Camera guide

Depends on what you need. What do you mean by fast shutter speed? Most SLRs max out at 1/4000th of a second, but w/ flash only 1/200 w/o high speed sync. That should be enough though. I think what you intended was usable shutter speed which really depends on your lens.

For lenses, prime lenses (lenses that don't zoom) tend to have sharper image quality and bigger apertures (the lower the f number, the bigger/faster the aperture). Larger apertures get you that blurry background, and allow your shutter speed to remain faster w/o the image getting too dark. Obviously zoom has a convenience factor though, but tend to top out at f2.8 for the more expensive lenses

Higher ISOs also let you drag the shutter speed up but still have a bright enough image, but you get more noise at a cost- this is camera not lens dependent.

Image stabilization will let you drag the shutter speed down and still get sharp photos... if your subject isn't moving.

Focal length is given in mm. The smaller the focal length, the wider your field of view. If a range is given, it's a zoom. 50mm is what's considered "normal" back in the film days, but since most digital cameras have smaller sensors which are approx 1.6x smaller, these numbers have to be multiplied by that amount, since the picture is "zoomed" in by that amount. This stuff isn't good or bad, just depends on how zoomy or wide you want the camera to see.

Are you going sony/nikon/canon/panasonic/olympus/pentax? Picking a system is a big deal long-term, since once you buy a system w/ lots of lenses and stuff, you're stuck w/ it, unless you want to go through the trouble of reselling everything. If your friends are using a particular system, picking the same is useful since you can share lenses.

Sony Alpha SLRs (A-Mount): In-body stabilization, which is really nice for fast-primes (lenses w/o zoom), as stabilization can be used w/ all lenses, not just the ones that explicitly have it. Also great for video if you go w/ the SLT series (but those lose 1/3rd of the light)

Sony NEX mirrorless (E-Mount): Not really an SLR, but interchangeable lenses. Loses the in-body stabilization, crappier for tracking fast moving subjects for sports and stuff. Much smaller body and slightly smaller lenses though. Can use A-Mount lenses w/ 200$ adapter w/o any stabilization.

Canon SLRs (EF/EF-S): Hugely popular, so your friends are likely to have lenses. Lots of different kinds of lenses, including weird specialized ones like the MP-E 65mm for macro and tilt-shift lenses. Great pro L lenses ($$$$).

Canon EOS-M: New NEX competitor, not much known about it since just announced last week. Might steer you towards Canon vs Nikon depending on your future needs.

Nikon SLRs: Similar advantages to Canon, also has lots of lenses. Has better noise advantages at the moment due to better sensors, and better cheap primes, but that might change the next product cycle.

Nikon V1: Also NEX competitor. Much smaller sensor, so crappy in terms of ISO and barely better than a good point and shoot.

Pentax: In-body stabilization, lots of firmware features. Not sure about the long-term viability though.

Panasonic/Olympus Micro Four-Thirds (mirrorless): Not really SLR, similar to NEX series, but smaller slightly noisier sensor, but smaller lenses and body too.



For that budget, and assuming Canon since that's what I'm using and know, I'd go w/ a T1i (used if necessary) (or T2i if I could stretch the budget a little). The T3 is a bit cheaper, but has 6 fewer megapixels and less features, although it does have a swivel screen.

The cheapo 18-55 f3.5-f5.6 kit lens that comes w/ it is okay, but not great (stabilized, but slow aperture).

You may want to consider buying the T1i body-only for 450-500 new/350-400 used and get the cheapo 50mm f1.8 along w/ it. That lens is nice and sharp when stopped down to > f2.2 or something. It doesn't zoom though, and the field-of-view is a bit narrow, like having tunnel vision. Great for people headshots though, and everything in low-light.


History of my purchases:

T1i w/ 18-55 lens: 600$ - since given away to my sister
50mm f1.8 (bit overpriced at 170- you can get one at 110) - since then broken and now used as magnifier for my macro
External sigma ef-610 dg super flash: 250$ - you probably should get one at some point, huge apertures can only do so much
50mm f1.4 - 380$?
Tokina 11-16mm - 680$ - wide angle, for landscapes, scenery, special effects
100mm f2.8L Macro - 979$ - close ups of bugs, flowers, stuff like that.

I don't really have any zooms in there other than the 11-16 anymore, and that's more like an adjustable prime.