Looking for some camera buying advice for a beginner
Discussion
About 8 years ago, I bought a new Nikon D70 for about £400 and I then had issues with my main PC and I had to sell the D80 about 6 months later to fund a PC update and repair.
Fast forward to November 2016 and we came back from holiday with some of the most disappointing holiday snaps we have ever had and yes we appreciated that we couldn't blame the cameras that we were using (Compacts and phones), but I had been playing with my friend's 5500 and had some great results, so having been relatively happy with my old D80, I set out looking for a used Nikon 3100 or similar and I managed to get a 3100 with 70-200, kit lens, bag, two memory cards and a few other bits for £200 on Gumtree.
New DSLRs are expensive, so if you are starting out, I also advise going for a used camera kit. I personally wish I'd gone down the MPB route as they have a lot of choice and some are pretty good value compared to new. More recently I've been getting more adventurous with the A and S modes, but still need more practice. Outlaws bought me a couple of lessons, so hopefully these will help.
There is also loads of videos on YouTube, but you really need the time to practice and I really struggle with this (4hr round trip commute and two kids)
One thing I like is going to the zoo and photographing the animals. We have a Whipsnade Season Ticket and I've been thinking about a longer lens than the 200, but that may not be the answer.
In summary, I don't think you will be disappointed with the 3100. I'm really pleased with mine and I shall avoid upgrading the body for a while yet until I have got to grips with the skills.
Fast forward to November 2016 and we came back from holiday with some of the most disappointing holiday snaps we have ever had and yes we appreciated that we couldn't blame the cameras that we were using (Compacts and phones), but I had been playing with my friend's 5500 and had some great results, so having been relatively happy with my old D80, I set out looking for a used Nikon 3100 or similar and I managed to get a 3100 with 70-200, kit lens, bag, two memory cards and a few other bits for £200 on Gumtree.
New DSLRs are expensive, so if you are starting out, I also advise going for a used camera kit. I personally wish I'd gone down the MPB route as they have a lot of choice and some are pretty good value compared to new. More recently I've been getting more adventurous with the A and S modes, but still need more practice. Outlaws bought me a couple of lessons, so hopefully these will help.
There is also loads of videos on YouTube, but you really need the time to practice and I really struggle with this (4hr round trip commute and two kids)
One thing I like is going to the zoo and photographing the animals. We have a Whipsnade Season Ticket and I've been thinking about a longer lens than the 200, but that may not be the answer.
In summary, I don't think you will be disappointed with the 3100. I'm really pleased with mine and I shall avoid upgrading the body for a while yet until I have got to grips with the skills.
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