feel for which is more comfortable. I'm sure any of the entry level DSLR's will be suitable for my needs - hopefully I can capture some great images!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grace Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 I have a Sony A6000 mirrorless camera which came with two lenses. Its a lot lighter than my Nikon and the lenses are a lot smaller. I am absolutely wrapped in it.If I was starting out I would go mirrorless they don't have a huge variety of lenses yet but with time there will be a lot more available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 I'm a complete Canon girl through and through... I have a Canon 60D which I purchased new in 2011 and it's still going strong and has never needed a service or repair in all that time - and I take around 3000-4000 photos a week with it. My fave lens is my Canon 100-400mm L lens - worth every penny of the fortune it cost to purchase! I went whale watching last year in horrible conditions - overcast and a 2m+ swell trowing the boat all over the place. I had to wrap my leg around the railings to stop from being thrown overboard while trying to predict when/where the whales would do their thing... I think I managed to get a few reasonable photos even though it was nigh on impossible to stay upright and hold the camera steady... *grin* - some of my whale watching pics from that trip. Am definitely thinking of having another trip in better conditions this year to see if I can do better...I mainly take photos of animals in zoos, which has it's own set of difficulties with lighting, positioning of animals in large enclosures, etc... but My Canon combo sees me right for those too... https://www.flickr.com/photos/tdierikx/albums - the rest of my photo collection... Seriously, I'd be looking to buy the best camera/lens combo that I could afford... or even saving to get same... I can't stress how much a really nice lens can make all the difference! T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted June 6, 2015 Author Share Posted June 6, 2015 I'm a complete Canon girl through and through... I have a Canon 60D which I purchased new in 2011 and it's still going strong and has never needed a service or repair in all that time - and I take around 3000-4000 photos a week with it. My fave lens is my Canon 100-400mm L lens - worth every penny of the fortune it cost to purchase! I went whale watching last year in horrible conditions - overcast and a 2m+ swell trowing the boat all over the place. I had to wrap my leg around the railings to stop from being thrown overboard while trying to predict when/where the whales would do their thing... I think I managed to get a few reasonable photos even though it was nigh on impossible to stay upright and hold the camera steady... *grin* https://www.flickr.c...157644692526970 - some of my whale watching pics from that trip. Am definitely thinking of having another trip in better conditions this year to see if I can do better... I mainly take photos of animals in zoos, which has it's own set of difficulties with lighting, positioning of animals in large enclosures, etc... but My Canon combo sees me right for those too... https://www.flickr.c...tdierikx/albums - the rest of my photo collection... Seriously, I'd be looking to buy the best camera/lens combo that I could afford... or even saving to get same... I can't stress how much a really nice lens can make all the difference! T. What excellent pictures!!! Even though conditions weren't great for the whale watching (I can picture doing everything to hold on to the boat whilst trying to get the best shot!) the photos you took look great! I will be going out in a charter company for whale watching on the Gold Coast this year, so hopefully will be quite close to some to get good shots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted June 6, 2015 Author Share Posted June 6, 2015 The reason they say it's best to choose a brand and stick to it is because once you invest in professional quality lenses it can be very expensive to take a loss on selling them to buy similar quality lenses with a different brand. I started out with a Canon 1000D which I kept for three years and when I upgraded I switched to Nikon's D700 because it was significantly better than the equivalent Canon at the time, the 5D MkII. As I only owned two kit lenses and a 50mm 1.8 (roughly $100 to buy new) with the Canon and wouldn't have continued using any of those lenses anyway, as I was doing a massive upgrade to pro quality lenses along with the camera body, there was no issue at all with switching to Nikon. If I had already spent up big on pro quality lenses with my Canon I would have most likely stuck with Canon and just bought the 5D MkIII that had only just come out. I found after a year or so with the Nikon D700 and big, heavy lenses that it was killing my neck and shoulders when I took them out for any decent length of time and because a lot of my photography is of my dog when we're out on walks and the like, I stopped taking my camera with me because it was just too much to lug around "just in case". Last year I decided to sell my Nikon gear and