Looking To Buy a DSLR, Need Your Suggestions

[Akash]

Hello Friends,

I am out in the market for purchasing a decent camera for my sister. She is not a gadget freak, but does love taking pictures of landscape, flower and most of the times, mine. Now she requested me to tell her about some PnS cameras, so i have thought of gifting her a good cam instead of giving her a list of cams which she can buy.

Now, i was looking for some good point and shoot cams ranging from 5k-17k, when i came across Canon EOS 1100D. From what i could gather from various reviews, it is an entry level DSLR which does a good job. Some sample images which i found with the review looked good enough for the price (about 26k bucks).

Most of the readers might be thinking that what my real query is? So here it comes.

• With a strict budget of 25,000 bucks, do i have any other camera which can do a better job? I dont want to get wrong since this is going to be my belated Rakhi gift to my sister!
  
• How is its compatibility with Lenses (across the Canon range), if at all it needs an upgrade in future?
  
• How is the battery life? I have had a lot of trouble at various expos when i used Canon Powershots (4 AA batteries) & Samsung S85 (2 AA batteries).

EDIT: Do i need to buy a separate Handycam for shooting short video clips?

 

[travelfreak]

Hi Akash,

You can also consider Nikon D3100 which comes under 25k budget(with 18-55mm lens).

 

[Akash]

Thanks for the quick reply. I was a bit apprehensive about the Nikon because of its lesser battery backup compared to the Canon. In almost all the comparos on net, Nikon D3100 is a clear winner.

I have further stretched my query, please have a look at the opening thread. My mom asked me about a good handycam for shooting short clips which may be needed on family get together. So my query is that, can this DSLR do the job of a handycam too?

 

[autosafari]

These SLRs do have video recording feature.

 

[travelfreak]

Nikon D3100 is better in terms of video capture as it offers full HD(1080p) movie recording compared to Canon which offers video capture at 720p resolution.

Here are some other differences between Nikon D3100 & Canon EOS 1100D:
Pixels:12.2(Canon), 14.2(Nikon)
LCD screen size: 2.7(Canon), 3(Nikon)

 

[Superbad]

a side by side comparo between your models Side by Side Comparison: Digital Photography Review

 

[Akash]

These SLRs do have video recording feature.

Nikon D3100 is better in terms of video capture as it offers full HD(1080p) movie recording compared to Canon which offers video capture at 720p resolution.

Here are some other differences between Nikon D3100 & Canon EOS 1100D:
Pixels:12.2(Canon), 14.2(Nikon)
LCD screen size: 2.7(Canon), 3(Nikon)

Ok, so i guess for better Videos, Nikon D3100 is better compared to Canon.

a side by side comparo between your models Side by Side Comparison: Digital Photography Review

Thanks for the link Superbad. As a matter of fact, i already went through it yesterday.

From what i have read since past 2 days, the positives seem higher with Nikon over Canon.

Now one thing that i came to know about Nikon is that it doesnt have a focus motor. Does it have a major drawback and should it be a deal breaking feature?

 

[ERTIGA_ZMR]

I have Nikon D5000 which was purchased 2 years back from Akhiabara (Near Tokyo) with following lenses
1:AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G
2: AF-S DX VR Zoom-NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED. Price I paid was around 75000 Yen thats close to 38K INR.

It's a good entry level DSLR and best feature is rotating LCD.I guess in India it's around 30K with 18-55mm lens. But I believe it has been discontinued and D5100 has been introduced.

My observation about DSLR camera:
1: If you know photography very well then you should have it else you should purchase high resolution camera with wide range of optical Zoom.
2: In family function or office outing it's very difficult to manage DSLR because of it's weight and bulkiness.

Inspite of having DSLR, I prefer to use my SonyH3 camera with 8.1 mpx and 10X optical zoom.
For better use of DSLR, I am planning to join a photography lesson.

In 25K range you will have plenty of high end compact camera with HD video recording.

Pardon me if my post is adding confusion.

 

[Highway Ranger]

Most of the newer nikon lenses have built-in autofocus motors. So that would not be a deal breaker, IMHO.

 

[Akash]

I have Nikon D5000 which was purchased 2 years back from Akhiabara (Near Tokyo) with following lenses
1:AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G
2: AF-S DX VR Zoom-NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED. Price I paid was around 75000 Yen thats close to 38K INR.

It's a good entry level DSLR and best feature is rotating LCD.I guess in India it's around 30K with 18-55mm lens. But I believe it has been discontinued and D5100 has been introduced.

My observation about DSLR camera:
1: If you know photography very well then you should have it else you should purchase high resolution camera with wide range of optical Zoom.
2: In family function or office outing it's very difficult to manage DSLR because of it's weight and bulkiness.

Inspite of having DSLR, I prefer to use my SonyH3 camera with 8.1 mpx and 10X optical zoom.
For better use of DSLR, I am planning to join a photography lesson.

In 25K range you will have plenty of high end compact camera with HD video recording.
Pardon me if my post is adding confusion.

We already have too many PnS cams at home, so bulkiness of DSLR wont be an issue. As for photography, she loves it, so i guess a DSLR is right gift for her. If she didnt like it, i will keep it for myself, simple.

Most of the newer nikon lenses have built-in autofocus motors. So that would not be a deal breaker, IMHO.

Okay, i wont be upgrading to any newer lens anytime soon. So would the absence of Auto-focus motor hamper the performance?

 

[Highway Ranger]

The kit lens has built-in auto-focus motor, so you will not have any issue with performance.

 

[Akash]

The kit lens has built-in auto-focus motor, so you will not have any issue with performance.

Sorry, but what i read in the Nikon D3100 review, it doesnt have auto-focus motor? What does this mean?

 

[350Z]

Now she requested me to tell her about some PnS cameras, so i have thought of gifting her a good cam instead of giving her a list of cams which she can buy.

Good idea. Hope she doesn’t visits the forum or this thread could spill the beans.

I have had a lot of trouble at various expos when i used Canon Powershots (4 AA batteries) & Samsung S85 (2 AA batteries).

The AA batteries cannot match with the battery life of modern lithium ion batteries.

EDIT: Do i need to buy a separate Handycam for shooting short video clips?

I don’t think so. Even a digicam does a fair job of capturing short videos of acceptable quality.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[Akash]

Good idea. Hope she doesn’t visits the forum or this thread could spill the beans.

She does, but i am sure she wont be able to make it to this section.

I don’t think so. Even a digicam does a fair job of capturing short videos of acceptable quality.

Drive Safe,
350Z

Yeah, so i guess, handycam can be struck off the list.

 

[jihu123]

well, the canon 1100D is a good option as a entry level camera. But I personally think the Nikon D3100 is better than the canon 1100D.
My brother owns Canon 1100D. He bought it just around 2 weeks before & its pretty good IMHO. He had Nikon D3100 also in mind but chucked it when he got a offer of 20k with lens (don't remember which one) on it.