could use some advice.

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really like nature photos and would very much enjoy making my own, but on a tight budget. not necessarily wildlife although eventually that too. manly right now just landscapes would be nice maybe even night time sky photos (i think astrophotography).

would really like to get a camera that i will like from now on. if a camera lasts 50,000 clicks and can get something with less than 10,000, i cannot imagine putting another 40,000 on it. also have been seeing some really nice photos from a canon 450d. they are bigger than my 27 inch monitor.

have been looking online and not in town yet. my initial idea was to get a second hand canon 45od body battery and charger around 8000 shutter count with 6 month warranty and looks very clean for $90+. then get either a very good prime lens or a 18-55 canon stm lens for less than $100.

then i notice deals for something like a nikon d3100 with one or two vr lenses, bag, and extras for about $200. also deals for something like a canon 550d with a couple kit lenses all in very nice shape for about $250.

if i am going to spend $250 then why not a open box nikon 3200 with everything that comes in the box including the two kit lenses and all in pristine condition, i am assuming unused it has a 6 month warranty.

thank you for any better ideas.
 
First look around on the various camera store web sites.
KEH, MPB, B&H Photo, etc is a good source. Ebay maybe, but be cautious.

Then if you can, go to a camera store and play a bit with some to see what fits your hand and the best poss. combination.
 
Open Box or refurbed or Used saves a lot of money. 40,000 clicks? That is not that many! Most consumer-level shutters have a duty cycle of 100,000 shutter clicks, and those shutters lasting for 150,00-200,000 actuations is NOT that uncommon.
 
I was curious about shutter count so I asked one of our sales peeps here at the store and they said for shutter counts it goes like this.....
  • Entry level cameras are rated for around 50,000 shots.
  • Mid-range cameras are rated for around 100,000 shots.
  • Professional cameras are rated for around 200,000 shots.
Funny, nobody cared about the "shutter count" of a used film camera. Lets see......50000 clicks = 1388.8 rolls of 36exp.
 
SNIP>Funny, nobody cared about the "shutter count" of a used film camera. Lets see......50000 clicks = 1388.8 rolls of 36exp.

We had no reliable way to get a legit shutter count back in the day...
 
The cheapest way to go for just landscapes would be to get a used entry level body with a kit lens. You can shoot it as you learn but my guess is that at some point you are going to want to step up your game and that starts with better glass first and then body.

My suggestion would be to look at the camera system you are wanting to go with and then research the glass. You can buy some really good used glass that is NOT kit lenses and then complete that with as much of a camera body as you can afford.

For landscapes, I would look at a wide angle zoom like a 15-30mm of a 16-35mm or even a 17-35mm.

Then you can go with a camera body that will work with it.

The question to ask is will the glass work on both crop sensors and full frames. If not, then I would consider passing on it. (JMHO).
 
One thing I have learned about landscape that some may refute, but my experience shows this:
Get a lens with as much glass as possible that is as high of quality you can afford.

because of certain aspects I would also try to get as fast of a lens as possible (f 1.8 or lower) for the boke effect.
 
The question to ask is will the glass work on both crop sensors and full frames. If not, then I would consider passing on it. (JMHO).

Canon EF-S lenses: will not even MOUNT AND SHOOT on Canon bodies..is a flange to sensor distance from the Canon EF mount (full-frame or FF- cameras). EF-S lenses have a Short registration distance.

On Nikon bodies, the DX lenses will MOUNT AND SHOOT on Nikon's FX (full-frame) cameras. A few DX lenses offer decent coverage of the field when used on FX bodies..some are poor on FX, but fine on the DX sensor size.

Big difference between Canon and Nikon on this issue...seldom is it discussed.
 
SNIP>Funny, nobody cared about the "shutter count" of a used film camera. Lets see......50000 clicks = 1388.8 rolls of 36exp.

We had no reliable way to get a legit shutter count back in the day...

