what to buy?

[shawnxstl]

beginner here looking to get into this.
$1000 budget.

requirements to be met in the budget:
Camera body and lens, obviously.
Tripod


Extra (would be nice...):
Flash unit.


Is a flash unit a requirement when starting out? I know im going to need one at some point in time...

The two ideas i have in mind right now are:
1) http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-Digital-Reduction-18-55mm-3-5-5-6/dp/B0012Q72IY
With a tripod. (flash would be bought later.)

2)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/438940-REG/Sony_DSLRA100K_Alpha_DSLR_A100_Digital_Camera.html
With tripod and flash.


thoughts?

 

[Mystwalker]

With this $1000 budget be it?
Will you want to buy any lens in the future?

I did not ask myself this when I was looking. I got lucky and got Canon - will make same decision today, but for different reasons.

If you plan on doing something specific in future (birds/animals, insects, portraits, etc ...), you may also want to look at pricing/availibility of lens for those purpose.

I would recommend Canon because I have one
But you can't go wrong with Nikon either - they must have more attractive advertising because allof my friends have Nikons.

I was using a cheap Walmart tripod with my 30D and kit 28-135. No problems at all. Upgraded to something ~$300 when I started using a much heavier lens. If you are planning on staying with kit lens, a cheap tripod will do the trick - I'm assuming you do not want to spend $200-$300 on a tripod.

 

[Battou]

Canon Film cameras. with the current dSLR market you will have difficulty affording both a body and a lens let alone a triopd. A new film camera runs a couple hundred dollars cheaper than a refurbished digital. Most of the last generation SLR bodies use the same lens mount as the current dSLRs of the respective make. You could take that road and still be able to afford and use lenses that should in most cases be usable when upgraded to a digital body.

The Canon EOS Rebel T2 averages around $200 USD (and I believe is still available in store at Wal-Mart), A Photo Film enabled scanner like this one can be found for under a hundred. The base setup is under $400. And the T2 operates on the EF mount the same as the digital rebels. Lenses are going to cost a pretty pennie but they will last you well into the time you get a digital, but you still have six hundred of that initial thousand to put into lenses and whatnot else.

 

[shawnxstl]

Myst, no. The $1000 is not the final budget but it's what im using to start with. More lenses will be bought in the future but im not really sure what specific thing i want to yet. Battou, im not really looking to mess with film. Let alone waste 400$ to hold me over until i get more money to spend on a dslr. Its not like im buying all of this tomorrow but i want to know what im going to get before i get the money so i have some time to study it more and make a better decision if need be.

 

[MX962]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/457506-REG/Canon_1236B002_EOS_Digital_Rebel_XTi.html

And maybe somthing like this to start off with
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/149629-USA/Canon_2562A002_Zoom_W_A_Telephoto_EF_28_135mm.html
Ask your self why you would want a sony befor you buy one

 

[shawnxstl]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/457506-REG/Canon_1236B002_EOS_Digital_Rebel_XTi.html

And maybe somthing like this to start off with
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/149629-USA/Canon_2562A002_Zoom_W_A_Telephoto_EF_28_135mm.html
Ask your self why you would want a sony befor you buy one

Doing this leaves me no money for anything else.
It would leave me with a little under 100$ and i would still need a tripod. the tripod im getting is $120 (already have that picked out. plan on using it for a long time).

Maybe that body with a cheaper lens?

What advantages does that rebel have over the k200d?

 

[MX962]

Doing this leaves me no money for anything else.
It would leave me with a little under 100$ and i would still need a tripod. the tripod im getting is $120 (already have that picked out. plan on using it for a long time).

Maybe that body with a cheaper lens?

What advantages does that rebel have over the k200d?

Personally I have no desire to use a Pentax So I cant realy coment on them .
"I would go cheap body and better glass" keep the good glass get better body when you can afford it

 

[ChickenFriedRyce]

I wouldn't kick Sony out. Even though there are very few Sony fans on this website, Sony is now in the game. I have just received my Sony A200 on Thursday. It's a beautiful camera with great quality. I'd say for my first dSLR, I absolutely would reccomend it to anyone. It's $600 with a Kit lens and I heard it's much better than an A100 in Noise Comparison. With the $400 dollars leftover, you could buy another lens, flash, or tripod.

Just keep some options in your grasp. Canon and Nikon are good but I reccomend Sony. And if you're wanting the flash, the A200 might need it often because auto popup flash doesn't pop up as high.

Read some reviews of cameras before buying.

 

[shawnxstl]

is there a site anyone can link me to that has a comparison table between cameras?

or does BH have one that im just overlooking?

 

[ChickenFriedRyce]

Dpreview.

 

[Harmony]

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sidebyside.asp

That link should lead right to their comparison page.

 

[sultan]

I am a Pentax guy and love my Pentax but I have to say that the sony is a better deal. However, look at the Pentax K100D. About same price as the Sony and better High ISO performance.

 

[Mystwalker]

Both the A200 and K200 for their price range look VERY attractive compared to offerings from Nikon or Canon.

Hope this lights fire under Canon to get off their behind because I want all those bells and whistles, but do not want to lose my 70-200.

While I would like to say "buy Canon" ... after looking at price+feature of A200 & K200, I am speechless. Glad I'm not the one having to make this decision today.

 

[shawnxstl]

So do you think that getting A200 + flash + tripod would be good for starting out?

If so:
Camera: 580
Tripod: 130
Flash: ???

That would leave me with a little under $300 for a flash unit.
That also might be enough to get another lens though, right?

What would you do with the other 300?

 

[Village Idiot]

Both the A200 and K200 for their price range look VERY attractive compared to offerings from Nikon or Canon.

Hope this lights fire under Canon to get off their behind because I want all those bells and whistles, but do not want to lose my 70-200.

While I would like to say "buy Canon" ... after looking at price+feature of A200 & K200, I am speechless. Glad I'm not the one having to make this decision today.

Actually, they're all pretty similar. The K200D takes AA's, which is a downer imo. I've went nearly 1000 shots on my 30d with battery grip. This was my pre-IS and pre-flash days.

And anymore, if a noob is serious about photography and looking at Canon, I tell them to skip the entry level XTI's and upcoming XSI's and look at a 30D or 40D. A 30D is a very good camera and costs $750-$800 new and the 40D's can be found for about the price of the XSI. That's more expensive than the A200 and K200D, but imo, is a much better platform for some one that will be advancing in photography.