Digital SLR

Ethan120 · May 14, 2005

Im a relative begginer at photography. I've been using a film SLR camera for quite some time and, it being from the 50's, ive decided its time to go digital. I dont have a whole lot of money and was wondering what is the best slr camera to get for the price?

Rob · May 14, 2005

Hi Ethan,

Welcome to the forum!

As it's the internet and we're all a diverse bunch from different countries, we can probably help you more if you can give us a country, currency and nominal maximum figure. "Not a lot of money" is a rather situation dependent quantity, as is "best"

Another factor to help us help you is that if you want a specific tool for a job, the camera will depend on your likely subjects / style. Most dSLR cameras come with an all purpose zoom lens which suits most people, but if you're only going to do, for example, portraits then you might have a different choice.

Rob

Lensmeister · May 14, 2005

I am interested in this too ... I am in England and have a price range £300-400. But it must be Canon .. as all my gear is Canon.

Also I need it for afst sports ...

Also used/Second hand isn't out the question.

Digital Matt · May 14, 2005

Look at used Digital Rebels and 10Ds, or if you want new, the Digital Rebel Xt.

Contra|Brett| · May 15, 2005

for the money, a d70 outfit is the best. 999 after 100 mail in rebate (USD) the lense is an increadibly nice 18-70 f/3.5-4.5 ED IF AF-S which is a 24-135 in 35mm terms. There is no canon equivalent for the price. nor is there a pentax, or minolta equivalent.

The pentax *ist Ds can be had for 899 from ritz camera w/ a 18-55 and a quantaray 70-300.

i'd get the d70 outfit just because of the lense, the 18-70 is a good portrait focal length and is good for landscapes as well. The downside to the pentax, is that it lacks features that the d70 has, and the pentax is a pentax, so it's a little harder to find the nice glass.

Digital Matt · May 15, 2005

There is no canon equivalent for the price.

The Digital Rebel XT is quite the equivalent.

Jeff Canes · May 15, 2005

Adorama has factory refurbished Canon10D for $800 USD, IMO this is way to high because the Rebal XT is 860 USD, maybe you could haggle them down. IMO 10D is only worth about 600-700 USD

Matty-Bass · May 15, 2005

ok I'm in Canada, currency is about .86 against the american dollar, and I particularally want to do mostly street and indoor still lifes. Like shots up a piano keyboard, looking down an alley. What's a good choice for me? My price range is around 300-400$ Can and I don't mind a used product. Any model that still life people like?

Andrea K · May 15, 2005

Matty-Bass said:
ok I'm in Canada, currency is about .86 against the american dollar, and I particularally want to do mostly street and indoor still lifes. Like shots up a piano keyboard, looking down an alley. What's a good choice for me? My price range is around 300-400$ Can and I don't mind a used product. Any model that still life people like?

I dont think you would be able to get a digital slr for that price range as the digi rebel is still going for 800 american on ebay, but if you really want an slr you could go with a nice film slr for that price and you could prob get a lens for it too but then of course you have to buy the film

Andrea K · May 15, 2005

andreag5 said:
I dont think you would be able to get a digital slr for that price range as the digi rebel is still going for 800 american on ebay, but if you really want an slr you could go with a nice film slr for that price and you could prob get a lens for it too but then of course you have to buy the film

edit: just realized u already have a film slr

Matty-Bass · May 15, 2005

My price range mite expand once i make some money this summer anyways. But can anyone suggest a good longer lens for a Canon that's in my price range? maybe cheaper? Because I'd like to take pictures of birds and my lens is just the regular one, i think its a 50 mm. I'd like maybe a 200mm if there is such a thing

Rob · May 15, 2005

Matty-Bass said:
ok I'm in Canada, currency is about .86 against the american dollar, and I particularally want to do mostly street and indoor still lifes. Like shots up a piano keyboard, looking down an alley. What's a good choice for me? My price range is around 300-400$ Can and I don't mind a used product. Any model that still life people like?

You're just not going to get something dSLR and newish for that money I don't think. Time to rob a bank I would think.

The good news is that you only need a standard lens to do that kind of photography though - it's pretty much the best to visualise and the best for depth-of-field/light to cost ratio.

Matty-Bass · May 15, 2005

so if i understand, if I buy a larger lens I have to see the best depth of field from a lens at the best price. If I find one that's jsut enough depth of field, then I should get it? Maybe I'm not understanding properly

My current lens has like no zoom, it only focusses.

Contra|Brett| · May 15, 2005

Matty-Bass said:
so if i understand, if I buy a larger lens I have to see the best depth of field from a lens at the best price. If I find one that's jsut enough depth of field, then I should get it? Maybe I'm not understanding properly

My current lens has like no zoom, it only focusses.

It's a prime. It is probobly better quality and faster (lower f-numbers) than any zoom you will find untill you can afford a 2-3000 dollar pro lense.

for a f/2.8 like it sound's like you're looking for, you are looking at around 1500 USD, so times. 1.86 that's about 3.8-5000 canadian dollars.

catweh00 · May 16, 2005

I think the big two are the Canon Rebel XT and the Nikon D70(s). I currently own the nikon d70, but I did try them both out at the store. I love the feel of the nikon d70. It is sturdy and strong, with a great weight to it. I hated the feel of the Rebel XT-felt cheap and plasticky to me. Of course, I have manhands (being a man) and if you are more petite, you may like the XT.

Craig