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Question

good dslr for beginners

Nov 10, 2011 5:52AM PST

I have been using two of the entry level dslr pentax kr and canon t3,both are nice cameras, picture quality about the same,pentax shoots faster and it is heavier,"feels" better build.If you are going to make that kind of investment, would you go with one of those two or expend couple of hundred dollars more and go with nikon 5100, for the extra features,1080p record mode with auto focus,articulated lcd...(my budget is around 750)

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Answer
DSLR Nikon - Canon - Pentax
Nov 10, 2011 11:51PM PST

The picture taking ability and quality is about equal on any of the three cameras.

So that leaves features.

Since you are interested in video - the Nikon D5100 is your better choice.
It has continuous Focus, the others do not.
The other cameras get into trouble if you are making a video of an object coming toward you or away from you.
Depending upon the available light, the moving object could become out of focus as it get further away/close to the camera.

If you are really into video, you should be looking for a camcorder.

Canon and Nikon have announced future digital DSLR cameras that work very well as still and video combination cameras.
The problem is: not available until next year and the price is from $9,000 through $20,000.

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Answer
I'm a Nikon Guy, and Here's Why
Nov 11, 2011 10:59PM PST

When you choose a DSLR it's pretty much for life. You make a bigger investment in the lenses than in the camera body, and so focusing on the quality of the lenses is an essential consideration.

Almost all of the manufacturers offer similar picture quality and features, at least at comparable price points. Both Canon and Nikon have their fans (not so much among professionals for any of the others), but I'm a Nikon guy.

Simply put, Nikon offers superior lenses all the way up and down their huge spectrum of choices. Their camera bodies and their lenses tend to be a little more expensive, but the lenses are smaller, higher quality, and lighter. When you get up into the longer focal lengths, the size and weight advantage for Nikon becomes a real issue.

Of course, third-party manufacturers like Tamron (some GOOD ones) and Quantaray (not so much) make lenses that are compatible with Nikons (and Canons, but not always the others) in every respect, including VR and all auto capabilities.

The Nikon 5100 would certainly be my choice right now because I have all these lenses already, and indeed if my old ultra-reliable D50 ever fails it will be my choice unless I hit the lottery and can afford a D3x. But something else to consider is the intriguing new Nikon 1 series of cameras. They seem to offer nearly all the features of DSLRs but in a compact package -- they're what are called "Micro 4/3rds" designs, competing with the Sony NX series, with interchangeable lenses and an impressive array of electronic capabilities. Their lenses are NOT compatible with "legacy" Nikon DSLRs, nor are they able to use the legacy DSLR lenses, but if I were starting from scratch right now they are something I might seriously consider.

The reason I would consider these is that it is likely that Nikon (and other manufacturers) will devote a considerable portion of their engineering resources to improving their future designs, possibly at the expense of future DSLR development.