Importing Dslr Camera Lenses (any Idea What The Tax/duty Etc Costs?)

[maliths]

Since there seems to be quite a few people here who use DSLR's here thought I'd ask for some help. Hope you guys can help out.

Im lookng for a good Entry Level DSLR. I have looked around and I have narrowed down the list to the following models:

1) Canon EOS 1000D

2) Nikon 60D

3) Sony Alpha 200

All of the above with a 18-55 lens is around the same price - £300 ish. Anyone use any of the above cameras? Any comments would be helpful. Thanks

[Pericles]

Since there seems to be quite a few people here who use DSLR's here thought I'd ask for some help. Hope you guys can help out.

Im lookng for a good Entry Level DSLR. I have looked around and I have narrowed down the list to the following models:

1) Canon EOS 1000D

2) Nikon 60D

3) Sony Alpha 200

All of the above with a 18-55 lens is around the same price - £300 ish. Anyone use any of the above cameras? Any comments would be helpful. Thanks

The nikon is called the D60.

[Watchman]

the D60 is nearly the same as the D40x which i use and I personally love it. The colours are more to my taste on Nikons than Canons. But be warned if you go for the D60 the lenses you can use are a bit limited unless you plan to upgrade to a higher end camera after u get used to DSLR photography..

Otherwise the Canon 1000D would be a good choice too...

something helpful for you guys.. the 1000D i bought for an uncle of mine in December.... thought of doing some comparison shots.... but mind you the focus point in the 2 pictures are slightly different.. both of these were taken within minutes of each other, sot he lighting is pretty much identical. And there's been no post-processing. they are both right off the camera..

Edited January 14, 2009 by Dilesh

[Overdrive]

I use both nikon and canon DSLR. As an amateur In my experience the nikon's, capture coulour better, but in terms of the camera interface, its not the most user friendly. Lets just put it this way. The learning experience for me was much better with the use of the canon..

and plus if in UK you get a cash back offer as well. £30 i think on the canon 1000d

Edited January 14, 2009 by Overdrive

[Bugbase]

Since there seems to be quite a few people here who use DSLR's here thought I'd ask for some help. Hope you guys can help out.

Im lookng for a good Entry Level DSLR. I have looked around and I have narrowed down the list to the following models:

1) Canon EOS 1000D

2) Nikon 60D

3) Sony Alpha 200

All of the above with a 18-55 lens is around the same price - £300 ish. Anyone use any of the above cameras? Any comments would be helpful. Thanks

Hi,

You can look at the reviews of most products, models, lenses in here http://www.dpreview.com/

In my case I'm a Pentax lover from long ago. I'm really happy with it and wouldn't change.

Some Captures from my Pentax (18-55mm & 70-300mm)

http://picasaweb.google.com/kasun.perera/S...788462676717394

http://picasaweb.google.com/kasun.perera/4...960010533502514

BR,

Ck

Edited January 14, 2009 by Bugbase

[maliths]

The nikon is called the D60.

Yes sorry my mistake

the D60 is nearly the same as the D40x which i use and I personally love it. The colours are more to my taste on Nikons than Canons. But be warned if you go for the D60 the lenses you can use are a bit limited unless you plan to upgrade to a higher end camera after u get used to DSLR photography..

Otherwise the Canon 1000D would be a good choice too...

something helpful for you guys.. the 1000D i bought for an uncle of mine in December.... thought of doing some comparison shots.... but mind you the focus point in the 2 pictures are slightly different.. both of these were taken within minutes of each other, sot he lighting is pretty much identical. And there's been no post-processing. they are both right off the camera..

Thanks Dilesh for the comments. Well this is for my wifey. She wants to try this as a hobby so I can always upgrade later if she really gets into it and wants something better later but that wont be in the near future I guess.

From your photos I cant really tell a difference at all yes the focus points are slightly different but apart from that at least to me they look almost identical. Also one thing about the Canon is that it had Live view and the Nikon doesnt. Does this really matter if you have live view or not? The Sony is out I guess now I cant choose between the Canon and the Nikon.

[The Don]

Since there seems to be quite a few people here who use DSLR's here thought I'd ask for some help. Hope you guys can help out.

