Help needed choosing a DSLR camera

well as it says about.

i've been thinking about getting one for a while now and as i'm now getting married in the caribbean next year i think i need one.

i have no idea what to look for.

all i would prefer is Full 1080 def if i can and some thing fairly okish at video if i need it.

any help would be very much taken on board.

Ben

Whats your budget?

Choices are basically Nikon vs Canon.

Nikon = slightly better at low light, less user friendly.

Canon = more pixels, more user friendly.

Otherwise, they are the same. Nikon are litly ahead in video terms but my 550D Canon is orsm, i love it. But i would much prefer a D5 mkii. But i dont have that kinda dosh for a camera. Yet.

Mostly, its lens quality that really makes all the difference anyway. A high qual bit o glass will really shake things up.

I have an older Olympus C2100 and a Konica-Minolta 5D DSLR. I'm still getting used to all the functions & features on the KoniMin, and I'm getting the hang of it, but that little Olympus takes some GREAT pics. I probably use the Oly more than the KoniMin. You could probably find the Oly on Ebay for about $50.00. its only 2.1 MP ,but unless you're trying to make poster sized prints, it's going to suprize you. Here's a few pics I took with it:

A few more:

That's like asking "what kind of beer/wine/sextoy would you recommend for me?"

Without knowing your budget, proclivities and how much time and effort you plan on putting into it, it's just too broad a question.

Canon and Nikon put out top-notch stuff in the pro, prosumer and amateur lines. Can't go wrong with either brand, IMHO, but you can certainly spend way more than needed with either. The seesaw of which has better features is tilting slightly in favor of Nikon in regard to their bodies but I think Canon still has the best choices in glass.

Sony ne KonicaMinolta and some of the others have some hardware worthy of consideration but don't offer nearly the latitude the Big Two have should you wish to expand your horizons later. Which makes them fine if you don't plan on doing more than a couple of vacations and the occasional ride documentation.

And I would consider something like a Canon G12, Nikon P7000 or Panasonic Lumix as an alternative, particularly on vacation. Fits in a jacket pocket (or cargo pants pocket or purse) and you're not lugging around a big bag of gear. I have a G9 as my always-carry camera and it is quite handy.

For the record, I shoot with a Canon 7D for sports and a 5Dii for everything else. I love them both but I know I'd be just as happy if I had the equivalent gear in Nikon. The only reason I suggest Canon for relatives and close friends is because they can try out my lenses. So if you are close to someone with either brand, maybe that's your deciding factor.

I bought a Canon 300d 7 years ago ,and have never had an ounce of trouble but it realy was about time to upgrade, so 2 days ago I bought a Canon 600d, it's just awesome, even more user friendly and faster than the 300d. And I can still use all my other lenses.

I also have a Lumix ZS8 compact that I keep in my jacket pocket when I'm out riding.

keep in mind that Canon and Nikon SLR's cant use autofocus while video recording. They say it works, but it sucks ass, way too slow.

Sony can do it, because of some trickery with their mirrors being translucent.

You could also do something else, instead of buying an SLR or a compact camera. A good middle way could be a Sony NEX camera. It's a mirrorless camera with changeable lenses. The image quality is pretty damn good and video is still with autofocus.
Contenders to that camera could be Olympus PEN series or the Panasonic GF's

You can buy any dslr you like but save money for the lenses. One good lens is at least half of camera price. And you need at least two lenses.

I got sick of lugging around Nikon, so I switched to Olympus E-P1 at that time and never looked back. Recently, I upgraded to the E-P3 and it really does have the worlds fastest auto focus system as advertized, plus it's touch screen like an iphone. The size of the camera, and ability to change lenses makes it the perfect travel camera.

If you're not buying a full frame sensor Canon or Nikon, which typically run in the $3-4000 range, there is no advantage in using any of their cheaper DSLRs since they are cropped sensors as well. For less than a $1000 you can get a 12MP camera with 14-42mm lens, and 45-150mm lens. The Olympus micro 43 sensor is 2x crop, so the equivalent focal range would be 28-84, and 90-300mm. There is no way you can find any other DSLR that will match that focal range at that price. Olympus just released the E-PM1, which is cheaper smaller version of the E-P3, but I highly recommend the E-P3 for the touch screen.

Sony is releasing their NEX7 24MP camera soon, which looks awesome as well, but the sensor is 1.6x crop, so the lenses are a little bigger and more expensive. The new Nikon J1 has a 2.7x crop sensor, but it will retail for over $1000. Canon does not have a mirrorless interchangeable camera yet. Another nice thing about Olympus micro 4/3 cameras is Panasonic lenses will work since they are micro 43 as well, and you can buy adapters for nearly any lens type.

It really boils down to what level of quality you're willing to accept. If you want pro quality, you have to buy pro gear. Knowing how to use that gear is on you.

while he generally only reviews nikons and canons, I enjoy reading his reviews. It's all subjective tho, like you can probably tell from all other replies

www.kenrockwell.com