What camera for a beginner? £200~

[PapaHett]

Hey Guys,

I'd really love to get into Photography.. I'm considering picking up a camera second hand? My maximum would be £250..

Any suggestions?

There's a Canon 300d for sale in the classifieds at the minute..

[beano500]

Whilst you'll pick up a secondhand SLR, for that money and starting out you could have a pretty good Panasonic Lumix compact camera that will turn out great results and still give you lots of room for learning stuff. FZ35 I think is the latest one.

Have a cousin with an FZ18 - she's doing evening classes and she turns out beautiful stuff that most people think is on an SLR. Some prints made on an Epson printer she has are brilliant.

I think there's nothing better for the motivation if you can glimpse some good results from the start.

[Felters]

Nikon D50 would also be a good start... plenty on eBay for around £200 or so.

[PapaHett]

Felters said:

Nikon D50 would also be a good start... plenty on eBay for around £200 or so.

What would the Canon 1000D be like? They can be got for around £300~

[beano500]

If you're intent on a dSLR, get your hands around a Nikon and a Canon. See what "fits".

There are three types of dSLR users:

Nikonites - ergonomically good
Canonites - logically good
Terminites - the people that either are happy to be different or have the photographic equivalent of "Bonnet Terminitus" and don't look up for the horizon and the possibility of building a system long term.

You're on the right lines with the models you mention but we don't know what will give you that "ooh-ah-yes" 'til you handle them.

Next - what are you going to shoot? We need to consider which lenses are your likely ideal candidates.