Budget of $830. Looking to buy digital SLR.

[gender bombs]

Hey everyone. I've been using film for about two years now. I've taken two darkroom classes outside of school and am currently taking photography in school. I am looking to buy a good SLR and decent lens(s') for $830. Since the darkroom won't always be available to me, I want to be able to have pictures ready to be edited and printed right after I take them. Also I'd like to take shots of a subject on digital to see how it'll hopefully look on my film camera.

Looking for:

-Digital SLR that takes outstanding quality photos
-Many different modes and a very complex manual mode
-A standard 50mm lens, and possibly a zoom lens and wide angle.

I've done some of my own research and product searching and I cannot find anything within my budget. If anyone knows of any good retailers out there in the NY/NJ area I'd be delighted. Thanks for any help.

 

[John_05]

i got a Canon Rebel XT with the kit lens for $855 at Circuit City, and the Pentax ist DL is for sale there, and under $600. when i went to get my XT, i almost got the Pentax, or the Olympus Evolt E-500 instead because they had a deal with the Pentax that came with 2 lenses (i dont remember which, sorry), and the Olympus comes with 14-45mm and 40-150mm Zuiko lenses.

i did a little looking. they have the Olympus for under $800 now and it still comes with the 2 lenses i mentioned before.
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Olympus-EVOLT-E-500-Digital-Camera/sem/rpsm/oid/136561/catOid/-13062/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

the Pentax is on sale there too, and after a $100 rebate, its only $433.89
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Pentax-ist-DL-Digital-Camera/sem/rpsm/oid/147389/catOid/-13062/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

heres the Canon Rebel XT, they have that for sale for $759.99.
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Canon-Digital-Rebel-XT-Digital-Camera/sem/rpsm/oid/120005/catOid/-13062/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

 

[gender bombs]

Wow thanks so much. I was at Circuit City the other day and forgot to look! Thanks for the reply I'll look into it.

 

[MPowerM3]

Costco use to have a package deal with the Nikon D50 with a zoom lens, memory card, everything and more then needed to get started and it was 800 bucks, dont know if its still around. Maybe search Yahoo for it. I bought my Rebel Xt through Dell, when they had 20 percent off and a 100 dollar rebate, 575 after shipping and taxes, I love it. Best pictures I have ever taken. I found that deal through a website called slickdeals.net. Hope this helps.

 

[John_05]

Wow thanks so much. I was at Circuit City the other day and forgot to look! Thanks for the reply I'll look into it.

youre welcome. i prefer to buy all my electronics from Circuit City. they have a huge selection, pretty reasonable prices, and if they wind up putting what you buy on sale within 30 days, you can take the receipt back and get a refund of the difference.

another thing i like is the insurance they have. i bought my computer and my camera from there, and have 2 years renewable insurance on both. if anything other then me dropping it happens to my computer, i get either a brand new one, or i get another one of the same price as the one i have when i bought it. as for my camera, i have full coverage with accidental on it. if i drop it off of a bridge, i can return the bag of parts and get a new one. each plan cost me about $150 for 2 years, and to me thats alot better then having something for 18 months, having a problem with it and then having to buy new.

 

[oCyrus55]

They just came out with a new rebel, the 400D! I definitely think I am going to go replace the old rebel sometime soon...

 

[forzaF1]

I would def. go with the D50 package. If you got that, you would still have some good money left over for other things for the camera.

 

[JDP]

another thing i like is the insurance they have. i bought my computer and my camera from there, and have 2 years renewable insurance on both. if anything other then me dropping it happens to my computer, i get either a brand new one, or i get another one of the same price as the one i have when i bought it. as for my camera, i have full coverage with accidental on it. if i drop it off of a bridge, i can return the bag of parts and get a new one. each plan cost me about $150 for 2 years, and to me thats alot better then having something for 18 months, having a problem with it and then having to buy new.

Oi, John, ever tried to actually use that insurance? Granted, this may have changed (But probably hasn't) but I used to work for the call center that handled Circuit City's extended warranty repairs. Basically if it was electronic, and you bought the extended warranty at CC, we handled the call.

Let's just say that if you ever need to use it, you get a tech that was sympathetic, like me. Otherwise, you may be in for a hard frustating time. We treated extended warranty items like an insurance policy - there's many many disclaimers and ways for us to say 'Not covered'. The techs don't have to give you their real name, if you demand a supervisor they transfer you to the department I moved to, 'Escalations'. If you treat us kindly, then we had the power to push things - if you ****ed us off, well, you were in for an even longer fight.

To really sum it up, look at it this way. You bought a brand new D200 when it was released - it ran you $1700. You bought the 2 year extended warranty, so that makes it a total of 3 years. 2 years, 300 days later it breaks and you call - we don't really WANT to replace something that old - in fact, a lot of the time (With computer hardware) we CAN'T replace it, we have to upgrade you - so we make you jump through hoops basically trying to make you give up.

That's why I never buy the warranty hehe.

 

[John_05]

i didnt buy just an extended warranty. i got there "Advantage Protection Plan Plus". i was told by 2 different people that if anything happens to the camera, like if i drop it or get caught in the rain and it fries, i just bring it back in with my paperwork and ill get either a new camera, or an equivalent amount of in store credit. as for any rep trying to make me give up, i wish them a LOT of luck. i had 5 people with me when i bought my camera, so i have 5 people who witnessed exactly what both sales people said, and i never EVER give up. if persistence counts for anything, i will probably live until im 500 years old. im not above causing a scene either, and im sure thats the last thing they want in their store when there are customers there that they will inevitably try to sell insurance plans to. i have had customer service reps/managers/owners of different stores try to hassle me about valid returns in the past, and i ALWAYS gotten what i set out to get. my persistence combined with the 5 witnesses i have that will testify for me, tells me i have no worries at all if i need to return the camera.

thanks for the heads up though. i never call a number for this type of thing though. i alwas go do the "face-to-face" thing. im 6'1" and 270 pounds, and not exactly the friendliest looking person, even when im smiling. get me a little p***ed off, and im sure its alot worse. when witnesses and persistence fails, a little "subtle" intimidation can work miracles. :lmao:

 

[Orgnoi1]

I know where you could buy a 20D kit for $900 :mrgreen: ....

20D For Sale

 

[gender bombs]

Haha Orgnoi1. WOULD DEFINATELY buy, but 70$ over my budjet. All this talk about Circuit City and insurance and stuff is getting me excited to go head over there tommorow. I was in Costco today and I looked at some of the SLRs. Rebel XT (body only) was something in the 600's or 700's, I can't remember. If I can find a good SLR in the 500-600 range I'd be so happy because then I can buy another lense or so. Does Minolta make a digital SLR? I am asking this because I am used to my Minolta film camera, but I haven't seen too much Minolta anywhere.

 

[blooper]

erm.. i got my rebel xt for about 720 with kit lens and extra battery from b&h. then a 2 gig flash for another 60-70 from amazon. all together is about 800. if i were you, since youre looking for a 50mm. just get the body alone and buy a 50mm seperate. im kinda regretting my kit lens.

 

[midget patrol]

You could buy my d50, if you so desired. Two and a half gigs of cards (3 total cards), battery grip, three batteries, and a 28-80?

Else, check bhphotovideo.com, adorama.com, and ritzcamera.com