switch over to a mirrorless camera because I just wasn't using the heavier set up and wanted something that I would enjoy taking out and about with me and not feel it was a burden or end up in pain. I decided on the Fuji X-T1 and have absolutely no regrets. The image quality is at least as good as the full frame professional (semi pro depending on who you talk to but it was only one step down from the absolute top of the line professional camera from Nikon) level D700, if not slightly better, and I love the way it renders colour so much more than the Nikon. The only real downside to the Fuji has been that the auto focus system isn't up to tracking and nailing shots of dogs racing around in the same way that most DSLRs can however, Fuji is awesome and issue major upgrades to the firmware in their cameras instead of just holding out on major advancements for the next model and making people upgrade by buying a new camera, so in a couple of weeks we're getting a complete overhaul of the auto focus system that looks amazing from the previews I've seen. Here's a link to my Flickr account. All of the photos on it were taken with the Fuji X-T1. https://www.flickr.com/photos/shaedes/ All of that being said, I recommended none of these cameras to my dear friend who recently decided to take up photography. I'm a huge advocate of mirrorless cameras (if you pick the right one) and firmly believe they will eventually replace DSLRs completely, although they're still quite some way off of being at that point when you're talking about replacing the absolute top of the line pro cameras. The mirrorless cameras tend to be divided in to three categories at the moment... entry level, mid range and semi-pro. I personally recommend staying away from the entry level ones as I haven't seen any that are good enough quality to truly replace an entry level DSLR. I also recommend staying away from micro four thirds mirrorless cameras because the sensor size is so small compared to a crop sensor that you really do sacrifice quite a lot in the low light/high ISO performance and would be likely to very quickly outgrow it as your photography improves. The Fuji X-T1 sits in the semi pro category and while it's a divine camera, it's also probably bit more than most people want to pay when they're first getting in to photography, especially once you take in to account the cost of many of the lenses, and I can't really recommend it for what you want with the agility and wildlife photos until I've seen what the upgraded auto focus system is like. I recommend looking at the mirrorless mid-range cameras for people who would otherwise have gone with an entry to mid level DSLR. I did a lot of research to help my friend choose her first proper camera (also a dog crazy DOLer like us) and felt the Sony a6000 would best meet her needs and give her a lot of room to grow as a photographer before she would feel like she needed to move up to a higher quality camera and many, many people would be perfectly happy with the a6000 for years I would think. The auto focus system is great, as is the image quality, and it's very user friendly for learning how to shoot manually. I went with her to buy the camera and we spent almost an hour and a half in the store with the salesperson (who also strongly recommended this camera for her needs and as someone just starting out with photography) going over the camera and testing it out and my friend is thrilled with it. The Sony lens range isn't as great as Canon or Nikon by a long shot but there is more than enough there to get started and keep growing for quite some time and new lenses are being introduced by all of the mirrorless manufacturers all the time. I also have a friend who is a hobbyist photographer but shoots at professional standards and she too chose the a6000 as her mirrorless camera, although she has kept all of her DSLR gear too. I do highly recommend going in to a camera store and testing out cameras and seeing what you like the feel of and then going away and thinking about it for a bit so that you're not pushed in to something that's not right for you by the salesperson. I'm not great at listening to my own advice and bought both the D700 and the X-T1 online from CameraPro without ever having held either of them and got super lucky both times but it's certainly much better if you can get a feel for a camera in your hand before you buy it. :) ETA: I just saw that you're in QLD according to your profile which is where CameraPro is located, so if you have access to one of their stores I'd suggest going in to one and checking out the different cameras you're interested in. They're extremely competitively priced, which is why I bought from them, and I have had a great experience with their customer service online and have heard excellent things about their customer service in-store from Queenslanders. :) Snook thanks so much for this informative post!!! So I went into Harvey Norman today just so I could hold some of the different cameras. Initially I couldn't feel much difference between the Nikon (D5200) & Canon (750D) I held but after awhile swapping between the two etc I did feel the Canon was a