Help pick a DSLR for the wife...

[IamDavid]

I'm going nuts.. My wife tells me she wants a new camera. She is tired of our slow 12mp point and shoot Nikon.. So I figure she wants another POS, just faster.. Nope. She want a new DSLR.. Here's the catch though.. Gotta be SIMPLE and have live view.. So, which DSLR is easiest to use? Turn on, point and shoot. Remove card and copy to PC... That's all she can/wants to figure out.. Went to BB and the didn't have any with power! wtf??? And FRY's didn't have any with live view.. Guy said they normally do, just are doing the display.. Lucky me, 4 hours down the drain...

 

[jpeyton]

Here's one good option: http://www.adorama.com/Als/ProductPage/INKD5000RD.html

If she's going to be using Live View often, having an articulating screen is very useful.

Sony has arguably the best Live View implementation. Their A550 has much faster Live View autofocus than any other DSLR, and it has good image quality as well: http://www.adorama.com/Als/ProductPa...DSLRA550F.html

But since the camera is for your wife, I would suggest the first camera you look at is this one: http://www.adorama.com/Als/ProductPage/IOMEPL1G14B.html I have a feeling that she might find a Digital PEN to be the best of both worlds (DSLR image quality and P&S size).

 

[slashbinslashbash]

I agree with jpeyton. Something Micro 4/3rds would be right up her alley.

 

[mztykal]

D5000, great camera, easy to use, and you can get it at a great price.

 

[996GT2]

D3000/D5000, Rebel XS, GF1, or E-P2. Have your pick.

 

[BigSmooth]

Why does she want an SLR? It sounds like she wouldn't even want or be able to change lenses depending on the situation.
There are plenty of fixed-lens cameras that might actually be a better fit for her and would save you some money. Heck, based on your description of her technical abilities I'd say you could buy her something with "SLR" styling like a Panasonic FZ35 (aka FZ38) and she might never know the difference.

 

[Munky]

Keep in mind that on most DSLRs live view focusing is pretty slow, even slower than many newer compacts. That kinda kills the whole point of getting a DLSR. I believe only Sony DSLRs have a better dual-mode liveview which allows focusing via the much faster traditional phase-detect AF sensor.

You can also get her something from the micro 4/3 system, those offer SLR-like features and are designed for faster liveview focusing.

 

[ElFenix]

on green box mode an SLR is as simple as a P&S. just faster. with better metering. though, with live view on most are as slow or slower than P&S cameras to focus. exception being the sony's, which put a P&S sensor in the prism to do the live view.

for something not quite an SLR but faster and much better image quality than a P&S there is the pansasonic G series. apparently the olympus pen series is approaching the panasonics on focusing speed.

the samsung NX is probably worth checking out as well.

 

[Tip3r]

I often recommend Sony's to women. Check this out http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/...52921665887570

 

[IamDavid]

Wow, thanks everyone for the great advice.

I'm hoping to find a few of these around town to ceck out before buying. Huge help, Thanks again!

 

[Gooberlx2]

I'm gonna throw out the Pentax K-x (maybe in red? :awe

Good price ($499 w/ kit-lens), good features, great sensor and fairly small for a DSLR.

 

[martensite]

Yeah, another vote for the K-X. Cheap and good.
Not sure how fast the live view is, compared to Sony, but for IQ and features, the K-X is hard to beat. The 18-55 and 55-300 kit lenses cover the most common focal lengths.

If live view is the single most important feature, then one of the newer Panasonic m4/3 are pretty good...I found LV to be really fast on those things compared to 'normal' dslr LV.

 

[IamDavid]

Very kewl Pentax!!! I think we've found a winner... Adorama a good place to buy from?? Never heard of them...

 

[Gooberlx2]

Yeah, Adorama has been around for a long time. They're reputable.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Very kewl Pentax!!! I think we've found a winner... Adorama a good place to buy from?? Never heard of them...

Hang on a sec...

With Live View on the K-x (and most other DSLRs) it takes several seconds to focus. In other words, once you point the camera at something and press the shutter, there is going to be at least a 2 second delay before the photo is taken. Fine for tripod work, but otherwise... meh.

If she's willing to use the OVF most of the time, then the K-x is the best deal going in the entry-level DSLR world, particularly the 2 lens kit (18-55 & 55-300) for under $700.

