Digital Camera for $500 or less?

Dweller · Feb 7, 2005

My plans for the D70 came crashing down at my feet :???:

So my choices are to keep saving my pennys for an unknown period of time, while dropping money on film and developing to keep my addic.... err my hobby alive... or see what I could get in a nice digital for $500 or less.

I wanted a DSLR for the flexibility.. manual everything is nice when I can have it, shutter, aperature, focus... more the better.

megapixels are not that important to me. Sure 6+ would be spiffy but I can make due with less...

Since all my attention has been focused on the D70, 20D, and Digital Rebel I am kind of floundering now... wondering what to do.

So I turn to you, the TPF collective, to help me find my way. :mrgreen:

LAB · Feb 7, 2005

Dweller,I would like at the Canon S1IS this is a great camera for the bucks.Know three folks who use it and they love it.Here is a link to view it good luck!!http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/canon_s1is.asp

Digital Matt · Feb 7, 2005

Save money

There is huge difference between a sub $500 digi cam and a DSLR. Not to say that <$500 digi cams aren't good, just that if you have your heart set on an SLR, you'll be pretty disappointed. Are you shooting with a film SLR now?

Big Mike · Feb 7, 2005

I'm in the same boat...I have not been able to afford a DSLR yet...but I want a digital camera. Every time I look at a $300-$500 camera...I just think about how much better a DSLR is. Even the SLR-like $900 cameras....just not as good as a DSLR.

I shoot film on my SLR and get my photos scanned to CD. It's no DSLR...but it gets me by.... :roll:

Dweller · Feb 7, 2005

Digital Matt said:
Save money There is huge difference between a sub $500 digi cam and a DSLR. Not to say that <$500 digi cams aren't good, just that if you have your heart set on an SLR, you'll be pretty disappointed. Are you shooting with a film SLR now?

Yeah I got a Canon AE-1 Program last spring and love it. A few weeks ago I made the mistake of spending an hour with a D70 at my favorite camera store and fell in love with it.

I thought I had everything worked out and was ready to pull the trigger in the next 2 weeks or so but things fell through. You make a very good point though... I know every time I picked up the "also ran" that I ended up with I would think of how it could have been the D70...

Guess I will do the right thing and save up hehe

Thanks everyone

Chase · Feb 7, 2005

I'd also suggest sticking with saving for the D70. You can spend a lot of money on a good standard digital camera, but you will never be as happy with it as you would a DSLR. If it will take you a long time to save, maybe consider a lower end digital just for fun while you save up for the D70. Just a thought.

Digital Matt · Feb 7, 2005

If you have a Canon film slr, I'd recommend staying with Canon. You'll be more used to the layout of the camera, and could possibly share lenses. The canon ae-1 uses an FD mount though, doesn't it?