Decent second hand camera or stick with Smartphone?
Discussion
Hi,
I've been spending a lot of time on the coast over the last year or so and am forever taking pics of the coastline.
So mainly landscape shots but occasionally I see a bird or a basking seal, and can't really get close enough with a smartphone zoom. I'm looking to start a new hobby and have a fair bit of freetime so am thinking about a beginners camera and learn a bit more about taking a decent picture.
Don't want to spend too much (£200ish) and will probably get something used but is there a go to beginners camera? I presume a couple of different lenses for landscape and some sort of zoom for wildlife?
Any hints/tips?
Many thanks
I've been spending a lot of time on the coast over the last year or so and am forever taking pics of the coastline.
So mainly landscape shots but occasionally I see a bird or a basking seal, and can't really get close enough with a smartphone zoom. I'm looking to start a new hobby and have a fair bit of freetime so am thinking about a beginners camera and learn a bit more about taking a decent picture.
Don't want to spend too much (£200ish) and will probably get something used but is there a go to beginners camera? I presume a couple of different lenses for landscape and some sort of zoom for wildlife?
Any hints/tips?
Many thanks
Richtea1970 said:
Hi,
I've been spending a lot of time on the coast over the last year or so and am forever taking pics of the coastline.
So mainly landscape shots but occasionally I see a bird or a basking seal, and can't really get close enough with a smartphone zoom. I'm looking to start a new hobby and have a fair bit of freetime so am thinking about a beginners camera and learn a bit more about taking a decent picture.
Don't want to spend too much (£200ish) and will probably get something used but is there a go to beginners camera? I presume a couple of different lenses for landscape and some sort of zoom for wildlife?
Any hints/tips?
Many thanks
TBH, for £200 you're looking at something that's a few years old so I think you perhaps need to manage your expectations as to what you are going to get for the money. Having said that, I had a quick look on eBay, and was surprised as to what you can get for around £200. This, for example....I've been spending a lot of time on the coast over the last year or so and am forever taking pics of the coastline.
So mainly landscape shots but occasionally I see a bird or a basking seal, and can't really get close enough with a smartphone zoom. I'm looking to start a new hobby and have a fair bit of freetime so am thinking about a beginners camera and learn a bit more about taking a decent picture.
Don't want to spend too much (£200ish) and will probably get something used but is there a go to beginners camera? I presume a couple of different lenses for landscape and some sort of zoom for wildlife?
Any hints/tips?
Many thanks
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/327382037264?itmmeta=01...
And then over on MPB, you can get this....
https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/product/nikon-d90/sku-42...
With this lens....
https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/product/nikon-af-s-dx-ni...
Granted, I've just picked the D90 at random. But, it's quite an interesting challenge this - get the best camera/lens combo for £200'ish!.....
Thanks both.
What advantages/disadvantages would having a body/lens combo Vs the all in one quoted above?
Also I forgot I actually had a old Nikon in the drawer. It's a Nikon Coolpix S9900, with a 30x zoom. Looks as thought that could be worth £100 or so so may need able to up the budget a bit?
What advantages/disadvantages would having a body/lens combo Vs the all in one quoted above?
Also I forgot I actually had a old Nikon in the drawer. It's a Nikon Coolpix S9900, with a 30x zoom. Looks as thought that could be worth £100 or so so may need able to up the budget a bit?
Richtea1970 said:
Thanks both.
What advantages/disadvantages would having a body/lens combo Vs the all in one quoted above?
Also I forgot I actually had a old Nikon in the drawer. It's a Nikon Coolpix S9900, with a 30x zoom. Looks as thought that could be worth £100 or so so may need able to up the budget a bit?
