Can I handle this? :P

[Psymon]

Hi there!

I'm thinking of buy a Canon EOS 400D, a so called mirror reflex camera.

I've heard those types of camera aren't suited for photgraph newbies (which I am), because they need alot of adjustment when you are out shooting.

Is this just bs and will I be able to operate the camera and take som OK shots, without being an expert on the field?

Thanks in advance!:)

[Ray Schnoor]

This camera has a fully automatic modes for you to use. When you get used to the camera, you can graduate to aperture priority, shutter priority and manual if you so choose. I have a neighbor who has never taken her 350d out of the green, fully automatic mode since she got it over a year ago. She had never used a dSLR or SLR camera before and she loves it.

Ray.

[griptape]

You CAN leave it in the fully auto mode, and it will produce shots that are far better than a compact, and exponentially better in less than ideal lighting conditions, but you won't get that "wow" factor very often in comparison with manual mode and an in depth understanding of the settings, how light works, and how the camera itself works with light.

Also, when you buy an SLR, you have to remember that the body itself is practically a moot point. The glass (lens) in front of the sensor has a far greater affect on image quality than the body behind the sensor.

If cost is no issue, to answer your question, yes, a DSLR in auto mode will out perform a compact, and the worse the light gets, the more it will out perform. If you take the time to learn about the camera, and about photography (which simply put is just the capture of light) then you'll be at an even greater advantage. But you can take the camera out of the box and push the button and get very good pictures while you learn, and you'll have the tool you need once you have learned.