Recommendations for a DSLR

I'd actually recommend you save money and skip the DSLR, and instead get a mirrorless camera.  I have a Panasonic GF5, and would say get a micro 4/3 camera.  Mirrorless are smaller than DSLRs, and take just as good photos (Although it's really about the photographer, not the equipment when it really comes to quality of a shot.).  I picked m4/3s over Sony, Fuji, Canon, and Sumsung (There might be others, but I can't remember right now as they aren't really big players in the field.) because there are more brands (Panasonic, Olympus, and Kodak) that support the standard, and therefore more native lenses to choose from.  I also like the mirrorless format as do to no mirror, the lens mounts closer to the sensor, so you can get an adaptor to mount just about any other lens on it.  So all my old Canon FL and FD lenses are still usable.  My Canon FD 50mm, f1.8 spends a lot of time on it.  Just be sure to pick a body with the features you want.  My GF5 doesn't have a hot shoe, and I've missed that.  A view finder would of been nice, but I do just fine without it.  I also wish I could use a programmable remote shutter release, but the price was too good to pass up when I bought it.

when considering a camera, remember there are two good lens makers for consumer cameras: Nikon & Canon.

features are great, but it's the lens that makes or breaks a camera.

I use a Canon Rebel XTi

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70

Under $300, 20mm to 1200mm (60x) zoom lens, auto or manual settings for almost everything, macro shots down to 1cm.

Bigger than a pocket, but not by much.  Great for everything from real trains to layouts and smaller.  Really wide angle, really long zoom. Lots of good reviews.

IMHO of course....

Ed

I friend of mine who is a professional photographer sez you can't beat Nikon lens.

All I have is a Nikon Coolpix and it takes very good photos, but I'd rather have one that has the shape of a regular camera.  I also have an old Fuji FinePix S3000 that took good photos, but it FELT and LOOKED like a real camera.  In other words...it didn't feel like I was going to drop it.

Neither of these are top of the line by a wide margin, but make sure it feels like what it's suppose to be.  The Canon Rebel has the look.

I use Canon equipment and all the pros I know do also. 

Nikon makes great stuff but I think Canon has the better quality lenses and entry level DSLR cameras. My original Digital Rebel takes fabulous photos and at 6MP. 

My recommendation #1: A Canon Digital Rebel. The XTi is great.

My recommendation #2: Don't get caught up in the MP wars. Unless you are going to blow up a shot for Times Square, 12-18 MP is more than enough. It's NOT about the size of the sensor for most folks. It's ALL about the quality of the lens and the features you need in the camera.

My professional website is:  www.scaramouchephoto.com

Lots of railroad photos there both real and model

Gee whiz. Hasselblad and Leica fans run away now. your lenses aren't any good. I use a Nikon D90. Does what I want.

Dick

I had an olympus CW5070 - was a 6 MP with a 35 to 105 zoom.  

It worked great in good light and on the layout with a tripod.  However, in low light and using a flash it was slow.   For example taking photos of the grandkids at christmas, they were usually gone by the time the camera fired.   I got frustrated with that.  The autofocus would "hunt" in low lgiht and might take 20-30 seconds to decide what to do.

About a year ago I got a DSLR Canon XT5 rebel.   IT looks like and feels like a film SLR.   but the big deal is, it does everything the Oluympus did plus it is fast.   I can now take family photos of the kids running in action indoors with no problems.   It is also faster for railfanning and a little higher resolution.    I like it very much.     The auto focus is extremely fast too.

One thing about the bigger DSLR cameras, the sensor is bigger.   It is closer to the size of a film frame.   the point and shoots have much smaller sensors.   The smaller sensors need more light to get the same photo.   And the bigger sensors also have bigger pixels.   So 6mp in a DSLR will make it much easier to get a sharp photo than a 6mp sensor in a point and shoot.    The bigger sensor records faster and hence should be sharper.

My DSLR of choice is a Nikon D7100. I have used it to do some club magazine cover shots and many layout shots. I am able to shoot manual mode easily and push the ISO so i can avoid using flash or only a fill flash without the image degrading. 

My suggestion is go to a good camera store and try out both the Nikon and the Canon. I have broken my thumb on my right hand twice so the controls on the Nikon fit me better. I tried using the Canons but the controls did not fit me. 

Remember that the camera is a tool and is only as good as the user.

It's as much about the software as anything.  I use a Nikon D 7000 and my wife uses a D 90, but then we use Faststone www.faststone.org for manipulating and irfan www.irfranview.com for sharpening.

The best software for photographing model rail layouts is Helicon www.heliconsoft.com/heliconfocus.html  This software obviates the need for worrying about f stop to get depth of field.

Simply set the camera up on a tripod (set the zoom), and take a series of shots from one end of the focus ring to the other.  Download them into a folder and run it through Helicon.

Every part of your shot will be in focus.

It works best with a remote shutter release.

That's how the magazine pros get those great layout shots. 

