Best digital SLR for under 1500 dollars?

Answer 1

Nikon D40

Answer 2

I agree with Koko that the Canon 30D is a better camera than the Nikon D80. It's also a more expensive camera, and you can't get the 30D AND a good lens for under $1500 total.
The Canon 400D with the Canon 17-85mm zoom and a 2GB Sandisk Extreme lll memory card WOULD come in under $1500.
So would the Nikon D80 with the Nikon 18-70mm zoom and a 2GB Sandisk Extreme lll memory card.
Between these setups, I'd prefer the Nikon... the D80 loses out to the Canon 30D, but it beats the 400D.
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I was curious about the answers that came later... and I can't resist to comment:
The Pentax K10D offers better build quality than the Nikon D80, but slower auto-focus, slightly inferior image quality, and a smaller range of quality lenses (should you want to build a good lens collection). Regarding the review sites, I trust the reviews at dpreview.com more than the others combined. Steve's Digicams is another great review site, but they don't list the K10D yet.
Regarding Alan's comparison: the only thing that upsets me is that your standard answers make my visits to this site redundant - maybe I should just get out there and take more pictures :-)

Answer 3

I will go with claveston on this one. But 1500 bucks is a good chunk of change. I just bought a Pentax K100D with two lenses, a bag two filters, a cleaning kit 2 MB memory card and more for like 1200.
Abes of maine .com Has great kits. I got an 18 55 and a 55 200 Lenses all inclusive. best camera i have ever owner and super easy to use.

Answer 4

The Canon 30D or the Nikon D80. I perfer the 30D for sports and the D80 seems just medicore. In dpreviews.com they even state that the 30D has better details per pixel than the D200 (a higher level of the D80) The 30D does have better JPEG on board converter than Nikon so if you are lazy (like me) at casual parties you will have better details with the 30D.

My choice is the 30D (even though the XTi of Canon is even better picture quality because of the 10MP than the 30D. Just without some of the pro features that most people like) Get the XTi if you do not need the proish features that the 30D does have or even wait till the 40D comes out in a few months I belive.

Answer 5

It all depends on what you mean by the "best." Since you are here asking this question, I will assume that you are looking for a camera and lens and memory card for your $1,500 budget.

In the "prosumer" segment of the market, there are currently five cameras that are available for around $700-1,000 that are attracting the most attention. By the time you add a nice lens (often the "kit" lens suggested by the manufacturer) and a 2 GB memory card, you will spend about $1,500.

The February 2007 issue of Popular Photography has an article where they compared the top 10 MP DSLR's.

I took the scores and ranked the cameras similar to the way Formula 1 gives championship points. I just gave 5 for 1st place down to 1 for last place, splitting the difference when cameras tied in their catagories.

They evaluated Image Quality (giving this twice as much weight as anything else), Ease of Use, Control, and System Flexibility.

The final order and my scores are:

Nikon D80 - 17.5 points
- BEST in Image Quality, Control and System Flexibility
Canon Rebel XTi (400D) - 13.5 points
- Tied for best in System Flexibility
Pentax K10D - 11 points
- Tied for best in Ease of Use
Samsung GX10 - 11 points
- Tied for best in Ease of Use
Sony Alpha 100 - 7 points
- LAST in Image Quality, Ease of Use and System Flexibility."

Go to the original question and read the responses for more opinions.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiG00eHyd0oq5b.X7J.jiULzy6IX?qid=20070113133139AAHWJY0


Then again, the same magazine that put the Sony Alpha 100 dead last in this comparison named it the camera of the year in the previous issue!

This review is now available online at:

http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3569/10mp-dslr-shootout.html

Answer 6

When purchasing a camera,always go for one with a very good lense,preferably with a german lense as they are probably the best lense makers for cameras in the world. Some the Japanese companies use these German precision lenses - Leica - panasonic, Sneider - samsung, Sony"s best cameras use German lenses. i have a panasonic 6 m pixel that uses a leica lense. Its extremely sharp with clarity of image. The larger 10 - 12 mega pixel pansonic cameras hav higher definition than mine. Its your choice in the end,what you want,and what you want it for. If you buy the higher SLR digitals,theses are usialy designed for the professional market photographers such as wedding photographers,journalists,wild life photographers ,sport and freelancers photographers. Unless you are a hyper photographic novice or a professional who wants to make a living of their profession, I"d recommend you stay fixed to some of the good mid range cameras 7-10 mp that you can get for under $1000,these cameras are very worthy as anything above. remember in the end its not the camera,its how creatively you can use it ?

Answer 7

I'll go out on a limb and say I love my Pentax K10D. It's gotten excellent reviews from PopPhoto, NeoCamera, Practical Photography, e-photografija, Camera Australia, etc.

and got a decent review from DPReview.com

some quotes
"No Only is the K10D the Bext D-SLR that Pentax has ever built, (and by quite a margin over the K100D), it's the best D-SLR in its class... and is even capable of challenging the EOS 30D and D200. If Canon and Nikon have been ignoring Pentax up until now, the the K10D is the wake-up call. It incorporates many classic Pentax values, not least being that it represents exceptional value for money given its extensive capabilities. However, pricing clearly hasn't been the manin priority because the K10D delivers perfomance by the bucket-load; from its super strong construction, through its speed and functionality, and on to its consistently superb image quality. If there's more to come of this calibre from Pentax, then it will be able to resume its position as one of the SLR world's heavy hitters."

"Smooth clean images with good color and tone, not as crisp as we would like
Robust body with dust and weather seals, high build quality
Accurate and fast auto-focus
Unique exposure modes; sensitivity, shutter/aperture priority, hyper program
Selectable program lines; Normal, Hi speed, Depth and MTF (lens sharpness)
Good range of image parameter adjustment (-5 to +5 for each)
Dedicated RAW button a useful addition
Selectable RAW format (PEF or DNG)
Unlimited continuous shooting in JPEG mode
Occasionally useful 'digital preview' allows you to take a test shot which isn't saved
User definable Auto ISO (set minimum and maximum ISO)
Good built-in flash metering
Large and bright Pentaprism viewfinder (0.95x magnification)
In-camera Shake Reduction system offers some advantage in low light
Dust reduction by anti-static coating and optional sensor 'shake'
Mirror lock-up implemented as part of the self-timer
Function menu for quick access to important settings (although hard buttons are better)
Large, bright and high resolution LCD monitor
Good battery life from high capacity Lithium-Ion rechargeable
Proper hinged doors covering the connectors (not the cheap rubber bungs)
In-camera RAW development and image retouching (B&W, Sepia, Soft etc.)
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed interface (with mass storage device driver)
Value for money "

Pentax has just updated the firmware for this camera giving it additional features (v1.1)
"Wireless control of external flash through built-in flash.
Instantly return to centre AF point by one push of button in AF select mode.
Possible to change ISO setting by dial at TV/AV mode.
ISO setting change by dial while the ISO setting is being displayed on the LCD by pushing OK button.
Green button function in M mode is available at TAv mode (Hyper manual).
AV and TV switch by dial at P mode.
Instant return to the default value by green button at strobe light compensation.
The following contents have been corrected.

In rare case, vertical stripe at long time exposure.
Released “B exposure” and show battery empty sign when using B mode. "

Answer 8

go to canonusa.com
choose the model you like

then go to shopzilla.com
and find a good price