Tell me about buying 2nd hand DSLR

[jimmyjam]

My wife has decided that she fancies trying to take better pictures than we get with our compact and wants to learn how to use a DSLR. I know nothing about them. Seems that £350+ is entry level for a new camera. I starting thinking about going 2nd hand. Can I get something reasonable for a novice from £200+ and what do I look for and where. Assuming fleabay might be the best? Thanks

[ofcorsa]

D50s seem a bargain on ebay. I'm a canon user and have a 400D which takes stunning pictures, I however do not

[GetCarter]

Geneally: Don't.

D50 is a good one if you follow that route.

Tech moves so fast that modern £350 cameras are *almost* as good as £3500 cameras from half a dozen years ago. (They break more easily and have less buttons, but take just as great pics).

[Dan_1981]

I have a d3000 thats less than a year old, still got the box, all instructions etc etc, probaably used to take less than a 1000 pictures.

I'll be putting it up for sale pretty soon, along with the standard kit lense, battery and charger etc

If your interested feel free to make me an offer - it really is like new.

[jimmyjam]

Thanks guys.
Dan YHM

[Thorburn]

I picked up a second hand 40D a few months back, paid £400 including a battery grip - upgrading from my 350D (again, second hand from a friend just after the 400D came out).

On paper the 550D is a far better camera, but having used both I much prefer the 40D.
I prefer the extra heft of the 40D (including battery grip), the handling, and the 6fps shooting.

By contrast, having used the 550D we have at work I hate the fact if I'm shooting RAW + JPEG it fills the buffers after about 3 shots, and having to use main LCD to adjust settings feels like a step back from the 350D. Feels like they chased on paper specs and ignored usability to make the price point.

[andye30m3]

Might be worth a look here http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us... I've not used them but they seam to be similar to ebay prices but I think they include a short warranty