better 'fit' in my hand... not by much, the Nikon would be great if I knew no different. I am a small female, smallish hands and the Canon just seemed to mould to my hand better - where my thumb rested it sat in that spot perfectly whereas the Nikon my thumb covered some of the buttons up top... This was the only real difference I noted. Maybe the Canon was slightly more comfortable where it rested on my left hand too - the body felt more 'curved' so rested on my wrist better... The guy I spoke with at HN was very helpful he said for what I wanted to use it for - whales, wildlife, 'action' shots - agility etc that the Canon would be my best bet because of the FPS and AF abilities? Said the Nikon would be better for your landscape... not as quick as the Canon?? He was also a Nikon 'specialist' so the fact he was recommending Canon made me trust him more! I also held the Sony Mirrorless camera - not sure of model - and although small I actually felt it really awkward to hold. I couldn't get a comfortable position - felt like I couldn't decide between holding a point & shoot vs DSLR grip... maybe I need to try some others or just adjust grip though.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted June 6, 2015 Author Share Posted June 6, 2015 It's awesome that you're taking the time to go and check the cameras out in person and see what the best fit is for you. With regard to the Canon vs Nikon, for the most part they're usually very much on par with each other for performance when it comes to similar models. In my opinion the whole one is better for landscapes and one is better for sport is a load of rubbish when you're talking about these DSLRs. There are certainly some cameras where that's true but I don't think it really applies to the entry level range. I would also be wary about taking camera advice from someone in a general electronics store like Harvey Norman. By all means go in there and check the cameras out but if you want good advice I'd go to a camera specialist with a good reputation like CameraPro. I'm very happy to take a look at the specs on the cameras you're considering if you'd like to know what the actual differences are between them from a technical perspective. It will still largely come down to what feels right for you and what you're comfortable using but sometimes it helps to know whether the advice you're being given by sales people has any merit. :) HN was definitely not my first choice for camera advice but they were the closest I took what he said today with a grain of salt - when he mentioned 'Canon will fit your needs better' I was skeptical because I have no doubt in my mind Nikon will do just as good a job and in fact have read more positive results about Nikon than Canon... Lots of my dog friends have Canon's though.... I'm still intrigued by the Mirrorless cameras and disappointed with how it felt in my hand today but maybe I need to test some others out. I keep reading good things about them. Just had a quick look at CameraPro's website - they are in Brisbane? Unfortunately a little far for me but I'll check out their website further. I'll make the effort to go into a proper camera shop soon. I'm finding everyone's input really really helpful. Just clearing up things more for me. I'm just cautious about the decision and want to make sure I get the best camera for my needs. That's why I asked on this forum too as I don't feel silly when I say I want to take pictures of my dog!!! Snook it would be great if you could check out the specs or at least tell me 'yes go for the new model or no the previous one is just as good' etc .... that's the hard decision as within the brands there are so many models! The ones I have my eye on for both brands are: Canon: EOS 700D EOS 750D Nikon: D3300 D5200 But open for suggestions.... What happens about protecting the lens when whale watching etc? I imagine sea spray is difficult to avoid.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canisbellum Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 (edited) I most of the "this is better for sports" thing comes from the frame rate when holding the button down in sport mode and the ability of the autofocus. A valid argument but I wouldn't be worrying about a difference of 1 or 2 frames per second. I read a few reviews and had to go with that as I live in whoop whoop. As I said I am happy with my 70D and I have a Sigma 18 to 300mm lens as it's a good walking around lens without having to carry a bunch of lenses. I would always go for the newest one but that's just me 😊Edited June 6, 2015 by Canetoad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted June 6, 2015 Author Share Posted June 6, 2015 To protect your lens when you're dealing with sea spray you can get a good quality UV filter to put on it. I've had a look at all four camera models and this is my assessment. I'll preface it by saying that I don't generally see the point in upgrading camera bodies just to get the newer version of the same model unless there's a very significant improvement, so wouldn't recommend a more recent model just because it's more recent. Canon 700D vs 750D - I do think it would be worth getting