Good basic SLR?

[gus 1]

I know very little about photography but having jumped video for a while I'm really keen to get in to it and I need your sage-like advice!
After poking around the web for a bit I found these two cameras which seemed like they should be quite good:
Minolta 505SI SUPER 28-80
Minolta DYNAX 5 + 28-80D Z
All I really need is something small and light that doesn't require a degree in physics to get the best out of. How do these look?
I'm assuming I can attach a cable release/blow switch/bite switch to any camera I buy.
Thanks,
Gus
"Sex? Once every six seconds. Skydiving? Five times, every six seconds."

[jdhill 0]

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I'm assuming I can attach a cable release/blow switch/bite switch to any camera I buy.

This may not be a good assumption, I have Minolta (not for skydiving) and it has no external release connection.
If you are planning to buy online you may want to go down to a local camera store and look at them to make sure they have it.
Canon and Pentax are very popular for entry level SLRs (they both have external release connections).
Josh
http://www.aerialfusion.com

[airdrew20012001 0]

Actually, assuming you can attach a cable to any camera is going to cost you. Most minolta, or cannons for that matter, do NOT have remote shutter ports. You need to make sure it does. I jump, as do soooo many, a cannon rebel eos G, couldn't be happier. Automatic enough for when I am super busy, bullet proof, artistic enough for when I wanna take pics of pretty flowers.
Drewfus McDoofus

[hookit 0]

I just purchased a Canon Rebel 2000 last week and jumped with it this past weekend. I'm very pleased with the pictures. They're not magazine quality but, IMO, not bad for having borrowed a lens and just asked a few camera flyers about how to best set the focus.
I like the fact that the Canon is VERY flexible. I can let it make all the decisions such that it's almost as simple as a basic point-and-click camera or I can set everything manually if I ever get around to actually learning photography!
I went with the Canon Rebel was because I'd seen it highly recommended by other folks on this forum. And, of course, it does have a jack for the remote shutter release.
Good luck with your purchase and have fun with it!

[quade 3]

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I just purchased a Canon Rebel 2000 last week and jumped with it this past weekend. I'm very pleased with the pictures. They're not magazine quality but, IMO, not bad for having borrowed a lens and just asked a few camera flyers about how to best set the focus.

Whacha talkin' 'bout Willis?
I'm currently shooting with the Canon Rebel 2000 and while the photographs aren't perfect, they're more than acceptable for magazines!
I've had several photos published and I've gotten a couple of ads out of it as well. More than capable of magazine quality.
The trick isn't really the camera anyway -- it's what you shoot.
quade
http://futurecam.com

[Deuce 1]

I just got a Nikon N70 on Ebay for $200. A grey market 28mm runs $175. Several of the video gods at my DZ use it so I am just copying them

[prost 0]

I think he was refering to the fact that his pics weren't mag quality, not to the capabilities of the camera.

[quade 3]

Oh, well that's different . . . nevermind.
quade
http://futurecam.com

[ltdiver 3]

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Oh, well that's different . . . nevermind.

LMAOAYThanks for the laugh!
ltdiver____________________________________________
LightDiverCam

[hookit 0]

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The trick isn't really the camera anyway -- it's what you shoot.

Agreed...and Prost was right. I was referring to my pics rather than the abilities of the camera.