Firstly, yes. Each brand has their own pros and cons. And yes, Sony lenses are expensive. Averagely their lenses are more expensive than the Nikon/Canon equivalent. Their optics (glass in the lens) isn't as sophisticated as Canon's L lenses/Nikon's G lenses either. Sony bought over Konica Minolta though, so they have been working on the old tech to make better ones.

In my opinion the safest option is to settle with the big two, Canon or Nikon. I do see and know of some people who are continuously promoting their personal preference, and I'm really fed up of watching them do so. That's why I've gotta take the initiative.

By the way I'd suggest for you to go with the Nikon D3000. No personal preference or whatsoever, it is one of the best ones in the market.

And no, there is no twin lens kit for Nikon. Canon rare, Sony the most, as they have to do lots of marketing to gain market share.

the nikon d3000 should be around rm2k with kit lens, or 1.7k without any lens (if u prefer other lens). Rm2.3k is too expensive dude

i've heard ppl say sony lenses are more expensive too, but when i survey they're not hehe. also heard they're quite user-friendly, although i never played with one myself.

about the AF motor in d3000, it's like this. for nikon cameras, only the D90 and above has built-in AF motor, meaning they can use a huge range of lenses.

the d5000 and d3000 has no AF motor, so they can only autofocus on newer lenses called AF-S, which has the AF motor built-in. they still can USE other lenses, but just cant autofocus so u need to rely on manual focus. but for me no AF motor is not a big problem. the choices of AF-S lenses are pretty good if i bought a d90 i'll probably use it with AF-S lenses anyway hehe

Thanks a lot TheWandererX.. This is really convincing.. it's helpful/useful.. 1 point for me to go for D3000. thanks again.

-dvlzplayground- D3000 is around RM2k? where can i get it? bcoz last weekend i visited nikon's gallery at times square, written there is rm2288, n since im newbie, i hv no guts to ask them further, or even bargain n so forth. maybe u know the pricing better, may i know where can i get it?

Very, very hard to find grey set Sony lenses. And yeah they're user friendly. At the sacrifice of being not as powerful as the latter.

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Added on January 17, 2010, 10:37 pmThe gallery quotes retail prices. Street price is much cheaper. Btw, you can trust us - go on and bargain kaw kaw. Get everything you can - it's your right to bargain and demand for anything you want. Buyers are always at the win.

Just a hint, bargain for anything and everything. OEM bags are a must, next will be cleaning kit. SDHC card. Lens filter for kit lens. Tripod. Etc. Whatever comes to your mind just go ahead and ask the dealer.

This post has been edited by TheWandererX: Jan 17 2010, 10:37 PM

hmm... thanks... i will.. now waiting for dvlzplayground or others to tell me the place/shop..

I hope you guys can read this and do research before state something
and I always hate not so clever fanboys who talks blindly...

btw, this quote from albnok from Sony Alpha Thread:

Cheapest full-frame dSLR:
Canon 5D MkII = RM8850
Nikon D700 = RM7850
Sony A850 = RM6050

Flashes

Top end flash:
Canon 580 EX II = RM1750
Nikon SB-900 = RM1640
Sony HVL-F58AM = RM1130

Low end flash:
Canon 430EX II = RM1130
Nikon SB-600 = RM800
Sony HVL-F42AM = RM780

APS-C lenses

APS-C superzoom:
Nikkor 18-200mm F3.5-5.6 VR II = RM2700
Canon 18-200mm F3.5-5.6 IS = RM2600
Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 OS HSM = RM2450
Sigma 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 OS HSM = RM1760
Tamron 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 = RM1640
Sony 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DT = RM1600
Sony 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DT = RM1550
Tamron 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 = RM1050

APS-C midrange standard zoom:
Canon 17-85mm F4-5.6 IS USM = RM2430
Sony Carl Zeiss 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 DT = RM2300
Nikkor 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 AF-S = RM2150
Sony 16-105mm F3.5-5.6 DT = RM1650
Sigma 18-125mm F3.8-5.6 OS HSM = RM1490
Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4.5 Macro HSM = RM1490
Nikkor 18-105mm F3.5-5.6 VR = RM1150

APS-C F2.8 standard zoom: (Sony does not have an APS-C F2.8 zoom.)
Nikkor 17-55mm F2.8 AF-S = 4950
Canon 17-55mm F2.8 IS USM = RM3870
Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 Macro HSM = RM1850
Tamron 17-50mm F2.8 = RM1550

Cheap APS-C telephoto zoom:
Nikkor 55-200mm F4-5.6 AF-S VR = RM940
Canon 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS = RM920
Sony 55-200mm F4-5.6 DT = RM680 (in package, can go down to RM300)

