Camera Labs

Hi, I have done a lot of review reading and going to shops and getting a feel for Cameras but would love some independent help to get me on the photography ladder, at the moment i would like a camera good at sport shots, low light shots and help with focus and have a top budget of £600.. i have watched the 600D vs D5100 review on here and it gives the D5100 the edge on sport shots, but it then mentions Sony? and i think the A57 is within my price range but can't seem to get an idea of it compared to the Canon and Nikon, I know the Nikon D3200 is out and once again watched and read a lot of reviews and would really appreciate some unbiased help to point me in the right direction.

Sorry if i have been to limited with information, but ready to buy and don't want to regret picking the wrong one

Thanks in advance Mark

Once you move up to an interchangeable lens system, it's generally more about the lens(es) than the camera/body. Unfortunately, good telephoto lenses (for sports shots) can be pricey, and the same can be true for good low light lenses. (One common exception to this last is a fast/bright 50mm. e.g. both Canon and Nikon make an affordable 50mm f1.8 lens.) And the combination of the two--fast/bright telephotos--(for indoor/night sports) will most likely exceed your entire budget.

All of that is basically a long way of saying, make sure to budget for lens(es) and be prepared to make some compromises/prioritize your wants/needs. Then pick whichever system best meets your wants/needs in your budget range.

The other Mark

I couldn't agree more with Maestro in saying that you should be ready to compromise and prioritise what you need and want first then go for the system that best suits your needs/preferences within your budget.

Not to discredit the review that favours the D5100 over the 600D but I don't think it's something you can follow 100% as I feel that personal preferences, namely ergonomics, outweigh the differences between the bodies when all else is equal. It would be worth handling each camera within your budget at a CE/photography store - with a lot of people, the feel of the camera can influence their choice.

I don't think there is such a thing as a bad DSLR and at a certain price point, I don't feel you can conclusively or exhaustively say one system is better than another for everybody. As Maestro said, the lens you use will make a much more apparent difference in low light performance - though the D5100 has arguably better noise management and low light performance than the 600D, the difference is so marginal that I would happily take 600D over the D5100 if I had a faster, sharper lens in front of the 600D than the one I had on the D5100.

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Bodies: Canon EOS 550D w/ Magic Lantern
Lenses: Tokina AT-X 116 Pro DX f/2.8, Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Accessories: YongNuo Speedlite YN-468 Flash, Neewer Macro LED Ring Light, Meike Battery Grip, YongNuo RF-602 Wireless Flash Trigger & Receiver YongNuo WR-128 Wireless Remote Control

Thank you for the advice gentleman, i think i need to make a decision between the D5100 and 600D, and then go to the relevant forum to seek advice on the lens

Thanks Again

If you are on a budget and are considering the 600d I would seriously consider the 550d which I think personally think is better value with the exception of a flip out screen.

Just my opinion. Have a look at reviews titled 600d vs 550d or whichever camera you are considering.

As said above there are no bad dslr's in the range you are looking at and I went through the same process. I didn't think the flip out screen was a big enough benefit to warrant the extra spend.

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Canon 550D, Canon EFS 17-85 IS USM, Canon EF 75-300 IS USM, Canon EFS 10-22mm USM, Canon EF35mm F2.

Got some of the gear but really still no idea...