# Best Digital SLR Camera for Photography Course **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 9, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-digital-slr-camera-for-photography-course/535564 "2010-04-09T18:39:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-digital-slr-camera-for-photography-course/535564/21 "2010-04-10T17:30:39Z")
Yeah, I wouldn’t confuse a digital point-and-shoot with a dSLR. Point-and-shoots are designed so that you basically have no direct control over anything (and I find my pocket cam incredibly frustrating for that reason). dSLRs give you the same kind of creative control as film SLRs do. When I transitioned from my Nikon N65 (film) to my Nikon D80 (digital), the only real adjustment I had to make was that the buttons and dials were in slightly different places. All of the same controls are still there, however. I really only use my pocket cam if it’s really necessary for me to be traveling light and carrying a camera that can fit in my pocket. I know I’ll get okay photos (and maybe some really nice snapshot-style pics), but I’m not going to have much control over how they turn out, and I’m not going to be getting amazing art photos. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-digital-slr-camera-for-photography-course/535564/22 "2010-04-10T17:48:04Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > I know they can be put in full manual mode, but I don’t know of any that “work well this way” as I suggest. In cameras that ONLY work this way, generally, the feel and placement and convenience of these simple controls is excellent. My experience with DSLRs is limited but in what I have seen this mode is kind of crowded out by so many others. They can’t add twenty other things and keep the user interface for these basics clean. That is, in the ones I know of - but, are there models you can suggest that are very good in this regard? I might buy one some day. In fact both my digicams now have so many modes and sub-modes like Fireworks In Fog and Winter Sports that I find them intimidating, and their 50 page manuals are too superficial, and all the convenience features are too much to master. Any suggestions? I would love to come back and post that I was wrong! Both of the Canon DSLRs we have are used exclusively in manual mode. Pick it up, choose a lens, set the shutter speed, aperture, iso — focus and shoot. All the controls are exactly where you expect them to be. ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-digital-slr-camera-for-photography-course/535564/23 "2010-04-10T23:50:59Z")
I just bought a Pentax K-x for 715 bucks. Came with an 18-55 and a 55-300 lens. If price is an issue, consider that. Plus its compatible with any Pentax lens ever made. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-digital-slr-camera-for-photography-course/535564/24 "2010-04-13T05:53:05Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > I’d still strongly recommend [this too](http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=nikon+50mm&N=0&InitialSearch=yes). It is a **great** multi-purpose lens, it’s inexpensive, and it opens wide – the f1.8 is what I have, and it’s fantastic because you’d be surprised how often room light just isn’t bright enough. I have this lens and a zoom, and I use the fixed 50mm for nearly everything Concur. I have the Canon equivalent, 50mm prime @ f1.8, and it was about $80 (!). Awesome lens, I love doing indoor available light stuff with it, since I hate hate flash. I’ve gotten priceless snaps with this lens. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-digital-slr-camera-for-photography-course/535564/25 "2010-04-13T14:28:15Z")
For a photography course, a _nifty 50_ is probably the best sort of lens. You’ll learn to compose shots correctly, and not just zoom in on things. Later on you learn the way to use a zoom lens. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-digital-slr-camera-for-photography-course/535564.md?page=1)