Thanks for having me

LoveMyDaughter · Mar 5, 2021

Hello, just joined this afternoon, hoping to learn about cameras in this modern era, before I buy my daughter some new equipment. Long story, short version. Long ago I was dabbling In photography some, had a couple Nikon 35mm film cameras, some lenses, flashes, filters etc. After several Years, even bought myself a Nikon D50. Life got busy, and I just put them away in their Pelican cases and forgot about them. In that time span, got married to an amazing lady, had a daughter, and was opening my own business. My wife passed away suddenly, leaving me brokenhearted, and with a toddler to raise on my own. Well eventually I sold our house, and moved about 2 hours drive away. When settling into our new home, my then 8 year old daughter found my old equipment, not touched in a long time, and she became Very interested in it. Bought a new battery for the D50, and got everything going, as well picked up some SD cards and 35mm film. She took to it extremely well, asked thousands of questions, and packed a camera everywhere. I figured that would be a quick phase, she was only 8 after all. Jump ahead to today, I've bought her a few more things, including a ring light, and macro lens. Turning 15 next month, Holly is now totally into photography. So I would like to get her a new Nikon body, something a lot better, but doesn't have to be the latest and greatest. So joined to pick the brilliant minds here, as I upgrade for her. Want something compatible with the old lenses and flashes, but works well. Also want to know what are the best SD cards to buy her for that new body. Thank you very much for having me.
Marty

Destin · Mar 5, 2021

Hey, Marty! Welcome to the forum! It would help us to give you the best recommendations if you could answer the following questions for us:

1.) What is your budget for this purchase?

2.) What does Holly most like to take photos of?

3.) What lenses do you currently have? This could affect body recommendations because certain older lenses (especially from the D50 era) may require an in body focus motor, which many of the newer entry level camera bodies do not have.

4.) Are you comfortable buying something lightly used in order to get a better camera within your budget?

My very first inclination is to recommend a used Nikon D7100 or D7200 as a huge leap forward while remaining budget conscious, but that may change with some of the answers you provide.

LoveMyDaughter · Mar 6, 2021

Hi Destin, thanks for the warm welcome. To be honest, I don't know how much a good body costs, couldn't even begin to remember what I paid for the old D50 long ago. My guess is they could range from $600 to $6,000 Canadian. I would be comfortable spending up to $2,000 plus a few good SD cards which are pricey I've learned.

Holly shoots everything from plants and trees, to wildlife, mountains, dirt bikes, wakeboarders, city shots, our dogs constantly, and more.
Pretty sure that most if not all the lenses do require a body that can focus them. She most often uses her 18-200, but also has a macro lens that could be 90mm or so, and she has a 28-80? And also an older 300mm its a fast lens i bought long ago because I was into motocross racing, and taking pictures of the riders, so i needed a fast 300mm, i paid a good chunk of cash for it over 20 years ago. She often manual focuses the macro and 300 I've noticed, but i hear it whirring away frequently when using the 18-200 i bought her maybe 5 years ago.
I would prefer to buy new, but possibly a lightly used, not very old used body.

Space Face · Mar 6, 2021

Hello there.

Destin · Mar 6, 2021

LoveMyDaughter said:
Hi Destin, thanks for the warm welcome. To be honest, I don't know how much a good body costs, couldn't even begin to remember what I paid for the old D50 long ago. My guess is they could range from $600 to $6,000 Canadian. I would be comfortable spending up to $2,000 plus a few good SD cards which are pricey I've learned.

Holly shoots everything from plants and trees, to wildlife, mountains, dirt bikes, wakeboarders, city shots, our dogs constantly, and more.
Pretty sure that most if not all the lenses do require a body that can focus them. She most often uses her 18-200, but also has a macro lens that could be 90mm or so, and she has a 28-80? And also an older 300mm its a fast lens i bought long ago because I was into motocross racing, and taking pictures of the riders, so i needed a fast 300mm, i paid a good chunk of cash for it over 20 years ago. She often manual focuses the macro and 300 I've noticed, but i hear it whirring away frequently when using the 18-200 i bought her maybe 5 years ago.
I would prefer to buy new, but possibly a lightly used, not very old used body.

Based on your budget and the existing lens collection, I would say you’re looking for a high end APS-C sensor (Dx) body from Nikon.

