hi guys have seen some real good pics on here of cars in action. I would love a slr camera and be able to get some good action shots but have no idea on what i am looking for what minimum spec would i need ? Any help would be great once i get one then maybe i can just get loads of pratice in or maybe do a course

ps sorry for the bad spelling in the title

Edited 12 September, 201114 yr by joihngta

I think you are spoiled for choice these days. Personally I like Canon, but plenty of others like Nikon, Sony Pentax etc...... One thing to remember, is once you have bought a specific make, you will be buying specific lenses that only fit that manufacturers models. Canon probably still have the biggest selection of lenses available, but Companies like Sigma and Tamron make 3rd party lenses for all the big names. It depends on your budget, but the Canon 550D is a terrific camera that can take images that are well up to professional standards. The down side is the Pro cameras are better still, have many advanced features, are more weather sealed and have bigger sensors etc, but this is true of whatever brand you go for. The Canon 600D also gets great reveiws and shoots impressive Video too boot. But be warned, DSLRs aren't cheap and the cost of new lenses is quite expensive (isn't everything)

Edited 12 September, 201114 yr by Lady Elanore

I think you are spoiled for choice these days. Personally I like Canon, but plenty of others like Nikon, Sony Pentax etc...... One thing to remember, is once you have bought a specific make, you will be buying specific lenses that only fit that manufacturers models. Canon probably still have the biggest selection of lenses available, but Companies like Sigma and Tamron make 3rd party lenses for all the big names. It depends on your budget, but the Canon 550D is a terrific camera that can take images that are well up to professional standards. The down side is the Pro cameras are better still, have many advanced features, are more weather sealed and have bigger sensors etc, but this is true of whatever brand you go for. The Canon 600D also gets great reveiws and shoots impressive Video too boot. But be warned, DSLRs aren't cheap and the cost of new lenses is quite expensive (isn't everything)

thanks i was thinking canon or nickon will have a look at the ones said above

Edited 13 September, 201114 yr by joihngta

Try Snapsort - website that will sompare cameras side by side. Although be warned, the new Nikons will pretty much wipe the floor with anything. Even the pro SLRs (in their comparison and scoring), although it rightly points out that you can't compare the two as pro SLRs have functionality that the entry level cameras don't. The D3100 and D5100 are the new entry level Nikons. I don't know a lot about them but a bit of research will enlighten you I'm sure.

I certainly wouldn't say the Nikons wipe the floor with everything else and looking at the latest reviews I don't see that. I would say that Canon and Nikon leap frog each other with sucessive generations of cameras and now Sony have to be taken seriously too. I would revommend spennding on your glass, as in HiFI, the front end sets the bench mark for the rest of the system and you can use it on the next, subsiquent camera you buy (and you will ). I doubt you will be dissapointed which ever make you go for

Have you thought about second hand? If so you can pick a canon 400d up in eBay for around £200. Great kit for starting off (that's what we have) plus if your new then you have lots to learn so you could put the money you save to a evening course? Or on lens? I highly recommend a canon 50mm f1.8 mk2. So much sharper than the kit lens.

Of the entry level cameras the Nikons are currently coming out best because of their new sensos. At the end of the day the important parts are lenses and sensors. For that reason I wouldn't go for something like the 400d as it is old technology now, no matter which brand you go for the newer sensors have better iso sensitivity and image quality. I really want one of the new Nikon sensors! I will be very envious when they upgrade the pro range (they have only done the entry level ones so far!)

Example comparison here for two of the entry level SLRs. It depends what you want to do. You say you want action shots - either will do that, but you need a fast lens. You might want to check out the fps rate, as a faster one would be more suited to your needs. My bf loves my D300 because it shoots continuouly pretty fast, whereas I never use that! I like it for the iso sensitivity. Weigh up what you want, research what will help you with that, compare cameras in your budget and you will come to some sort of conclusion!

Of the entry level cameras the Nikons are currently coming out best because of their new sensos. At the end of the day the important parts are lenses and sensors. For that reason I wouldn't go for something like the 400d as it is old technology now, no matter which brand you go for the newer sensors have better iso sensitivity and image quality. I really want one of the new Nikon sensors! I will be very envious when they upgrade the pro range (they have only done the entry level ones so far!)

Example comparison here for two of the entry level SLRs. It depends what you want to do. You say you want action shots - either will do that, but you need a fast lens. You might want to check out the fps rate, as a faster one would be more suited to your needs. My bf loves my D300 because it shoots continuouly pretty fast, whereas I never use that! I like it for the iso sensitivity. Weigh up what you want, research what will help you with that, compare cameras in your budget and you will come to some sort of conclusion!

I'll declare uo front that I'm a nikon user, but I went shopping with the intention of buying canon. When I played with the nikon and the canon I found I preferred the feel and handling of the nikon. Pretty subjective stuff so go and play and see which feels better. Then have a look around for second hand deals too.

Nikon do seem to have the upper hand for now but as has been said they and canon leap frog each other.

One of the top sites and most trusted for through camera reviews (Dpreview), puts the Canon 550D and ^00D ahead of the Nikon 5100 (albeit by 1%) and the Nikon 3100 ahead if teh Canon 1100D (by 3%) so I don't think you can say there is anything in it overall. As I said earlier, i don't think there is anything in it. Best pop down to jessops.jacobs.Calumet etc and get your hand on the items. I started with a 350D and I liked the camera, but didn't like the small and cramped layout of it. I much preferred my 40D and 7D as they are Pro sized bodies and layouts,