APS-C ultra-wide angle zoom:
Nikkor 12-24mm F4 AF-S = RM3550
Canon 10-22mm F3.5-4.5 USM = RM2730
Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 DC HSM = RM2270
Sony 11-18mm F4.5-5.6 DT = RM2000
Tamron 10-24mm F3.5-4.5 = RM1960

APS-C normal prime: (you can count the Sony 30mm F2.8 DT Macro SAM in this also.)
Sigma 30mm F1.4 = RM1850
Nikkor 35mm F1.8 AF-S = RM800
Sony 30mm F2.8 DT Macro SAM = RM790

Cheaper low light portrait prime: (Only Sony 50mm F1.8 is APS-C)
Nikkor 50mm F1.8 AF-D = RM400
Canon 50mm F1.8 II = RM320
Sony 50mm F1.8 DT SAM = RM300-500 (depends where and what package)

Full-frame lenses

Standard zoom:
Canon 24-105mm F4L IS USM = RM4380
Nikkor 24-120mm F3.5-5.6 VR = RM2050
Sony 24-105mm F3.5-4.5 = RM1850

Budget F2.8 standard zoom:
Sony 28-75mm F2.8 SAM = RM2550
Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 Macro = RM2030
Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 = RM1670

Premium F2.8 standard zoom:
Nikkor 24-70mm F2.8 AF-S = RM5850
Canon 24-70mm F2.8L USM = RM5400
Sony Carl Zeiss 24-70mm F2.8 SSM = RM5350
Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 HSM = RM3710

Midrange telephoto zoom:
Canon 70-300mm F4-5.6 IS USM = RM3000
Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6G SSM = RM2550
Nikkor 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 AF-S VR = RM1900

Cheaper F4 telephoto zoom:
Canon 70-200mm F4L USM = RM2850 (no IS)
Minolta 70-210mm F4 beercan = RM1000 (only available second-hand)

Premium F2.8 telephoto zoom:
Canon 70-200mm F2.8 IS USM = RM7350 (this is the old one, not the much better version II)
Nikkor 70-200mm F2.8 AF-S VR = RM6350 (this is the old one, not the much better VR II)
Sony 70-200mm F2.8G SSM = RM5550
Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 II Macro HSM = RM3890
Tamron 70-200mm F2.8 = RM2970

Premium telephoto zoom:
Canon 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS USM = RM6210
Nikkor 80-400mm F4.5-5.6 AF-D = RM5650
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6G SSM = RM5400

Premium F2.8 ultra-wide-angle zoom:
Nikkor 17-35mm F2.8 AF-S = RM6440
Nikkor 14-24mm F2.8 AF-S = RM6000
Canon 16-35mm F2.8L II USM = RM5850
Sony Carl Zeiss 16-35mm F2.8 SSM = RM5400

Macro lenses

Telephoto macro prime:
Canon 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM = RM3395
Nikkor 105mm F2.8 IS = RM3100
Sony 100mm F2.8 Macro = RM2300
Sigma 105mm F2.8 Macro = RM1910
Tamron 90mm F2.8 Macro = RM1470

Normal full-frame macro prime:
Nikkor 60mm F2.8 Macro AF-S = RM2000
Canon 60mm F2.8 Macro USM = RM1850
Sony 50mm F2.8 Macro = RM1450
Sigma 50mm F2.8 Macro = RM1250

APS-C normal macro prime: (the only other brand that has something like this is Pentax/Tokina)
Sony 30mm F2.8 DT Macro SAM = RM790

Prime lenses

Full-frame diagonal fisheye:
Nikkor 16mm F2.8 = RM2750
Sigma 15mm F2.8 = RM2690
Canon 15mm F2.8 = RM2680
Sony 16mm F2.8 = RM2550

Full-frame ultra-wide-angle prime:
Sigma 20mm F1.8 Macro = RM2150
Nikkor 20mm F2.8 AF-D = RM1950
Sony 20mm F2.8 = RM1950
Canon 20mm F2.8 USM = RM1790

Full-frame wide-angle prime:
Sigma 28mm F1.8 Macro = RM1490
Nikkor 28mm F2.8 AF-D = RM900
Sony 28mm F2.8 = RM880
Canon 28mm F2.8 = RM800

Premium F1.4 full-frame wide-angle prime:
Canon 35mm F1.4L USM = RM5070
Sony 35mm F1.4G = RM4550

Low light normal prime:
Sigma 50mm F1.4 HSM = RM2140
Nikkor AF-S 50mm F1.4 = RM1840
Canon 50mm F1.4 USM = RM1430
Sony 50mm F1.4 = RM1100
Nikkor AF-D 50mm F1.4 = RM1050

Premium portrait prime:
Canon 85mm F1.2L II USM = RM8750
Sony Carl Zeiss 85mm F1.4 = RM4850
Nikkor 85mm F1.4 AF-D = RM3850

Premium telephoto portrait prime:
Sony Carl Zeiss 135mm F1.8 = RM4850
Nikkor 135mm F2.0 AF-D Defocus Control = RM4430
Sony 135mm F2.8/T4.5 Smooth Transition Focus = RM3650
Canon 135mm F2.0L USM = RM3385

Premium telephoto prime:
Sony 300mm F2.8G SSM = RM20050
Canon 300mm F2.8L IS USM = RM18750
Nikkor 300mm F2.8 AF-S G VR = RM16960
Sigma 300mm F2.8 EX DG HSM = RM9940

Prices quoted from http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/885593 and http://www.shashinki.com/.