Im lookng for a good Entry Level DSLR. I have looked around and I have narrowed down the list to the following models:

1) Canon EOS 1000D

2) Nikon 60D

3) Sony Alpha 200

All of the above with a 18-55 lens is around the same price - £300 ish. Anyone use any of the above cameras? Any comments would be helpful. Thanks

The Sony Alpha 200 is actually sub £300 (you can get it for £269 from Dixons at the moment) and comes with a 18-70mm lense kit

It’s easy to take great-looking pictures with the new Sony A200, even if you’ve never handled a digital SLR camera before. Benefits from a 10.2 megapixel CCD sensor and high sensitivty upto ISO3200

* Pixels - 10.2 million

* Lens size - 18-70mm

* Screen size - 2.7 inch

* Frames per second - 3x

* Memory type - CF

Now I not being an expert of any sort cannot really compare this to the entry level Canons and Nikons, but I know Konika Minolta transferred all of their technology to Sony and the Sony DSLR's are compatible with Konika Minolta lenses (and they are not light weights in the optical engineering industry). Maybe Dilesh and Peri can provide better perspective and educate me in the process.

From a value for money perspective it seems the best buy, especially for somebody starting out in Photography without knowing at this moment if it is for them or not. Anyway just my opinion.

[Saturn]

I would recommend Canon or Nikon. Yes all the others are good but availability of lenses etc is less, especially if you will be living in Sri Lanka anytime in the future, at least there are agents for Canon/Nikon here.

Personally I happen to be satisfied with Canon, but lots of people use Nikon equally well. Both are ancient highly reputed established companies.

Just a note - Nikon seems to lack autofocus for many primes on their low end units, vs Canon which tends to have AF.

Canon also supports exposure bracketing on low end models.. Nikon has a good dynamic mode which achieves similar results.

As for color response mentioned by some people, I think this depends on the lens/camera settings - I bet the sensors used by both brands tend to be neutral.

One thing I notice is Canon's default settings on basic DSLR's tend to have higher saturation/sharpening. I'm sure one can adjust the Nikons to do the same?

the D60 is nearly the same as the D40x which i use and I personally love it. The colours are more to my taste on Nikons than Canons. But be warned if you go for the D60 the lenses you can use are a bit limited unless you plan to upgrade to a higher end camera after u get used to DSLR photography..

Hmm? I thought Nikon lenses were cross compatible across the range.. In fact, aren't they famous for the ability to use really ancient lenses on their modern dSLR's?

Are you refering to AF incompatibility?

Edited January 14, 2009 by Saturn

[Pericles]

The Sony Alpha 200 is actually sub £300 (you can get it for £269 from Dixons at the moment) and comes with a 18-70mm lense kit

Now I not being an expert of any sort cannot really compare this to the entry level Canons and Nikons, but I know Konika Minolta transferred all of their technology to Sony and the Sony DSLR's are compatible with Konika Minolta lenses (and they are not light weights in the optical engineering industry). Maybe Dilesh and Peri can provide better perspective and educate me in the process.

From a value for money perspective it seems the best buy, especially for somebody starting out in Photography without knowing at this moment if it is for them or not. Anyway just my opinion.

I think the Sony is pretty good value for money. It range is limited compared to Canon and Nikon, but most hobby shooters, and actually even most pros would probably be ok within it. I mean, how many people end up with 1D or 5D models anyway? They do lack the equivalent glass to the "L" series tho. Also, in the SL context, agents with no experience and lack of a wide user base means it mind not be the best option.

I would recommend Canon or Nikon. Yes all the others are good but availability of lenses etc is less, especially if you will be living in Sri Lanka anytime in the future, at least there are agents for Canon/Nikon here.

Personally I happen to be satisfied with Canon, but lots of people use Nikon equally well. Both are ancient highly reputed established companies.

Just a note - Nikon seems to lack autofocus for many primes on their low end units, vs Canon which tends to have AF.

Canon also supports exposure bracketing on low end models.. Nikon has a good dynamic mode which achieves similar results.

As for color response mentioned by some people, I think this depends on the lens/camera settings - I bet the sensors used by both brands tend to be neutral.

