Choosing, and sourcing, a DSLR?

[alphaDelta]

Hiya,

I've saved up at least a couple of euros now and I'm looking - not immediately but fairly soon - to get myself a DSLR. I originally thought I'd go full whack for the EOS 20D but then considered that maybe this is a little silly. I still don't quite know. I'm an amateur with a very average digital compact at the mo. However, regardless of how much I spend, I will only be spending it once; I would rather pay more and really get what I eventually need, than make a wrong decision which I can't undo.

So first of all, should I plump for my original target of the 20D (£1100ish), or go for something a little more sensible, such as my favourite in this range, the Nikon D70 (£700ish)?

Then, where to get it? My instinct says eBay; I know that may be alarming for some, but it worked out OK for the laptop I'm on now, and the various phones and walkmans I've mashed my way through. Any better ideas or urgent "nooo!" warnings?

Otherwise, I've seen - for example only, and I certainly won't be bidding on this specific item - this listing; what do you make of that (apart from that fact it's the wrong picture)?

So many questions, I'm sorry

Cheers!

 

[General Ludd]

I'd go for the D70 personally, it doesn't really sound like you need the extra power of the 20D and the £400 you save would allow you to buy 2 of an really good tripod, a good flash (I love the SB 800) and an extra lenses, all of which I think you'd find more useful.

Dubious about ebay though, I like having proper warranties when spending that much money.

 

[editor]

D70 should be ample for all but the most demanding of needs. And you'd be mad to buy it off e-bay. Buy it from a decent dealer who'll give you support if you have probs later,

 

[alphaDelta]

I'd go for the D70 personally, it doesn't really sound like you need the extra power of the 20D and the £400 you save would allow you to buy 2 of an really good tripod, a good flash (I love the SB 800) and an extra lenses, all of which I think you'd find more useful.

Dubious about ebay though, I like having proper warranties when spending that much money.

D70 should be ample for all but the most demanding of needs. And you'd be mad to buy it off e-bay. Buy it from a decent dealer who'll give you support if you have probs later,

Well, that's the first question of choice solved - I thought this would be the general concensus.

I'm not sure about eBay. Like I say, I've got a £800 laptop off there and my friend bought a EOS 300D from there; no problems. You're both absolutely correct that after-sales and support is a major concern but there is a 12 month warranty; I admit that you have to write-off any lesser support as a non-starter but I would have hoped this'd be sufficient.

Ideally I would like to buy from somewhere either more bricks and mortar or an established online retailer, but I know it will cost me a lot more. Interestingly Amazon are doing the body and less for £730 with a possible £100 cashback, but when you add in all the auction's extras such as memory, spare battery and carrying case I'm again not so sure.

Any better suggestions, retailer-wise, or should I see this extra cost as vital?

Cheers for the advice

 

[editor]

I bought my camera from Jessops on a 'price match' scheme where I saved myself something like £80 on top of their price.

Seeing as Jessops had given me a full cash refund on a three month old Minolta A2 (!), I figured the little extra I was paying would give me a whole load of peace of mind.

 

[alphaDelta]

I bought my camera from Jessops on a 'price match' scheme where I saved myself something like £80 on top of their price.

Seeing as Jessops had given me a full cash refund on a three month old Minolta A2 (!), I figured the little extra I was paying would give me a whole load of peace of mind.

The same thing with them is £800 but the price-match sounds like a plan. I'll most likely have a word when I'm next back in the UK, but unfortunately it seems that the cashback offer will have run out by then (April) which is a shame and even more confusing.

 

[manstein]

Buy most of my Nikon gear here...

http://www.ajpurdy.co.uk/erol.html

 

[Paul Russell]

Hiya,

I've saved up at least a couple of euros now and I'm looking - not immediately but fairly soon - to get myself a DSLR. I originally thought I'd go full whack for the EOS 20D but then considered that maybe this is a little silly.

The successor to the Canon 300D looks promising. Smaller, faster, more pixels, reasonable price:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0502/05021704canon_eos350d.asp

Can't see on that page when it hits the shops though. Must be there somewhere....

 

[alphaDelta]

Other sites reckon March - either way, for reasonably comparable specs, I don't think I can justify paying about £800 for the 350D when I could get the D70 for £630.

 

[Paul Russell]

for reasonably comparable specs, I don't think I can justify paying about £800 for the 350D when I could get the D70 for £630.

Well, a lot of people prefer the image quality of Canons (assuming Canon come up with the goods again), and it will have more pixels than the D70 and it will be smaller than the D70.

Not sure about the build quality of the new Canon though.

Then again, the D70 actually exists and will probably be even cheaper soon!