Having a separate body/lens combo will give you more flexibility, which will come into play if your fledgling photography hobby takes off. You can cherry-pick lenses for certain situations, i.e. primes for low-light street shooting, fast wide angle lenses for astrophotography, macro lenses for nature, etc. And, depending on what body you go for and the age of the model, chances are it will offer more capability than an all-in-one solution. That doesn't mean to say that the all-in-one solution will give you sub-standard photos, but the lens/body combo will certainly give you more flexibility.What advantages/disadvantages would having a body/lens combo Vs the all in one quoted above?
Also I forgot I actually had a old Nikon in the drawer. It's a Nikon Coolpix S9900, with a 30x zoom. Looks as thought that could be worth £100 or so so may need able to up the budget a bit?
Richtea1970 said:
I'm looking at a Nikon D7000 potentially now, as seems to be recommended as a good quality starter kit. Any thoughts on that?
Then I would presume a 'normal' lense and a high telephoto lens for any wildlife stuff?
Whilst I'm not an expert on Nikon DSLRs (I'm an Olympus M4/3 user), you should be absolutely fine with something like the D7000 as, looking at the spec sheet, its a very capable camera. In terms of lenses, you will probably get more bang for your buck if you pick up lenses from the likes of Sigma, as they offer very decent glass without paying a premium for a Nikon name.Then I would presume a 'normal' lense and a high telephoto lens for any wildlife stuff?
The MPB website is out of action at the moment, as they're doing upgrades, but when it's back online I'll have a look through and see what Sigma & Tamron lenses you can pick up. FYI - MPB is a decent place to pick up 2nd hand gear, as they check through all the kit they have and they come with a 12month warranty.
One thing I will say, is that if you are moving from a smartphone to something like a D7000, then be prepared for a learning curve!. However, once you've got the basics nailed, then you can start to explore the 'exposure triangle' to get the most out of the camera.
MPB is back up, so i had a quick look. I suspect people will be along to offer alternatives, but these look like decent additions to the D7000 body....
https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/product/sigma-17-50mm-f-...
https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/product/sigma-70-300mm-f...
https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/product/sigma-17-50mm-f-...
https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/product/sigma-70-300mm-f...
Just saw this thread while eating my lunch...
I have a Canon Powershot SX 60 HS that I've had for years.
It still gets used from time to time and always surprises me how decent it is overall.
At music gigs I am often up front over the barriers as it's my other half performing and for some shots, B&W and simple effects it gets better photos than the iphone 17 promax. That said, it's only for certain photos - rest of the time the iiphone is miles better.
I got mine maybe 8 or 9 years ago from CEX and I'm pretty sure I paid less than 200 for it then. Looking now it's maybe even appreciated !
https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/product/canon-powershot-...
The zoom is very good but the cmos is not large so fully zoomed can be a little grainy sometimes
I have a Canon Powershot SX 60 HS that I've had for years.
It still gets used from time to time and always surprises me how decent it is overall.
At music gigs I am often up front over the barriers as it's my other half performing and for some shots, B&W and simple effects it gets better photos than the iphone 17 promax. That said, it's only for certain photos - rest of the time the iiphone is miles better.
I got mine maybe 8 or 9 years ago from CEX and I'm pretty sure I paid less than 200 for it then. Looking now it's maybe even appreciated !
https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/product/canon-powershot-...
The zoom is very good but the cmos is not large so fully zoomed can be a little grainy sometimes
On any interchangeable lens camera a lens for wildlife is going to cost much more than your £200 budget.
A wildlife lens has to have good magnification and let a lot of light in. That's expensive. The bigger the sensor in the camera, the more expensive.
A sensible compromise for your budget would be a bridge camera. It looks like a mirrorless or DSLR, but has a fixed lens. Typically bridge cameras have smaller sensor elements than cameras with interchangeable lenses. A smaller sensor makes it cheaper to build a long lens and typically that's what bridge cameras have.
The disadvantage is that these cameras have smaller sensors, so images will be noisier, or shutter speeds slower. You'll also find it harder to get a shallow depth of field. But if you want a long lens camera for £200, I think bridge is the way to go. The good news is that it will also hit the wide angle landscape brief.
