DSLR guide

DRAFT

This section will attempt to cover the frequent "which DSLR should I buy" questions that appear in the forum. For compact (point and shoot) cameras, see the [Compact_camera_guide].

For some high-level info and resources, see Camera_Selection.

Which DSLR do I need?

The first thing to note is that the camera you use will only have a limited affect on how good your photos are. The main determinate of a good photo is the photographer - the technology is just there to make your life easier. Image quality means very little if the photographer was unable to find an interesting subject and compose and expose the image well.

The next thing is that pretty much every DSLR on the market is quite capable of capturing very high quality images. There a no bad DSLRs, however some might be more suited to you than others.

The condenders

Canon

Canon are the main market player, and have been for some time. They have the widest choice of sensor formats, bodies and lenses available, and are generally considered to have the sensors that produce the highest image quality, especially at high ISO levels.

However, you pay a price premium. At a certain price point Canon usually have less features than their competitors.

The main argument for buying Canon seems to be the upgrade path. With SLRs, the investment you make in lenses soon eclipses the cost of the body, and Canon are currently the only manufacturer that produce full frame DSLRs. If you see FF in your future, its well worth considering starting with Canon so you don't have to start your lens collection from scratch.

Nikon

<somone who know about Nikon should put something here :)>

Pentax

Pentax are relatively