What DSLR camera should I buy?

If you are going to buy a DSLR, then this is my honest advice. Just buy one. Any one. It doesn’t matter. Nikon, Canon, Sony or even Pentax, the camera make, model and brand doesn’t mean a thing. Go out, take photos, and keep on taking them. As that is what a camera is for.

But of course, this doesn’t really help you. So here are a few suggestions of cameras to buy for beginners:

• Nikon D7000: This is a high-end consumer model. In fact, I used two of these for 3 months for wedding work. This camera has all the features, more than you can shake a big furry brown stick at. It is light and relatively compact. It autofocuses lightning fast, and has many autofocus points to choose from. It has weather-sealing. I really can recommend this camera to anyone who has the budget for it. Most importantly, the camera has an inbuilt autofocus motor which means you are not restricted to newer and costlier AF-S lenses. And if you’re into manual focusing, the D7000 has a treat for you. It has inbuilt focus indicators to let you know where your focus is. Pretty damn awesome if you ask me.
• Nikon D90 (if still available): Similar to the D7000 but now discontinued. It doesn’t have built-in focus indicators for non-AF lenses however.

I would seriously avoid the smaller Nikon models (eg, D5000, D5100, D3000) as these do not have an inbuilt autofocus motor. This means you will be forced to buy AF-S lenses which tend to cost a lot more than older AF lenses (or use manual focus – which isn’t fun on these small cameras).

As for Canon DSLRs, I must profess I have limited experience with them. But these two I have only seen good reviews:

• Canon 7D: Similar to the Nikon D7000, this camera body has all the bells and whistles you can every need.
• Canon 550D: Small, light and compact and yet, still retains the same sensor as the 7D. Very bang-for-buck!
• Canon 50/60D: Similar to the D90 range. Some people have issues with the 60D, I can’t say I agree with them. They’re considered as above entry-level cameras so to me, they’re good starting points (if you have the budget of course).

I’m not sure what I have against the Canon entry-level range such as the 500D and 1100D. I suppose these cameras don’t have easy accessible controls making the process of taking photographs overly fidgety or automated.

Then there are the Sony A-series and the very capable Pentax K-5 and K-R. In fact, Pentax is probably the best system to buy into, if you’re not intimidated by brands.

I hope that helps as a starting point. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me via email. Keep an eye out on my lens suggestions for beginners.