Advice on which DSLR camera to buy!?

Question

I am looking at two different cameras. The first is the Olympus E-620 which comes with both 14-42mm lens with cover, 40-150mm lens with cover, and PaintShopPro Photo X2. The price of the Olympus is $740. It does not have a movie mode.

The second camera is the Pentax K-x which comes with both 18-55mm lens, and 50-200mm lens and does have a movie mode. The price of the Pentax is $749.

So, I need some opinions from those with more experience than I have with SLR cameras! Thanks!

Answer 1

The best thing to do is visit an actual camera store (not an electronics store) and handle all of the different brands and models within your budget. Don't forget, Nikon and Canon also make nice cameras.



You want a camera that feels good in your hands, with easy to find/use controls. Some cameras are bulkier than others, some are heavier than others. Only you will know which one feels right, and in a camera store you can walk around with it shooting photos instead of being tethered to a table (plus the camera store employees are more familiar with the different brands and can answer your questions/concerns).

Answer 2

I just ordered a Pentax Kx with just the 18-55mm lens. I had a chance to look it over in a retail camera shop who wanted $650.00. I found it cheaper on line. I like the camera because it is not overly technical. I want to take pictures not be technical! The viewfinder is relative unobstructed. I probably should have opted for the 50-200mm lens, but got cheap. The feature I look for in my digital's is a movable focusing frame. I like to "frame" a great many of my photo's with trees or what ever is at hand, and a movable focusing frame appeals to me. And most important is the camera is comfortable to hold in my hands.



I own an older Olympus film camera and it is great. The movie mode on DSLR's is not for me. I would buy a movie camera if it was that important.

Answer 3

I'm using my Pentax K-x for stills and video, mostly portraits and product shots. It's my first DSLR but after reading up a bit on its capabilities I was good to go. For the price, this is simply an amazing camera. I had considered entry-level models from Canon and Nikon, but after reading a bunch of online reviews I decided that the K-x was a better bet. Indeed, the sensor quality and features (it shoots great 720p video) are unbeatable in its segment.



A few likes and dislikes:



Likes:



I shoot from the viewfinder. I'm not sure if this is because the LCD isn't big enough or because I just like shooting from the viewfinder better - probably the latter. I like to use a manual focus when the situation allows, and I can just see a lot more using my naked eye instead of live view.



The video feature is great for casual shooting. I used it on Christmas morning to capture my 18 month old opening gifts.



Since I rarely use live view, rarely use a flash and set up my shots before turning the camera on, the original batteries have lasted me about two weeks. Can't complain about that. I bought 8 Eneloop AAA rechargeables for when the originals run out, but haven't had to swap them out yet.



Low light performance is amazing. Check out the reviews. It's as good as cameras that cost twice as much.



Dislikes:

The audio is mono on the camera, and there's no audio input. So if you want to shoot something with sound, i.e. an interview, you'll have to use a separate recorder and sync the audio later. That's probably too much of a hassle for a project with a lot of cuts, but if it's something simple it's workable. I managed to sync some audio in iMovie that looks/sounds really good.



The shutter is on the loud side. I haven't yet found this to be a real problem for me, but some reviewers have been annoyed by it.



It's rare for me to get a decent-looking picture using the internal flash. Some of that is probably just the nature of internal flash, but I'm guessing some of it owes to the implementation in the K-x. Fortunately, images still look good at ISO 1600 and usable at ISO 3200, so it's possible to get up to a high enough shutter speed to take photos of a toddler indoors during the day.

Answer 4

Well having used both cameras, I like the Pentax more. Olympus though make nice cameras. In reality, both are good deals and will be fine for a beginner. Choose the camera that feels most comfortable in your hands.



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