the 750D out of these two. The 700D has slightly less megapixels than the 750D but is not a reason to choose the newer model. The number of MP a camera has is given way too much hype. Both cameras have the same maximum shutter speed of 1/4000, same ISO range and shoot at 5 frames per second. The reasons I would choose the 750D are the upgraded DIGIC 6 Processor, increase in the number of focus points to 19 points compared to 9 in the 700D and better auto focus performance when using the live view mode. These will make a significant difference when it come to shooting action like agility. The improved processor also means the 750D produces less noise than the 700D. Although it's not something that's important to me, many people love having wifi on their camera and the 750D has wifi whereas the 700D doesn't. Nikon D3300 vs D5200 - I think the comparison between these two is very similar to the comparison between the two Canons. Both Nikons are 24MP, have a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000 and shoot at 5 frames per second. The D5200 has an upgraded processor and 39 focus points compared to 11 on the D3300. As with the Canons, the upgraded sensor results in better performance with noise and the performance at higher ISOs is particularly good in the D5200 when compared with similar cameras. The auto focus is slower in live view mode in both Nikons but worse in the D3300 than the D5200. The Nikons don't have a touch screen like the Canons but I don't know if that's important to you or not. Whether you decide to go with Canon or Nikon I do think it's worth getting the better model with each, particularly since you want to shoot action. Although good performance at higher ISOs might not mean much to you at the moment, it's important if you're shooting a lot of action because as you use faster shutter speeds you need to increase the amount of light either through the aperture or ISO so you want to have a bit of room to move when it comes to ISO. If you're choosing between the 750D and D5200, I would be inclined to lean toward the 750D based on the reviews I read, however I think you'd be happy with either camera and in choosing one or the other, how comfortable you are handling the cameras will probably be the deciding factor. Hope this helps. :) SO helpful Snook! On paper the Nikon D5200 seems the better camera.... 39 focus points is a lot - excuse my ignorance but I assume this is what allows the camera to focus in the frame, so more the merrier? I would imagine for fast moving/action shots more would be best? I see there is a big jump in inclusions with the Canon models so the newer version seems better value for money here. A few friends have the 70D which has great reviews but possibly just a bit more than I wanted to spend...I'll continue doing some research Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted June 6, 2015 Author Share Posted June 6, 2015 One of my agility friends whose photos I have admired for a long time, just told me she uses a Canon 7D.... dammit, I LOVE her pictures, why does it have to be the expensive camera! hahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 A friend of mine has the 70D, and I can say that the updated DIGIC processor definitely craps all over my 60D's processor. That said, I'm getting pretty much the same results with my setup as she is getting with hers - except for the really low light scenarios... hers just does so much better in low light compared to mine. If I had the money for the 70D, or even the new 7D, I'd be getting one in a shot! Shutter speed is definitely worth looking at when making your selection - especially when you want to take action type shots. I'm a bit of a fan of the crop sensor mainly because it gets me that extra distance on my zoom. Crop sensors increase the zoom distance 1.6x... so my 100-400mm lens actually gets me 160-640mm worth of zooming in on a subject. Then again full frame gives such wonderful clarity... decisions, decisions! I love the way the Canon feels in my hands... I went from the 450D to the 60D with not much difficulty. I will say that when I bought the 100-400mm lens, the first day I took it out and used it all day handheld, my poor right hand complained bitterly the next morning - taking it out again and using it handheld soon cured that issue... lol! The 60D plus the 100-400mm lens weighs in at around 2kg... which is a lot of workout for your biceps when using handheld... I have great biceps now... lol! T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 To protect your lens when you're dealing with sea spray you can get a good quality UV filter to put on it. I've had a look at all four camera models and this is my assessment. I'll preface it by saying that I don't generally see the point in upgrading camera bodies just to get the newer version of the same model unless there's a very significant improvement, so wouldn't recommend a more recent model just because it's more recent. Canon 700D vs 750D - I do think it would be worth getting the 750D out of these two. The 700D has slightly less megapixels than the 750D but is not a reason to choose the newer model. The number of MP a