This website is where I get EVERYTHING.

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCate.....e=DSLR-Cameras

Canon Rebel T1i Is the bestest.

This.

Seconded. It's the newer version of the 400D Digital I use, and I can't recommend it enough for someone knew to DSLR photography. Very user friendly.

I'm having a secret love affair with mine xD

How about one with a viewfinder? I tend to prefer that over a LCD screen.

My Rebel has a very nice View Finder kthnx.

T1i? That's so 2009! T2i is all the rage.

I recommend either the XSi or the T2i, both manufactured by Canon. I have little experience with Nikon's lineup, and the little experience I do have isn't a very good one. What are you looking for in a DSLR?

Seconding the XSi. I love mine to bits, and Canon is just generally a good bet.

Me personally am aiming for the EOS 60D from Canon; massive screen, a slew of video recording options, Eye-Fi card data capabilities, and a smokin' hot sensor with superb RAW CR2 image output!

Its all I could afford and I got it last year.
The month after I got the Rebel the T2i came out.
SO.
I still love my camera.

For that price range, I would say Canon Rebel
Mid-price range http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Canon+-.....ract_desc=null
700+ price range http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Canon+-.....ract_desc=null

Not saying buy from best buy, but that's just a good place to get the overview and such. Though I highly advise against craigslist simply so you CAN get a protection plan

Canon 500D - Rebel T2i
http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/.....front-550d.jpg

It's true. Check out dpreview. It's THE ONLY site you need for researching cameras. Nothing else is as comprehensive or respected. They pretty much glorified the T2i as the best dSLR for the money.

Use dpreview.com to get a pretty good overview of various camera options, including head-to-head comparisons. Finding a good, new DSLR under $700 is pretty difficult but not impossible.

You didn't say what you wanted to use it for. That will to some extent dictate what your body options are, but is the only way to give get any useful advice on lenses.

D'oh :/.

Well don't keep us in suspense! :) What do you want to use it for?

Get a Rebel series. it's fallen from a helicopter 2k feet in the air landing in a muddy spot and only need a new lens o.o

try looking at wal-mart online and just do a bill me later. so, you can pay the camera little. that's what I did and it helped.

I will always recommend Cannon :) Because I owned a cheap cannon and it worked better than any new camera I have used to seen. So Canon all the way! I recommend any of the Powershots!

T2i - check dpreview. Serious business.

I love Nikon, but Canon is great too. Both are really similar, it honestly just depends on your personal preference. The best thing to do is to go somewhere that you can maybe interact with the camera and try out different ones... I'm not sure what you'll be shooting, so I can't give you any specific pointers. If you have a film SLR, then I suggest staying with that brand so you can use your old lens (if you have any.)

I recently purchased a Nikon D3100 which is a good, decent DSLR. It was around $600 brand-new on Amazon, and one of the least expensive (and new-ish) DSLRs on the market. I am just now switching from heavy darkroom photography to digital, and the interface of the camera is pretty easy to use. It has everything my film DSLR had, which is nice. The only thing iffy about the D3100 is that there isn't an auto-focus built into the camera... so you'll have to purchase specific lens if you want the camera to focus for you. If you get a hold of old lens/ lens without the auto-focus drive built in, you can still use them... but you have to go into full manual mode which isn't terrible, but you need to know what you're doing for good shots because the camera doesn't meter for you.

As for lens... it all depends on what you're shooting. My father and I share a telephoto, micro, fish eye, and a few other lens. They get pretty expensive, so those might be better to find used. The lens that comes with your camera is usually fine, but once again it depends what you'll be shooting. I DO suggest buying filters for your camera if you are going to be shooting a lot outside... UV filters are pretty cheap though.

Buying a used DSLR isn't a bad idea. I know of several people who buy an older model (with kit lens) for a bargain. I guess it just becomes an issue of do I want a warranty vs a big discount.

Is there some relationship in the Nikon world between the camera body and physically focusing the lenses? I've read similar things before and only got confused.

In the Canon EOS world (which is all I'm used to), the camera has never had any bearing on focus performance other than the number of focus point sensors. How it focuses is entirely down to the lens you happen to have fitted. Some cheaper / stock lenses have whirry geared motors, better ones are ultrasonic (silent and almost lightning fast). But the camera doesn't care - it's always solely a function of the lens, any and all EOS lenses.

