Looking for an older DSLR camera help?

Buffzillla · Jul 16, 2014

Hi everyone!
Recently, at my job I've been using my boss's Canon Rebel T3 camera for taking photos of some products. After doing this, I've kinda found this fun as I've been playing around with it. Really like a little kid!

I don't have ANY camera besides my phone, and I thought it might be a cool idea to pick up an older dslr camera.
I know photography is a very expensive hobby, but I don't have anywhere near the kind of money to spend on it. I'm a college student and that's already got me in debt!

Since I would really only be using it to see if I even like photography as a hobby and to screw around with, would it be worth buying an older dslr camera, such as the fujifilm finepix s1800?
Any other cheaper, used, and older cameras suggestions would be a real help too!

Also, if these cameras would be completely pointless let me know.
But sadly then I think this fun little project would have to wait for me.
I know the difference between the Rebel and the s1800 is probably HUGE, but I don't have the 400 dollars to drop on the rebel.

Thank you to everyone for your help!

robbins.photo · Jul 16, 2014

Buffzillla said:
Hi everyone!
Recently, at my job I've been using my boss's Canon Rebel T3 camera for taking photos of some products. After doing this, I've kinda found this fun as I've been playing around with it. Really like a little kid!
I don't have ANY camera besides my phone, and I thought it might be a cool idea to pick up an older dslr camera.
I know photography is a very expensive hobby, but I don't have anywhere near the kind of money to spend on it. I'm a college student and that's already got me in debt!

Since I would really only be using it to see if I even like photography as a hobby and to screw around with, would it be worth buying an older dslr camera, such as the fujifilm finepix s1800?
Any other cheaper, used, and older cameras suggestions would be a real help too!

Also, if these cameras would be completely pointless let me know.
But sadly then I think this fun little project would have to wait for me.
I know the difference between the Rebel and the s1800 is probably HUGE, but I don't have the 400 dollars to drop on the rebel.

Thank you to everyone for your help!

Well first thing to do is sit down and decide how much you want to spend, and then thing about what kinds of pictures you'll want to be taking most. Do you need something with a good telephoto reach? Or are most of your pictures going to be landscape/portrait, etc? Are you going to be shooting mostly outdoors in good light, or mostly indoors where the lighting isn't so great? Are you going to be trying to do a lot of sports/action style photography?

That sort of thing. Once you get a better idea what sort of budget you want to work with and what sort of pictures you'll be wanting to take most then you can get a much better idea as to what sort of camera will best suit your needs in that budget range.

vintagesnaps · Jul 16, 2014

http://www.keh.com

I've bought from them quite a bit... Not necessarily digital, I collect and use all kinds of film cameras, but they seem to have expanded their sales of used digital in the past few years. Used can be an option, I'd just consider buying from a reputable dealer especially if you're new to photography so you get a decent working camera.

Have fun trying out photography, hope you enjoy it.

KmH · Jul 16, 2014

The Fujifilm Finepix S1800 is not a DSLR (Digital Single lens Reflex)
It is close to being a MILC camera - Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera - bit I don't think the lens can be changed.
If so, then it's just a 'bridge' camera.

At any rate - it will serve your purposes .

Kendall9991 · Jul 16, 2014

I have a Love hate relationship with my fujifilm S2500HD... unsure about the s1800 though

Buffzillla · Jul 16, 2014

I go to a lot of anime conventions, so I would be probably be taking pictures of costumes indoors.
That would probably be what I would mostly use it for, besides for just trying to learn how to take pictures other than with my phone.

I suppose I haven't thought about the budget yet; but I don't think I could spend more than the finepix s1800 is, so around 80-100 dollars. The cheaper the better.

I've read that sports and action shots could require a really expensive camera, is this true?
Not that I go to any sporting events at all, so that's not a problem, haha.

Buffzillla · Jul 16, 2014

Kendall9991 said:
I have a Love hate relationship with my fujifilm S2500HD... unsure about the s1800 though

What do you love and hate about it?
That was the one camera I have found that is a perfect price range for me.
Since I don't really know anything about cameras, I don't really know what other cameras are similar to this.