camera has is given way too much hype. Both cameras have the same maximum shutter speed of 1/4000, same ISO range and shoot at 5 frames per second. The reasons I would choose the 750D are the upgraded DIGIC 6 Processor, increase in the number of focus points to 19 points compared to 9 in the 700D and better auto focus performance when using the live view mode. These will make a significant difference when it come to shooting action like agility. The improved processor also means the 750D produces less noise than the 700D. Although it's not something that's important to me, many people love having wifi on their camera and the 750D has wifi whereas the 700D doesn't. Nikon D3300 vs D5200 - I think the comparison between these two is very similar to the comparison between the two Canons. Both Nikons are 24MP, have a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000 and shoot at 5 frames per second. The D5200 has an upgraded processor and 39 focus points compared to 11 on the D3300. As with the Canons, the upgraded sensor results in better performance with noise and the performance at higher ISOs is particularly good in the D5200 when compared with similar cameras. The auto focus is slower in live view mode in both Nikons but worse in the D3300 than the D5200. The Nikons don't have a touch screen like the Canons but I don't know if that's important to you or not. Whether you decide to go with Canon or Nikon I do think it's worth getting the better model with each, particularly since you want to shoot action. Although good performance at higher ISOs might not mean much to you at the moment, it's important if you're shooting a lot of action because as you use faster shutter speeds you need to increase the amount of light either through the aperture or ISO so you want to have a bit of room to move when it comes to ISO. If you're choosing between the 750D and D5200, I would be inclined to lean toward the 750D based on the reviews I read, however I think you'd be happy with either camera and in choosing one or the other, how comfortable you are handling the cameras will probably be the deciding factor. Hope this helps. :) SO helpful Snook! On paper the Nikon D5200 seems the better camera.... 39 focus points is a lot - excuse my ignorance but I assume this is what allows the camera to focus in the frame, so more the merrier? I would imagine for fast moving/action shots more would be best? I see there is a big jump in inclusions with the Canon models so the newer version seems better value for money here. A few friends have the 70D which has great reviews but possibly just a bit more than I wanted to spend...I'll continue doing some research The number of focus points doesn't make the camera focus better as such, it just gives you more points within the frame for choosing where you want the focus to land. So when you're looking at only 9 points for example, it means you have less options for composing your shot in camera if the spot you want it to focus on doesn't match up with one of those nine points and you need to change your composition or shoot a bit wider and crop the way you want it afterwards. So in that sense, more focus points is an awesome thing and makes life a lot easier and shooting a lot faster but it's independent in a way from how well the focus tracking works or how quick the camera focuses. When you look at how many focus points a camera has I'd be looking at how good the auto focus system is as well, not just the number of points. That being said, I really think it would be much of a muchness between the 750D and D5200 in focus systems but I'm only basing that on reviews and not first hand experience with either of them. One of my agility friends whose photos I have admired for a long time, just told me she uses a Canon 7D.... dammit, I LOVE her pictures, why does it have to be the expensive camera! hahaha Yeah, the 7D is a nice camera and perfect for sports/action photography. Thanks Snook. That makes sense now. Lots of things to consider then. I'm slowly understanding it more now What is everyone's thoughts on purchasing online from places like Amazon, Kogan or even second hand from eBay? I've read a little about these 'grey sellers' and how it can affect warranty plus then there is the issue of the camera being genuine... I don't particularly want to get a second hand one (body) from eBay but it would allow me to get a much better model for less $. