Buying a Digital SLR Camera and Lens System

In the past 5 years or so, since digital SLR (single-lens reflex) cameras began to come down in price so that serious amateurs could afford them, more photographers have been making the jump to SLR models. Digital SLR cameras offer the top image quality for photography enthusiasts. Those who are more advanced shooters or who have deeper pockets are interested in such models as the Canon 40D, 50D or 5D MK II and the Nikon D90 or D300 or other mid-range models. There are also many good entry-level models to choose from made by Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Pentax, and most models can be purchased with an inexpensive kit lens or two for those on a limited budget.

Digital SLRs have the following advantages:

1. You are actually seeing through the lens so, basically, what you see is what you get. The viewfinders are larger and brighter so you can really see what you are shooting. Some have Live View LCDs as well.
2. Faster startup and shot-to-shot times, shooting 3 to over 6 frames per second in high-speed mode.
3. Lower noise (graininess), resulting in cleaner images in low-light situations where it is necessary to use higher ISO values.
4. High-quality interchangeable lenses from wide-angle to telephoto to suit your shooting needs.
5. External flash units are available for better photos. They can be mounted on the camera’s hot shoe and can be bounced off the ceiling or walls to avoid washing out your subjects and harsh shadows created by on-board flashes. Most can also be used off the camera or on a flash bracket.
6. They have a number of buttons and/or dials that allow very fast adjustments of settings including Exposure Compensation, Metering modes, White Balance, Aperture and Shutter speed, ISO, multi-shot/single shot mode, and change focus points, which makes it much faster to change settings.
7. Digital SLRs focus and shoot extremely fast under most conditions so you won't miss the shot and most have a continuous focus mode for moving subjects.

Considerations:

Digital SLR cameras are larger and heavier than compact digicams. If you like to keep a camera in your pocket or purse, then an SLR may seem overly large, but you can always have a 2nd inexpensive "take-anywhere" pocket camera. The size is actually easy to get used to after a short time and any inconvenience is more than made up for by the superior image quality. Sharper and much more detailed images are the rule.

Even though an SLR may have fewer or the same number of megapixels as a compact digicam, the actual image quality is much higher because they have larger sensors. For example, an 8 megapixel SLR will produce a more detailed image than a 12 megapixel compact digicam, and will allow you to print larger images that look great. Due to the larger sensors, SLRs have less “noise” (graininess) at high ISO settings than compact digital cameras. And keep in mind that reviewers have noticed little difference in prints up to 11 x 14 from SLR models with 8 and 10 megapixels and not much of a jump in quality from 10 - 12 either. Camera reviews of image quality and features should be your guide, not the number of megapixels in most cases unless you are a wildlife photographer or routinely print larger than 11 x 14".

Camera and Lens Systems

When you purchase your digital SLR, keep in mind that you are purchasing a system which will include not only the camera, but lenses and external flash units and other accessories that you might be interested in later on. Therefore you should do research on the whole system including any lenses that you might be interested in purchasing later. Often quality lenses cost more than the camera if they are stabilized or professional quality. You might start out with the kit lens which is typically a shorter focal length such as 18 - 55 mm. Soon you may realize that you need more reach for distant subjects such as wildlife or scenery and for portraits. Or you may want to add a higher quality lens for better photos in lower light situations and better color and sharpness. You should, therefore, check to see which lenses are available and what the prices are in the various systems from different manufacturers.

Canon and Nikon are the leaders in number of lenses available and generally Canon has a few more lenses and has lower prices on their stabilized high-end lenses. Also keep in mind that the 3rd party lens manufacturers Tokina, Sigma and Tamron make some good quality lenes which are cheaper than Canon and Nikon and other camera brands and are now making stabilized lenses! Their quality control is not as high as Canon and Nikon so be sure to buy at amazon.com, bhphotovideo.com or adorama.com where you can return one for exchange if it is not up to par.

Lens Availability, Price, and Quality

Look at differences in price for the lenses you are interested in. You can check all the available Canon lenses here and the available Nikon (Nikkor) lenses here .

Also check out Sony, Pentax and Olympus lenses.

Canon has a large assortment of lenses available and many are moderately priced. Read this great article on Canon lenses!

Image stabilized lenses should be considered if you don’t want to use a tripod most of the time to avoid blurring from camera shake at longer focal lengths, 200 mm up. Some cameras from Sony, Pentax and Olumpus now offer anti-shake technology in the camera, making any lens stabilized, although this is a little less effective than stabilization in the lens itself.

So keep in mind, when shopping for a digital SLR, to consider not only the camera body, but look at the whole system of lenses and accessories. Look for a manufacturer that offers a wide range of lenses at prices you can afford, flash units, and other accessories you might want. If you decide to upgrade your camera body in the future, you will be able to use the same lenses and flash units from major manufacturers. You can also purchase 3rd party lenses and accessories from vendors such as Sigma, Tamron and Tokina for Canon and other brand cameras. A few of the new models from Sigma and Tamron even have stabilization.

My Recommendations:

It depends on what your needs and budget are, but generally I recommend the Canon Rebel XSi as it has outstanding image quality, low noise, 12 megapixels, and you have a large assortment of quality Canon lenses to choose from. But you should make you own decision and let your budget be your guide. If you have a larger budget, look at the Canon 40D or 50D or the Nikon D90 or D300. If you have a smaller budget, look at the entry level Canon XS, Nikon D60 or Sony, Pentax and Olympus models.

