Jaume Lahuerta wrote:
In the DSLR area, I of course let him use my Ds but I
have trouble recommending it for him hands down. Why?
He doesn't own legacy lenses as I did, so he can
choose with 'more freedom'.
The D50 is really cheap here, in Spain, even cheaper
than the DL, and available almost anywhere. On the
other hand, there is the 350D, a little more
expensive, but with 2 more Mpix, and presumably better
AF
performance, and great high ISO, and full frame
path,...
Jaume, I wouldn't recommend the D50 or Canon 350D to anyone. Why? the
D50 is not a bad camera, but it has an abismal viewfinder, and the same
thing can be said about the 350D. In both cases, build quality is
substandard for the price those cameras command. A DL or even a DS is
more substantial than any of those cameras, and even with AF lenses, a
good viewfinder is essential, at least in my view.
If your friend had a bigger budget, and he leaned towards a Canon 20D or
30D, things would be very different, as Pentax has no DSLRs in the
mid-range market now. Anyway, I wouldn't buy one of those too, but
that's my personal bias against Canon cameras and lenses.
To sum up, if your friend doesn't want to spend too much, a DL or DS is
a very good choice. If he has a bigger budget, a Nikon D200 would be a
good camera, although perhaps a bit too much for a beginner, or, if he
has the money and is really a patient person, wait for the future 10 MP
Pentax ;-) that (hopefullY) will surface in autumn.
Carlos
