What's the Best DSLR Camera to Buy?

Don't Purchase a DSLR Camera Before Reading This

Like everyone else out there, I caught the "bug" and just had to upgrade from my 35mm SLR to the newer point-and-shoot cameras out there. I had a couple models of the Minolta and Pentax and a used Nikon which were great. Of course, my kids and wife hated using them because of their complexity. Before I made this leap, I wish there had been places, other than the photography magazines which were somewhat biased, to find out all the pro's and con's about each model and manufacturer. Why wasn't there a place where I could get a thumbnail summary?

Of course, I took the plunge and since then had several of these style cameras, some OK, some not so OK, and some great (which I still use now). Then about 3 or 4 years ago along came the affordable DSLR cameras. I wasn't about to fork over $2,000 for a camera yet so again I had to go hunting through review after review until I found what I was looking for. Some of the DSLR camera reviews out there on the internet are very good, if you're looking to read through many pages of technical details. I find that these reviews are great for the serious and professional photographer. If I was going to spend the "big bucks" I would certainly look at all of the technical details, etc., and then go to a camera shop where I could get my hands on one of these babies and try it out for a day or two. Now I don't know about you, but the big-box stores are NOT going to loan me a camera for a day or two, regardless of how much the camera cost. If I'm a pro, I'm going to go to my local supplier where I buy all my other gear and he's going to lend it to me to try out. But, alas, I'm not a pro and I would bet if you're reading this you're not either.

What we all need out there is a site that provides an unbiased thumbnail review of these "hot" new DSLR cameras out there to give us the pro's and con's of each model and allow us to make a conscious decision on our own. A place to read customer reviews and a place that gives us all of the basic information we need to make up our own mind.