Okay i've decided to take the plunge and get myself a camera!

I had a camera years ago, back when digital were new and I got some pretty good shots on it. Image quality was very poor though.

I'm looking for something like a DSLR. My housemates both have compact cameras for nights out, so that's not really a priority, though I reckon when we go on holiday we probably will be doing things at night that i'll want some decent low-light abilities for.

Most of the shots i'll be taking will be wildlife (when I get back home to peterborough) and fast-action shots (I'm directing an opera next year so want some decent shots of the show as it's being performed, plus people dicking around in rehearsals).

Any ideas? What sparked this the link that Finlay posted in the MP of THIS DSLR. At £160 it's pretty much ideal, as I don't want to be paying over about £200 for a camera.

That camera you linked to is not a DSLR; it's what's known as a bridge camera. It has a fixed lens (i.e. you can't replace it) and many of the features of DSLRs like spot metering, full manual exposure etc, but having owned a bridge camera myself in the past (a Fujifilm Finepix 6900Z) it may ultimately become frustrating, depending on how far you want to take your photography.

The entry-level DLSRs from Canon and Nikon (the Canon EOS 1000D and Nikon D60) cost £500 and £300 respectively, which is the minimum you'd expect to pay for a DSLR. For that, you get a larger sensor than most compact/bridge digital cameras, meaning you get better quality even at the same number of megapixels, a fully interchangeable lens, more control over the camera and exposure, and a better upgrade path if you intend to get a better, more expensive camera in future. If you stick with the same manufacturer you can keep all your lenses and get a better camera body.

My advice would be to go into a photgraphy shop (preferably an independent as Jessops would just try to sell you the most expensive model, rather than the one that suits you best), explain your needs, and ask to try out some of the models they have in stock to see what works best for you.

I bought a bridge camera similar to the one you linked (actually a Panasonic Lumix FZ7) and it worked very well when I was travelling.

All of my travelling pics were taken on it and it acted as a good entry into photography without having to spend too much on the camera.

It taught me a lot about how aperture, shutter speed, etc... affect the pictures that you take.

CLICKY

The second half of the second page and all of the last page were taken with my bridge camera.

A lot of the rest were taken with a Fujifilm F100fd compact camera.

Wildlife typically means a long focal length lens (unless you can get within 10 feet of said wildlife), so a DSLR won't leave you any for a suitable lens. I use a 150-500mm lens for wildlife and it wasn't cheap (£650 today).

Hm... "Wildlife" was a badly used phrase. My dad lives on a farm, and photos of all the animals there would be great. There are also foxes which are particularly brave, and deer, pheasants and various other birds. Keeping them still will be impossible but getting close won't be too bad as they're used to human interaction.

Okay seeing as I can't rule out going down the upgrade route i've had a look at some DSLRs. Computer Shopper recommends the Sony DSLR-A200k as a very cheap DSLR. Price is definately an issue, but I reckon I can probably pick one up for about £200 on fleabay or less.

Thing is, I will want to be able to shoot video, this i'm fairly certain of. That Kodak jobby shoots videos.

Do DSLRs capture video in general, and if so does this Sony one do it?

There are a few DSLRs that capture video, but they're at the more expensive end of the market. The Canon EOS 500D, 5D Mark II, the Nikon D90 and the Panasonic Lumix GH1 all shoot video. The videos from these DSLRs will be much higher quality than those from the Kodak, but if you don't need that level of detail, you could do worse than pick up a Flip to go with your stills camera.

Edit: The Sony you linked to doesn't do it, but they do make a bridge camera that does. It's about £500 though.
As Nick says, a DSLR that does video is expensive.

If you're prepared to sacrifice the DSLR advantages and go with a bridge camera, then you'll stand a better chance of finding one to do video with.
I'm not a great fan of video in stills cameras - unless you go to the high end like the 5D MkII.
They tend to make a half hearted job of it (indeed even the 5D MkII has some areas I'd consider lacking for video - overall it's good, but hey, it's a stills camera).

So, it's swings and roundabouts. I don't think you'll manage to have your cake and eat it for your price range, but you'll probably find something that'll do both in an OK fashion.

My sister was a Konica/Minolta person (Sony bought them out which is where their DSLRs come from), and sold all her kit because of Sony’s repair/maintenance policies. There were a few things wrong with Sony’s set up and pricing structure that rang alarm bells. Her local dealer (SRS Microsystems in Watford for those who know) apparently won’t deal in Sony now. Anyway, she’s all Nikon now.

Anyway - if you do buy a DSLR, you need to look at the long term picture - and this is certainly one aspect. What happens if the camera goes wrong? How will that change when the camera is out of warranty? An SLR or DSLR is a much longer relationship with the manufacturer than with a point and shoot. For example, buying a body and lens kit is the first step - you will find that the lens may not meet your long term needs (most kit lenses are combinations of plastic and glass optics which affect picture quality), and you will want to replace it or add a new one to the set. At this stage, you’re in a system which is designed to encourage brand loyalty, and ensure that your next camera body purchase is the same make.

It’s tricky decision, but I do feel that the best choice will be either a Nikon or a Canon. Myself, I have Canon camera and lenses, but that does not preclude me encouraging you towards a Nikon if you feel that the camera works for you. Don’t go to Jessops - they know little but sell lots, and a most of it is toys. I tend to go to my local independent camera shop where they know their stuff and can advise far better.

Also, when you have bought your camera, look for a book on it in the Magic Lantern Guides series - an invaluable addition to your camera set up - it’s a missing manual type book. Really worth the investment.

...my local dealer too! A very nice bunch of people, but they don't sell much Canon kit either.

They are a short walk from my Parent’s house. Used to go there a lot. My other half’s friend’s brother works there - Douglas.

Cheapest DSLR I know are:

Sony Alpha A200 with 18-70mm lens £298 (approx 35mm equiv 28-110mm)

Olympus E-420 with 14-42mm lens £297 (approx 35mm equiv 28-85mm)

Samsung GX-10 (Pentax) with 18-55mm £299 or with 18-55mm and 50-200mm £319 (Limited stock at Park Camera)

Admittedly these are out of the £200 price you suggested but are the cheapest introduction into DSLR.

How about the Canon SX110IS? Plenty of fans of this one and has a cashback offer
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product ... ku=1028030

or a big zoom Fuji with HD output?
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product ... ku=1028174

Both are well within your budget.

Good luck!

21megapixel SLR with inbuilt HD camcorder

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0809/08091 ... markII.asp

Yup, one like Nick's, that we mentioned up there. ^
Do pay attention 007.

Nikon d40's about £250 atm.

I had a kodak bridge and hated it. The focus was iffy, the time from button pressing to shutter clicking takes forever, lots of noise or blurry photos and the videos were also crap. It had a long zoom and that's about it.

It was too big to be truely convenient and the photoquality isn't up to par with a DSLR.

Went DSLR and never looked back.

</soapbox>

Heard nice things about Fujifilm bridge cameras though.

Just bought that =)

I thought sod it i'll take the plunge. I got it for £139 as a refurb. Didn't reckon i'd be able to cope without video shooting, and it's not as if i'm a pro photographer ^_^

Cheers for the help guys, especially veato who gave me that link!