What Digital Camera Should I Buy?

I get a number of emails or requests each month from people asking which digital camera they should buy for the color photography course at Rochester Community and Technical College. There isn’t an easy answer to that, especially given that most of the people who ask are on a student budget. Basically, a reasonable camera for the course should be capable of fully manual exposure, shoot in the RAW file format, and be a single lens reflex camera.

Here is a list of suggested cameras as of summer, 2010. The list isn’t comprehensive, and is totally biased by my own brand preferences. But here you go.

I will need to sell blood (<$600)

• The photography program at Rochester Community and Technical College has half a dozen Canon digital SLR cameras available for check out, and we pick up a few more each semester. You will have to put up with the inconvenience of bringing the camera back in every couple of days, but many students have gotten through the class this way.

• You are welcome to use color film in the camera you used for Photo I. You will have to pay for the film (and probably order it on-line) and pay for development. You will also have to factor in the time of scanning the roll to make a contact sheet and scanning the negatives for the final images. But it’s doable.

Good (around $600)

• Pentax K-x (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/PX06032/)
• Nikon D3000 (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/NZ0300/)
• Canon Rebel XS (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/EC2827/)

Better ($600 - $1000)

• Canon EOS Rebel T1I EF-S (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/EC2841/)
• Nikon D5000 (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/NZ0501/)

Best ($1000 - $2000)

• Canon EOS 7D (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/EC27101/)
• Canon EOS 50D (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/EC2751KW/)
• Nikon D90 (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/NZ0091/)
• Nikon D300 Body Only, No Lens (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/NZ1305/)
• Pentax K-7 Body Only, No Lens (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/PX0607/)
• Sony A850 Body Only, No Lens (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/SZ0825/)

Seriously, I’m going pro ($2000 - $3000)

• Canon 5D Mark II Body Only, No Lens (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/EC2705/)
• Nikon D700 Body Only, No Lens (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/NZ1400/)
• Nikon D300 (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/NZ1306/)


Money is no object, and I only want the best (>$3000)

• Canon 5D Mark II (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/EC2706/)
• Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Body Only, No Lens (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/EC2775/)
• Nikon D3S Body Only, No Lens (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/NZ240305/)
• Nikon D3X Body Only, No Lens (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/NZ24031/)
• Nikon D700 (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/NZ1401/)