Please visit my Camera Store to see many cameras mentioned here.

Current Canon EOS models:
Rebel XS - lowest priced Canon Rebel, 10 megapixels - check prices for body and for kits
Rebel XSi - top Rebel model, 12 megapixels - check prices for body and kits
Canon EOS 40D - pro-sumer model, 10 megapixels - great value, price has dropped considerably
Canon EOS 50D - new pro-sumer model, 15 megapixels

Current Nikon models:
D60 - entry level model - 10 megapixels
D80 - 10 megapixels
D90 - 12 megapixels (New)
D200 - 10 megapixels (older model)
D300 12 megapixels - newer advanced amateur model

Other SLRs:
Sony Alpha models such as 200, 300, 350, and 700 with anti-shake technology
Olympus Evolt - several models
Pentax - several models with Shake Reduction

Please visit my Camera Store to see most of the cameras mentioned here.

Lens reviews and recommendations

You obviously need a lens to go with your new SLR.  You might want to start with a normal-range lens such as the kit lens that is available with most models.  Or you might want to purchase the body only and choose a better quality general purpose or different focal-length lens instead of the kit lens if your budget permits. Normally kit lenses are not very high quality, so you might want to research lens quality online before making your purchase. Go to http://dpreview.com for help with lens choices in their Discussion Forums as they have one for each camera manufacturer and various models too and lens forums where you can ask questions. Also go to fredmiranda.com reviews and check out their lens reviews from users (not pro reviews) which are very helpful.

There are also sites that test and review lenses:

Lenses come not only in specified focal lengths, but are also have specified apertures or f-stops that refer to the “speed” of the lens.  A lens with a large aperture such as f/2.8 or less is referred to as a “fast” lens because it can let in more light resulting in faster shutter speeds.  Most lenses have smaller maximum apertures such as f/4 or 4.5.  They are mainstream lenses and are good for outdoor photography with pretty good available light or indoors using flash. They are physically smaller, lighter weight and usually less expensive than fast lenses.

Keep in mind that you get what you pay for with lenses!  If possible, purchase lenses with good reviews. Your camera is only as good as the lens you are using.  If you purchase a Canon SLR, consider the 70 - 300 IS USM lens if you want a longer telephoto lens.  It is the least expensive long focal-length zoom lens Canon offers and has good reviews and the price isn’t bad, around $550.  That’s about the same price as the 17 – 85 IS, which is a good consumer-grade“walk-about” all-purpose lens. Two popular lenses that costs about twice as much are the Canon 24 – 105 L f/4 IS and 17 - 55 f/2.8 IS.  Also consider “prime” lenses, which have a single, fixed focal length such as 35 mm, 50 mm, 85 mm, 100 mm, etc. These lenses are generally a little sharper than zoom lenses and sometimes they are cheaper and faster lenses.

There are also are a few good 3^rd party lenses for Canon and Nikon, such as Sigma, Tamron and Tokina, but most don’t have built-in stabilization. The newer ones do, so check them out to save money.

If you can get the camera body and kit lens for only about $100 more and you don't plan to upgrade your lens any time soon, that would a good deal. Be sure if you get a Canon camera sure to get the new Canon 18 - 55 IS with stabilization as it's a lot better than the older model without stabilization. You can buy one for about $175 if you have the older lens that came with the XTi or XT and it should improve your photography.

This is a great place to learn about lenses for beginners!

Digital SLR accessories

Memory Cards and Bags

Most SLRs use Compact Flash cards but some smaller ones use SD cards. Your camera will produce big files, especially if you shoot Raw, so get several memory cards in the 2 – 8 Gb range. 

Pay close attention to the SPEED of the card.  Make sure you get at least a 50X speed card. Cards come in several higher speeds so get a fast one. AVOID cards that show no rating or less than 50. I think Sandisk Extreme IV, Extreme III or Ultra II cards are the most reliable and they are inexpensive and fast.

Most photographers don’t use small cases for their SLRs.  Instead, invest in a camera bag than can hold all your gear; camera, lenses, flash, lens hoods, batteries, cards, etc.  These come in several styles from Tamrac and Lowepro, among others; backpacks, shoulder bags, rolling bags, and combo bags that can be shoulder/backpack/waist bags. 

External Flash Units
The advantage of flash units is that they can be pointed upward or at an angle to provide bounced flash that illuminates the subject with soft, diffused light rather than harsh, direct, “in your face” light that can whitewash your subject and cause harsh shadows behind the subject. They can also be used off the camera on a bracket or in another location.

Filters
Many people like to use a UV Haze filter over their expensive lenses to prevent scratches or damage to the surface of the lens and for easy dust cleaning.  If you want to purchase a filter, get a good brand such as a Hoya Pro 1 (Multicoated) or even better, B + W brand filters to avoid lessening the quality of the images that you will get if you use a cheap one that often comes in a kit. Polarizing filters are also popular for reducing reflections and deepening blue skies, like polarizing sunglasses. I buy my filters at http://2filter.com

Lens Cleaning
Be sure to purchase a microfiber cleaning cloth and some lens cleaning solution.  Never drop the solution directly on the lens.  Put one or two drops on the cloth and clean the lens or filter. 2filter.com sells a great cleaning solution and cleaning cloths.

Sensor dust cleaning
You are not likely to have a problem with dust on the sensor if you change lenses inside a home or vehicle or in any other clean environment. If you change lenses outside or often, then you might find dust on your sensor. Read my sensor cleaning article for information.

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