ShoreBoy wrote:So the Mrs and I are in the market for a DSLR for home type stuff, mainly child photos etc. I know sweet f*ck all about cameras, and our budget is definitely no more than a grand. Suggestions please!

The camera I am using today is the first DSLR I purchased and it is a Canon 1100D twin lens kit, at the time of purchase I also brought a EF 50mm F/1.8 II Lens, all up I think I paid just under a grand, I see Hardly Normals have a 600D twin lens kit for $748
is a bit better than what I have....I suspect that would as good as anywhere to start*.
The 50mm lens I don't use much but find its a great indoor portrait lens spesh in low light, but I believe Conners use's his a lot, I have since purchase a 11-16mm tokina lens which is what I use for astro

* I'm no expert and hopefully some others will pipe up qith some better info and maybe other brand options?

tbh you cant go wrong with any of the entry level slr's now

Another 1 from last Sundays trip over the Wairarapa

Check it out in hi res here on 500px

Nice!

Thanks Rob

Trackity Track

Bit moar...

+

those faces are priceless. Nice shots EoinC

I do your track work Eoin!!

A few boulders on a beach.

St Michael & All Angels Church/Clyde.

Morrie & Minor at Lake Manapouri.

Hey Rob, I'm loving your work today. My revolving desktop images get lots of comments.

PhilW wrote:A few boulders on a beach.

great stones!

ShoreBoy wrote:So the Mrs and I are in the market for a DSLR for home type stuff, mainly child photos etc. I know sweet f*ck all about cameras, and our budget is definitely no more than a grand. Suggestions please!

Honestly unless you are going to invest some real time in learning about ISO, aperture and shutterspeed, and how the three combine - I wouldn't go with a SLR now. In the last few years the mirrorless cameras have come on in leaps and bounds and if you want something flexible, that takes amazing photos without you needing to take evening classes there are better options now.

I had EXACTLY this same conversation with a friend of mine recently and I sent her this article as it seemed to mirror my thinking:
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/124653-best-compact-system-cameras-2015-the-best-mirrorless-interchangeable-lens-cameras-available-to-buy-today

This friend ended up buying a Sony Alpha 6000 and was blown away by how good it is. I lean towards the fuji's but have a look and see what you think.

Thankyou for saying that. I've been thinking of buying a "somewhat better than my phone" camera for a while and although you can get some good deals on digital SLRs, I keep getting tempted by the mirrorless cameras. I know next to nothing about photography but I always thought the benefit of SLRs was to be able to look through the lense and see exactly what image was going to go on the film. With digital imaging and hidef displays, these days I'm not sure you need all the added complexity of prisms and moving mirrors.

I would be interested to hear from some of the experts here, if there are other benefits, with SLRs, that I'm not aware of. And, yes, judging from the photos that get posted to this thread there are definitely some experts here.