A wildlife lens has to have good magnification and let a lot of light in. That's expensive. The bigger the sensor in the camera, the more expensive.
A sensible compromise for your budget would be a bridge camera. It looks like a mirrorless or DSLR, but has a fixed lens. Typically bridge cameras have smaller sensor elements than cameras with interchangeable lenses. A smaller sensor makes it cheaper to build a long lens and typically that's what bridge cameras have.
The disadvantage is that these cameras have smaller sensors, so images will be noisier, or shutter speeds slower. You'll also find it harder to get a shallow depth of field. But if you want a long lens camera for £200, I think bridge is the way to go. The good news is that it will also hit the wide angle landscape brief.
Again thank you all for your inputs.
I had thought about a bridge camera as they do have decent zoom and I know that a 70-300mm lens won't have anything like that, but I'm no David Attenborough and my 'wildlife' pics will probably be limited to the odd seagull so I'm not sure if a 50x zoom will really be necessary, if picture quality is compromised.
On that, how much of a photo is dictated by post shot software editing? For example, I've read that the bridge camera picture quality can suffer in lower light or at max zoom. Is this something that can be repaired/enhanced via software editing?
As I said earlier, I do have a Nikon S9900, which is a compact camera but does have 30 x zoom. But it is really only usable outside in good light.
I had thought about a bridge camera as they do have decent zoom and I know that a 70-300mm lens won't have anything like that, but I'm no David Attenborough and my 'wildlife' pics will probably be limited to the odd seagull so I'm not sure if a 50x zoom will really be necessary, if picture quality is compromised.
On that, how much of a photo is dictated by post shot software editing? For example, I've read that the bridge camera picture quality can suffer in lower light or at max zoom. Is this something that can be repaired/enhanced via software editing?
As I said earlier, I do have a Nikon S9900, which is a compact camera but does have 30 x zoom. But it is really only usable outside in good light.
Richtea1970 said:
I had thought about a bridge camera as they do have decent zoom and I know that a 70-300mm lens won't have anything like that, but I'm no David Attenborough and my 'wildlife' pics will probably be limited to the odd seagull so I'm not sure if a 50x zoom will really be necessary, if picture quality is compromised.
On that, how much of a photo is dictated by post shot software editing? For example, I've read that the bridge camera picture quality can suffer in lower light or at max zoom. Is this something that can be repaired/enhanced via software editing?
As I said earlier, I do have a Nikon S9900, which is a compact camera but does have 30 x zoom. But it is really only usable outside in good light.
I nearly posted yesterday to the effect that you should move from terms like '50x zoom' to focal length, and aperture, and step into the world of image processing to make the most of your photos. Certainly with a DSLR you won't get perfect smartphone snaps every time, you'll need to know more and work a bit harder, especially on exposure.On that, how much of a photo is dictated by post shot software editing? For example, I've read that the bridge camera picture quality can suffer in lower light or at max zoom. Is this something that can be repaired/enhanced via software editing?
As I said earlier, I do have a Nikon S9900, which is a compact camera but does have 30 x zoom. But it is really only usable outside in good light.
Poor image quality (noise) in low light means you need to have one or more of several things - bigger aperture, higher ISO, longer shutter speed, more light (eg flash). It's made worse by small sensors. The issue with max zoom is that the lens will have a smaller aperture at that length, exactly what you don't want. But there is more to photography than 'zoom'.
I have a well-used Nikon D200 body with charger, 3 batteries and manual which I could donate to a needy PHer. Just cover postage.
Simpo Two said:
I nearly posted yesterday to the effect that you should move from terms like '50x zoom' to focal length, and aperture, and step into the world of image processing to make the most of your photos. Certainly with a DSLR you won't get perfect smartphone snaps every time, you'll need to know more and work a bit harder, especially on exposure.