If the Nikon world is different that's obviously one important objective difference to be aware of. I'm sure I've read before about Nikon cameras having focusing motors built into the bodies? Or is that just older Nikons?

Nikon's original AF model was to have the AF motor built into the body, not the lens. I think it's because they adapted the F mount for AF, instead of creating a new mount like Canon did. Newer higher end models still have that, but they dropped the in-body motor in lower end models. Some Nikon lenses have an AF motor built into the lens, in which case they autofocus on any body, but lenses with no built-in motor can only AF on bodies that include a motor. Canon never had the motor in the body, so it doesn't come up there.

Just wanted to say, thanks for putting in the comment of "go somewhere you can maybe interact with the camera and try out different ones". That's a rather big point when first getting started in photography that a lot of people miss. Ergonomics is a huge deciding factor in why I shoot what I do - being able to find the controls and change them without looking is a must, as is having a camera that actually fits comfortably in my hand.

Buying used is a great way to get a better value for your dollar, as well. *^^* I still shoot a couple generations back, honestly!

And as far as the lenses...yeah, that adds up quick. Waaay too quick, when you start getting into quality glass.

I can't tell you how many different models I went through when I started film photography... The local camera shop sure was happy with me!

Canon vs Nikon is something of a religious and largely subjective debate. My advice though would be to buy a current 'consumer' level DSLR of either brand (I like Canon!) and learn the principles of photography with whatever stock zoom lens it comes with. The same principles of exposure and composition apply no matter what sort of camera you use.

Save your money for better lenses and other accessories (good flash, basic filters, battery grip). I'd say unless you're into serious professional photography the quality of the camera is perhaps the least important factor these days - it makes far more sense to build a collection of fine lenses with a lower end camera (with a view to upgrade later) than it does to splurge on a mid or high range camera but not buy good glass to match it.

In the Canon world, Canon 'L' lenses is where it's at, although Sigma no doubt do a decent range of better quality lenses. I suspect the Nikon world is similar but I wouldn't know :) There are of course perfectly good lenses in between the pro-level 'L' lenses and the plastic consumer tat, although there's the odd pitfall to be wary of.

Concerning the camera, probably the most important factor in the DSLR world today is the sensor size. I've not really been following what;s out there for a couple of years, but I suspect you'll still pay big money for a 'full frame' (ie: 35mm film size) sensor, which is generally what photographers aim for and last time I checked, still reserved for the mid-to-pro range cameras. To start off with, a cheaper DSLR invariably with an 'APS-C' sized sensor will do you just fine. The smaller size means focal lengths of lenses don't yield exactly the results you expect from 35mm film camera (read about 'cropping factor'), but again, if you're starting out, this is really kind of moot :)

My tactic has been to buy a Canon 400D (a few years old now, but still a sterling 10megapixel DSLR) brand new, and slowly build a collection of *second hand* quality lenses. They really hold their value, much more than the camera. Eventually, I'll upgrade the camera, ideally for something full-frame, and carry on using the same decent lenses. (My plan got de-railed a bit by buying a house instead, but I hope to get back into it soon!)

Oof, I'm in the same situation you are. While I can't recommend a place for purchasing, I can at least add this!

From 2009, but the links and information within are still relevant.

http://forum.deviantart.com/galleri.....raphy/1290753/

Canon is my preferred system.

Definitely check out http://www.dpreview.com

I'd go with a Canon Rebel XSi. The XTi which I currently use (technically it's my boyfriend's) is good but I HATE HATE HATE not having the live view function, it makes getting the right adjustments on your settings a massive pain and game of guess and check rather than actually seeing if it's right as you're adjusting and unfortunately only the XSi has it. I would actually say WHATEVER you get make sure it has a live view function because of this! It saves a lot of time and frustration if you're not entirely savvy with knowing exactly what isos, exposure times, shutter speeds and so forth work best for the environment you're photographing in.

Rebels as far as I'm concerned are damn excellent and about all you need (now under $700 I believe though I haven't looked at prices too recently) unless you're intending to be a full time professional photographer. It'll leave you some extra cash to spend on different lenses too, the fisheye and portrait lenses for them are phenomenal.

Whatever you spend on the body, plan on spending 10x as much for all the lenses. It's the whole point of an SLR in the first place.

