I'm wanting to pickup my first DSLR.  Looking at something like the Nikon 3200 or Canon EOS Rebel SL1.  Nothing overly fancy or complicated.  Just want basics to get started and see where this goes.

I see "kits" that come with one or two lenses.  A lot of the kits also come with bags, storage cards, filters, tripods and all kinds of other things.  Unless there's some kind of smoking deal on a kit with frills I'd just like to find a kit with the body and two(?) lenses to get me started.  I can pick up the other stuff as needed.  Any thoughts on my line of thinking here?  I know I'll need storage but are there any other "must haves" that I should get when I buy the camera?

I see them on Amazon, Ebay, BH photo etc.  Who's a reputable on-line place to buy from and has fair pricing?


UPDATE 7/8.........

I picked up this CANON PACKAGE in a trade deal.  It was new in the box.  I traded it for an upper receiver package.

I had gone to the local camera shop last week and spent a bit of time talking to the sales guy and fondling cameras and decided on the Cannon so this worked out great.

B&H is my go-to camera place online. They are (or were?) a site sponsor here and their prices are always very competitive.

As far as the camera kit and extra stuff, I'd recommend a few good cleaning cloths, perhaps a lenspen, and lots of time reading, taking pictures, and asking questions.

We're a friendly bunch here in the photo forum.

I will speak of my experience with Nikon, but assume that the same applies to Canon.

Be aware that many of the places selling cheaper Nikon stuff are importing grey market items and you will not be able to get warranty service easily in the US.

I usually buy from Amazon or B&H. Personally, were I you, I'd get a factory kit with one or two lenses (the 18-55 Nikon lens is quite good, and the 55-200 is a nice companion starter lens).

The next purchase I would make is a tripod and an off-camera flash, in that order, but those can come later. A nice camera bag is, well, nice, but get something low profile - any black bag with a big yellow NIKON on it is going to get stolen first.

Thanks guys for the quick replies.  Normally I spend weeks or months reading and researching on-line but it usually ends up being a case of "paralysis by over analysis" type of thing with me if you know what I mean.

I have no real brand loyalty (yet) and just want to dive in and get started.

Do you have any local friends that use cameras?

It might be worth experimenting with theirs. If all your friends use Canon cameras, and you decide you like them, you can swap lenses and stuff.

Either way, the brand differences are minor. They both make quality gear. The biggest differences will be found with things like menus, button placement, general user interface type stuff. For me, the Nikon layout of things makes more sense and is more comfortable.

Truth is you can't go wrong with either.

I've been with B&H for almost a decade now and have never had a bad experience with them.  That said, I just bought a GoPro from Adorama and their prices were not only better on that particular item, but shipping was crazy fast.  

As for cameras, as long as you have manual mode and ok glass, you'll be alright.  For beginning, it's even better to have not-so-good lenses so you'll learn how to shoot.

Nikons have most of their control buttons on the top, using your index finger.
Canons have their main control buttons on the back, using both your index finger and your thumb.

That's how I learned it anyways.

Amazon has a promotion on additional lenses with a camera purchase:

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Digital-18-55mm-3-5-5-6-NIKKOR/dp/B007VGGFZU

B&H gives you additional accessories with your D3200, but does not offer the lens discount.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/856049-REG/Nikon_25492_D3200_DSLR_Camera_With.html

Before you get to actually buying something, go to a store that lets you actually handle the camera bodies you are interested in. Check out their size, weight, shape, button layout, etc.

While the Nikon D3200 is a great camera as far as technology goes, it is a very small camera. If you have large hands, you may want something bigger, like something from the D7200 line.

The kits that contain only lenses tend to be good deals.

The kits that contain filters and tripods and bags tend to be a waste as the filters and tripods are junk and will probably cause more harm to your photos than help them.

The "must haves" are an extra battery (preferably brand name), 2 memory cards, a card reader, and a rocket blower.
Next is probably a quality bag to carry the camera and lens(es) in.
After that, it is a matter of figuring out what gear you need to solve a specific problem/circumstance.

If I were in your shoes, I would skip the kit lenses and go straight to a prime. You will only have one lens and you will have to zoom with your feet but you will have access to some very shallow DOF and sharp photos. Skip the D7xxx, skip the extra battery, skip the tripod, filters, dikfers and discombobulaters. The following is enough to take great photos in many environments and grow from there.