One thing I notice is Canon's default settings on basic DSLR's tend to have higher saturation/sharpening. I'm sure one can adjust the Nikons to do the same?

Hmm? I thought Nikon lenses were cross compatible across the range.. In fact, aren't they famous for the ability to use really ancient lenses on their modern dSLR's?

Are you refering to AF incompatibility?

Yup, not all lens AF works on all bodies. Apparently, some bodies come with AF motors in body, and some come without. If you have one without, you obviously need the AF motor to be in the lens. Again, some lens come with motors and some without. Never looked into which is which. The mount is the same, so it can use really old lens, but ...

[maliths]

I think the Sony is pretty good value for money. It range is limited compared to Canon and Nikon, but most hobby shooters, and actually even most pros would probably be ok within it. I mean, how many people end up with 1D or 5D models anyway? They do lack the equivalent glass to the "L" series tho. Also, in the SL context, agents with no experience and lack of a wide user base means it mind not be the best option.

Yup, not all lens AF works on all bodies. Apparently, some bodies come with AF motors in body, and some come without. If you have one without, you obviously need the AF motor to be in the lens. Again, some lens come with motors and some without. Never looked into which is which. The mount is the same, so it can use really old lens, but ...

Yes I read somewhere that the D60 doesnt have a motor so you have to buy a lens that comes with the motor for the AF. Hmmm I think I'll have to toss a coin and see between the Canon and Nikon.

[Mean Green z28]

I'm BACK! lol

Ripper, glad to see you're enjoying your camera ... it's an awesome piece dude

AND CONGRATS ON BEING A DADDY!!! TAKE PICS OF THE KID!!!

Edited January 14, 2009 by Mean Green z28

[maliths]

Hi Guys,

Right I have now decided to get the Canon 1000D and 18-55mm IS lens. The thing is there is an offer where I can get a Tamron 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 lens for £99 (Normal price £199) if I buy it with the camera. Do you think its worth it?

[Saturn]

Hi Guys,

Right I have now decided to get the Canon 1000D and 18-55mm IS lens. The thing is there is an offer where I can get a Tamron 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 lens for £99 (Normal price £199) if I buy it with the camera. Do you think its worth it?

I don't have specific experience with that lens but I'd recommend you consider the Canon 55-250 IS for its stabilization (or even an L zoom but they are expensive). The 55-250 is relatively inexpensive - street price around $200 (not sure in UK)

this is the lens I'm refering to. Hopefully they can give it for a low price with the camera

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-55-250mm-Tel...l/dp/B000V9D5LG

update:

please also consider getting a 50mm prime

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-EF-50mm-1-8-Lens/dp/B00005K47X

This lens has superb image quality, rivaling L series lenses even.. and its mostly affordable

Edited January 16, 2009 by Saturn

[Pericles]

Hi Guys,

Right I have now decided to get the Canon 1000D and 18-55mm IS lens. The thing is there is an offer where I can get a Tamron 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 lens for £99 (Normal price £199) if I buy it with the camera. Do you think its worth it?

In the right hands, its pretty capable. I considered that. However, I went with the 55-250 myself. Sacrificed the extra 50mm for IS. And I hear the extra 50mm is fairly soft anyway, so just went with it. Depends on your type of photography. Since I do mostly handheld, the IS seemed more important. Besides, its around 400mm equiv range on a full frame cam.

[maliths]

In the right hands, its pretty capable. I considered that. However, I went with the 55-250 myself. Sacrificed the extra 50mm for IS. And I hear the extra 50mm is fairly soft anyway, so just went with it. Depends on your type of photography. Since I do mostly handheld, the IS seemed more important. Besides, its around 400mm equiv range on a full frame cam.

Right. Finally I went a bought a Canon 1000D with the 18-55 IS kit lens. Almost bought a Sony A300 (was a bit cheaper as well) but finally went for the Canon. With the Sony the lenses seemed to be a bit more expensive as well. Anyways I think I'll stick with the 18-55 lense for the moment and then get a 55-250 IS later and maybe a 50mm F1.8 as well since you guys recommend it. That should really give a good range of lenses for the camera. Thanks for the help and advice guys. Much appreciated.

