help.. overwhelmed moving up to DSLR

So.. I need some opinions..
I have a canon compact and am enjoying it so much I want to upgrade to a DSLR... But there are so many options and so many good salesman that I'm feeling very overwhelmed by all the choice... Iv read all the reviews and comparisons, but I'm new at this so all the spec sheets might as well be in japanese... So... Best DSLR for a beginner?

I would say that your best option is the most current of the rebel line that you feel comfortable with the price point. T4i is the latest, t3i and t2i are also great cameras. Often they package it with a two lens kit, if you can find the kit with the 18-55 and 55-250 lenses it sets you up nicely. One thing before you buy. DSLR's require an investment in time and learning to get the most of them. Many users unwilling to invest the time find their photos from the point and shoots are actually better. This is often because the compacts take you out of the equation, where the DSLR isnt afraid to let you make mistakes.

Most of the "entry" level dslr's in the last 2 years are very good. Buy a kit with the lens put it in auto start shooting. Get used to it for a bit and give yourself room to grow. Enjoy!

mugsh0t wrote in post #14931801
So.. I need some opinions..
I have a canon compact and am enjoying it so much I want to upgrade to a DSLR... But there are so many options and so many good salesman that I'm feeling very overwhelmed by all the choice... Iv read all the reviews and comparisons, but I'm new at this so all the spec sheets might as well be in japanese... So... Best DSLR for a beginner?

The most important question for you to answer is whether or not you really want to learn the basics of photography. If you don't, then you'll be depending on the automation programmed into the camera.

In my opinion, most of the better point-n-shoot cameras are better than most DSLRs which are used in full automation modes.

Don't want to sound negative, but in addition to the advice given above be prepared to learn how to do Post Processing of photos.

As Skip says, in Auto modes, DSLR's don't have the "pop" a point and shoot will. The "pop" will come when you post process them.

Most people going from Point n' shoot to DSLR don't realize they'll have to spend some time on a computer to get the best results.

If you buy used you can try it for a couple of months and then go from there.If you decide to sell you
won't lose much.

T3i/T2i/T4i with Kit lens, a canon 55-250 lens, and Lightroom 4 software. That's a good start for getting started cheaply with lots of room to grow at your own pace.

The Pentax KX is a good little starter DSLR.

Thanks everyone for the advice..
Going to have a look tomorrow and will hopefully be going home with a new camera...
My options are 550D with kit lenses or 1100D with some better glass... Any suggestions?

Because you are enjoying what you have is not necessarily a requirement to upgrade. There are lots of choices and it takes time to really identify what matters to you. To make life simple enjoy what you have and perhaps dabble in parallel with DSLR's. At the point when you feel the DSLR is as much fun it will be easier to make the transition. It's a long haul to go from a P&S to a DSLR and an expensive one at that.

mugsh0t wrote in post #15024471
Thanks everyone for the advice..
Going to have a look tomorrow and will hopefully be going home with a new camera...
My options are 550D with kit lenses or 1100D with some better glass... Any suggestions?

Normally the suggestion would be to strive to get better glass rather than a better body, but here I think you'll be better served starting out on the 550D, it will get you used to having better handheld camera technique. Plus I find the buttons on the back of any camera older/more basic than the 550D to be confusing and hard to use, but that's just personal opinion of course.

What would the better glass you think you could get with the 1100D? What's your total budget for the move to DSLR?

jetcode wrote in post #15024485
Because you are enjoying what you have is not necessarily a requirement to upgrade. There are lots of choices and it takes time to really identify what matters to you. To make life simple enjoy what you have and perhaps dabble in parallel with DSLR's. At the point when you feel the DSLR is as much fun it will be easier to make the transition. It's a long haul to go from a P&S to a DSLR and an expensive one at that.

True to some extent, but since I upgraded from Point and Shoot last year, I haven't looked back and haven't been bothering to pick up my P&S when I had had my DSLR for less than a month already (and it was because I was going on a decidedly non-photo trip with a friend on which we were couch-surfing, and I was worried about possible theft).

Welcome to the challenging and exciting world of DSLR photography. You will make mistakes, learn from those mistakes and keep shooting. Don't get caught up in spending too much money on gear. There is no substitute for practice. As mentioned before: Learn from your mistakes! The "wow" photos will soon make the money and learning time a good investment.

There are many "how to" books available to help in the learning process. This is free and better than many books: https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=414088

Keep in mind that the dSLR comes with significant increases in bulk and weight over your compact camera. That might not always be the most convenient thing to deal with! There are many times when I want to have a camera, without the bother of lugging it around or worry about theft of a dSLR outfit, and a high end P&S (like the S95/S100) in the pocket is a delight. The image quality of a good P&S might not be as terrific in low light high ISO shooting situations, but the same can be said about a 4/3 dSLR vs. an APS-C dSLR vs. a FF dSLR!

So precisely what are your motivations for getting a dSLR? Can you articulate to us what you perceived to be the advantages that will be gained by such a move up? What do you think your dSLR will do (or better) than your current camera?
We can comment about whether or not your expectations will be met, as well as what your disappointments might be!

A dSLR is not for everyone. A very long time friend of mine has an S90, which I recommended to his wife when she asked me to recommend a camera for this birthday a few years ago. But he can't really take advantage of even that camera, so a dSLR is certainly the wrong camera for him!

To be honest Wilt, what you are asking the OP to do sounds rather elitist, and would seem nearly impossible to verify (no, posting pics from his P&S won't actually tell us much about his photographic potential).

IMO, he/she doesn't need to justify the intent to purchase a DSLR, and it would be much more helpful if we concentrated on giving tips and recommendations on how best to upgrade/what to buy.