Choosing my first DSLR - Dilemma?
I'm so close to choosing my first DSLR but I'm in three minds and basically have 2 main questions: Is 1080p at 24p really better or necessary than 1080p at 20p and is a 921k/1, 040k screen more necessary/useful than a 230k screen.
I'm not sure if 24p at 1080p for the "film look" would be useful to me as I don't really plan on shooting any short films, for example, but having it may be a good feature to have if I do decide to shoot any short films or anything else along those lines in the future.
The three cameras I'm looking at are the Nikon D3100, Canon EOS 500d and Canon EOS 550d.
What's stopping me from buying the D3100 is really the 230k screen vs the higher resolution screens of the Canons but it shoots 1080p video at 24p.
What's stopping me from buying the 500d is the video shooting at 1080p but at 20p not 24p.
What's stopping me from buying the 550d is whether the high resolution screen and 1080p video at 24p are necessary.
If I was to buy the Nikon I would probably buy an additional lens - I was looking at the 50mm F1.8D AF Nikkor Lens. If I was to buy the 500d or 550d I would buy the Canon EF 50 mm f/1.8 II Lens but maybe later on in the year and later than if I bought the Nikon because of my budget, which is around £470 / $740.
For recording videos, you should buy an actual video camera/camcorder. Despite popular belief, DSLRs are not replacements for actual camcorders and do NOT offer better video quality than actual camcorders. If DSLRs are better than camcorders, don't you think camcorders would out of production? Hmm, but guess what, they're still being produced. DSLRs are designed to take stills; their manufacturers have added video features to them because they knew uninformed people would buy them to record videos.
Sony, Canon and Panasonic all make great camcorders.
20 fps is a non-standard video shooting rate… 24 fps (cine) and 30 fps (NTSC video) have been the standard for decades.
Of the Nikon entry level dSLR's the D3200 would be the one to consider. Its sensor out performs many of the other dSLR cameras out there and it has a 921, 000 pixel LCD
http://www.dxomark.com/...nd3)/Canon
Under full disclosure:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/camcorders/cam-cam.shtml
Forget the 500D, the 550D is the updated version of that camera and it's significantly better.
The screen resolutions mean very little, my Canon 1D Mark IV has a significantly worse screen than my 5D Mark III on paper but I can barely tell the difference when looking at them.
The 550D or D3100 are the two cameras you should look at. But the D3100 has now been updated by the better D3200. I would personally recommend the 550D over the D3100 but the D3200 over the 550D.
A 50mm F/1.8 lens is (in my opinion) crucial when you're a beginner. It's perspective distortion is the closest to the human eye in terms of lenses and the fast aperture will give you a lot of room to experiment with correct exposure settings in low light.
I will say, if you're looking to buy a DSLR entirely for video then you're much better off looking at a video camera instead.
Whether you're new to the world of DSLRs, or are a seasoned photographer who wants to try your luck at video, the Canon Rebel 550D is perfect. I've had nothing but great experiences with it so far, and highly recommend to everyone. The camera is very small and light. It is not weather-sealed or as durable as some of the more expensive SLRs, but it doesn't "feel cheap" in my opinion. It features a 3-inch LCD, which also has a very high resolution. It looks lovely! Auto-focus is fast, and I've been very pleased with the quality of the pictures and videos I've taken so far.