My list (opinion) of the best starter gear on a budget would total $610 and include:
Nikon D3300 Body Only @ $360 - Sure the 3300 is small, but that is also an advantage. When you dont have a bunch of camera shit to drag around, having something portable is an asset rather than a hinderance. The D3300 has some minor benefits over the D3200 but, when you buy outside of a large retailer, the price difference is negligible. Just the 20% buffer increase and 25% battery life incrase about justifies the $25 in my book.
Nikon 50mm f/1.8 FX @ $217 - You can keep this with any future Nikon camera, crop or full frame. The "nifty fifty" is something every photographer has for good reasons. You'll keep it as long as you keep shooting. Its small and lightweight and wont break the bank if you trash it. Look at the customer photos on the page to see what you can achieve with the lens.b
32GB SanDisk Extreme 95mb/s @ $33 - Again, something that, barring new tech, won't need to be replaced as you advance. Fast read/writes so you can shoot with a full buffer at 1.2 frames per second. Large enough to hold about ~1,200 RAW photos at 14-bit x 24 megapixels. Sure, the more the merrier, but you can save that until you need it.

With the above, you'll be set for some beautiful photos. Once youre comfortable with your camera, look into other accessories. You'll have a better feel for whats important to you with how you like to shoot and the types of images you want to get. Some people only shoot natural light and dont need flashes, I rarely use my tripod outside work, etc.

ETA: Following Joseph's comment, the rocket blower is probably the best return on $7 I've ever seen. $10 here and there can be a slippery slope but it could be a good purchase sooner than later. Perhaps save it for when you see how often youre dealing with dust/lint.

ETA2: You really cant go wrong with a DSLR's and accessories. Barring the cheapest shit, they're all useful to some degree. Regardless of the path you take, you'll be very happy.

Thanks for the great info!

How does the 50mm do for landscapes?  The reason I ask is I will be in Alaska later this year and we make several trips to the mountains in Colorado every year.

The 50mm lens on a crop sensor camera has an effective focal length of 75mm. Not exactly a wide angle lens.

That said, if you're far enough away from the scene in question, that won't matter so much.

Since you're looking at crop sensor cameras, and considering primes, I'd point you at a 35mm instead. it's the "equivalent" of a 50mm on a full frame sensor.

All good points! The 35mm f/1.8G DX is a fantastic little lens. I have both and prefer the 50mm (x1.4 for the croped sensor so 70mm) for most of what I do with it. The 35 (DX, aka for cropped sensors, so no conversion necessary) is short and light though so extremely portable! Can't go wrong with either! Look at samples on B&H and see what people are shooting with them!

Not quite right. The "crop factor" is an attribute of the camera; it applies to all lenses, even the ones marked DX.

On a DX body, most folks are happier with a 35mm than a 50mm. The 50mm is kind of an odd-ball length on a DX body.

Don't overlook used gear at KEH and Adorama.  I'm buying older top-end gear for cheap.  I don't need the latest and greatest.  Example, I bought a D200 body last year for about $250; old tech but they cost about $1,800 when new in 2005.  D200 bodies are under $200 now, and they have a D700 body  for $850 (that cost $3,300 new in 2008)

I'm particularly happy with KEH; their rating system is excellent.  I get EX- rated gear that I can't tell that was ever used.

My current camera is a D7100, bought factory refurbed direct from Nikon for $780 (vs. $900 street and $1,200 list).  It's been updated to the D7200, but I can live with the earlier model for the better price.

I have the 35mm prime.  Went with it over the 50mm prime because I wanted a little wider angle.  It's not, however, a landscape lens.

My current lens collection is the 35, an 18-105 that's a great "one lens to take"; landscapes to moderate zoom.  And a 70-300 for a not-break-the-bank long lens.  All bought used.  All look and shoot brand new.

Be warned: Photography gear acquisition syndrome (PGAS) can easily make BRD look tame.  



As others have said, getting a basic kit with 18-55mm and 55-200mm lens is a good start. If you're new to photography - particularly SLRs - you'll have an opportunity to learn about depth of field and other techniques that are worlds apart from what's possible with phones and point & shoot cameras. Those kit lenses are inexpensive enough to get you started until you figure out what style of photography you prefer (which will drive your choice of future lenses.



I've used Amazon, B&H, Adorama, and eBay for various camera gear purchases and have had good luck with all of them. Amazon has a good deal on a Nikon D3300 kit. They also have good deals on similar Canon kits and, if you're a Prime member, the shipping costs are hard to beat. B&H and Adorama offer free shipping deals, but they're not as extensive as Amazon Prime.


Ultimately, lenses will drive your brand decision. Nikon and Canon are the really big boys on the block, but there are others. Sony is driving hard on the mirrorless front and their Alpha line gets good reviews. Olympus and Pentax are also players, but nobody seems to have the lens selection of Canon and Nikon (probably in that order). Nikon bodies tend to have better sensors than Canon (though Canon did just release the 5DS with a 50 megapixel sensor that is getting good reviews - and at ~$4000 it really should. ) Once you start investing in good quality glass, you'll find swapping/upgrading bodies in the same brand is a lot less expensive than swapping ecosystems (lenses, accessories).