Poor image quality (noise) in low light means you need to have one or more of several things - bigger aperture, higher ISO, longer shutter speed, more light (eg flash). It's made worse by small sensors. The issue with max zoom is that the lens will have a smaller aperture at that length, exactly what you don't want. But there is more to photography than 'zoom'.
I have a well-used Nikon D200 body with charger, 3 batteries and manual which I could donate to a needy PHer. Just cover postage.
Well, I don't quite know what to say, what a wonderfully generous offer. Of course I would be delighted to cover postage if the offer still stands? Poor image quality (noise) in low light means you need to have one or more of several things - bigger aperture, higher ISO, longer shutter speed, more light (eg flash). It's made worse by small sensors. The issue with max zoom is that the lens will have a smaller aperture at that length, exactly what you don't want. But there is more to photography than 'zoom'.
I have a well-used Nikon D200 body with charger, 3 batteries and manual which I could donate to a needy PHer. Just cover postage.
Richtea1970 said:
Well, I don't quite know what to say, what a wonderfully generous offer. Of course I would be delighted to cover postage if the offer still stands?
TBH I did consider eBay, but it looks rather used, the rubber handgrip is starting to come away and it would have been a lot of faff for not much return, so as this forum helped me when I was starting out 20 years ago I thought I'd return the favour. For lenses I'd recommend the Nikon 18-70 and 70-300 (the 'G' version is the cheapest but try for a 'VR' if you can) - but it depends what you want to do with it. I think it will be a good learning tool.Very generous Simpo.
I have a DSLR - a Canon 60D, but over the last few years have tended to use a Panasonic Lumix from the TZ range, as I have found they could do most of what I needed with the DSLR. The main thing with the Lumix is getting it to focus with a shallow depth of field, but they were great otherwise. I love my DSLR too but find no matter what lens I have on it, it's probably the wrong one for the next photo, whereas the PL TZ range have a great wide angle and zoom.
I have a DSLR - a Canon 60D, but over the last few years have tended to use a Panasonic Lumix from the TZ range, as I have found they could do most of what I needed with the DSLR. The main thing with the Lumix is getting it to focus with a shallow depth of field, but they were great otherwise. I love my DSLR too but find no matter what lens I have on it, it's probably the wrong one for the next photo, whereas the PL TZ range have a great wide angle and zoom.
I have been using my wife's Nikon D5500 with a AFS NIKKOR 18-140 DX 3.5-5.6 ED VR lens a lot recently. Bought a couple of years ago from MPB. This camera will be 10 years old I should think.
A bit over your budget but any 5000 series camera with the 24MP sensor would do, e.g. D5200 which is probably £200 ish for a decent one at MPB prices.
The lens is incredible, rarely get a poor image even at full zoom. It's the equivalent of 27-210mm full frame and you don't need to buy the 18-55 kit lens for the camera because this lens covers it and is at least as good. Lens is from about £150 from MPB.
Still over your budget but a very good outfit.
The first picture below is from our recent trip, French Pyrenees. I don't think I could have taken this with the phone, I was probably 30m away so the perspective is right. The phone would probably have been a bit fisheye, unless I moved away and then I would have had the background in sharp focus - it looks better blurred which telephotos are quite good for.
Of course the best camera is the one you have with you. The second picture was taken with a phone, Motorola Edge 40. Phone cameras now do things that 'real' cameras don't. They commonly use multiple images in the processing to make up for the tiny lens and sensor. Depth of field aside I think this is a decent image for a snap.
Edit: Not knocking the D7000 which is a more 'pro' camera and very good - but older and 16MP so not so many pixels to crop into. The 5000 series were entry level cameras but came out 3 years later and from I think the 5100 they had 24MP sensors. The 5200 is the same APS-C format but quite a bit smaller - my wife won't have a large camera. Both as good in their way I imagine. Similar prices now anyway.