Cheers

If you are just going to be posting photos on model railway websites even some mobile phones take good quality shots.

You will get no argument from me that pound for pound the bigger sensor should be better however much of what is looked on as great (model railway) photos are taken with modern smaller equipment.

How big a camera do want to lug around, are you just going to take shots on your own layout, do you want to blow them up to poster size, billboard size, or just A4, etc? These issues need to be taken into consideration not just a list of often irrelevant specs.

The best camera is the one you have with you when an opportunity presents itself.

While I have a DSLR and lots of lenses I mainly use a quality small camera with good optics.  It is a lot easier to lug around when layout visiting so it gets taken along. I currently have a Panasonic Lumix LX7, there are plenty of other similar options.

regards

 Bob

Oh for pete's sake.  No, Nikcanon or Canikon are NOT the end all of camera equipment.

If you are trying to take model photos, the LAST thing you want is a DSLR camera unless you are willing to pony up the bucks for a macro/micro lens, tripod, and lighting equipment for it.  Frankly, your Iphone will take a better model photo than ANY off the shelf DSLR with the standard lenses that come with it.

The guy that suggested a mirrorless was right on the money and there are a LOT of them to choose from.

Read this guys blog for a start

http://www.cwrailman.com/photographing-models.html

Sorry.  I thought that it was serious enquiry.

Cheers

I agree. I apologize for saying anything and for expressing my experience. I apparently know absolutely nothing. I am so glad for all of the experts here with the cell phones.

I use a Olympus E3 bought used, have a Olympus Digital 12-60mm lens 1:2.8-4 lens bought used. Most good camera stores will take trades for the "newest" body that comes out every 3-5 years, I never look to buy new camera equipment. I saved $1000 on the E3 body and $650 on the lens because it was used, if both were new it would of been $2500.

Find a good quality camera/photo shop and explain to them what you want to take pictures of, most of the employees are photographers or was. The one I use has one employee that shoots underwater in oceans across the world. DO NOT be afraid to ask to see the used section first, try to find a local shop before the big box stores. You will be better off in the long run for everything else that you will need later. 

My next suggestion would be to get whatever Erik Lindgren is using, he posts nothing but museum quality photos (could be the operator knows what he's doing too ).

Sigh . . . . 

Every "make a recommendation post" devolves into a don't get that, get this.

Once the "Use an Iphone because it takes better model photos" turns up, I head for the door. THE END

You want to see good model photos . . . . . go to my website.  

When I wrote artaicles for a magazine, a cell phone photo would not work.    I can't imagine that those little pea-size lenses can take any kind of sharp photo that could be used for any thing other than viewing on the cell phone.  

And layout photos for publication absolutely need time exposures to get down low and close up in available light.     

I agree with Scrap Iron, it is time to head for the door and maybe go out railfanning with a real camera!

"Light Up Cincinnati" photo contest held a few years ago. The person that won the first place prize did it with a cheapie Pentax K1000 camera. It is not the camera, but the photographer. Even professionals use different camera for different uses.

The best advice ...

1)determine how much you want to spend.

2)what subject matter are you going to use the camera.

3)shop around as most big box and photo shops carry only a few select brands -Nikon, Cannon, maybe Olympus.

4)Do not go by Consumer Reports as their research is limited when it comes to cameras, tested in Default Mode. Ex: Pentax D20 will blow away the Nikon D60/90 once taken out of default.

5)Before you buy, borrow some ones camera and try it to see if you like.

The problem with asking people which camera to use is that they suggest their own choice that fits their needs and not what fits yours. People like to promote their choice because they want to feel that they made the right one no matter what item they purchase.

Good Luck in your selection and hope to see some of your photos,

Stephen

Too funny.  You all are brain washed by the "equipment" pushers and it becomes the blind leading the blind.  The OP is obviously not a camera person and therefore is probably not going to begin to comprehend the workings of your average DSLR, let alone be willing to pony up a grand or two for the equipment.

Here are a couple of shots from an IPhone I just took using available light that took 10 seconds to make.  No tripod or anything. Better location and light would be even better.

http://s1074.photobucket.com/u...caletrains7/library/

The herald photos and Atlas tanker are with a tiny Pentax Q camera. The tanker by itself is a older Pentax DSLR with a macro lens.  Let's see, the Iphone, well, it's an IPhone. The Pentax Q mirrorless costs a couple hundred on Ebay. The DSLR was originally a $500 camera with a $350 lens.  For the money, the IPhone and inexpensive Pentax mirrorless Q type photos are perfect for someone like the OP. And the newer mirrorless cameras are even better and cheaper.

You Nikon/Canon worshippers are just too funny, and by the way, I do have a Canon 10D, 20D, and 40D.  Various lenses including a Canon EF 100mm Macro with ring light.

And the mirrorless Pentax blows all that expensive crap away for taking photos of models and modeling. Either get a new IPhone or a mirrorless of some kind, and leave all the expensive my camera is better than yours crap to people that worship such things.