Which DSLR should I choose?

[spiralgirl]

My current camera is a Nikon Coolpix L11 and I want to purchase my first DSLR.

Currently I photography products for my bath/body/candles/knitwear business and I have a lightbox I recently bought which is a Optitex and works great. I'm loving photography and want to move up to a DSLR. Ideally I don't want it to weight a tonne and I want a basic lens included. I'd rather have great photos over weight.

I've done a bit of research mainly between the Nikon 3100 and the Canon T3 on various websites and they both have their pros and cons with a few sites saying the Nikon 3100 was the better choice. I'd like to get the camera locally so I found a store that has a lot of models. I'm in Canada and want to spend between 400-550 but could go a bit higher up to $600 if the camera is worth it for other features.

Video is a nice to have as I do use it. I don't have to have a certain brand although I hear Nikon and Canon are good. I plan to keep this camera for a long time ie. 5+ unless I decide to get something else. It's impossible to know what I'll like and not like so hard to know what to buy.

Here are the ones I'm looking at:

Olympus E-PM1 with 14-42mm lens $499.99

Canon T3 w 18-55 mm lens $549.99

Canon T2i w 18-55mm lens $649.99

Nikon D3100 w 18-55mm lens $549.99 Future shop London Drugs $629.99

Panasonic GF3XK with 14-44 mm lens $649.00

Sony Alpha A35K with 18-55mm $649.99

Which one is the best in the lower range and which one is the best in the higher range?

Michelle

[Honest Gaza]

Michelle...you are going to get a lot of opinions here...and that's about it.

I don't believe that anyone can answer "which one is the best". You have mentioned that you plan on keeping it for 5+ Years so you need to try and work out what you plan on doing over the next 5 Years (in relation to your photography), and maybe determine what type of lenses you will need in the future.

This may then help you to make a decision on a Camera Body...based on your future needs.

Note : Some of the cameras you have mentioned above aren't really SLR's (they bridge the gap between a Compact and an SLR)....so you first need to confirm (research) what you are after.

[KCook]

Just passing thoughts:

Oly - Nice bodies, nice colors straight out of the camera. Current rumors for the company are not good, unfortunately.

Canon T3 - Ok price if the lens has the IS feature. In some markets Canon lowballs this model with a non-IS lens. Dunno if that is the case for Canada.

Canon T2i - Nice camera, but that price may be a little high.

Nikon - Popular brand, always a battle between Canon and Nikon fans on whether this model beats the Canon. What brand do your friends with DSLR cameras use?

Panasonic GF3 - I would love to have one of these as a casual travel camera. Rather limited compared to the DSLR models above. That price is high.

Sony - Great for the liveview LCD feature (when you don't want to use the viewfinder). Lens selection is Ok, but not as rich as for Canon and Nikon. That price seems a little high to me.

Have you had a chance to handle any of these at all?

Kelly Cook

[Screenclutter]

Nikon D3100 w 18-55mm lens $549.99 Future shop London Drugs $629.99

Michelle

Looks like you are in Western Canada, I see absolutely no reason to go to London Drugs. Camera stores like Henry's or Vistek I think price match; better to buy at a camera store than at Future Shop/Best Buy as the camera stores have far better informed sales staff.

This Future shop link suggests that VR is included with the kit lens:
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...67b9f2ba8aen02

Just passing thoughts:

What brand do your friends with DSLR cameras use?

Kelly Cook

This I think should be a very important criteria...and it also gives you an opportunity to test drive equipment if your friends are willing. I recently lent out my SB-900 AND SB-400 flashes out to someone, and his decision was to buy both (well, the SB-910 now).

[spiralgirl]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. I haven't seen any of these in person just doing research right now. At this point I'm leaning towards the Nikon 3100. The one at Future Shop is the one I'm leaning towards because the price is great. I may go to a camera store just to get advice and go from there.

[KCook]

A few more thoughts on the D3100 -

http://www.dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?48656

[Pave]

Ideally I don't want it to weight a tonne and I want a basic lens included. I'd rather have great photos over weight.

I'm afraid, broadly speaking, the larger the camera, the better the photos - at least on the very basic level of DSLRs being usually larger than ultrazooms and those being larger than compacts. And of course full frame DSLRs are larger than the non-FF ones. So if weight and bulkiness is an issue for you, perhaps going to a photo-store nearby and trying how those cameras feel in your hands would be the a good thing to do. Could be you end up surprised how good some of those larger cameras feel...

Anyway, as someone has said here before, you will not get a definitive answer here. The best thing you should do is to have a look at reviews of those cameras you are inetersted in, have a look at the pictures taken with the respective cameras (download them in full size) and see for yourself if any of those appeals to you. You also need to bear in mind which lens has been used, but generally if you are looking to go with kit lenses, you should be able to find pictures taken with those. Apart from picture quality and if you don't have any particular preference based on other specifications, just go with whichever camera you feel best about, no matter the reason. It might sound silly, but you are going to have that camera for a while, so you might just as well pick one you are going to love.

[spiralgirl]

Thanks again for the info. I did go to Future Shop today just to feel the Canon T3, T2i and Nikon 3100. Sure they are heavier then a smaller digital camera but think I could get used to them. The Canon and Nikon both seemed take good photos. I mean anything is a step up from my Nikon L11 with 6MP. I've found a local store and checked out prices online and they are cheaper then 2 of the 3 models and may price match. I'm going to go in person and ask a lot of questions because I sort of know what I want in some areas but in others areas I'm not so sure. There are things that drive me nuts about my current Nikon but then again my camera is outdated now.

KCook,

Thanks I checked out those links but they just left me a bit more confused.

Pave,

Interesting about the camera being larger and taking better photos. I've looked at reviews for the three Canon T2i, Canon T3 and Nikon 3100 which again all have cons and then each has their pro but you get one thing and not another so it's confusing.

[KCook]

... all have cons and then each has their pro but you get one thing and not another ...

We all experience that, especially on our first DSLR shopping effort. Frankly I don't depend much on store staff for camera selection. A few stores have some staff who are fair minded about the different options, but many will have a bias. The features are packed into these cameras because the makers know that is what novice shoppers look for first. But most of those features will not be actually used very often. In my view it's better to focus on how well the camera delivers the basics. Pave is perfectly right about the love factor. The camera that comforts your concerns is a happier choice than the one that wins the spreadsheet derby.

Kelly

[Pave]

Interesting about the camera being larger and taking better photos. I've looked at reviews for the three Canon T2i, Canon T3 and Nikon 3100 which again all have cons and then each has their pro but you get one thing and not another so it's confusing.

Sorry, I probably didn't make myself clear here. This part was not really in reference to the 3 cameras you mention here. They are pretty much the same level so if one is heavier by 100grams, it does not mean anything. What I meant was that if you have a look at a pro DSLR, it will be larger than a semi-pro, which will still be larger than the entry level one.

I'm going to go in person and ask a lot of questions because I sort of know what I want in some areas but in others areas I'm not so sure.

I agree with KCook here. I wouldn't really expect them to be extremely helpful. They might try and be really nice and everything, but in my experience many of the shop assisstants do not know more than what you can find written on the box.
I still think that the best way for you to choose the camera is to read through some unbiased reviews on your own and check what the pictures made by the cameras look like. Another important thing about doing this is that it will force you to look up things you do not know now and it will deepen your understanding of how things work (at least that's what happened to me when I was buying my first camera and again when I was upgrading to my current one). And if you don't understand anything from the reviews, ask here. I'm sure you will always find people who will be happy to help.