How to choose my first DSLR (Part 2)?

A continuation from Part 1 ...

Now for Group 2 users, things gets complicated.
Let's introduce the concept of the "System". Photography gear makes up a system. The system you choose ultimately determines the type of gear you will purchase. This point is often overlooked by new DSLR users because they are new! They do not know about the system at all!

Why is the system important? Why should I waste so much time researching / deciding on the system?

The answer is simple: You do not want to waste precious dollars and time in the future. A photographer usually sticks to one system as the lenses and accessories are interchangable / re-usable when (s)he upgrades the camera body in future. (S)he won't have to go thru this hassle of evaluating everything again. Being very familiar with the gear (s)he already possess, (s)he can work with the new camera easily. Depending on what (s)he has bought, the 'spare' camera can become the backup camera in any situation.

So, what makes up the "System"?
1) Camera body
2) Lenses
3) Accessories such as flash / remotes etc, including 3rd parties
4) Technical support after purchase

Note: The above does not denote the order of importance!

When choosing a DSLR, lenses and accessories forms part of your decision. You have to learn about the lenses and accessories available before you make a final decision on which body to get. A body may give you all the bells and whistles that you are looking for, but if the lenses / accessories are not easily available in your region, or if you are not able to get good support when technical issues arise, that's it. You will start to be frustrated by the system itself. Imagine the turnaround time just to get your lens or body repaired / serviced. This time is equivalent to the time you are not able to use your gear. Can you make do with say, a month without your gear?

To illustrate further, let's take my decision making process as an example.
Bear in mind that I was a newbie with DSLRs when I was going thru this process.
When I was about to purchase my first DSLR, I short listed the below cameras:
1) Canon 60D
2) Nikon D7000
3) Pentax K5

3 different brands, 3 different systems. The costs for the standard kits are generally similar.
I went to shops/IT shows to feel the cameras (didn't manage to try the Pentax though) on display. The Canon 60D didn't feel really right in my hands (the 550D felt way better). It just didn't fit my fingers and I found that holding it for a short while makes me uncomfortable.

So it was down to the D7000 and the K5. Reading reviews and all, the K5 is an outstanding camera! I really wanted to get my hands on it. BUT! the decision fell thru after I evaluated the other components of the Pentax system. Lens offering from the Pentax line is OK. The major concern is the support available. In Singapore, there is only 1 shop that is also the distributor and "service center" for Pentax. If you need any servicing, you send it back to the shop. Online feedback has shown that the shop/distributor is doing a great job servicing Pentax customers. But, being the one and only shop in Singapore is enough to make me take a step back and give it some serious thoughts.

The next thing that came into the picture was the flashgun. I wanted to get a flashgun together with the DSLR as I knew I won't invest a few hundred bucks for a flashgun anywhere in the near future, so I might just as well buy the whole system at once. This contributed to my decision to get the D7000 over the K5. When sourcing for the Pentax flashgun, I realized that there wasn't much to choose from. Comparing the flashguns available from the makers and 3rd parties, Nikon has way more choices. With the same budget, I can get a better flashgun for Nikon compared to the Pentax.

And lastly, before I finally took the plunge, I 'looked into the future'. I asked myself where I will be with the camera in 3 to 5 years time? What will I be doing with it? Does this particular system I have chosen satisfy my future needs (new lenses/accessories)? Will I be able to setup a shooting studio easily with this system? Will the system be useful for shooting events? (Nikon's Creative Lighting System "CLS" comes into mind.) These questions may seem "too professional" for a newbie, but hey, if you are serious about photography, this should form part of your decision/dream making!

If you have read all the way here, I thank you. I believe you will have a better understanding and clearer picture on how to make that decision now. I wish you success in the system that you will be choosing! =)

PS: My apologies to all who were waiting for this posting. I just didn't have the time to complete it. But thank you all who were patient and waited for it!