Need Advice Help/ Tips Choosing my first SLR Camera

[Teetowl]

Hello I have been really into taking photos at festivals for a very long time and someone was impressed by my photos I have taken on a ****ty toshiba camera I have so anyways he's offered me a Job which is paid by free tickets to festivivals, but only if I buy a SLR Camera due to the photo needs. I thought I knew what camera I wanted on 4 or 5 occasions as I have done a lot of research but now I think I have gotten to a point where I have done too much and my minds collapsed (I have been looking around since around november time last year) I know canon are ment to be the dogs ******** so to speak.

I have used professional cameras at college which are worth around 3 grand but I do not have that kind of money I have to spend £100 - £200 at a push but would love it if you could advice me something less than £100 I would be happy... I own a Mac so the files created by the camera also need to be compatible which I know 99% of them are but I also know the odd ones are not.

The basic needs I want as I am piss poor is

-Rechargeable Batteries
-None flimsey (I also go into moshpits so I do not want a camera that will break with easy)
-Digital
-A memory slot

I will need it to take photos from the side of the stage near the front so It will need a good zoom and auto lighting I would also love it if you can take some pretty clear photos in the dark and I also want to be able to change lenses as I know I will end up using it for other stuff too! The idea price would be £10 but I can dream, £150 I would be comftable with spending and £200 is all I have to my name Please help anyone

 

[Teetowl]

?? Nobody?

 

[analog.universe]

A non-flimsy digital SLR with a good zoom lens and low light performance at that price is an _extreme_ stretch...

Ebay for something a few years old perhaps?

 

[AUG19]

Be careful of promisory jobs conditional on first laying out for kit. You can equip only to find the work doesn't materialize, sometimes for reasons beyond their control.

 

[Light Guru]

Be careful of promisory jobs conditional on first laying out for kit. You can equip only to find the work doesn't materialize, sometimes for reasons beyond their control.

I would not even call it a job. He is not getting payed just tickets to a festival. Let's do a little math. How much are the festival tickets worth? How many festivals? Are these festivals that you would actually pay to go to otherwise?

If you would would be going anyway at your own expense would the money you would spend add up to what you would need to purchase the needed equipment.

Honestly to me it sounds like they guy just wants someone to take pictures for him for free. I personally avoid people like that like the plague. I suppose they guy wants the copyright to the photos also.

 

[AUG19]

Also, the 'someone' could have made the same offer to another person, 15 minutes later.

 

[Teetowl]

Heya thanks for any help, I got a Sony A230 for £220
I am also a female.. I would normally be attending these festivals anyways so the money I would normally spend on the festival I am spending on the camera so there is not any loss, Its a new company and if it kicks off well then I will get paid for my work per photo a magazine/websites extra who might want to buy it. Its early days for thinking of anything like that though.
One festival is worth £130 to attend and the other £180 so I think I have already made my money back to be honest.

I have just gave it a whirl the photos have come out like this,

I am going to go into the woods tomorrow to try out distances and more close up extra.

 

[tdonaldp]

Consider an older used camera.Digital cameras are more expendable than a good digital lens. Check the shutter count - most are rated for either 300,000 or 150,000 actuations--- get the biggest bang for your money -- check used dept of online retailers-- B&H, adormma, etc--what are you going to use the camera for----- are you growing a business--- etc