DSLR Advice Needed!

[d1]

I'm looking for a noob friendly, low maintenance dslr camera. I've never used a dslr so ease of use is very important. Price limit = $1000

[BLAM]

get the rebel xt in the buy/sell section and find a kit lens for about 80$ and get a 50mm f1.8 or a 35mm f2.0.

upgrade you lens collection in a year or 2.

finito!

[BLAM]

also, NO dslrs are low maintenance.

they ALL get dust on the sensors. even the ones with dust reduction.
and you have to be careful with ALL of them to not smudge, hit, scratch the lenses.
and they ALL require photoshop skills, as DSLR photos are not as processed as pictures from a point and shoot camera.
and they ALL are more fragile than your standard point and shoot when it comes to droppage. especailly in the <1000$ range.

[Ice-520]

I would recommand the G7 if u want low maintainance but high quality and full controls

[BLAM]

Is there a *specific* reason you want a DSLR?  I guess that is the first and foremost question....

Lay-tun is correct.  Canon cameras are a snap to operate and the G7 is toight!

Canon's point and shoot cameras are lame when it comes to low noise at high ISO though....I believe Fuji handles noise better in the point and shoot department.

[d1]

A few of my friends have the rebel xt so I was considering that..

I want a dslr for it's adjustability / control. Plus.. the pics I've seen from dslr cameras look way better than those from point and shoots. I have a sony point and shoot right now but it's just so mindless; the settings on it are minimal and mostly useless - it takes the fun out of taking pictures. Also, dslr's just look so pro..

[Ice-520]

point shoot can have impressive photos too

G7's
http://flickr.com/photos/jodymiller/438737638/

u can check examples form different cameras here
http://flickr.com/cameras/canon/

[BLAM]

there is a lot of work behind pictures to make it look nice....I immediatly found that its easier to take a nice picture with a pns then a dslr. and easier to mess up with a dslr than a pns....but when you get a nice photo with a dslr it is stunning.
one of these is taken with 2800$ of equipment and one of these is taken with a 3MP PnS.  is the difference worth 2600$?  it doesn't look like it to me

[itr452]

my brother ditched his xt for the 20D

i'd get XT if i was to get a dslr..scdrew the XTi..u can find XT's for pretty cheap nowdays

[d1]

point shoot can have impressive photos too

G7's
http://flickr.com/photos/jodymiller/438737638/

u can check examples form different cameras here
http://flickr.com/cameras/canon/

The pics from the g7 are definitely nice - were they ps'ed?

The price of the G7 is pretty similar to that of a dslr... tough choice..

[d1]

there is a lot of work behind pictures to make it look nice....I immediatly found that its easier to take a nice picture with a pns then a dslr. and easier to mess up with a dslr than a pns....but when you get a nice photo with a dslr it is stunning.
one of these is taken with 2800$ of equipment and one of these is taken with a 3MP PnS.  is the difference worth 2600$?  it doesn't look like it to me

The difference between the two pics are definitely subtle.. Is there a reason why one would choose a dslr over a point and shoot then?

[melonvitara]

u can change lens on a dslr

[Ice-520]

point shoot can have impressive photos too

G7's
http://flickr.com/photos/jodymiller/438737638/

u can check examples form different cameras here
http://flickr.com/cameras/canon/

The pics from the g7 are definitely nice - were they ps'ed?

The price of the G7 is pretty similar to that of a dslr... tough choice..

even with DSLR, u would have to PS most of the picture if not all

remember tho, PS is not cheating......it's just like developing photo in the dark room, just that it is digital

[BLAM]

I have my reasons.
but everyone is a different case.

PERSONALLY these are MY reasons: (in no particular order other than #1)
#1: I fell in love with bokeh
speed and by speed, I mean lens speed, not FPS.
low light performance
I find shooting through a proper viewfinder & shutter to be therapuetic

now that I shoot with a DSLR, things I can't live without:
BOKEH
ergonomics - PnS may be smaller and easier to carry (+1 for pns) but handling one doesn't feel right anymore.
battery life
sharpness
high ISO use/low light performance
flexibility with lenses and lighting. I am in love with my bounce flash.

things I find a nuisance:
worrying about lens damage (my walk around lens is 1400$)
$$$$$ - I've dumped nearly $5000 into this hobby in under a year.
size can be a nuisance a lot of the time. my camera bag weighs nearly 10lbs. (body, walkaround, zoom, flash)
lastly & leastly post processing. 

[w00tgasm]

d1, PM me with what you're looking for, and I'll try to narrow it down for you.

I sell cameras now, though its in Burnaby... I'm a newbie @ those sales and could benefit from some research as well.

Paolo

[BLAM]

I dont have anything to shoot in the house, so here is an example of why I love DSLR.
the difference is obviously noticeable.

SD200, full auto


XTi, Aperture priority, bounce flash with Stoffen omnibounce



the first 2 pics, I cheated and shot in conditions that would give me similar results.

[w00tgasm]

Well even with P'n'S cameras you can have full control over the shutter speed, white balance, colors, and so on.  Espcially with Canons.  If you actually took the time to set up the SD200 you can get far better results than what you just got.

[BLAM]

false. the SD200 has full auto only. no control over the aperture or shutterspeed.

to be fair. I will take a picture with my DSLR with onboard flash instead.

and my mistake, that picture was full manual. not AV.

[BLAM]

1st pic now taken with a sony P&S. ignore the shitty resolution.

but what I am trying to convey is that with a point and shoot, you don't get the soft blurred backgrounds

[Ice-520]

1st pic now taken with a sony P&S. ignore the shitty resolution.

but what I am trying to convey is that with a point and shoot, you don't get the soft blurred backgrounds

u can with the G6
but of coz, I agree, there is only so much a PnS can do, that's y I moved to DSLR too