My recommendation in that area would be the Nikon D500. I owned one for a few years, and it’s the camera I regret selling the most. Absolutely built like a tank, extremely good image quality, ridiculously fast autofocus. Compatible with pretty much every lens Nikon has made in ages. New it sells for $1500 (USD, not sure CAD) and they go for around $1000 used. It’s the best APS-C sensor DSLR that Nikon currently makes.

Here’s a link to the camera.

It has dual card slots, accepting one XQD card and one SD card. The XQD is pretty new technology and works very well, but they’re certainly pricey. Fast cameras require fast cards to keep up, however.

If I was buying, I’d get this XQD, and this SD.

This is all just my opinion, but I’ve owned each of the items and highly recommend them based on my experience shooting sports and events with them.

That being said, it’s worth considering whether it may be wise to switch to a mirrorless setup, since that’s definitely the way of the future.. the issue is that you’d have to use all of your current lenses on an FTZ adapter, and some of them (the ones requiring the in body motor) wouldn’t be able to autofocus. Dedicated mirrorless lenses are very expensive, as are the camera bodies. All in all, if I were you I’d stick with DSLRs for now and grab the D500, but you should certainly wait for other members to chime in with their knowledge before making a decision. There is much wisdom on this forum, and someone may have advice better than mine.

Original katomi · Mar 6, 2021

Hi welcome
I can’t speak to the camera as I use canon
But used kit now your talking my lingo
I buy most of my kid used
Advice unless you really know what you are looking at I would stick to good well know retail outlets
Any camera / lens sat in the window or on display that does not have the lens or body caps on
Forget it is going to be full of dust and sm insects
Yes it happens, I chewed out the manager of a shop that sales camera kit as well as everything else
He did not know as it was not a camera shop and he did not do photography
Well hope you get on well
I think the min age to join is 13 You could one of the mod or staff to be sure
All the best

terri · Mar 6, 2021

Welcome to TPF! We're happy to have you joining us! You'll get good information here as you continue your photographic journey with your daughter Holly.

Once you start taking pictures, please check out our Photo Galleries and post some work - your own as well as Holly's.

Keep posting and have fun!

LoveMyDaughter · Mar 6, 2021

Thank you everyone!

Destin, appreciate that, and I will google the 500. Never even heard of that other card, only SD, and Micro SD. A couple of years ago I saw a good deal on a 6 pack of cards, they were junk though. That was my lesson on needing to spend a lot for good ones.

Dave Maciak · Mar 7, 2021

LoveMyDaughter said:
Hello, just joined this afternoon, hoping to learn about cameras in this modern era, before I buy my daughter some new equipment. Long story, short version. Long ago I was dabbling In photography some, had a couple Nikon 35mm film cameras, some lenses, flashes, filters etc. After several Years, even bought myself a Nikon D50. Life got busy, and I just put them away in their Pelican cases and forgot about them. In that time span, got married to an amazing lady, had a daughter, and was opening my own business. My wife passed away suddenly, leaving me brokenhearted, and with a toddler to raise on my own. Well eventually I sold our house, and moved about 2 hours drive away. When settling into our new home, my then 8 year old daughter found my old equipment, not touched in a long time, and she became Very interested in it. Bought a new battery for the D50, and got everything going, as well picked up some SD cards and 35mm film. She took to it extremely well, asked thousands of questions, and packed a camera everywhere. I figured that would be a quick phase, she was only 8 after all. Jump ahead to today, I've bought her a few more things, including a ring light, and macro lens. Turning 15 next month, Holly is now totally into photography. So I would like to get her a new Nikon body, something a lot better, but doesn't have to be the latest and greatest. So joined to pick the brilliant minds here, as I upgrade for her. Want something compatible with the old lenses and flashes, but works well. Also want to know what are the best SD cards to buy her for that new body. Thank you very much for having me.
Marty

Welcome: I'd advise to take serious look at the Nikon D3500 for price and ability. It comes as a kit with a very good VR zoom lens. I've had mine for quite a while and it's proved to be well worthy of all the great reports (see Ken Rockwell).

LoveMyDaughter · Mar 7, 2021

Thanks Dave, good to hear the 3500 works well. She has a good selection of lenses already thankfully, was planning to just update the old body though. While looking at the D500, came across the 7500, sounds like an amazing camera for the price, may buy one...still looking.