If you were on the east coast, a good friend of mine works in a camera store and is an expert on all types of DSLRs.

But just in case, I'm throwing my hat into the Nikon ring. *throws hat*

Have used many digital cameras that used Nikon lenses and always been pleased with the results. I am in same boat as well. Would love a DSLR but currently not able to afford.

And Nicoya is right. The lenses will cost anywhere between half to 2-3 times cost of the camera body. Even a basic Nikon lens these days will set you back at least 3-4 hundred dollars, if not more

I agree with the DPReview recommendation, though it's best if you already have a good idea of what kind of photography you want to do. Why are you buying a DSLR?

Similarly, taking into account what you want to do helps a lot when talking about what lens(es) you should buy. I went with something different because I like toy camera/lomo-style photography, but I've heard that the entry level prime (non-zoom) lens can be a good option for nice quality at a low price. I've seen the Canon 50mm f/1.8 recommended in particular, and it costs only about $100. You might also want to keep in mind things you might need or want to do, like indoor/low-light photography (in which case you need a lens with a wide aperture or a camera with flash), or the level of control you'd like over depth of field.

Personally, I use a mirrorless camera rather than a DSLR. It has the same quality sensor as an SLR and exchangeable lenses, but is smaller and lighter because they removed the large mirror in the camera body that's used for the optical viewfinder. I like the extra convenience for portability.

as a photography student I have a bias. I stick w/ film personally and scan, but for DSLR's I would suggest Canon Rebel series. They are cheaper than Nikon products and have better and cheaper to repair. I think that Nikon does make better initial images. I like their red and blue colour spaces and seem to have more vibrant red and blues. I heard the T2i is pretty amazing. I would watch out for the Megapixel craze. More mega pixels doesn't mean better. You just need about 360dpi for the size you want to blow it up to. The noise from the ISO is what matters among the new cameras. As far as lens go, I would suggest 2 zoom lenses: wide angle to mid (18-70) & mid to telephoto (70-200). I don't really know that much about them though seeing as i still stick to film.

Anything by Canon or Nikon. I have a Nikon D60(no longer made anymore) and I absolutely love it. I've been told the Canons are more user friendly, but I have not used a Canon DSLR, just the point-and-shoot my mom has. Either brand should come with an 18-55mm lens, which is good for most of the everyday shooting.

instead of craigslist, try freecycle. People just give stuff away on that and you'll really be surprised the stuff you can get. I saw someone get a car within a week of posting a wanted ad FOR FREE

Truthfully, photography doesn't have to be extremely expensive - its all what you do with your equipment.

The biggest thing is - I'd advise going down to your local photography-store (or Best Buy, if that's the only thing available) and pick up the cameras. Turn them over in your hand...and try to find where everything is. See how it fits, see how comfortable it is in your hand. See if you can find where the controls are, see if you can navigate through the menus. Try and find out how well you can actually -work- the camera itself, without knowing too much about it.

That should get you an idea of what brand you want.

Marketing aside, dSLR's are pretty much the same. They have a lens on them, which allows you to focus your image...they have an aperture, which controls the amount of light hitting the sensor, they have a shutter, which controls how long the photo is exposed for, and they have the sensor itself, which records the media. That's the basics of photography, from the early days of film (tintype & pre-"film" days, even) all of the way up to the brand spakin' new $10,000+ Leica digitals and $40k+ Hasselblad digitals.

For a first dSLR, skip the hype and buy a basic camera: learn to use it. A lot of people will sell you on a specific set of features (live view, video, the newest doohickeys and whatachamacallits), but if you really want to do it on a budget and you really want a -camera-, then look for used equipment.

Why?

Because a lot of photographers tend to get caught up in the "gear race". A lot of people think that, because their camera doesn't have the latest of gadgets, that its now old and "doesn't take as good of photos as the newer cameras". So...they trade them in. When, in all reality, they're perfectly -fantastic- cameras...the people just don't know how to use them correctly.

Look a few generations back - a lot of people here recommend the Canon X* series cameras due to their price. If you like the form-factor of the Rebels, the new T1i will set you back $699 for the body only. One generation back, the T1i, goes for $549 body only (new). The generation before that...the Rebel XS goes for $499 with a lens, also new price.

