I'm thinking about getting a new dslr camera for taking some low light / night photos. I like the photos and effects taken on longer exposure (2-3mins). I currently use my Fuji Finepix for general surface photos, however it only as an 8 sec exposure time on it - although it does seem to capture a lot of light.

I'm looking to spend up to about £500 and ideally would like a new camera which has the spec needed to take the required photos e.g. exposure time, ability to set ISO to <200 and adequate focal length etc.

Any suggestions?

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I've had a Nikon D80 for about 5 years, reckon it's a fabulous bit of kit. You should be able to pick one up on eBay within budget.

The 18-135 lens is the best all rounder, but I've also got a Sigma 10-20mm which is excellent for landscapes, but can be a bit troublesome in bright light (my photos of Drakelow in the album on here were taken with the Sigma lens, which should give a good idea of what it can do).

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You can have a Nikon D200 body only for £350
http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/used-digital-slr-cameras/used-nikon-digital-slr-cameras/?page=1 

http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/used-digital-slr-cameras/used-canon-digital-slr-cameras/?page=4 

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I'll second the 550D. Fantastic bit of kit.

The other alternative is the sony NEX range... from £130 used. As well as the sony lenses, you can adapt a fantastic array of incredible older glass as well, the caveat being you need to be able to manually focus. The NEX has aids to do help this though. I'll be getting one next payday.

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Sony Alphas (the cheaper ones) use Minolta lenses.

Pretty good cameras.

I'll second the 550D. Fantastic bit of kit.

The other alternative is the sony NEX range... from £130 used. As well as the sony lenses, you can adapt a fantastic array of incredible older glass as well, the caveat being you need to be able to manually focus. The NEX has aids to do help this though. I'll be getting one next payday.

Same applies to the Canon DSLR bodies, I'm using Contax, Yashica, Leica, Pentax, Olympus OM, Exakta, Rollei and M42 lenses with appropriate adapters on my 20D - of course you have to reckon in the so-called crop factor that extends the focal length equivalent of the legacy lenses you use - 1.6x Canon and 1.5x NEX.

In other words, your standard 50mm lens is equivalent to an 80mm on a Canon and a 75mm on a NEX.

That's something that can get really critical the smaller the sensor is due to the effects of camera shake at what are then very long focal lengths.

To be honest, manual focusing in low light is a bit of a bu..er with the dim pentamirror viewfinders of Canon DSLRs (you only get a pentaprism viewfinder in the top models), although a model with live-view helps a lot.

Canon DSLRs also have an automatic, aperture and focal length-dependent exposure compensation for Canon AF lenses that can't be switched off and leads to slightly wrong exposures at smaller apertures when using lenses attached with adapters.

The top of the line models have an option for dialing in the initial aperture that lets you get around this.

Canon DSLRs are also not particularly weatherproof - as a tense 2 hours with a hairdryer on low after a short shower proved in the case of my 20D - thankfully it still worked after treatment.

Cheers

Same applies to the Canon DSLR bodies, I'm using Contax, Yashica, Leica, Pentax, Olympus OM, Exakta, Rollei and M42 lenses with appropriate adapters on my 20D

Indeed, I don't use AF lenses on my 400D any more, But I can't pick up a decent Canon body for anywhere near £120-£150, which is what NEX3's seem to fetch with a short warranty using Ebay Buy It Now (distance selling regulations apply to BIN's so you have comeback you do not have with Auction style listings). Use the money left on some better glass. As said though, this assumes you are fine with Manual focusing. You can get Sony E mount lenses, and an adaptor for Sony/Minolta AF lenses though that do Autofocus.

It depends entirely on your photographic abilities. If you are just beginning, then the money is (usually) better spent on getting better lenses and a more basic body. If you are more advanced, and find that a basic body limits you, then get the better body.

I would find a shop that will let you hold both, and see what you think. It doesn't matter if it's the best camera in the world, if you don't like the way it feels, you won't want to use it.

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Cheers for the help.

The Canon 550D looks like a nice camera, originally I was looking at the Canon 450D, but this doesn't seem to be sold new any more. Either manual / automatic focus should be ok - just need a good light whilst setting the focus. I'm hoping to get a few night landscape type photos hence, I'm assuming that being able to manually adjust the ISO / F setting using variable shutter speeds is fairly useful.

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Having dedicated buttons/dials for settings is very handy. Good ergonomics on a camera means that you should be able to change the settings in the dark easily.

Self-timer is another must, and remote or corded shutter actuation.

I'd just go for the highest end DSLR you can afford!