Buying a Digital SLR Camera? - 1

I'm looking to buy a Digital SLR Camera. I've been looking at a few different types but as I'm from NZ my range is rather limited, however I've narrowed it down to a couple. I know a little about Cameras, but not really all that much, I've done quite a lot of research but I'm hoping for some second opinions. Can anyone tell me how good each camera is, what one would be better for basic photography, as in nothing to fancy, but pretty good for starting out?

The first is pretty much one of the cheapest options:
Sony Alpha Mount DSLR Twin Lens Kit, Model: DSLRA290Y.

The Second costs a little more, but was the one that I thought would be the best for me: Nikon D3100 Twin Lens Kit, Model: NIKON D3100

Http://keerok-photography.blogspot.com/2011/05/dslrs-are-not-for-everybody.html

http://keerok-photography.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-is-best-dslr.html

I usually advise against twin lens kits. A lens that "zooms more" seems to be the straightforward choice for most beginners, but it isn't really such a no-brainer. Different fields of photography require very different lenses, and zooming in a lot is just one of them.

For sports and wildlife, one can make good use of a telephoto lens as the one that is usually included in the twin lens kits.

For macro, one needs a special macro lens. A telephoto lens typically is not suitable for this purpose.

For portraits and low light situations, one is better off with a nice 50mm or 85mm prime lens.

For landscape and architecture, one would use the exact opposite of a telephoto lens, a ultra wide angle lens that zooms out very far instead of zooming in.

So unless you'd save a LOT by going for the twin lens kit over getting the lenses separately or you already specifically know that you're going to make a lot of use of a telephoto lens, you'd be better off with just a single kit lens and to find out what you really need your next lens to be with it, instead of gambling that a telephoto lens may be the right one for you.

Edit:
Alfie H: The T2i is a different tier of camera - it's an upper entry level one, while the D3100 is a lower entry level one. Of course it'll offer better features than the D3100 for that reason - but that's also reflected in its price tag.

Sony's lens and flash system is limited compared to Nikon's.

I'd also advice against a twin kit, you don't know what you'd be doing. If, for example, you discover you like really wide angle landscape shots that 55-200 lens would be sitting in your closet gathering dust.

Please support the under dog Pentax! They are a great company which makes a camera the Pentax KX double the quality of the D3100 (D3100 feels like a plastic piece of garbage) and costs $200 less. Still the has all the features of th D3100.
By the way the KX got a 76% also on DP reviews and is about $300 less than the Canon.

Go for nikon d5000 which has the sensor of nikon d90 and has time lapse option

nikon d3100 don't have many important feature like bracketing.

The Nikon D3100 is definitely the best place to start for a beginner.