Can you find me something better?

[PixelRabbit]

Ok Mr Rabbit is the best :heart: after all of the money I've invested lately with school etc... I have $200 to spend on a second body. You guys have never steered me wrong so I thought I'd let you all loose and see what you come up with

I know it's not a huge budget but I think I can get something suitable, so far I have found this Canon 30D at KeH for $219 including shipping (the ex+):
http://www.keh.com/camera/Canon-Digital-Camera-Bodies/1/sku-DC029990952350?r=FE

Can you find me something better from a reputable source of course (other than Henry's) with shipping to Canada for $200 give or take a couple bucks?
I want to order it today.

Ok GO!!

Thanks in advance

 

[curtyoungblood]

What is your first camera body? What type of photography do you do, and why do you feel like you need a second body?

 

[PixelRabbit]

Hey Curt my current body is a 60D, I need a second body because she's in the shop for 4-8 weeks and I can't make it that long lol
I shoot literally just about everything from wildlife/bif to fine art, maybe take a peek at my Flickr for an idea

 

[Steve5D]

The 30D is a very capable body and, for the money, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find something better...

 

[lambertpix]

I started with a 30D -- it's a very nice camera. Well-built, reliable, and a control layout that'll be very familiar to you, I think. The 40D might be a stretch at that price, but if you can find one in your budget, it was a pretty good upgrade from the 30D. I still shoot with my old 40D.

 

[bribrius]

before you go to gung ho on this. And assuming your other camera is coming back and that is your ONLY camera. Have you considered getting a less expensive non dslr camera to serve a wider variety of purpose? Point and shoot, bridge, submersible waterproof, anything? It seems many people have different cameras for different uses and the 30d is just lesser version of what you already have. so when your other camera comes back im wondering what the purpose of this one will be.
just throwing this out there.
Maybe if you think of situations where your 60d was a inconvenience or you just weren't happy with it you can fill that void now. And use it for everything until your other one comes back.

 

[sm4him]

I think the one you've found looks like a pretty decent deal. I assume it would work okay with the lenses you've got (auto-focus and all that; I know some of the lower-end Nikons don't AF with some of the older Nikon lenses, but I don't know about Canon, nor even which lenses you have now).

I'd go ahead and pull the trigger on that 30D and reel her in. Plus, remember--if you don't care for it, you can always resell it once your baby comes back and be out nothing at all, maybe even profit a tiny bit if you can sell for $250 or so. Or, you may find it's perfectly decent and let it remain as your second body.

 

[Gavjenks]

That is a good deal and a fine camera, but once you get your 60D back, you're probably not going to want to use it very much.

I think it depends how many strangers you shoot / do you do portraiture gigs, etc.?
If so: a second body even if it's boring and unused most of the time, lets you swap lenses more quickly in a shoot, and provides mechanical backup on site.
If not: I might suggest something else that provides alternative features your 60D doesn't have, instead. like compactness or ruggedness (gopro is $200...), or FILM or whatever else interesting that you'd still use later for fun.

 

[PixelRabbit]

Thanks Steve and Lambert

Bribrius, thanks for coming at it from that angle. I did think about getting something different or fun but I'm JUST starting film and darkroom as soon as my chemicals arrive so I pretty much have that covered.

I can't even begin to imagine going through spring without a dslr so having a second body for times like this is a must for me. When I get my 60D back it will be good for my kids to use when they come to visit and we go for walks, it will be good to use in creative ways, discover it's "shortcomings" or quirks and see what fun is to be had with it..., I may take shots I've avoided taking with my 60D for whatever camera safety reason lol but most of all it will be a second body just in case.

Sharon, yep as far as I can tell my lenses should be fine on it and great point about being able to resell it!

 

[PixelRabbit]

Gav, we were typing at the same time lol

I don't currently shoot people but it's not out of the realm of consideration as I develop my business plan etc... through school. I think I covered the second part in my post

 

[ronlane]

PR, I just looked at Adorama's used gear and they had some 30D's for less than $200. I sorted by price.

 

[BrickHouse]

I think Mr Rabbit deserves something special out of this.....

 

[Derrel]

30D was always a good shooter. I had a 20D, back when it was "revolutionary". THe 30D shot pretty darned good SOOC JPEG files for its day. One of the real strengths of those Canons was the monochrome color tone and the monochrome filter effects. Shoot RAW + JPEG, set the sharpening to High, Set Tone Curve to standard or maybe higher, and then set the Color Toning to > Sepia and the Filter Effects to >Yellow Filter. Using the FIlter Effects really makes a HUGE improvement to tonal rendering and color separation in real B&W, and with "digital" B&W. Shoot FIne-compression, but Medium-sized JPEG, so the data is down-sampled and noise is basically buried.

Bammo! GORGEOUS straight out of camera JPEG files, in beautiful sepia tone with good separation of colors, looking like your lovely reverse-panning tree type photos, immediately ready for use on the web or for e-mailing and so on. PLUS, of course, the .CR2 files are in full, RGB color, but can easily be batch processed by DPP "as shot" as lovely B&W sepia toned images.

 

[PixelRabbit]

Thanks Ron
Yep I went through Adorama and KeH and the one I linked is the highest rated from both sites

 

[PixelRabbit]

I think Mr Rabbit deserves something special out of this.....

Who says he already hasn't

30D was always a good shooter. I had a 20D, back when it was "revolutionary". THe 30D shot pretty darned good SOOC JPEG files for its day. One of the real strengths of those Canons was the monochrome color tone and the monochrome filter effects. Shoot RAW + JPEG, set the sharpening to High, Set Tone Curve to standard or maybe higher, and then set the Color Toning to > Sepia and the Filter Effects to >Yellow Filter. Using the FIlter Effects really makes a HUGE improvement to tonal rendering and color separation in real B&W, and with "digital" B&W. Shoot FIne-compression, but Medium-sized JPEG, so the data is down-sampled and noise is basically buried.

Bammo! GORGEOUS straight out of camera JPEG files, in beautiful sepia tone with good separation of colors, looking like your lovely reverse-panning tree type photos, immediately ready for use on the web or for e-mailing and so on. PLUS, of course, the .CR2 files are in full, RGB color, but can easily be batch processed by DPP "as shot" as lovely B&W sepia toned images.

SOLD!