This post has been edited by destfull: Jan 18 2010, 03:09 AM

hi, my friends asking for better recommendation, which one to buy ? which oen is newbie friendly

Nikon D3000 or Canon 1000D

hello.I want to ask.If my budjet is only rm2k.What will should i get the dslr camera?.D60 or D80?.which one with good with my budjet..

yeah...me too want to get entry level DSLR....which one is better and newbie frenly?
budget about 2k.......

This post has been edited by guli_bulat: Jan 18 2010, 01:44 PM

add abit more get d5000 or 500d canon , its worth it .. or even get a 450d ,

btw , the only thing that d5000 beats 500d is higher fps rite ? and canon beats d5000 at full hd recording ? and urm , wads digic 3 / 4 ?
wouldnt mind to get a 450d if that digic thing is unimportant .

is it worth for beginner?

you should get the 450d... better than 1000d and d3000 IMO
around rm 2.2-2.3k

I m existing alpha user (Alpha 100).. buy it during it first introduce. And now.. i was thinking to convert, due to the video features.

Now, i m looking into Canon n Nikon. Was thinking on Canon T1i (500D), Nikon d90 and 5000d. Alot of ppl say Nikon d90 good, but price its bit high.

Canon T1i got a good video setting, but the photo its not as good as Nikon 5000d (if use lower range lense, coz of the high megapixel; according to website review).

Still garu my head.. any comments?

'due to video features' ,
even d90 doesnt have full hd video record ..
i also garu between this 2 model 500d and d5000 , im not a video maniac , so can 450d win 500d / d5000 in picture quality if using kit lense ?

mmm i juz check at yamiya.com.my hehe i surveyed a few shops in kuching n mostly they sell d3000 and 1000d at around 2k only. for 2.3k would be canon 450D

wow u really quote everything ah haha. well this confirms my observation

for 2k can get the nikon d3000 and canon 1000d as enCORe mentioned. there's no real way to choose between the two, juz go to a shop, play with both models, n buy the one u like better. keep in mind that some shop tend to bias towards certain brands, some will say nikon better and some will say canon better. dont listen to them, both brands are excellent. probably the main difference between the two is 1000D got live view, but for dslr u wont need that much

as i mentioned, u can get d3000 or 1000d. the d3000 is the replacement for d60 which is about the same price, so better juz get the d3000 (unless u can find d60 for much2 cheaper). D80 i dont think can buy brand new anymore since it was replaced by the D90 two years ago. if u can find a good condition used unit it'd be a good choice. however the D90 should be around rm4k.

---

Added on January 18, 2010, 4:01 pmeven the 500D can record 1080p video, it's only at 20fps. ur video wont be smooth. u'll need to shoot 720p to get smooth video, which makes it at the same level as the D5000 and D90

This post has been edited by dvlzplayground: Jan 18 2010, 04:01 PM

yaloh.. d90 don't have much good on the video. even the time limit its less compare to canon 500d. But from the photo output.. seem like nikon better.

me half half gila photo n video. so now...

Hello, i need advise and recommendation for following cameras....

Type of camera/lens/accesories : compact camera
Budget : below RM1.5k
Your Location : KL
Preferable brand : Canon, Nikon, Sony or Panasonic
Type of photography u want to do : Landscape or Portrait
Any specific models in mind? : Sony TX1, Canon Ixus 200 IS, Nikon Coolpix S70 or Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8
Any specific features u want? : HD, touch screen, Panoramic, easy to use, good battery life

what the hell are u talking about..i was the one who said sony lenses are cheaper, not the other way around. dunno how to read is it

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Added on January 18, 2010, 4:41 pmur budget can get Canon S90 and Lumix LX3. both are much better cameras than those u listed, but no touch screen

This post has been edited by dvlzplayground: Jan 18 2010, 04:41 PM

hey between sony cybershot wx-1 and panasonic zr1 which one is better?

both also has wideangle capability and long battery life. Sony got 5x zoom, panasonic 8x zoom. FUnction wise, sony more setting to play around.

sony image sensor CMOS, panasonic CCD

Price both also below rm1200

any sifu use this 2 camera before?

This post has been edited by vexus: Jan 18 2010, 05:02 PM

how about d80 and d90.Does any differences about this 2.
d3000 vs d60