Buffzillla · Jul 16, 2014

KmH said:
The Fujifilm Finepix S1800 is not a DSLR (Digital Single lens Reflex)
It is close to being a MILC camera - Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera - bit I don't think the lens can be changed.
If so, then it's just a 'bridge' camera.

At any rate - it will serve your purposes .

Ohh, thanks! That's a bit misleading because when I google dslr camera, that one comes up.
Also, in a few of the descriptions it was called a dslr camera.

I suppose I don't NEED a dslr camera, so it still might be a good choice.
Are there any older dslr cameras in that price range, or am I way off?

Derrel · Jul 16, 2014

I went to my local camera/electronics-centric pawnshop a couple weeks ago, and saw a NICE Fuji bridge camera...you know, a camera with like a 30x or more zoom lens, small, compact, decent viewfinder and lens focal lengths actually marked out on the barrel, with a good, and well-designed zoom system that allowed me to stop where I wanted Price used and mint? $79. I really liked having the 35mm equivalent lengths on the big, long zoom marking scale. The whole package was small and light. Video too, My ex-wife and I had a pair of earlier Fuji's of this style. Fuji really,really has had some good bridge-type cameras, over the last 10+ years, all based on the same basics body shape and size. I see this kind of camera as a very viable camera for many people. It has the video and the small form factor AND the big, long zoom tele and the wide range of focal lengths, affordably. This kind of Fuji has many of the benefits of a d-slr, but without the weight and the cost.

robbins.photo · Jul 16, 2014

Buffzillla said:
I go to a lot of anime conventions, so I would be probably be taking pictures of costumes indoors.
That would probably be what I would mostly use it for, besides for just trying to learn how to take pictures other than with my phone.

I suppose I haven't thought about the budget yet; but I don't think I could spend more than the finepix s1800 is, so around 80-100 dollars. The cheaper the better.

I've read that sports and action shots could require a really expensive camera, is this true?
Not that I go to any sporting events at all, so that's not a problem, haha.

Ok, so really any halfway decent bridge camera will do the trick for you I would think, thing to really look at would be does it support an external flash? The thing about bridge camera's is that they do fine, in good lighting - but in poor lighting conditions their smaller sensors are hard pressed to keep up. So if it were me I'd probably be looking for a halfway decent bridge camera and just make sure that it has a "hotshoe" to mount an external flash with, and that you can afford a good external flash for it as well.

Buffzillla · Jul 16, 2014

Derrel said:
I went to my local camera/electronics-centric pawnshop a couple weeks ago, and saw a NICE Fuji bridge camera...you know, a camera with like a 30x or more zoom lens, small, compact, decent viewfinder and lens focal lengths actually marked out on the barrel, with a good, and well-designed zoom system that allowed me to stop where I wanted Price used and mint? $79. I really liked having the 35mm equivalent lengths on the big, long zoom marking scale. The whole package was small and light. Video too, My ex-wife and I had a pair of earlier Fuji's of this style. Fuji really,really has had some good bridge-type cameras, over the last 10+ years, all based on the same basics body shape and size. I see this kind of camera as a very viable camera for many people. It has the video and the small form factor AND the big, long zoom tele and the wide range of focal lengths, affordably. This kind of Fuji has many of the benefits of a d-slr, but without the weight and the cost.

That sounds nice to me!
I really just want to learn.
Did you know what model it was or which ones I should be looking at?

Buffzillla · Jul 16, 2014

Thank you, I will keep that in mind when I'm buying!
What makes an external flash good exactly?

Kendall9991 · Jul 16, 2014

It would work great for you (s2500hd) IMO I've taken some great photos with it. The biggest thing I don't like is the shutter lag (350ms IIRC) which isn't a lot for most things. Its a pain with some animals/birds though

Kendall9991 · Jul 16, 2014

Check out the my Flickr for pics taken with it.

Flickr.com/deerkiller9991

Buffzillla · Jul 16, 2014

Kendall9991 said:
Check out the my Flickr for pics taken with it.

Flickr.com/deerkiller9991

Your pictures are beautiful, and I'm really considering the s2500hd.

Are there any other models or types I should be looking at?

I thank everyone for their help again! You guys are making me feel a lot less lost in this whole process!