A bit over your budget but any 5000 series camera with the 24MP sensor would do, e.g. D5200 which is probably £200 ish for a decent one at MPB prices.
The lens is incredible, rarely get a poor image even at full zoom. It's the equivalent of 27-210mm full frame and you don't need to buy the 18-55 kit lens for the camera because this lens covers it and is at least as good. Lens is from about £150 from MPB.
Still over your budget but a very good outfit.
The first picture below is from our recent trip, French Pyrenees. I don't think I could have taken this with the phone, I was probably 30m away so the perspective is right. The phone would probably have been a bit fisheye, unless I moved away and then I would have had the background in sharp focus - it looks better blurred which telephotos are quite good for.
Of course the best camera is the one you have with you. The second picture was taken with a phone, Motorola Edge 40. Phone cameras now do things that 'real' cameras don't. They commonly use multiple images in the processing to make up for the tiny lens and sensor. Depth of field aside I think this is a decent image for a snap.
Edit: Not knocking the D7000 which is a more 'pro' camera and very good - but older and 16MP so not so many pixels to crop into. The 5000 series were entry level cameras but came out 3 years later and from I think the 5100 they had 24MP sensors. The 5200 is the same APS-C format but quite a bit smaller - my wife won't have a large camera. Both as good in their way I imagine. Similar prices now anyway.
Edited by Manatee on Thursday 22 October 15:17
Edited by Manatee on Thursday 22 October 15:19
Simpo Two said:
Richtea1970 said:
Well, I don't quite know what to say, what a wonderfully generous offer. Of course I would be delighted to cover postage if the offer still stands?
TBH I did consider eBay, but it looks rather used, the rubber handgrip is starting to come away and it would have been a lot of faff for not much return, so as this forum helped me when I was starting out 20 years ago I thought I'd return the favour. For lenses I'd recommend the Nikon 18-70 and 70-300 (the 'G' version is the cheapest but try for a 'VR' if you can) - but it depends what you want to do with it. I think it will be a good learning tool.Not that I don't appreciate the comments above, I will certainly look into those models but at the moment John's offer has given me the opportunity to at least start taking a few pics and play with the settings which is the first step. Then I'm sure the inevitable budget creep will begin!
First task is to find a lens or lenses for the D200.
The D200 is a high quality camera and a great gift.
You'll have a massive choice of lenses, including Nikon. The D200 is a DX (APS-C) camera and whilst you can use full frame lenses, DX lenses are smaller, lighter, and likely cheaper depending on what you want.
The D200 can also accept screw focus lenses which makes your choice even wider. Later DX cameras dropped this and will only auto focus with lenses that have their own motor.
Have a look at Ken Rockwell's reviews before buying a specific used Nikon lens, also his compatibility table - links below. I don't know whether he has reviewed literally every one but he must have covered most of them. Note that Nikon AF-P lenses won't work properly with the D200 because they use a later type auto-focus motor. AF-S lenses with the motor in the lens will work fine as will the screw drive AF and AF-D lenses.
About the D200
Ken Rockwell Nikon lens reviews
Nikon lens compatibility
You'll have a massive choice of lenses, including Nikon. The D200 is a DX (APS-C) camera and whilst you can use full frame lenses, DX lenses are smaller, lighter, and likely cheaper depending on what you want.
The D200 can also accept screw focus lenses which makes your choice even wider. Later DX cameras dropped this and will only auto focus with lenses that have their own motor.
Have a look at Ken Rockwell's reviews before buying a specific used Nikon lens, also his compatibility table - links below. I don't know whether he has reviewed literally every one but he must have covered most of them. Note that Nikon AF-P lenses won't work properly with the D200 because they use a later type auto-focus motor. AF-S lenses with the motor in the lens will work fine as will the screw drive AF and AF-D lenses.
About the D200
Ken Rockwell Nikon lens reviews
Nikon lens compatibility
Edited by Manatee on Friday 23 October 14:59
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