Canon Direct
Canon
Start here and then add the 40mm F 2.8 , 50 F1.8 and 24 F2.8

Whats not right? Yeah the crop is relative to the sensor. The 50mm FX, cropped, will be barrower. Nikon's DX lenses are for ASP-C lenses so their focal length is more accurate to what you'll see on an APS-C camera. Most are 1.52x (D3300 is 1.53x) but its a small difference... Especially in comparison to a non DX lens on a DX body.

I was going to respond to your earlier post, but JosephK answered first.
The parts in red?
35mm is the focal length of the lens.  Even if DX.  The reason it is
labeled "DX" is because the lens was designed with an image circle more
appropriate to the APS-C sensor, in an effort to save a little size and
weight vs a FF lens with a larger image circle and being slightly
larger and heavier.
The 35/1.8 DX has an approximate field of view of
50mm-ish on a DX (APS-C) sensor.  The
35/1.8 DX lens can be used on a
FF camera, with a field of view
matching that of a 35mm lens.  However, there will be varying amounts of
vignetting on the FF due to the lens being designed with a smaller
image circle, depending upon aperture.  Or, you can run the FF
camera in crop mode which will eliminate the vignetting and give a narrower field of view based on the crop factor.
The 50mm lens would
have an approximate field of view of 75mm-ish on an APS-C sensor camera, and a field of view of a 50mm lens on the FF body.




 
 

OP - some good advice in the thread.





I'd also recommend you try and get to a store to get some cameras in-hand before making a decision - especially a store where they have charged batteries in the cameras.  The way a camera fits your hand, control placement, menu system... can play a large roll in how much you enjoy using the gear, or whether or not you can easily reach and use the controls.





Brand loyalty aside, I don't think there is too much in the way of major differences these days between the major camera brands, among similar levels of bodies.





As for a landscape lens - many people enjoy using wide and ultra-wide lenses.  In reality, based on subject matter and technique, you can use most any lens for landscape.  There are techniques to learn with wide and ultra-wides, and with telephotos, in order to get better landscape images.  I'm still working on learning and incorporating all of those myself, and most of my landscapes are mediocre as a result.





I'd either get the bundled 18-?? kit zoom, or a 35mm-ish prime, to start with and learn how to use the camera and the lens before making any further decisions on lenses.  Glass can add up quickly in price, and good glass can stay with you for years.  Even if you go through multiple camera bodies.

 

Oh no shit. I had no idea! I thought the 35 DX on a DX body had the same FOV as a 35 FX on an FX body. I didnt know it was just the overall size was shrunk for a smaller sensor. So on DX, a 35mm, whether FX or DX, will be ~50 an a 50mm will be ~75.

Learn something knew every day, they say!

Yep - focal length stays the same, field of view changes due to the crop.  



 

I do suggest going into a store to handle the various cameras. I preferred the control layout of Nikon over Canon when I originally got into it and how they felt in my hands. Canon or Nikon both make good entry level setups. In Omaha there is Rockbrook Camera and the good ol furniture mart. Not sure about Lincoln.

For Nikons unless they are an older model they are all price controlled by Nikon so most of the deals come in the form of extra stuff (cases, cards, etc.).


The Nikon entry zoom combo (18-55 and 55-200) is a lot of bang for your buck. You may want to pick up a fast prime lens such as the 50/1.8. I would certainly start out with the 18-55 and 55-200, that's what I did and I don't regret it. If you want to do landscapes a tripod can be quite handy, if you want to do more people a flash can be handy.


For places to buy, I've purchased from B&H and Amazon along with local stores, both work well.

Wow!  Thanks for all of the replies.  I thought I had a possible trade deal on a new Cannon SL1 with two lenses but it doesn't look like it's going to pan out.  I'm going to try and get to the local camera shop today or Wednesday to actually put a few in hand.

UPDATE 7/8.........

I picked up this CANON PACKAGE in a trade deal.  It was new in the box.  I traded it for an upper receiver package.

I had gone to the local camera shop last week and spent a bit of time talking to the sales guy and fondling cameras and decided on the Cannon so this worked out great.

I like the feel of the SL1 when I've played with it. Have fun with it, I think you'll enjoy the size when you go places with it.

Side note: Canon has one 'N' not two.

Ha, I read CANNON PACKAGE and I'm thinking something on wheels with a fuse.

If you do anything with a fuse OP, be sure to post video here. You're new SL1 has pretty good video output if I remember right.

I don't know what you guys are talking about ..........