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I'm beginning to desire an entry level / used d-slr camera,


Is there a reason you specifically want an SLR camera?

Pros: Versatility. Interchangeable lenses. Better low light capability in extreme situations. Impresses other people when they see it.

Cons: Expensive. Interchangeable lenses (Very expensive.) You'll need a wheelbarrow to carry all the lenses you'd need to match the capability of a super-zoom camera. Did I mention expensive?

I have a new Panasonic DMC-FZ50, and the more I use it the more impressed I become. I can choose between 12x, 17x, 21x optical zoom (depending on how many megapixels I want to use), and then throw in 4x digital zoom on top of that, giving me the equivalent of lenses ranging from (35mm equivalent) 28mm to 750mm optically, or if I want to go completely bonkers, a 3000mm equivalent using digital zoom.

A good quality 750mm lens for a D-SLR could quite possibly cost more than I paid for my whole setup.

Can you get better image quality with an SLR? Undoubtedly. Will the improvement in quality be discernible on your computer screen, or in a 4x6 inch print? Unlikely.

Unless you are a professional photographer (been there, done that!), or a very serious amateur, you might want to consider alternatives to going the SLR route.

tanstaafl.
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"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"