Received the e-mail below from Owen Tolentino . He lives in Abu Dhabi and is very interested to learn photography. He needs help in deciding what DSLR and lens to buy.

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Im really interested to learn photography… sana madevelop ko ung skill first as a hobby cguro then later… bka pde pagkakitaan sa pinas pag umuwi n for good… hehe… hope I can learn a lot from your group… Probably d pa ko makakasama sa mga photoshoots nyo since ala p ko camera.. nag iipon pa… hope the group can help me which camera to buy… ano b kailangan tignan in terms of lens and body… anyways… I have a colleague here who is also interested s photography… I refer ko ung group nyo… Thanks bro… sana magka camera n ko… hehe…

Mga bro, give your inputs here.

to owen,

look for the camera which has 2 dial for 1 dedicated for shutter speed and 1 dedicated for aperture that will make your life easier there are some camera has the 2 dial and also not that expensive, most of the DSLR is including the kit lens.

for the lens i would suggest that ask yourself first which area of interest you have, (example)portrait, landscape, sports, macro, etc. because each area of interest have special lens.

hope this will help you which camera and lens you are buying

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Jay Mark Rustia wrote : to owen, look for the camera which has 2 dial for 1 dedicated for shutter speed and 1 dedicated for aperture that will make your life easier there are some camera has the 2 dial and also not that expensive, most of the DSLR is including the kit lens.

Pre, anong camera merong 2 dials na hindi masyadong expensive?

some cameras have very competetive price

Nikon D70 cost around 4k dirhams
Nikon D80 cost 4999 dirhams
Nikon D200 cost 5400 dirhams

Canon 40D cost about 6k almost the same features of Nikon D300

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Jay Mark Rustia wrote : some cameras have very competetive price Nikon D70 cost around 4k dirhams Nikon D80 cost 4999 dirhams Nikon D200 cost 5400 dirhams Canon 40D cost about 6k almost the same features of Nikon D300

I can't find any store here in Abu Dhabi that sells brand new Nikon D200. Where can I find D200 for sale at 5400 dirhams?

it's hard to find d200 here in abu dhabi. but before i called up grand store in khalidiya, and if i remeber it right they still have 2 units left.  and they are selling it for 5500 dirhams, body only.

you can also check www.adorama.com.  much cheaper price. but this is online basis. shipping of units is thru fed ex or UPS.

I will ask my supplier from philippines if u like.  

in deira city centre al falak electronics they are selling D200 for 5400 dirhams, i just dont have that money pa kaya nde ko nabili

Not so sure but this might help: http://www.souq.com/search.php?q=nikon&id=0&sort_order=score&sort_type=desc

Oks. Thanks sa replies nyo.

I really want to have a D200 'coz that's what I'm using at work. I can't use it for personal use and bring it outside after office hours. I know that there's the D300 and the D3 in the market, but I dont think I can afford these DSLRs now. The closest thing to these DSLRs is the D200, which is way better than most entry-level DSLRs in the market nowadays even if it is an older model.

D200 is the D300 of 2006. Well, I think almost everyone still wants a D200 in 2008! Or at least those who can't afford the D300. Like me. :-)

Guys, help... Nikon D80 or D60?? And any stores in Abu Dhabi where I can buy?

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bethgi1977 wrote : Guys, help... Nikon D80 or D60?? And any stores in Abu Dhabi where I can buy?

My suggestion is the Nikon D80, eventhough it is old model (launched on 2006), it is a good camera. You will have not much problem should you decide to later upgrade with nikkor and 3rd party lenses.(Those lenses with or without built in motor).

Besides this the Nikon D80 kit lens, the 18-135mm, has focal range enough to serve as an all around lens.

Nikon d80 is available in Grand Stores Abu Dhabi Mall and Marina Mall.

Hi Beth.

If money is not much of a concern, buy Nikon D80. This doesn't mean that Nikon D60 is bad though.

What I would like to suggest is that you consider the following:

1. Your photography skills in DSLR (D80 looks more complicated with more features and the look alone might overwhelm you, so it's much better to settle to a less complicated cam where you can achieve good results in the easiest way possible. D40 is famous for being the best DSLR for beginners. It's light and settings can be easily set through the menu. )

2. Your area of interest (If you're into sports photography, for example, D200 and D300 are perfect as they are fast at 5fps to 6fps. Check websites of camera manufacturers to see the full specs of their models as there are more to consider.)

3. Printing (If you intend to print your photos in large sizes, then resolution / number of pixels has to be considered. 6 mp is more than sufficient to most people as you can print up to size A3 with 6 mp. If you intend to print larger than A3, then opt for cams with at least 10 mp. Note however that higher resolution doesn't mean better pictures. That's a misconception.)

Some members here are using D60 and D80 and I'm sure they'll be able to help you choose. We're here to help you shorten your list or share what we think are the pros and cons based from our experience, but in the end, the best step to take is to do your research, go to the store, test the products, and talk to the expert in the store.

If you prefer Nikon, grab one at Grand Stores in Khalidiya, Marina Mall, or Abu Dhabi Mall.

my suggestion is either D80 or D60 both are in good shape, i am using nikon D60 it is very good for beginner and it cost very cheap now a days go to plug-ins in marina mall they selling nikon D60 VR with 18-55mm VR kit lens, 70-300mm auto focus lens, tamrac camera bag, 2GB memory card for AED 4400 that's a good price hope will help you to decide which camera you are going to buy

Hi guys, thanks for the advise.  I'm still dwelling on the idea of owning my very first Nikon. Being a beginner and with zero knowledge on the technicalities of the equipt, I'll go with the unit that is easier to use and is more handy.  I'll check out the stores you mentioned and see for myself. Thanks again guys..

Hi Beth, you are most welcome.

Be practical by not spending too much on the camera. Remember that aside from the camera, you might also be spending in the future for additional lenses and accessories like bags, filters, tripods, reflectors, flashes, depending on how serious you are in your craft.

buy any camera that will fit your budget. be practical, besides buying kit, you'll be buying some filters like UV for lens protection, bag, and some cleaning stuff.  just keep in mind that it's not the camera that will give you good photos, it's the photographer.  camera is just a tool for taking photos.  like some says, "It's not the pana, it's the indian."  -cheers!!    

--Last edited by edwin retutal on 2008-08-27 08:41:13 --

wow! I was bewildered reading all of this technical stuff.  Wish I could have one.

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Dunylyn Makabenta wrote : wow! I was bewildered reading all of this technical stuff.  Wish I could have one.

Haha. Don't be bewildered. It's just that geeky guys frequent this site. Don't be overwhelmed by the things they say.

The Nikon D90 has just been launched officially today. With the new mouth watering kit lens the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR

http://www.nikon.com/about/news/2008/0827_d90_01.htm
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d90.htm
http://www.nikon.com/about/news/2008/0827_nikkor_02.htm

All I can say is.. "Bakit ngayon ka lang dumating. Tagal kitang hinihintay.. Di kasi ako naniwala sa mga tsismis na darating ka... Pano yan may iba na akong mahal.."        

--Last edited by pelagio castro on 2008-08-27 13:16:05 --