Recommendations for a beginner?

ridiculous

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I've decided that I want to start getting into photography. It will be more of a hobby if anything. What cameras do you recommend for beginners? A camera around the $100-$200 range would be lovely but I feel that those don't exist.

Thanks!
 
I don't know what you'll find for SLR bodies/lenses that cheaply, but you can certainly find point-and-shoots down in that range. One thing most photographers will agree on is that photography is more about the person than the equipment. Practicing with even the cheapest camera will help you learn about composition, lighting, etc. (Not to mention, a little point-and-shoot is easier to carry around, so you can practice shooting anything that catches your eye.)
 
I would buy a mid range point and shoot to start with and go on some sort of workshop/course for a day and get a feel for it and get some idea about composition.
As you get more interested in photography you will out grow the point and shoot and upgrade to better equipment. I suppose this is the same with any hobby
 
I wish I had known about KEH before I bought my first camera. I would have saved my pennies and bought a used pro body instead of the sony h9 I did by.

Add the$ 450 I spent there with the coin on the D90 I did buy, one could get a rather nice rig.

You won't get much for$ 100 and used is likely the only way you could get started
 
You're not going to find a decent SLR body in that range unless it's really old and beat up, and most lenses cost more than your entire budget.

I may be willing to part with my little "SLR hybrid" camera for $200 though. It's an 8.1MP Panasonic DMC-FZ18 with 18x optical zoom and gives you control of all the manual shooting features (aperture/ISO/shutter speed/etc) and has a really nice Leica lens. That's what I bought to get my feet wet in photography, and just recently (5 days ago) bought a proper SLR to replace it. Have an extra battery to go with it too. :thumbup:

Info and specs here:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 Digital Camera - Review - The Imaging Resource!


Here are some pics I took with it, most from a vacation in Alaska recently:

1WTYZ.jpg


2bRht.jpg


AfDXx.jpg


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OJ4Uw.jpg



Hopefully it's OK that I'm posting this here.. mods let me know if it's not.
 
That little Panasonic does alright for a P&S digital!!!
 
I picked up a Pentax K110d for $180 new locally. You probably won't find it that cheap, but they are right around $200 used on ebay and the like. . . Great camera, I found it easier to get used to than the Nikon's and Canon's I played with before buying, but for the price, I couldn't pass it up. 6.1mp, compatible with all Pentax K-mount lenses, and for the price, it's got a lot of features seen on higher-end DSLR's.

Just my opinion, your results may vary.
 
I would look for any of the Panasonic Lumix FZ series. I had an FZ8, and it was an awesome camera. I picked it up used, in like new condition on Amazon for $150. Also the Fujifilm S1000,1500,2000 are good cameras, and should be right around your price range as well.
 
im thinking about purchasing a used camera. im a bit hesitant with buying used electronics though. if you bought a used camera how was your experience? i just feel like i'm going to have it and it's break down some how =\. are there stores selling used cameras that come with warranty's?

thank for all the help!
 
im thinking about purchasing a used camera. im a bit hesitant with buying used electronics though. if you bought a used camera how was your experience? i just feel like i'm going to have it and it's break down some how =\. are there stores selling used cameras that come with warranty's?

thank for all the help!

There's nothing wrong with buying a used camera. Make sure it's cosmetically in decent shape, which is a good indication that the owner took care of it. There's ALWAYS the risk of it breaking.. but even a new camera typically only has a 1 year warranty, and it has the same likelihood of breaking after a year than a used one would.

Another option.. If you buy used on ebay or buy one factory refurbished, you can get a Squaretrade warranty.
 

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