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 A friend of mine has the 70D, and I can say that the updated DIGIC processor definitely craps all over my 60D's processor. That said, I'm getting pretty much the same results with my setup as she is getting with hers - except for the really low light scenarios... hers just does so much better in low light compared to mine. If I had the money for the 70D, or even the new 7D, I'd be getting one in a shot! Shutter speed is definitely worth looking at when making your selection - especially when you want to take action type shots. I'm a bit of a fan of the crop sensor mainly because it gets me that extra distance on my zoom. Crop sensors increase the zoom distance 1.6x... so my 100-400mm lens actually gets me 160-640mm worth of zooming in on a subject. Then again full frame gives such wonderful clarity... decisions, decisions! I love the way the Canon feels in my hands... I went from the 450D to the 60D with not much difficulty. I will say that when I bought the 100-400mm lens, the first day I took it out and used it all day handheld, my poor right hand complained bitterly the next morning - taking it out again and using it handheld soon cured that issue... lol! The 60D plus the 100-400mm lens weighs in at around 2kg... which is a lot of workout for your biceps when using handheld... I have great biceps now... lol! T. I find it a bit confusing with which model is better with Canon - the lower the number the better yeah? So those cameras which are not full frame, does that mean if the photo is enlarged and then cropped the quality is not as sharp? I think I will end up cropping some images because of the type of pictures I'll take - wildlife etc where I can't always get the close up. Reading a bit more about Sony A6000 and a lot of reviews comment on how sharp the photos are plus the fps is more than some DSLR's... I'm just hesitant about swaying from DSLRs because I feel Mirrorless might limit me in the future.. Even though they are significantly smaller than DSLRs I think they are difficult to 'grip' correctly but again, might need time to get comfortable as they are different set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denali Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 (edited) Yes, i bought my 7D secondhand through gumtree off a professional surf photographer. the best thing was that he then spent about an hour with me showing me how to use it! ETA: i don think i would trust one of the grey imports.. Edited June 8, 2015 by denali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canisbellum Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Mine is working fine so far, touch wood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PossumCorner Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Photography advice is always conflicting: all you can do is weigh it all up and do what you think suits your needs. I don't like the "go to a shop see what feels best in your hand" advice. Mine would be to look at the features you want and buy the camera that has them: it will become second-nature and suit your hand soon enough. Mirrorless are great, we have the Sony(s). Just need to accept that there is shutter-lag, not as much as with point-and-shoot but there is lag. For most playing I do now I use a Sony, but if I want a more precise result for action then I use the Nikon, DSLR don't have shutter-lag. I prefer single-shot for action. If you are happy with machine-gun then it really makes no difference, just the luck of the right action from one of many shots makes them equal. The question was "for beginners". I'd say the DSLR and look well at the features you need (brand doesn't matter, all the major ones are good as). But the difference is marginal unless action precision is the main need: then the DSLR is best choice over mirrorless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 I had a read through some of the other threads here and this helpful link was posted http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=414088&page=1. Has really helped me understand the features better and what I should be looking for when buying my next camera. Although I'm still finding it hard to get my head around all the photography lingo ... I went into a local specialist camera store today and they were really helpful.. He suggested three cameras: Olympus E-M1, Nikon D7200 and the Canon 70D or 7D if $ wasn't an issue. He suggested buying the body only and a good quality telescope lens such as the Tamron 70-300mm. He was quite certain the Olympus E-M1 should be high on my priority list as it is smaller, plenty of lens options and would produce similar quality quality shots for my needs i.e. action/moving subjects etc. I preferred the way the Olympus felt in my hand to the Sony, more substance and similar grip to the SLR's. He said he wasn't a huge fan of mirrorless but this model Olympus is the only one he would recommend. He told me to rule out the Nikon D5300/D5500 and Canon 750D which I was considering earlier... I want to thank everyone for their input, it's been really helpful and I'm learning a lot! I think I can see myself getting really into this and making it a great hobby to have, so I feel it important even though I'm a 'beginner' to start off on the right foot with good equipment that I don't outgrow too quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 If you are looking at an all purpose zoom lens, then maybe this one will be a better fit than the 70-300mm... http://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au/prod11004.htm This one is on my wish list... http://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au/prod10755.htm ... or even this one... http://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au/prod6801.htm ... *grin* T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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