Your Advice

[Tolkien]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to buy a DSLR camera as my entry-level every-day shooter camera. I want something high quality for a nice budget. I'm just confused on what my options are, I really don't know much. My budget is 300-400 dollars and I am fine with buying refurbished, used, etc.

Thanks

 

[KmH]

$300-$400 is a minimum budget for a digital SLR and a lens, unless you run into a smoking deal.

Look at the used, entry level market with an 18-55mm kit lens, like the Nikon D3000 or a Canon XS.

Since Nikon and Canon have 85% of the dSLR market you'll find a lot more used cameras with those brands.

At that level all the cameras have essentially the same features and capabilities so you can realistically also consider Pentax, Olympus and Sony.

Amazon shows a couple of refurbished Nikon D3000's with a 18-55 mm kit lens for $380.

The next step up is the Nikon D5000. With the same 18-55 kit lens refurbs are going for $580 - $590.

You start getting to pretty good with the Nikon D90. Amazon shows several refurbs from $690 for just a body, no lens.

Above that used prices range from $1100 for a used D300 to $7200 for a used D3X.

You might have noticed that once you reach a certain level cameras don't usually come with a lens anymore.

That's because most shooters have several lenses and keep them, because lenses don't get upgraded as often as camera bodies do.

Welcome to the world of digital SLR photography.

 

[Tolkien]

Thanks for the response.

I'm currently looking at a Nikon D80 right now with 8000 aperature shots. What do you guys think of this? The camera is body-only so I have to find a lens, but I dont want to spend too much so where would I go for that?

Thanks .

 

[KmH]

Thanks for the response.

I'm currently looking at a Nikon D80 right now with 8000 aperature shots. What do you guys think of this? The camera is body-only so I have to find a lens, but I dont want to spend too much so where would I go for that?

Thanks .

The aperture is in the lens, not in the camera.
The camera has the shutter though.

The shutter life of a D80 will probably exceed 50,000 actuations so there is likely plenty of shutter life remaining. Of more importance is the overall condition of the camera and making sure all of the cameras features work properly.

There are several places you can get good used lenses like the used gear departments of both Used Equipment | B&H Photo Video
and Buy Used Cameras, Photographic and Video Equipment from Adorama Camera.

www.keh.com specializes in used gear and you can also find used gear being sold by both camera stores and private sellers at www.amazon.com.

 

[Tolkien]

Hey there,

I just settled for the Canon SX210 IS From my local Best-Buy. They told me it was the best camera for my needs - that an SLR is too complicated and this camera is the stepping point between the point-and-shoot and the DSLRs.

Any opinions? I have 90 days to rewind.

 

[flea77]

Canon bridge cameras are excellent for what they are, and the salesman was correct in that they are the stepping point between PS and DSLRs. The only question that really matters is.... does the camera do what you want/need it to do? If so, great! If not, return it and do something else.

I have owned two of them for vacation cameras, the S2IS and S3IS, both excellent. Loved the use of AA batteries and SD cards, both items available everywhere on the planet. If you only need a bridge camera, I think you picked an excellent one.

Allan