Newbie Needs DSLR Advice

[robstapp85]

Newbie Here! Yes I admitted it. So here is the deal. We have 3 kids ( 3mos, 4 and 7) and my wife has been asking for a DSLR for quite sometime and given the nature of the economy it hasn’t been in the budget. However I got a samll bonus at work and her birthday is coming up. I have been to several Camera stores and I have decided I want to get a Canon. However the "New" cameras are a tad bit too expensive for me. This camera will be used for family things like vacations, games, school plays if we goto the park or a zoo or just messing around the house etc…Very amatuerish stuff. I have been told that I must have an 18-55 lens and something like a 55-250 would be nice to have at some point. I am hoping that some of you can maybe recommend some older Canon models that I could pick up that will work and be easy on the wallet. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Designer]

Do any of those stores carry used cameras?

 

[Light Guru]

With out knowing the actual size of your "small bonus" its impossible to really say what the best camera you can get for your money.

 

[robstapp85]

With out knowing the actual size of your "small bonus" its impossible to really say what the best camera you can get for your money.

That would help wouldn't it? Newbie mistake :/ My budget would be no more than $500.

 

[MLeeK]

You have to give us the budget to work within.
In order from newest to oldest
Rebel line
T4i
T3i
T2i
T3
XS
XSi
XTi
XT

XXD
60D
50D
40D
30D
20D
10D
D30

 

[robstapp85]

My budget is around $500. Sorry for not including that.

 

[TCampbell]

Check Canon's refurbished store. A refurb camera is less risky than a "used" camera because you're buying it direct from Canon and they provide a warranty that the camera is working (which you don't get when you buy a used camera.)

The url to their store is here: Canon Direct Store - Refurbished EOS Digital SLR Cameras

You'll find that there's not much of a savings to buy a EOS Rebel T3 (their most basic camera) with kit lens vs. what you could buy it for "new" from an online store. But higher end (but still "entry level") bodies can be quite a savings. For example, I think the street price for a "new" EOS Rebel T2i with kit lens (a few steps up from a T3) is about $600, but a refurb is only about $450 (which is only a few dollars more than a T3).

Shop around though... I think even Adorma and B&H may sell "refurbished" units as well.

The camera (when purchased with the 18-55mm kit lens) will include everything you "need" to get started EXCEPT a memory card (but those are not very expensive... a 16GB card is probably about $15.) It will not come with a bag or case.

If you find a bundled deal where they're trying to throw in bags, filters, tripods, extra "lenses" (which aren't really lenses at all)... steer clear. Generally everything they throw in in one of those bundles is junk quality.

Just get the camera w/kit lens (it'll come with a strap, a battery, a charger, cables, software, etc.)
Get a memory card (it uses SD or SDHC memory cards. For a T2i I'd suggest getting a "Class 10" card because that card is fast enough to keep up with video if you want to use the camera for that.)
You may want to get a bag, although strictly speaking when you only have 1 body and 1 lens and nothing else to throw in the bag then the bag isn't really an "essential". It's the kind of thing I'd definitely want if I started buying an extra lens or two, maybe a dedicated flash, some filters, etc.

 

[Light Guru]

My budget is around $500. Sorry for not including that.

Well there is not much in the new market for that budget.

Here is a filtered search of B&H

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/searc...70227&cm_sp=Filters-_-Category-_-DSLR_Cameras

You may also want to look into used cameras.

check out your local craigslist posts

 

[ceejtank]

I don't have much to add besides that this sounds like a KICKASS gift!!

 

[jhenry330]

I would shop the crop cameras, but I would try for a t1i or newer. Before the t1i, the display screens weren't as pretty and video capabilities were limited or non-existent.

 

[jwbryson1]

B&H has plenty of used Canon's that appear to be in your range. You are MUCH MUCH MUCH safer buying used from B&H than you are buying from Craigslist:

Used SLR Digital Cameras | B&H Photo Video