Anyone know of a good camera shop in town that sells dSLRs and also has a good selection of lenses?

Try Denchai - very professional, know what they're talking about and generally good selection of high end kit.

11/2 Rattanakosin Rd., Sriphum, Muang, ChiangMai 50200

Tel. 053-234999, 412838, 211450

http://www.denchai.com/camera_slr.html

Anyone know of a good camera shop in town that sells dSLRs and also has a good selection of lenses?

Also Photo Bug - the branch adjacent to Mike's Burgers close to Thapae Gate. Ask to speak to Pop (the owner) who is helpful and knowledgeable. Their stock is pretty extensive and what they don't have they'll get for you.

Also Big Camera on 3rd floor of Airport Plaza, where you'll also find a few other camera shops.

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Also Big Camera on 3rd floor of Airport Plaza, where you'll also find a few other camera shops.

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I'd put Big Camera way down on the list along with Photo Hut - they may be OK for point and shoot cameras if you know what you want but they're basically box shifters and the few times I've talked to staff (actually they come out from the shop to "help" you if you stop to look at something in the window in the Airport Plaza branch of Big Camera!) they've not known anything much beyond the price and the blurb from the brochure. It sounds like the OP is about to buy into a new DSLR system so getting some decent advice is paramount.

Also, a visit to dpreview.com will help decide between various models and their reviews are second to none.

Also Big Camera on 3rd floor of Airport Plaza, where you'll also find a few other camera shops.

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I'd put Big Camera way down on the list along with Photo Hut - they may be OK for point and shoot cameras if you know what you want but they're basically box shifters and the few times I've talked to staff (actually they come out from the shop to "help" you if you stop to look at something in the window in the Airport Plaza branch of Big Camera!) they've not known anything much beyond the price and the blurb from the brochure. It sounds like the OP is about to buy into a new DSLR system so getting some decent advice is paramount.

Also, a visit to dpreview.com will help decide between various models and their reviews are second to none.

I agree that a visit to dpreview.com is essential, but i found their lens reviews to be lacking - not in the depth of the lens that they DO review, but in the different lens that they review... period. The forums are extremely helpful too, but not as formatted as the lens reviews.

kenrockwell.com is an example of a great and well formatted lens review site that i would recommend.

zippy

I agree that a visit to dpreview.com is essential, but i found their lens reviews to be lacking - not in the depth of the lens that they DO review, but in the different lens that they review... period. The forums are extremely helpful too, but not as formatted as the lens reviews.

kenrockwell.com is an example of a great and well formatted lens review site that i would recommend.

zippy

DP Review has only been including lenses in the last six months or so and are still playing catch up with sites like Ken Rockwell. Photozone.de has a fairly comprehensive selection of reviews too.

If you know what you want, go to photohut, bigcamera or any of the other shops at airport plaza, Photobug is more expensive, and their service is only good when you are spending money. Bought something there 3 times that had a defect, all three times when I went back their service was pretty bad. (once the product had clearly been sold before and the previous owner had brought it back also, it took me about 3 hrs negotiating to get my money back)

Anyone know of a good camera shop in town that sells dSLRs and also has a good selection of lenses?

I had a good experience with PhotoBug on Moonmuang (near Mike's Hamburgers) a few years ago when I bought a Canon 350d. I found them helpful with after-sale support.

For reviews, I'd add to the places others have recommended Fred Miranda's site which is very strong on lens reviews :

http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/

And for more local contacts, and, possibly, feedback on stores in Chiang Mai why not the local photography group :

http://www.igroops.com/members/cmpg

And check out their forums, reviews, and links.

best, ~o:37;

Of course the OP would be welcome to come to a Chiang Mai Photography Group meeting and "pick the brains" of other dslr users.

One thing to perhaps take into consideration is that both the Nikon and Fuji DSLR's take the regular AF Nikon (Nikkor) lenses.

So if you are like me and have a few AF lenses (one costing almost 100% more than the 801 body) it makes good sense if they can be used.

thanks for all the feedback, have done some reading on KRs site, and although has lots of info on there, he does on my tits a bit, and needs to update his site, as his comments do overlap and contradict each other.

i am currently not a dSLR user so no lenses to crossover for me, was thinking more canon myself, rather than nikon. as from what i have seen agree with KR that the canons do give fantastic colours straight off the camera.

will be using the camera for underwater shots mostly, as well as surface nature snaps as well. still not sure what one to go for, 50D was looking rather tasty, but then if i get a second mortgage i was looking at the 5d mark 2, (big boy toy and will never probably use it to its fullest!), with the full HD as well saves having to invest in a good hd camera later and less crap to carry round, and get the option to do both on a dive, which saves having to go to the surface to change out cams! but then having to take an external flash and keep plugging it in might prove annoying. although not that i like flash photography anyway, and could benefit from high ISOs with this beast, but sometimes it is needed.

Yet another long-established camera review site: http://www.steves-digicams.com/

They actually posted their review of the Canon EOS 5DMk2 yesterday!

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