Choosing a D-SLR

[Saikat Bala]

Hi everyone,
I am using DSC H50 (Sony). Now i want to upgrade to a DSLR. As my budget is limited, please refer me a Nikon model which has moderate efficiency.

[Sahil]

Hi Saikat,

First of all, welcome to the CiC.
I was pretty much in the same situation as you are in, a few months back. Mind me asking, how limited is your budget?

[Sahil]

I just had a quick look at the specs of your present camera. It looks pretty good. It depends upon what you expect from your D-SLR?

[Saikat Bala]

Thanks Sahil,

My budget is some thing arround 55-60 K.

[Sahil]

seeing your User ID and "55-60k" I am assuming you are talking in INR.
Well, Then the camera I have, Nikon D3000 with a decent lens. Now that depends upon what you want to shoot. I wish I could afford 18-200mm. And you can get a much better deal if you get your Camera from Thailand or US/Canada

[rpcrowe]

One good thing and one bad thing about choosing your first DSLR.

The good thing is that you are not restricted by owning lenses and other accessories to any one brand. Canon, Nikon and, yes; Pentax are all out there for the choosing.

The bad thing is that you really need to be careful in your first choice because it will often pretty well lock you into one brand or another to the exclusion of other brands.

I chose Canon and I am very happy with it but, if I were not happy; it would be a major economic problem to switch to another brand since I own several bodies and quite a few lenses as well as other Canon specific accessories such as flashes.

[Dave Humphries]

You're right on both counts of course.

Perhaps it's a good argument for stopping at just the camera and kit (or one) lens for a while and look at where you want to go, before amassing too many of said accessories.

Easier said than done though

There's always the non brand specific stuff to spend money on though; straps, tripods, heads, bags, etc.

[Wirefox]

If you really must restrict yourself to Nikon then the D90 and 18-105mm VR Lens Kit looks reasonable and is within your range.You could also consider a used body and used lens and get much more for your bucks. I have had stuff (including a lens) from MPB Photographic and it has been near mint at a fraction of the cost new. I would be careful though, you have an excellent bridge camera so as someone else has already said you need to understand what you want from a DSLR. I suspect if you stick the D90 and Kit on auto the IQ will not be significantly different to your Sony in normal light conditions (executes a sliding dive into the fallout shelter)

Steve