If you use sites like keh.com - you can get cameras like a used XSi for $399 with a lens, in EX+ condition...or a Rebel XTi Body for $325 in EX+...or if you want something a little more durable for a body, a Canon 20D for $330 or so in EX condition or better. And honestly? They are all more than capable of taking stellar photos.

Now...I can't quote the Nikon / Sony / Pentax side myself, since I'm a Canon shooter...but it goes for them as well. Use whatever you save on the body to buy a couple different focal length lenses to play around with...and experiment. Learn the limitations of the camera and lens(es)...and from there, once you actually hit the limits of the gear, THEN upgrade to something new.

Just...don't get caught in the gear race, unless you're shooting for a specific purpose or have specific needs. *^^* Trust me, it gets extremely expensive.

Hope that helps, somewhat!

SECONDED. Big-time. Excellent advice.

You can get a new camera but, in my opinion, you're much better off spending the same (or less!) money on a camera that was made for the pro or 'semi-pro' market some years ago. You won't get quite the same sensor quality, but that's probably only important if you're shooting in demanding lighting conditions. Meanwhile you get a solid machine with sensible features and plenty of advanced options if you want them (and in my experience you eventually do).

I picked up a Canon EOS 20D about a year ago, and I really like it. It cost me about three hundred bucks (actually Swiss francs). Sometime soon I'll upgrade to something more recent, but now I have a clearer idea of what I want in a DSLR.

Couldn't have said it better so I'll skip posting on this...
It's definitly the advice that is worth following.

I would go with the Canon's recommended by everyone else on this page. I cannot agree more with those recommendations.

I have experience with the Canon Revel XSi. Glorious camera for the price.

Get a Canon 5D Mark 2 with L-Series glass.

Or a Nikon D700 with a Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8.

Of course, no matter which brand you choose, you'll also be needing their respective 50mm f1.4.

Just to get you started >:D

make sure to get a flash n have plenty of light when ya take pics :x if ya don't then you're screwed

And don't ever buy from Bestbuy. Order new or refurbished from www.bhphotovideo.com or www.adorama.com

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/S.....8/N/4294182649

I'm a Sony shooter. Pretty much any entry level DSLR will do you. It really depends on what you're looking for and the handling, that's a very important thing. There's a very helpful community for Sony/Minolta users too: http://www.dyxum.com/

I definitely recommend buying from B&H or Adorama, that's where I get all my stuff.

people go both ways with which is better...


canon is cheaper and more user friendly


nikon is said to shoot sharper, but is more difficult to use and more expensive


i have a canon and i love it very much <3

If you're looking for something cheap that works well, I would suggest one of the oof brands, like Pentax and Sony-Alpha. I've been shooting digitally with an old 6mp Pentax for over 3 years now and I love it. Pentax is really well priced, too. Canon and Nikon are great, but usually over priced and over hyped for what they are.

The kit lenses are actually pretty good optically, they are just usually built like a kiddy-toy. Anything you can get from canon or nikon will probably do you fine. They both have their strong and weak points, Craigslist can be good but you have to already know what you're looking for, so it's not for you.  foxjump is ridiculous to point you towards $4000 camera kits (esp. with a budget of <$1000), but buying from adorama or bhphotovideo are good choices. In the future you may end up buying those, but you might want to be sure you enjoy it enough first since that can cost you more than a good used car XD

The biggest difference between canon and nikon, just from my experience and preference, is an edge to Nikon for camera build quality and controls (esp. in your price range) but an edge to Canon for video and higher resolution. You may not need the extra 3-6Mpix. from a t1i/t2i etc. though, and you do need high quality lenses to get the most of it (all the pictures in my gallery were taken with a Nikon D90, 12MPix, with a full-resolution higher than my 24" monitor).

My personal recommendation to you, is to buy a refurbished Nikon D3000. It doesn't have ALL the bells and whistles, but you can get it shipped for about $400 with the 18-55 kit lens. For the $400 you save, you can buy a lens or two (the 35mm f1.8 is nice for low light with a normal focal length, as is the 55-300 af-s for daylight telephoto). Most of what you don't get from the more expensive cameras is continuous shooting rate, build quality, in-camera focus motor (only applies to nikon) and high-ISO noise quality. The AF system is the same on Nikon till you buy the $1300 D7000.

