Fund

A great morning at work and a productive afternoon, can't ask for more than that really. I'm saving up at the moment. Saving up for a DSLR. I've been used to having SLRs for the last 20 years or so since I was a teenager and although I'm getting back into using film and developing and all that kind of malarkey I feel like I should upgrade and have a decent digital.

The camera I've got is OK and the self-portraits certainly come out pretty life-like, but I want a little extra in my specification I feel. Currently selling off a collection of film stills, posters and stuff to raise some funds. Sales picking up a wee bit but there's a whole cupboard full of guff still to go so I'm reasonably confident I'm going to get there. Now, I'll be coming in at the cheaper end of the market, not necessarily the cheapest model available but sub-£500 is a good indicator. Just interested to know if anyone has any features/specifications on their own DSLRs that they really love and would recommend I look out for on a model. Conversely, any features your camera has that you feel is really unnecessary and/or gimmicky ie the kind of stuff you can really do without?

So, to reduce is to a simple level - any must haves or pet hates?

Have listened to that new Console album a lot today, but I'm not going to link to that again, oh no, instead I'm going to pack 10x8 film stills and various film memorabilia bric-a-brac with a pot of earl grey and a soothing background of ambient if dense techno dub from my good friend (I don't actually know him, who am I kidding...) Deepchord. The Coldest Season indeed.