Advice for new camera!

[JessicaBlair]

I'm buying a new camera...I currently have a Kodak Z812 IS...nice camera...worked for what I wanted it for but now I need better. I am looking to do Portraits (Indoor and outdoor) and weddings...suggestions on must haves for these?? And any good quality used stores to purchase from...I've been looking for a while...I have about $600 to spend...Thanks!

 

[wescobts]

That cost makes it difficult, might have to go used, good luck.

 

[bigtwinky]

what has your own research dug up?

 

[DennyCrane]

Talk to pro portrait photographers and see what they used a few years ago and see what that costs in the used camera market. You need to keep in mind that what they're using now is likely 10 times your $600 budget.

 

[iolair]

Are you thinking of hobby or professional use? You mentioned weddings - If you're thinking of doing weddings professionally, I believe $600 is not going to be enough to get started.

If you're thinking professionally, you need either a Canon or Nikon, to future-proof your purchases and provide a good future upgrade path. For portraits an a "crop-body sensor" (i.e. most cameras you could afford), a 50mm 1.8 makes a good portrait lens but doesn't provide flexibility for other types of photography.

 

[Atlas77]

I second that question, hobby or pro use? Your problem is 600$ is not going to get you far, I suggest getting a body and a fixed focal length lens for portraits. But the problem is you will need many extra lenses for weddings, your fixed focal length wont work as a walk around lens, so if your doing other things this will not work.

I know Nikon has a 50mm 1.8D for around 120$ new, its a great lens for a great price but the problem is it wont autofocus on anything under the Nikon D90 which is out of your budget. (I dont know much about canon )

Go do some reasearch, come back with a couple camera and lens choices and we can decide from there. Used is always great. If you have to sell some stuff on ebay to up your camera budget. Go look around the house!

EDIT: I pretty much just re-worded what iolair said! you beat me to it .

Good luck, Dan.

 

[icassell]

In your price range, I would definitely go for a good quality used camera/lens. You should be able to get a Canon 20D (or maybe a 30D if you get lucky) with a good fast mid-range zoom (e.g. used Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8) for about that price. I'm not anti-Nikon either, but am just not familiar with their product line.