Oh, and I should point out that the biggest difference between Canon and Nikon is lens selection. They both make a lot of corresponding lenses, but Canon has a wider selection overall, especially if you consider full frame as well as crop-sensor lenses.

If you have any more specific questions?

I'm on the Nikon side. My first DLSR was a D40, I upgraded to a D5000, and I'm now using a D300s. The D40 and D5000 were good to me, and I took a lot of great shots with those cameras. But as I started shooting in Manual mode more often, I found that I really needed more hardware controls. The D40 and D5000 were (and still are) FINE cameras. But when I used them, I had to go into menus to change some settings during shooting, and that often slowed me down.

As it was stated, you should first explain what your shooting plans are. That will narrow the camera search a bit, and you'll be better equipped to shop around. Yes, holding the cameras and actually using them is important. If the camera and its controls don't feel good to you, then you won't want to use it.

If you really need a camera now, and you're willing to stretch the budget a bit, then I recommend the Nikon D90. It's a well-balanced, mid-range camera, and it's not something you'd outgrow quickly. You may be able to save a little money if you buy the body and a lens seperately (and don't ignore the 'used' marketplace). However, the kit I linked here has everything you need to get started, and you can always add a flashgun and another lens later.

Outside of the whole Canon vs Nikon debate (I'm a Nikon guy, but you can't really go wrong with either) I'd also suggest checking out the Olympus E-PL1 (or the similar E-P2 or E-PL2). It's not technically a DSLR but has a large sensor and interchangeable lenses like a DSLR. But it's a lot more compact, and has a lot of great features.

If you're looking to really get into buying tons of pro lenses and accessories, DSLRs are still the way to go, but if you just want to take better pictures, I think the micro four-thirds systems like the Olympus are a great step up from point-and-shoots.

I'm a Canon person. The cameras they make are high quality plus they are also very user friendly. Nikons, though I haven't had a lot of exposure to them (little photography joke there) look confusing and not nearly as user friendly. I don't consider myself a "photographer", just someone who takes artistic photos with a nice camera, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

You have seen some of the stuff on my flickr page (you do have to go a page back on my stream. I've been doing a lot of film stuff lately): http://www.flickr.com/photos/karoljeanthies/

DERP. I forgot to mention: Canon Rebel XTi is what I have. It's not TOP of the line right now, but it's a step down or so. Not bad at all. It's gone down slightly in price since I bought it new when it came out. I'd recommend following this guy's advice about cameras, too: http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/lens-or-camera.htm

I have used both brands without a personal preferance to each.

For a general photography, the entry level DLSR's are generally all you need.

However, as so many people here have said, if you are doing something more specific, make sure you get a camera that is tailored to, or can easily handle, that task.

The First DSLR I used was a Nikon D40, and it is a great kit for around $400

Well, the D40 is replaced.. but whatever replaced it is approximately the same but with new sensors or what not.

It really honestly depends on your application, everyone here who is fanboying it up doesn't understand yet what you are trying to accomplish with your DSLR because each manufacturer has a certain specialty that is appreciated by their users. For instance take the stability/anti-shake system that helps deter blurry photography, most DSLR's have this built into their camera 'body' standard, however Nikon cameras do not have this feature built into many of their DSLR cameras, and instead have a separate subset of lens (VR - Vibration Reduction lens) to accomplish that. However Nikon combats the added cost of specialized lens by having more standard features built into the 'bodies' of their camera like 11 Autofocus points compared to 9, deeper and richer color palettes, ect...and as a result little things like anti-shake are left to individual lens' at additional cost (which really sucks).

Again it's all left up to what you want to use it for, perhaps before plunking down on a very expensive DSLR that you'll regret you may find that a entry level DSLR with not too many features will leave you really happy, a little less overwhelmed and a lot richer! Try and find a buddy or relative who has a comparable model or go to a store and fiddle around with your dream camera; best of all is to research research research! Find as many neutral reviews as you can and don't get discouraged by keywords used in DSLR photography, Google is your friend! A lot of people have been recommending dpreview.com, go there, look around, see what each camera does, what it's settings are, what it's pictures look like, you will not regret it.

Hope this helps.

