begging camera is this a good deal?

[jarg007]

Hi all I just wanted to start out in some basic photography and I saw a deal that looked good based on amazon reviews just wondering what all your feed back is and if this is really a great deal or if I could find something better. Here's the link to please check it out.

Amazon.com Canon EOS Rebel T5 Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens 10 Piece Deluxe Accessory Kit Bundle Camera Photo
I believe it comes with a lens and the 'delux' kit is the same price as the base.
OR
Nikon D3300 DSLR Camera with 18-55mm VR Lens Black - Fumfie.com
which do you guys think is better?

 

[Joves]

Well I have not heard of the retailer for the Nikon. But I will say that either of these cameras would be a great starter for you. With the Nikon you will have to stay with AF-S lenses to have Auto Focus, but the good thing with Nikon is that they only have one mount, and that is the F-mount.
The extras with the Canon for the most part are come ons to me, and not anything special.
But I would suggest you get some reviews about Fumfie first before even thinking about ordering from them. Better yet here.
fumfie.com reviews at DuckDuckGo

 

[jarg007]

I checked out fumie they look good fumfie.com Reviews - Fumfie Ratings by Shopper Approved

 

[bratkinson]

Number one...stay away from the 'bundled package' deals at Amazon or ebay or anywhere else. Except for the same-brand lens like the 18-55 Canon lens, the rest of the package deal is either poor quality or of little use to the beginner. For the most part, you can buy better quality products one at a time, when the need arises. However, the lens hood in the package should be purchased separately.

As for Fumfie, after doing 'due diligence' on them 3+ years ago, I bought my Canon 60D from them. They have a physical address (not many questionable, fly-by-night operations do!) and in NYC, about 3 hours from my house. I bought just the 60D body only, nothing else. As expected, I got a call from them within 24 hours trying to 'upsell' me with a dozen different items, including a longer-lasting battery than the one supplied by Canon. HA! Don't get fooled on that one! They offered 3rd party lenses with unknown names, filters, memory cards, you name it. Knowing it was coming and knowing that it was likely dubious quality merchandise other than the camera, I declined it all.

That was the 'easy part'. The hard part was actually RECEIVING the camera from them! After a number of checks online to see the order was 'in process', and a couple of emails with the standard response 'we are backlogged', I FINALLY got the camera a little more than 2 WEEKS after paying for it when I ordered it!

I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Canon shooter. So I'd go for the Canon deal. Also check out other online camera stores like B&H Photo, Adorama, Best Buy, and even Walmart online. They may have better camera + lens deals than Amazon.

 

[TCampbell]

While I am a Canon shooter I'm not going to tell you that one is better than the other. It's hard to buy a "bad" camera these days -- they're all excellent. The difference between one of these and, say, a point & shoot camera or a camera phone is that the DSLR offers you considerably more control over the outcome of the shot. But the camera is just a tool... it won't guarantee a good outcome, your efforts will still be needed to learn to take advantage of what the tool can do.

I also looked up Fumfie because I've not heard of them. The reviews I found where generally not flattering although it looks like if you're persistent you might eventually get what you ordered and you'll have to deal with the hassle of them trying to "up-sell" you (just decline every offer.)

I tend to just stick to the vendors I know I can trust (B&H Photo, Amazon, Adorama are the major online retailers.)

 

[soufiej]

Check both manufacturer's website. I know Canon has a direct sales department which offers new, clearance and refurbished items. The prices for the refurbished gear will vary from week to week as supplies dictate. I have not seen any complaints regarding refurbished gear from the manufacturer. In fact, it is equipment which has received personalized attention by a technician to verify its operational performance. There are good values to be found there and you have a direct line of recourse should you require after the sale service or assistance.

 

[jarg007]

Thanks for the replies, I actually ordered the nikkon d3300 from fumie bcause the price was so good. I just called the store to confirm they asked if i wanted a memory card but i declined. They should be shipping it out today.

 

[bratkinson]

I tend to just stick to the vendors I know I can trust (B&H Photo, Amazon, Adorama are the major online retailers.)

My experience with Fumfie taught me that lesson. B&H has gotten the bulk of my camera money, as well as TV money, tablet computer money, and even CF card money since I had to deal with headaches caused by Fumfie.

 

[BillM]

Just don't be shocked if on Wednesday they call you back and tell you that the 3300 is out of stock but they have a great deal for you on a 750 or something else that costs more.