Hello,

I really want a DSLR but I gotta keep it stinky cheap unfortunately.

Right now I can get a Pentax IST DL plus 18-55mm SMC pentax lens for $519 (demo floor model at circuit city) with a Mail-in Rebate of $100so total cost is $419.

I also have about $225 to spend on a macro lens.

This will be primarily for Photographing Mushrooms, but will also include Butterflies, flowers, insects.

Also might use it to photograph an aquarium which has metal halide lighting.

I was also looking at the Nikon D50 which is being sold for $599 with a 18-55mm nikkor lens. I would like to buy it at circuit city, because its local and I trust em, plus if I hate the thing I can return it easily, but im not opposed to buying it online.

I want to take wonderful pictures like this more easily:

http://www.outbackphoto.com/nature/2...cretWorld.html

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=923056

Thanks for any and all opinions.

I guess I have about $800 total, but would like to be able to only spend $700.

Just wanted to mention that you can also buy the Pentax with 18-55 kit lens from beachcamera.com for $569 less $100 rebate, brand new in the box with no tax and free shipping. Very reputable site. I'm also in search for a DSLR. Started looking at the ist but have since moved to the K100 but for the price you can't beat the *ist. I understand wanting to buy locally but if I recall Circuit City charges a restocking fee if you return a camera just like mostonline stores. Something to consider and if you have to pay sales tax on that $519 you're probably paying close to what you would pay for a brand new camera, not one that's a floor model.

One advantage of teh Pentax is that all the exisitng Pnetax lenses for film SLR's will work with the new Dpentax Digital SLRs.

This means there are lot of very reasonably priced lenes out there, an import6ant point if you are on a budget.

The older lenses are still capable of producing fantastic results

Phil
www.kartpic.com

Optically though which camera is better in the budget line-up?

Thank-you for these wonderful opinions so far!

The circuit city near my house does not charge a restocking fee on merchandise purchased in store if you are not satisfied. But you bring up a very good point about the tax!!

First of all not cameras but lenses have optical quality, so it depends on lenses what you put on your camera body.

D50 and DL use the same Sony matrix and image quality which is decided by camera body isn't a factor here. Both cameras are good there.

However you've mentioned that you'll use camera mostly for macro photography. In this case forget about D50 and get Pentax. Why? There are a few reasons:

1) In macro photography it is very likely that you will use manual focus. Pentax DL have much better viewfinder than D50, it is larger and brighter, it will make focussing much easier.

2) D50 does not have DOF preview. You will not be able to check if your model (i.e. bug) will be in focus at given aperture value. DL has DOF preview.

3) I am not sure about Nikon lenses, but you should find old Pentax macro lenses quite easy and cheap.

Well it looks like Ill be getting the Pentax then! Thanks very much for helping me make up my mind!

Edvinas wrote:

Dof preview is nice in theory, but really doesn't have much use practically with DSLRs. Typically, macro photography requires small aperatures, especially when using 1:1 lenses (or greater) designed for macro use. These small aperatures render the viewfinder so dark, that hardly anything can be seen in the viewfinder. DOF is not used to determine focus, only depth of field. It is easier to determine DOF by snapping test shots and reviewing in the viewfinder. DOF made sense in film days as you couldn't immediately review shots (thus saving wasted film), but DSLRs have made DOF virtually useless.
Nikon lenses are quite easy to find on the used market, and Nikon macro lenses are of very high quality. On the downside they are not cheap.

DO NOT BUY an display unit unless if they have it locked up in a cage or something. A dslr sensor is too sentive and if they have it out in the open, you dont know what some people will do. Sometimes they have the body without the lense just sitting there, many non-camera only store does this.

I like the Pentax, too. However, I think you should keep in mind that Circuit City charges 15% restocking fees if you return a digital camera to them UNLESS you buy something of equivalent or greater value in exchange. I learned this after buying a MiniDVD camcorder there last month.

robbo wrote:
Oh okay well that is sorta why I am trying to get opinions so I dont have to return it. I knew this was going to happen, now the descision has been made 10x more difficult. Sigh.

I gotta say I dont see many macro pics that were taken with pentax dslrs only nikon and canon. Those links I provided were from a nikon D50.

Well I guess I got some long hard thinking to do.

Thanks for the help guys.