Seeking Digital SLR Camera Advice

[Azazel]

With my wife's birthday approaching, I'd like to get her a Digital SLR camera, since she's been dropping hints about it for awhile.
The main problem is that I have NFI about cameras, really. She doesn't either. So we're after something good but newbie-friendly, with a flash and macro ability (so I can use it for my miniatures and models).

Budget is about US$5-700, though I'd prefer to keep it on the low end of that.

We'll probably buy it from here, since their prices make local .AU prices look like the enormous gouging joke that they are:
http://www.digitalrev.com/en/index.php

[Mosesandstick]

Have you thought about buying it in SEA? Cheapest camera products in the world. Also, are you sure she wants a DSLR and not one of the thin cameras (mirrorless)? They're more expensive, but very similar performance wise. Tbh, no idea about which camera is more intuitive. I've always thought Nikon cameras are more intuitive and comfortable (barely), but I'm a biased owner.

[Samwise]

After polling the photography nuts around here I got a refurbished Nikon D50 and I've been very happy with it.

[Furiously]

Well - once you get several lenses you kinda get locked into Canon or Nikon. They have some inertia.

You're probably going to want to take her shopping to find what fits her hand best. I'd suggest starting with one of the high end non-slr's. The Canon G12 looks particularly nice to me. (I have a Nikon D70 myself.)

[Trippy]

I'd start with the Canon EOS Rebel T3 (1100D) and the Nikon D3100. Those are about in the middle of your range so you can compare from there. E.g. if you don't care about video recording you can drop down a level and save ~$100 (probably will lose some MP too though).

[apocrypha]

US$5-700 doesn't really get you much in the way of a new DSLR unfortunately. A used one is definitely feasible but since DSLRs mean separate lenses and bodies you'll soon hit that upper price limit even with used gear.

Furiously's suggestion of a Canon G12 is an excellent one IMO. Great cameras and a good bridge between compacts and SLRs. Another similar camera would be the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5. The Nikon high-end compacts don't get such good reviews.

Best things about the good high-end compacts are that they have very good lenses and that they have manual modes as well as the automatic modes. This means that they are easy to pick up and point-and-shoot with but you can get more creative and have more control yourself as you learn more (if you want to).

[Trippy]

If you wanna go that route (high-end P&S) I'd recommend getting a Canon S95 instead. Much more compact so she'll likely carry it around more. Same full manual operation if she wants to, save to RAW, etc. I have the S90 and the S70 so I am kind of biased about that design though

Edit: fixes

[Azazel]

Not really high-end P&S. We already have a couple of decent mid-range compacts, and we seem to buy a new one every couple of years, so I don't see much point in going high-end compact. I did some research on places to buy from in Asia, but even the "best" mail order places have some ..mixed feedback online. I was looking at DigitalRev, until I found that they simply add a 10% surcharge onto all cameras to Australia. There's also all kinds of grey import warranty issues I'd rather not fuck about with.

Front runner ATM after a few hours research is the Nikon D3100 with an 18-55mm lens.

With a bit of looking around and a phone call to a store in "blood alley" (where the Camera store are all lined up next to one another) I got a price on it that's only $15 more than buying from Digital Rev in HK, but has a local manufacturer's warranty and a 4GB card thrown in for a sweetener which I can pick up at my convenience anytime in the next week or so.

[Mosesandstick]

I think the D3100 will be a fine choice. For macro work try picking up a close up filter like this, it'll screw on to your lenses and allow them to focus closer and take better macro photos.

[K9]

The D3100 is a really good entry-level DSLR in my opinion.

[shiznitz]

I can heartily recommend the Cannon t1/t2/t3 line.  It doesn't matter which one.  The incremental improvements are small.  We have had the t1i for some years. It is fantastic.

[Nyght]

Been using a D50 for some years. And I had some nice glass on it most of that time, but I ebayed off two zoom lens recently to help pay the bills.

Any of the modern DSLRs is gonna have a point and shoot mode and a ton of other settings you can mess with if you want too. Pay attention to the glass if you want high quality pictures though. That is where is happens with both old flim cameras and modern digital.

Edited to add: This means watch out for bargain packages with a Nikon body and a shitty lens.

[K9]

I was comparing the D3100 to my D40, it has so many nice quality-of-life improvements over the D40, and I really like my D40.

The stock 18-55mm lens which comes with Nikon cameras served me well too. It's not super-duper, but I wouldn't describe it as shitty. Then again I'd still class myself as pretty inexperienced.

[Nyght]

The Nikon lens are fine. Sometimes they package these with Tamron or something to cut the price a bit. That's the thing to watch out for.

[K9]

Ah I see

[Khaldun]

I like my 3100 a lot, and I got it with the Nikon lens. I'm still struggling over what kind of lens to add for the kind of photography I'm messing around with, but it's felt like a very gentle introduction to DSLR and a significant different from my previous P&S camera.

[Azazel]

Thanks guys, got her the Nikon D3100 in the end and she is rapt with it.

Once she works out how to use it, I'll be hijacking her to take photos of my models and make myself one of those coffee table books that you get made with your own photos.

[TripleDES]

Don't! Ever! Buy! The! Four! Digit! Canons!

[Azazel]

it's okay. I bought a four-digit Nikon.