What DSLR would be most appropriate for a beginner. Nikon or Canon?

I'm looking for a reasonably priced slr camera. Just for recreational uses, and am confused about what to get. The nikon d3100 looks good, though the new d5100 looks good? Not sure about the canons - 550d could work. There are lots of mixed reviews and i don't know what specifications are most important. I would just like some help please!

It's simply a personal preference.

Here's an idea: Go down to an electronics store, like Best Buy, and play around with them. See which one fits your hands better/ features you like best.

You can't go wrong with either Nikon or Canon.

The Pentax Kx is more reasonable priced and lenses are cheaper. Investigate it. The quality is excellent!

There really is no "better" or "most appropriate" - that's entirely up to you.

An slr camera is a film camera but what you're talking about are dslr cameras so I'm assuming you do mean digital cameras.

However I recommend against Pentax. Anything that's "cheaper" tells you something right off the bat. There's no such thing as cheap quality - it does not exist. Besides we've been seeing some write ups here lately about problems with Pentax - early break downs, that kind of thing.

I only recommend what I own and therefore know so my opinion - Canon.

Personally, I prefer Nikon, but that's just because I have one myself. There really is no better company. I've also seen great pictures taken with Canon cameras though. However, I know more about Nikon then I do about Canon so I'm afraid I can only give you advice on Nikon cameras!

I have the Nikon D3100 and I love it! It's a wonderful camera with over 14 MP. It's light and easy to carry! It also has HD video too. I've heard the D5000 is very heavy and not easy to carry around. So I recommend the 3100!

Hope this helped.

The Nikon D3000, D3100 and D5100 all require the use of the more expensive Nikon AF-S lenses if you want auto focus. Here is an example: Suppose that at some point you decide a 50mm prime (no zoom) lens would add to your photography. Nikon offers 3 versions - the AF 50mm f1.8 for $120.00, the AF 50mm f1.4 for $330.00 and the AF-S 50mm f1.4 for $435.00. For most hobbyist photographers the 50mm f1.8 is sufficient but it won't auto focus on the previously mentioned cameras. Neither will the AF 50mm f1.4. For an auto focus lens you'll have to spend an additional $315.00 and buy the AF-S 50mm f1.4.To allow use of the less expensive AF lenses with auto focus you'd have to buy the Nikon D90 which has a focusing motor in the camera body.

When Canon introduced their first auto focus 35mm film camera around 1988 they abandoned the legacy FD mount for the EF mount. They have since further confused the issue by introducing the EF-S lens line specifically for the "cropped sensor" cameras like the 55D. An EF lens can be used on the 55D but an EF-S lens can't be used on an older Canon auto focus 35mm film camera nor on a full-frame Canon DSLR like the 5D Mark II. So if a person has the 550D and 3 or 4 EF-S lenses and should decide to go full-frame their EF-S lenses can't be used.

The Sony A390 uses the legacy Minolta Maxxum "A" lens mount from 1985. Since the A390 has a focusing motor in the camera body any Maxxum AF lens can be used and will auto focus as it should.

Another plus for the Sony A390 is it has Sony's version of Image Stabilization in the camera body so any lens used becomes an IS lens. Nikon and Canon have their versions of IS in some but not all of their lenses so you get to pay for it over and over.

You'll find the Sony A390 for $499.99 at http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...ovideo.com with free USA shipping.