Hi All, Im getting a little fed up with average quality of my sony point and shoot camera especually when trying to take scenic shots or some nice shots of cars etc.. I have a old school film SLR and enjoyed experimenting with long exposures and things. I have seen Canon mentioned a couple of times so are they the ones to go for and is there any harm buying a slightly older DSLR second hand as I would like to keep the costs down and may even get some extra lenses with the camera.
Canon are good. I rate them a lot. Second hand gear is ok. My current camera, 40D is second hand and I got it via Ebay. There are tonnes of cameras out there at the moment second hand. Only just this weekend I saw a 450D for 300 and a 500D for 425 in a camera shop! Have a scan over ebay as I am sure you could pick up a decent one on the cheap side.
so what are the main or most significant differences between the models as a quick scan on ebay shows they are all around 300 plus. Is it mainly megapixels? for example whats the main difference between the 40d and 450d?
lol - are you going to treat him to it, Rich? I could have sworn he said he had a modest budget, and there you go recommending him 5K cameras! I hardly dare think what lenses you might be recommending to him .............
Well, he did ask which was the Best DSLR. I personally rate Canon. I have had 3x entry level D-SLR from the brand now. An EOS 300D, EOS400D and now i own an EOS500D. I picked mine up for a good price just over 520 with a few accessories, and i have spent a fair whack on extra stuff since i got it. Including a battery grip, new bag, extra batteries etc. Im still on the look out for a cheap nifty fifty as well. They are only 81 brand new, but still hold onto their prices excellently 2nd hand on eBay. Then again, there are rumours that there is a Mk3 version of the 50mm EF 1.8 lens coming out soon.
This is a good link to second hand canon dslr's. http://www.mifsuds.com/acatalog/Used_Canon_EOS_Bodies.html I love my canon its the second i have owned, its a 5D mk1 and bought second hand. Whats your budget for a camera and lenses? It will help people to advise you. Also different cameras are suited for different things depending on what you want them for.
canon all the way... 5D mkII are good and very reasonably priced... as for lenses, Richwig could tell you more but i vote for sigma.....
thanks for the comments guys. I should have really mentioned budget in the title. To be honest I was thinking 200 max just to get started and become competent in using the camera and really getting to grips with f stops etc.. After all it would be a real waste if I spent 500+ and lost interest. I have seen people (friends and family included) with nice flashy DSLRs but using them as simple point and shoot compacts and not exploring everything the camera has to offer. I will focus my search on Canon, are there any particular older models really not worth getting? and what about if I pick up a bargain body only and then hunt for a lens.
All the gear, no idea...I hate those types...`Oh, ya, I take fantaaaaastic pics with this...` Makes me want to rip it out of their hands, set it to `M`, and pull the selector wheel off. See how they deal with it then! Good on you for wanting to use one properly.
Gosh - I hardly dare mention I use AV a lot of the time ..... And when you get to my age, you'll find you probably have to use auto-focus too, when your eyes get short-sighted and your hands get shaky....
I quite often use aperture or shutter priority if i just want to take a quick pic. Hell, if im shooting pics of the dog running through a field, i just stick it on sports mode, as i know 95% of the pics are going to be garbage.
Oh, I still need auto-focus. Who doesn`t frankly?! Other than that, it`s in `M`, but maybe I`m just a masochist...
bought a brand new 1000D with EFS 18-55mm lens for 329 from bestbuy just got to figure out how to use it now. Had a little play with it and already notice a big different in catching moving objects with great clarity. What would be a good starter zoom lens to buy?
Best DSLR The best thing to do is go into a good camera shop that sells second hand stuff and explain to one of the older assistants that you want a good camera with a modest telephoto lens that won't break the bank -- not someone who will just flog you the first thing to hand. Then get to hold one or two -- Canon and Nikon -- for a good few minutes each. Do your fingers reach the controls comfortably? Does it sit and feel right in your hand. Do you like the weight of it? Mentally make up your mind which one you like. If the price isn't right then buy the Amateur Photographer magazine and check out the model that you have decided on in the adverts in the back pages to get an idea of prices/condition. Also Sigma lenses are a good variant on Canon or Nikon originals. Finally, whatever you buy PUT a UV/Skylight filter on the lens because if you happen to knock the lens without one then it's US whereas as replacement filter is about 20+. Good luck.