[Ripper]

I'm BACK! lol

Ripper, glad to see you're enjoying your camera ... it's an awesome piece dude

AND CONGRATS ON BEING A DADDY!!! TAKE PICS OF THE KID!!!

will do and thanks again mate for bringing it down for me

and the rest of the stuff also

killing battery after battery and filling card after card

you can see the baby pics appearing on FB and non-personal stuff coming up in flickr

http://flickr.com/blindshooter

that's me

[Mean Green z28]

will do and thanks again mate for bringing it down for me

and the rest of the stuff also

killing battery after battery and filling card after card

you can see the baby pics appearing on FB and non-personal stuff coming up in flickr

http://flickr.com/blindshooter

that's me

Cool! BTW the dude named "tburah1" posting comments about your pics is me ... lol ... haven't uploaded anything to flickr but my pics are on picasaweb.com/tburah1 Edited January 22, 2009 by Mean Green z28

[Devinda_Z]

need some help gentlemen -

a friend of mine is looking for a CHARGER for a KODAK EASYSHARE M863

would any of you camera guru's know where one might be able to find one from?

a bit of browsing says that a Kodak K7600 charger would do the job - any suggestions as to where one can be purchased at reasonable cost?

it doesn't necessarily have to be brand new..

[Ripper]

need some help gentlemen -

a friend of mine is looking for a CHARGER for a KODAK EASYSHARE M863

would any of you camera guru's know where one might be able to find one from?

a bit of browsing says that a Kodak K7600 charger would do the job - any suggestions as to where one can be purchased at reasonable cost?

it doesn't necessarily have to be brand new..

if all fails...just ebay!

http://tiny + url.com/dalzvr

buy it now $10.50

shipping to SL $7.50

from a power seller with 99.9% positive FB in US

Edited January 23, 2009 by Ripper

[Watchman]

i'm with ripper on this.

You'll get a pretty good deal on ebay. And at the price ripper said, its a steal. I highly doubt u'll find anything within that price range in sri lanka. And it being less bulkier in size means it might just cruise past customs without getting noticed. Even if it is stopped and taxed cant be much, considering its value

[Ripper]

Cool! BTW the dude named "tburah1" posting comments about your pics is me ... lol ... haven't uploaded anything to flickr but my pics are on picasaweb.com/tburah1

heh heh...saw saw and commented

do post in flickr mate...seems like a far cooler community

[maliths]

need some help gentlemen -

a friend of mine is looking for a CHARGER for a KODAK EASYSHARE M863

would any of you camera guru's know where one might be able to find one from?

a bit of browsing says that a Kodak K7600 charger would do the job - any suggestions as to where one can be purchased at reasonable cost?

it doesn't necessarily have to be brand new..

Is it something like this? Its only £11 including postage. If you want I could bring one down for you as I am coming to SL in a few weeks.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Charger-for-KODAK-Ea...4QQcmdZViewItem

[Overdrive]

Just got delivery of the 70-200mm f/4 L USM. Its lighter than i thought. What a relief. Need to test drive it tomorrow if the weather is good. Shall post some pics. I'm thinking of px my kit lens 17-85 for a 17-40 L next. Anyone have any experience with this?

[Devinda_Z]

Is it something like this? Its only £11 including postage. If you want I could bring one down for you as I am coming to SL in a few weeks.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Charger-for-KODAK-Ea...4QQcmdZViewItem

Thanks so much for the offer Malith!

but i spoke to my friend and he's going to try hunting about in Pettah and see if he can turn up with something...

thanks so much for the offer - very kind of you

[Saturn]

Just got delivery of the 70-200mm f/4 L USM. Its lighter than i thought. What a relief. Need to test drive it tomorrow if the weather is good. Shall post some pics. I'm thinking of px my kit lens 17-85 for a 17-40 L next. Anyone have any experience with this?

Nice! If you don't mind me asking.. where did you get it from?

The 17-40 should deliver better images but you lose IS (I think the 17-85 has IS?)

Please post photos from the 70-200

Edited January 24, 2009 by Saturn