If she needs to have Live View for daily use, I'll join the others in suggesting a Micro 4/3 camera.

 

[Madwand1]

Every manufacturer makes nice entry-level DSLRs which are a great deal, because they know that with a DSLR, you're not just buying a camera, you're buying into a system for the long term. Buying into brand X because it has the best entry-level camera deal at the moment is not necessarily the best way to go.

I've been using Canon for quite some time now, largely because I started with it, because my girlfriend went out and bought one once. Canon or Nikon are of course fine, but if I was making that brand choice all over again now, I'd strongly consider Sony -- they've been showing some pure photography chops, and leading the field in bringing down the price of high-resolution FF, have Zeiss on their card, a Minolta legacy, and of course consumer electronics cred.

 

[IamDavid]

Thanks everyone. I ended up going with the Sony. She absolutely loves it. In the end I went with the Sony basicly because i had a POS Sony for the longest time and felt safer going with one I knew..

I did pick up a eye-fi 8gb card as well. That thing is sweet! Not 100% compatiable with Sony camera's but it works well enough. It's perfect for her. Take a picture, open up the laptop and there it is.. very neat. Very easy.. I hope they keep working on the issues with Sony's.

 

[Muse]

Thanks everyone. I ended up going with the Sony. She absolutely loves it. In the end I went with the Sony basicly because i had a POS Sony for the longest time and felt safer going with one I knew..

I did pick up a eye-fi 8gb card as well. That thing is sweet! Not 100% compatiable with Sony camera's but it works well enough. It's perfect for her. Take a picture, open up the laptop and there it is.. very neat. Very easy.. I hope they keep working on the issues with Sony's.

Which Sony did you get? I was looking at the A200 a year or so ago, still don't have my first DSLR. The A550 looks expensive to me, the link above has the body for $850 at adorama. I think I'm going to have to go pretty entry level, what ever I get. The rap on the A200 was that Sony hadn't adequately addressed algorithms to clean up low light shots. Have they improved this?

 

[IamDavid]

Which Sony did you get? I was looking at the A200 a year or so ago, still don't have my first DSLR. The A550 looks expensive to me, the link above has the body for $850 at adorama. I think I'm going to have to go pretty entry level, what ever I get. The rap on the A200 was that Sony hadn't adequately addressed algorithms to clean up low light shots. Have they improved this?

I ended up going with the 330.. She absolutely loves it! I don't have any expertise in the area but I can't complain at all about the low light photo's. We've went for few walks at dusk and a little later, all was good. Very impressed myself.. I would recomend this to anyone...

 

[foghorn67]

They make hoods that isolate the viewfinder. I can dig that for you later.
They also make riggings that hold the camera for steady shots. I've seen folks that have a large control wheel for the focusing ring.

 

[compgeek89]

I'm not really saying anything that hasn't been said, but everything other than the 'DSLR' part of your post says you're looking for something OTHER than a dSLR. A dSLR is a tool that requires knowledge and practice to use. If you don't know how to use it, the results will be no better than a point and shoot could provide. I've had my Pentax K-7 for just a couple weeks, and I still am figuring out how to make it do what I want. I never use Live View, dSLRs just aren't made for that. The performance in Live View is relatively abysmal compared to todays point and shoots. So, if youre wife doesn't want to learn how to use a dSLR and forget about live view and point and shoot type photo taking, she's not looking for a dSLR yet. If you try to use a dSLR with point and shoot mentality, you're going to find both using it and the results very disappointing.

 

[IamDavid]

You're probably right compgeek89.. She wanted one though.. Hopefully it will turn into a hobby, I wouldn't mind paying for one of the more high end if she liked it and lerned about it. Gotta start somewheres though..

 

[Muse]

I ended up going with the 330.. She absolutely loves it! I don't have any expertise in the area but I can't complain at all about the low light photo's. We've went for few walks at dusk and a little later, all was good. Very impressed myself.. I would recomend this to anyone...

That's probably a terrific choice in an entry level DSLR. Tremendous bang for the buck based on what they were saying about the A200. Having image stabilization built into the body rather than the lens means that you will get IS with any lens, one of the big attractions with the Sony DSLRs IMO. My current digicam doesn't have IS, so I'm looking ahead.

 

[foghorn67]

Congrats on the purchase. I'm sure you guys will love it.