Used dslr: where is the best budget buy?
Discussion
Golaboots said:
Go for a Nikon d70s £75 to £100. These were a mid range camera back in the day which means that you get a pentaprism viewfinder, which will be brighter and larger than on entry level models.
A 50mm f1.8 prime would be a sensible lens for around £50 too.
Won't six megapixels feel like a big step back in time?A 50mm f1.8 prime would be a sensible lens for around £50 too.
Had set my sights on around the 10mp mark, having seen some sample stuff around the net.
Shhh!
Don't say it too loud, but I may have got mrs Cjelli coming around to the idea of a dslr, which may mean I don't have to go for the absolute cheapest option.
It may be a straight fight between canon 1100d and the nikon 3100d.
I've read plenty of stuff online, and will probably go and have a fiddle on Tuesday.
But without trying to promote any tribal fanboyism, which do you think?
The main differences to this layman seem to be 1080 vs 720 video to the nikon, not a deal breaker, as I want a camera rather than a camcorder, but better is better.
A few people seem to lament the lack of auto exposure bracketing for hdr images on the nikon. After five minutes finding out what all that meant, is it something I will miss? Some of the HDR results look stunning, but am I going to be doing this?
Consensus seems to be better image quality from the nikon, but not sure I will be able to tell at this level. And the canon is marginally cheaper and comes with a free tripod at the moment.
Don't say it too loud, but I may have got mrs Cjelli coming around to the idea of a dslr, which may mean I don't have to go for the absolute cheapest option.
It may be a straight fight between canon 1100d and the nikon 3100d.
I've read plenty of stuff online, and will probably go and have a fiddle on Tuesday.
But without trying to promote any tribal fanboyism, which do you think?
The main differences to this layman seem to be 1080 vs 720 video to the nikon, not a deal breaker, as I want a camera rather than a camcorder, but better is better.
A few people seem to lament the lack of auto exposure bracketing for hdr images on the nikon. After five minutes finding out what all that meant, is it something I will miss? Some of the HDR results look stunning, but am I going to be doing this?
Consensus seems to be better image quality from the nikon, but not sure I will be able to tell at this level. And the canon is marginally cheaper and comes with a free tripod at the moment.
Keep your eye on http://stores.ebay.co.uk/canon-outlet
It is the official Canon outlet. Refurbished equipment which is indistinguishable from brand new (which a lot of it is).
EOS 1100D + kit lens recently went for £175
600D + kit lens went for £330
Warranty is a full year, supported by Canon.
It is the official Canon outlet. Refurbished equipment which is indistinguishable from brand new (which a lot of it is).
EOS 1100D + kit lens recently went for £175
600D + kit lens went for £330
Warranty is a full year, supported by Canon.
Zad said:
Keep your eye on http://stores.ebay.co.uk/canon-outlet
It is the official Canon outlet. Refurbished equipment which is indistinguishable from brand new (which a lot of it is).
EOS 1100D + kit lens recently went for £175
600D + kit lens went for £330
Warranty is a full year, supported by Canon.
It is the official Canon outlet. Refurbished equipment which is indistinguishable from brand new (which a lot of it is).
EOS 1100D + kit lens recently went for £175
600D + kit lens went for £330
Warranty is a full year, supported by Canon.
Been looking, but the dslr stuff has been a bit rich for my blood.
Would certainly catch my eye at £175 for the 1100d so will keep refreshing.
Oh, and going back to the used options, I've just priced up this:
http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us...
And this:
http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us...
So a total price of £178 for a 400d with a decent bit of zoomage.
Good place to start?
http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us...
And this:
http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us...
So a total price of £178 for a 400d with a decent bit of zoomage.
Good place to start?
Good camera, bad lens. More zoom does not mean better - that one will only be useful for sports/wildlife. Possibly an option as a second lens if those are your interests but you'll want something general purpose to begin with.
Go for something with 18mm on the wide end - good for landscapes and cities. Long end is up to you. 55mm is enough for most things outside of sports/wildlife though
Go for something with 18mm on the wide end - good for landscapes and cities. Long end is up to you. 55mm is enough for most things outside of sports/wildlife though
Mr Will said:
Good camera, bad lens. More zoom does not mean better - that one will only be useful for sports/wildlife. Possibly an option as a second lens if those are your interests but you'll want something general purpose to begin with.
Go for something with 18mm on the wide end - good for landscapes and cities. Long end is up to you. 55mm is enough for most things outside of sports/wildlife though
Gotcha, it's all a bit Greek to me, but I think I see where this mm lark goes. Smaller number = wider angle and higher = more zoom.Go for something with 18mm on the wide end - good for landscapes and cities. Long end is up to you. 55mm is enough for most things outside of sports/wildlife though
So I guess with that higher start figure I'd be struggling to frame family stuff unless I went and sat on a neighbouring sand dune?
vladcjelli said:
Gotcha, it's all a bit Greek to me, but I think I see where this mm lark goes. Smaller number = wider angle and higher = more zoom.
So I guess with that higher start figure I'd be struggling to frame family stuff unless I went and sat on a neighbouring sand dune?
That's right So I guess with that higher start figure I'd be struggling to frame family stuff unless I went and sat on a neighbouring sand dune?
So this Canon 18-55mm http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us... at it's most zoomed will be the same view as the Tamron you linked at it's least zoomed.
There do exist "super-zooms" which will go all the way from 18-200mm (for example) but these make big sacrifices in quality, weight, usability, etc to achieve this so I'd strongly warn you away from them. Normally the job is done better by having two separate lenses rather than one poor one.
vladcjelli said:
Oh, and going back to the used options, I've just priced up this:
http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us...
And this:
http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us...
So a total price of £178 for a 400d with a decent bit of zoomage.
Good place to start?
Seem decent prices. I wouldn't want the 55-200 as my starting lens - it's a little long for family/landscape stuff. Seriously - just the original kit 18-55 does a sterling starting job. From that lens, you can start to identify where you want to take your photography - wide stuff or long stuff, and buy accordingly.http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us...
And this:
http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us...
So a total price of £178 for a 400d with a decent bit of zoomage.
Good place to start?
Simpo Two said:
Something very similar here. Does look like a decent deal:http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nikon-D80-10-2-MP-Digita...
Turns out to have been a false dawn regarding financial approval from her indoors.
Refocused at cheaper end, and come up with the 350d with 18-55 for around £130. She has not instantly baulked at that, which I take as a good sign.
Struggling to come up with a convincing case she is interested in, even showing her nice portraits of cats taken with the 350d.
I reckon this is my way in, cheap package now, build up a few lenses ready for the body upgrade.
Day off tomorrow, so going to the local London Camera Exchange to try and get a feel, maybe hammer out a compromise.
Refocused at cheaper end, and come up with the 350d with 18-55 for around £130. She has not instantly baulked at that, which I take as a good sign.
Struggling to come up with a convincing case she is interested in, even showing her nice portraits of cats taken with the 350d.
I reckon this is my way in, cheap package now, build up a few lenses ready for the body upgrade.
Day off tomorrow, so going to the local London Camera Exchange to try and get a feel, maybe hammer out a compromise.
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