second hand

ando · Nov 29, 2005

is it alright to buy second hand dslr if yes which one would u suggest for under $1000 AUS.

jstuedle · Nov 30, 2005

Any Nikon or Canon within your price range. I own 3 Nikon DSLR's. Today 2 can be bought for well under $700 US, and the third for about $1600 US. They each listed for about $5K when bought new. Just check it out well and ask for a warranty. 30 days will tell you how it will perform.

Jeff Canes · Dec 1, 2005

The Canon D60 (6-mpix) and D30 (3-mpix) have a shutter lag time problem that was common with most digital cameras just 4 years ago. Both would be fine for landscapes, still life & portraits. But nothing moving.

usayit · Dec 1, 2005

My first digital SLR was a D30. I really enjoyed that camera and i have no problems recommending a good conditioned D30 as a first. At that time, I was only producing 5x7 and 4x6 prints and it did so wonderfully. At least for me, the shutter lag was really no big deal. Results were more than acceptable when I took shots during a Polo game.

A local high end camera shop ( priced generally on the high side as well ) has a used D60 for $600. You should be able to obtain a D60 for less than that.

wburychka · Dec 5, 2005

I'm not familiar with the current exchange rate with US dollars, but generally speaking I favor a bottom level new DSLR. With a new Canon 350D or Nikon D50 or KM Maxxum 5D, you get the latest in sensor technology for low noise, the latest fastest processors, and a new camera warranty. I've seen the KM Maxxum 5D for as little as $550 (US) online.

Enhancements in DSLRs have been significant in just the last two and a half years. Things like instant power on can make your photo life a lot easier. No shutter lag, fast saving of images to memory, higher ISO with low noise... All these things are why those other cameras are available used. These are major functional improvements, not cosmetic changes.

Just another point of view.

Best regards,
Bill