slrs

If you're looking for a cheap dSLR, about $500 or less including the usual 18-55mm kit lens, you don't have a lot of choice. If you're really vigilant and are willing to leave your comfort zone you can find a few more options.

What does leaving your comfort zone entail? First, ensure that the price you're looking at is for a new, not used or refurbished model. Second, if the seller insists that you have to speak to a salesperson in order to complete the order, that's a red flag -- they usually do that to deliver a high-pressure sales pitch for accessories. While you may be able to resist the pitch, outlets like that have a habit of messing up the order or delivering gray-market merchandise. (Note that gray-market products aren't bad as long as you're aware of what to expect, such as no warranty.)

I selected the products below because they are fairly widely available for less than $500, but with some work you can also find older recommended models like the Pentax K-x, Canon EOS Rebel T2i, and Rebel T1i for under $600 or with the occasional discount for less than $500.… Read more

If you are or someone you know is upgrading from a point-and-shoot to a digital SLR or an interchangeable lens compact camera, you might want to look at or share this video series from Vimeo. The series, called "Behind the Glass," is an introduction to lenses and terminology.

Though they're geared for beginners, the videos are entertaining enough that even people who understand how and when to use a particular lens might want to check them out. The videos are targeted at those shooting movies with their cameras, Vimeo being a video-sharing site after all, but much of what's said applies to still photos, too.

You can check out the other two videos in the series over at the Vimeo Video School site.… Read more

Maybe it's just my imagination, but when I first put together my roundup of cheap dSLRs more than a year ago, there were a lot more options than there seem to be now. At one point, if memory serves, I even dropped the top price criterion of body with a kit lens from $700 to $600.

Today, as I updated the story to include the review of the $599 Canon EOS Rebel T3, I found myself raising the bar to $650 and wondering why it was necessary. Granted, I'm still missing a review for one of the cheapest … Read more

The latest lens accessory Lensbaby pulls out of its quiver targets pickier users who want better build quality and smoother focus and tilt operation than the company's previous products offered. The Lensbaby Composer Pro will come in two configurations: $300 equipped with the Double Glass Optic, or $400 with the Sweet 35 Optic. The older Lensbaby Composer will remain available at a lower price of $250 (with the Double Glass Optic).

If you've never heard of Lensbaby's products, they're adapters for a variety of dSLR and Micro Four Thirds lens mounts which deliver relatively inexpensive manual-focus … Read more

Pentax, never one to shy away from attention-grabbing colors for its dSLRs, will be gracing us with a retro black-and-silver limited-edition version of its K-5 midrange dSLR. In addition to the cosmetics, the K-5 Limited Edition Silver model will also have a thicker grip than the standard model and more durable glass protecting the display and status LCDs.

The company will also release three of its prime lenses to match, the smc PENTAX-DA 21mm F3.2 AL Limited Silver, the smc PENTAX-DA 40mm F2.8 Limited Silver, and the smc PENTAX-DA 70mm F2.4 Limited Silver. When this shiny crowd-pleaser … Read more

Professional studio photographers who use Nikon dSLRs often employ the company's Camera Control Pro to tether the camera to a computer. This allows them to control the shooter from the PC and view images immediately after they are taken. However, this program costs $150 and isn't compatible with lower-end dSLRs.

Nikontrol 3K, however, is free and supports the Nikon D3000, D40, and D90. It was developed using the Nikon software development kit and users simply have to connect the camera to a computer via USB to start tethering. There are some limitations, though, such as Windows-only compatibility.

You … Read more

We've reported on several types of waist-type camera grips here on Crave. One of them is the Spider Holster, which attaches to the tripod mount of the shooter and slides into a base that's fixed to your belt. The b-grip does the same thing, except it can hold up to 17.5 pounds of weight and doesn't swing around when you move.

The unique feature of the b-grip is that it can be attached to virtually any strap. So if your backpack has a chest strap, you can fix the holster to that, too. Also, it allows users to affix the shooter either lens down or facing outward. A supplied rain cover protects the camera if you're using it in wet environments. … Read more

While your dSLR is important, you can't take pictures without lenses. So, it's important to offer equal protection for your optics and camera body. dSLR bodies can go into bags with ample padding, and lenses can go into the Beta Shell.

These lens containers are watertight so you don't have to worry about getting drenched in the rain. They are also capable of regulating temperature so the lenses won't get too hot or cold in extreme climates. The polymer plastic case is also shock-resistant, while the neoprene cushions inside will dampen any vibrations that may damage the optics.

The company makes cases for most popular Canon and Nikon's lenses, and you can check out the list on the product Web site. The shells cost between $45 and $84, depending on the size. Check out the video below to see just how tough the Beta Shell tubes are. … Read more

When Pentax briefed me on the K-5, its latest midrange dSLR--midrange for the market as a whole, but at the top of Pentax's food chain--its PR spokeswoman downplayed the announcement. "It's just an updated version of the K-7" was the gist of her pitch.

Then the team began to detail the changes: a beefed-up autofocus system, a switch to a Sony CMOS sensor with on-chip noise reduction, an increase of 2fps in continuous shooting, 1080p video capture. I pointed out that these were nontrivial changes, and that just because the body was fundamentally the same as the K-7--same weather sealing and magnesium-alloy build--didn't mean that people wouldn't recognize the importance of the enhancements.

It's not the replacement for the K-7 that many were expecting, instead filling out Pentax's lineup a price class up. Here's the company's current dSLR line:… Read more