Need help picking a camera $100 ebay budget.

[morgothaod]

I would like to take pictures of animals (Gopher tortoises, birds, alligators, turtles, things in the zoo and aquarium). My budget is $100. I saw these on ebay but don't know much about them and if they'll be good for me. I'm not familiar with using manual settings. So, not sure if I should avoid DSLRs and look at a bridge camera? I would like to have a view finder since I have trouble seeing the LCD screen in the bright sun.

Canon EOS 20D 8.2 MP Digital SLR Camera w/Canon 18-55mm lens
Sony Alpha A350 DSLR Digital Camera, 18-70mm Lens
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT 8.0MP Digital SLR Camera - Black With EF-S 18-55mm
Nikon D70 6.1MP Kit w/ AF-S DX 18-70mm
Fujifilm FinePix S Series S2100HD 10.0MP

 

[ac12]

$100 is a tight budget for what you are looking for.

You NEED a camera with long telephoto component of the zoom.
The 18-55 and 18-70 lenses are too short, and you would have to get way too close to the animals.
With all of theses cameras you WILL have to get a 2nd longer lens to reach to the animals.
The Fuji S2100 is the only camera in your list with a decent telephoto component to the zoom.

Most cameras have a "scene" mode that can be used, which is easy for a new shooter.
The problem will be shooting in low light, like indoor aquariums and reptile displays. That can be difficult even for a much more expensive camera and lens.

Within or close to your budget are these two:

This looks like it will work, but it is a bit over your budget.
Nikon D40x 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera DX AFS 18-135mm 1:3.5-5.6G ED Lens Bundle 18208254248 | eBay

This will work for the zoo, but you don't have a short lens (like the 18-55) for shooting at home or when close to a subject.
NIkon D40 Digital camera | eBay

 

[RowdyRay]

I agree, $100 is a tight budget. He/she asked our opinion of 5 cameras. Of the ones listed, go for the Sony A350. Light years ahead of the others. And if/when you desire a longer lens, the A lenses and the older Minolta lenses are going for super cheap. That's my opinion.

 

[Jeff15]

Hello and welcome, you can get some bargains on eBay. Good luck.........

 

[Derrel]

I have owned the following cameras from your list:
Canon EOS 20D 8.2 MP Digital SLR Camera w/Canon 18-55mm lens>>>>A small LCD screen, only 8.2 MP, decent build, pretty good shooter..was once a mid-level camera.


Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT 8.0MP Digital SLR Camera - Black With EF-S 18-55mm-cheap build, poor imager, any were sold with the "old 18-55 nom IS, crappy kit zoom, the onre that was NOT sold in Asia....poor camera, cheapest SLR on your list...


Nikon D70 6.1MP Kit w/ AF-S DX 18-70mm.. about as good as the Canon 20D, despite being only 6 MP. Has a good 18-70mm kit zoom! Can shoot hotshoe flash at very fast speeds.

My suggestion: the 20D or the D70. Flip a coin

 

[morgothaod]

Would this lens work with the Sony?

Sigma 80-200 mm ZOOM MD Lens for Minolta, Shade, Filter, Case & Caps NICE Japan | eBay

 

[ac12]

Would this lens work with the Sony?

Sigma 80-200 mm ZOOM MD Lens for Minolta, Shade, Filter, Case & Caps NICE Japan | eBay

I don't know if it will work on the Sony, but that is a fully MANUAL focus/aperture lens.
It will probably be difficult for you to use. I would not get it.

 

[Derrel]

no, it will not work on the A350. You need the newer, A-mount lenses. Minolta's older MC and MD series lenses are not compatible with newer Minolta d-slr or SONY d-slr cameras.

the MC (Minolta Celtic) and MD series are 45-35 years old.

As ac12 wrote:" ... a fully MANUAL focus/aperture lens.
It will probably be difficult for you to use. I would not get it. "

Agreed, manual focus lenses on d-slrs are tricky to use.

 

[morgothaod]

How do I know if the lens is a manual focus? What do you think of this lens for looking at animals? I see it says "AF zoom" so does that mean auto focus? I know that for just focusing on an animal, I need a small f#, would this lens work or do I need something that says f 1.4 or something like that...

Excellent Minolta AF ZOOM 75-300mm F/4.5-5.6 Lens for Sony A Mount Lens | eBay

 

[Designer]

I know that for just focusing on an animal, I need a small f#, ..

I don't know why you would say that. There's nothing wrong with any of the mid-range apertures. An aperture such as f/1.4 would give you a very thin depth of field with long lenses, making some of your subject out of focus. Use f/5.6 instead. You'll get better photographs.

 

[Derrel]

The lens is described as AF, which stands for auto focus. The mount that the lens is in in. The lens is described as AF, which stands for auto focus. The mount that the lens is offered in, The minolta A mount, means that it is a Minolta AF lens.
Minolta lenses with this diagonally angled texturing in rubber were first offered in the late 1980s. This cosmetic appearance , is an indicator of the production era. One very important clue – – no Minolta or Sony autofocusing lens has an on-lens aperture ring.

 

[Derrel]

Any Lens that was designedfor a Minolta manual focus camera has an on-lens Aperture control ring. All Minolta and later Sony camera autofocusing lenses have no aperture control ring on the lens. When Minolta switched from manual focusing to automatic focusing they decided to put aperture control only on the bodies, as did canon

 

[Dwain Geead]

You probably might not get a very good one at this price