That makes sense. I didn't know it was a thing with digital cameras. My sales peep said with digital some people do a "spray and pray" and can wind up with hundreds of shots instead of maybe 20 or 30 with film. Guess it adds up quickly with that kind of shooting.
 
You refer to the sales person a couple of times and I'd suggest that's the person that wants to sell you the most stuff for the most money. That's not always a bad thing but................
"Spray and pray" has a negative connotation with many folks but most of the time that's a technique that's needed to get the shot thats desired, not just a lazy way to work. To get the expression on a face or capture action at just the right instant you have to use that technique. If you don't you'll just have to get lucky.
 
You refer to the sales person a couple of times and I'd suggest that's the person that wants to sell you the most stuff for the most money. That's not always a bad thing but................
"Spray and pray" has a negative connotation with many folks but most of the time that's a technique that's needed to get the shot thats desired, not just a lazy way to work. To get the expression on a face or capture action at just the right instant you have to use that technique. If you don't you'll just have to get lucky.

Of course the our sales staff would never try and sell something with that phrase "spray/pray"....LOL

I will say that some people do take way to many photos with digital. Had a guy come into the lab and he looked terrible. I said are you OK. He said well, I was up all night going through 4000 images of a play rehearsal to get it down to 50 good shots.
 
Prayin' and sprayin' is not so much a technique, unless shooting certain sports or wildlife/birds, as just a way that people take pictures. Trying to capture a photographic moment is really about the timing.

Who needed to keep a shutter count when you knew how many rolls of film you shot? lol Well, at any given time, I don't keep track of how many rolls I've shot or pay much attention to shutter count on my digital camera either.

I'd suggest KEH or Adorama. With mbp there seems to be a short time to return items, maybe since it's not a US company their merchandise comes thru an office and/or warehouse/distributor here. I'd consider used and the best lens you can afford; you can always sell/trade in to upgrade later.
 
You'll be surprised by how many clicks you'll make. I'm very much a hobbyist, but I've been known to take a few hundred photos at my kids' wrestling matches, soccer games, football or baseball games. It's also very easy to take 1000 photos or more while on vacation if you go somewhere neat. I've been to Alaska twice and think I took over 2000 photos the first time there in 5 or 6 days. All that said, I think you've gotten some good advice and don't think you need to break the bank to take decent photos. I had a Canon 20D that I got for a little bit of nothing and with decent glass it took outstanding photos, wish I still had that camera.
 
The question to ask is will the glass work on both crop sensors and full frames. If not, then I would consider passing on it. (JMHO).

Canon EF-S lenses: will not even MOUNT AND SHOOT on Canon bodies..is a flange to sensor distance from the Canon EF mount (full-frame or FF- cameras). EF-S lenses have a Short registration distance.

On Nikon bodies, the DX lenses will MOUNT AND SHOOT on Nikon's FX (full-frame) cameras. A few DX lenses offer decent coverage of the field when used on FX bodies..some are poor on FX, but fine on the DX sensor size.

Big difference between Canon and Nikon on this issue...seldom is it discussed.


I am going to make a slight correction to your post. Re canon lens.
If you use a crop sensor body such as 600d 60d 7d you can use both EF and EFS lens.
As you have said EFS lens will not fit on canon, FULL Frame bodies. There is a new mount coming out from canon what the compatibility on that will be I have no idea.
I buy EF lens for my crop sensor canon as If I decided to upgrade to FF then I will not have to change all my lens
 
Canon's EF-S mount will not work on Canon FF or 1.3 x FOV cameras, or the first three(?) generations of Canon APS-C camera(D30,D60, and 10D). Only the newer versions of Canons APS-C bodies can used EF-S mount lenses.

Canon or other-branded EF lenses work on APS-C, 1.3x, and full-frame Canon d-slrs.

The Canon EF mount is usable on almost all Canon cameras made since what? 1987 is it?
 
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