I've not read the preceding replies but I don't think anyone here can seriously recommend you anything without first asking what kind of pictures YOU intend to be taking. I.e. whether you want to primarily shoot at night, take pictures of things far away (or really close), if you're prepared to travel heavy (with tripods, multiple lenses) opposed to keeping things to a minimum (using vibration reduction/anti-tripod and non fixed lenses).

Be careful when asking for 'general' camera advice, people can be TOO qualified to give you a sensible answer, they'll loose you in a tsunami of irrelevant technical b.s.

Nikon D300. I love it. It is expensive but the price will drop with the newer models they put out. I used one for school all last semester and was thrilled. Been saving up to buy one for a while now.

Mine's a Nikon D90 and I lurve it. Looks like I'm in the minority camp on this (definitely not a photography geek, I just like taking photos) but it's always worked well for me. I got a nice kit with lots of extras from eBay of all places, and have been happy with all of it since.

The Canon T2i is the current entry-level DSLR, and it's a very good camera with some good ratings by professional sites. Here's one http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos550d/

If buying this camera new I suggest you pay close atention to Canon's various rebates, often hidden on their website. You can save one to two-hundred bucks by manufacturer rebate, but if you DO buy extra lenses with the camera you can save 300 or more with their bundle rebates. Take note of sites like slickdeals.net that often have a history of the best prices/deals for electronics like a DSLR, including the current best prices.

As far as lenses go, it depends what you are trying to shoot and plan to user the camera for... I use the stock lens on my T1i, but there are some much better Canon lenses for low-light indoor shooting. Same thing for macro or long distance zooming, so on.

Nikon D3000, Nikon D3100, Canon 1000D all are within your price range or below AND are for beginners in the DSLR range. go to dpreview.com

Lots of good advice here already. I have a Nikon D3000 (I think they only sell the video-equipped D3100 now), it's excellent. The kit lens is just fine, plus I've also got the relatively cheap (~$250) 35mm f/1.8, which is gorgeous. I got my second lens about 10 months after I got my camera. I chose Nikon basically because I like the design/naming scheme better than Canon. A dumb reason, because they're both equally good.

A fun thing to do is go to flickr.com and search for the camera body and lenses that you're interested in to see what results people can get with them.

http://www.flickr.com/cameras/

lens group example: http://www.flickr.com/groups/nikon35/

Canon Vs. Nikon is irrelevant. Get one of either, and you will love it. Get the system that someone you know already is using, and borrow gear from/share knowledge with each other. :)

In my opinion, the single most important thing to consider is how much you can spend. Cameras at different price points in a system will often have identical optical properties since that's mainly determined by the lens, not the back, and systems even use the same model chips in consumer, prosumer, and pro cameras at times! What determines the price isn't really the sensor, it's the body and controls. Do you want two settings wheels for easier manual control? Do you want a separate AF button for easier composition? Do you want weatherproofing? More money gets you better ergonomics and durability, in a way choosing a different brand won't. There are fundamental differences between systems, but as a novice they won't bother you. I mean, do you really care which way you turn the lens to zoom out? Clockwise or counterclockwise? You'll have to practice either.

Buy the best back you can buy, then research and buy a decent lens that will suit your needs. If you want to shoot portrait and landscape, longer lenses are good, like 70-200mm zooms. Maybe you like to shoot wide angle like me, so a 17-400mm or 24-105mm would be more useful. Another option is to get a decent middle prime like a 50mm... the optics are simple so even the $80 Canon 50mm takes crazy nice pictures. Most brands have cheap, good quality prime lenses in this area. It will also force you to think about composition more, since you can't zoom in or out. :)

All that said I shoot Canon, right now with a 5D Mk II. Love it. Rebels rock, too, but I like my full frame sensors!

I'm also interested in mirrorless DSLRs. Some are very thin, like a digital camera. I've seen one come with a lens the size of a hockey puck, which would make for a very natural experience. Meanwhile, the larger ones are very obvious, and people will think you're all professional and won't let you take pictures because they're afraid you'll sell them.
(One of my friends took a DSLR to a hockey game recently, and they were all over him like flies.)

So, it depends how casual you want it, and also if you can live with relying on the LCD viewfinder instead of holding it up to your eye.

I prefer Nikons over canons, I just think the menus and shooting setups are more intuitive, allowing me to figure things out faster and get going... good luck!