Camera

D

D Boy

New member
Whats a good slr camera to buy for 500 to 600 dollars with lens and wheres a good place to buy it.
Thanks,
 
:) First start out by doing a little bit of research right here...

http://www.dpreview.com/

Figure out what features you would like in a camera and what will work best for you that's in your budget. Your choices of a DSLR (assuming you are going digital ;)) in the ~$500 range are going to be VERY limited. In fact best thing would probably to look at older used bodies to see what you can find...if a DSLR does end up being what you want.
 
Probably could pick up a Nikon D40 kit or D50 kit for around $600 pretty easily. The Olympus E-Volt E-500 SLR is in that catagory too. Keep in mind though, for a "kit" you're really gonna end up spending more like $700 - $800. That's when you get into the pretty decent kits from Nikon, Canon, Sony Alpha, and Olympus E-volt. And if you want the "amazing" macro shots you're gonna be needing to spend a lot more than $600 unfortunately.

What do you want to do with the camera?
 
You should be able to find a good deal on a used 20D, that is a better choice the D40, 50 from Nikon if you ask me. Check the for sale forums at places like dgrin.com and fredmiranda.com (may require log in, but worth it.)

Also you can get pretty darn good tank shots from Canon's 50 1.8, and that lens is only $70 NIB.
 
Last time I saw any used Canon 20D's they were around $700 for body only. Why pay that when you can have a new XTI (400D - and again, body only) for the same price? Or am I not shopping at the right place?

BTW...I've tried to log into Fred Miranda but it wouldn't let me create an account because of my Hotmail e-mail address. I wasn't about to change my e-mail address just to log into a silly website.

Incidentally, here's a Nikon D50 kit that has a lens with it that has *some* macro capability. Not 1:1 but 1:2

The whole kit is $700

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...667&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation
 
Last edited:
Personally I would take a used 20D over an XTi. Better build quality, and 8.2MP really is enough. The 10.+ of the XTi just serves to increase file size without an appreciable (sp?) difference in photo quality.

I do however like the sensor cleaner built into the XTi.

I would recommend against the D40, just because it requires a "special" series of lenses, that limits your options. (Something Nikon WANTS to do.)
 
Best prices I've found. A lot cheaper than other posts.

www.expresscameras.com

Canon Rebel XT body for $279. starter kit for $499.
Canon Rebel XTi body for $349. starter kit $639.
Nikon D50 body, $249. Starter kit $529
Nikon D70 body, $269. Starter kit $549

hope that helps. you can search for the other models.

PS free shipping expires tonight though
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9128493#post9128493 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spmedi
Best prices I've found. A lot cheaper than other posts.

www.expresscameras.com

Canon Rebel XT body for $279. starter kit for $499.
Canon Rebel XTi body for $349. starter kit $639.
Nikon D50 body, $249. Starter kit $529
Nikon D70 body, $269. Starter kit $549

hope that helps. you can search for the other models.

PS free shipping expires tonight though
Click to expand...

Don't order through those guys. If something sounds too good to be ture, it generally is. Always do your research before purcashing something, it's not worth the headache to find out the hard way.

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Express_Cameras
 
thank you soo much blazer88, i was about to order a nikon d50 from there, but after reading those reviews i don't think i will be ordering from them. do you know where the cheapest place to get a d50 is? website? i'm only 15 so i can really spend too much on it. thanks a lot.
 
didn't know that either. I'm not all that worried about people like that. I'm more than able to hold my own and if I order a body for $349 you will believe i will get it. It's just a shame that there are people like that out there.
 
i know what you mean spmedi, when i saw the price i was like sweet but then i read the review and i am willing to spend more to get a camera that i am sure i will be recieving.
 
I've purchased all of my DSLR gear through B&H Photo and they have been great. I think you'll find others around here who would be willing to vouch for them as well. If you're a Canon fan, they have the Rebel XT (version the XTi replaced late last summer) with kit lens for $599. As mentioned above, if you're looking for the really incredible macro pics, you'll need to invest in another lens, but the kit lens can get you started while you figure out what you would like to get next.

Here's a link to the B&H Rebel XT info: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...s&Q=&sku=371191&is=REG&addedTroughType=search
 
I'll vouch for B&H as well. I have spent 10's of thousands between B&H and Adorama, as for as I am concerned those are the only places to get camera equipment online.

spmedi- I doubt that express camera would ever actually ship a camera to you, regardless of how well you can handle yourself. I believe the best you could hope for would be a refund, and a matching headache. (Please no offence intended, just been in this business a while...)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9128107#post9128107 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Enterprise
I would recommend against the D40, just because it requires a "special" series of lenses, that limits your options. (Something Nikon WANTS to do.)
Click to expand...


Alright....let's state the facts so folks understand what is really different and not "special" about the equipment required for the D40. From www.dpreview.com :

"Perhaps the biggest negative on the D40 is that it doesn't have an internal focus drive motor and hence no mechanical focus drive pin, instead it only has CPU contacts which means it can only Auto Focus with AF-S and AF-I lenses (those with built-in focus motors). Indeed our 'standard' lens the Nikkor 50 mm F1.8D (and the F1.4D) are manual focus only on the D40."

So this just means that if you want to use a non AF-S or AF-I lens it is manual focus only. Heck, I frequently use manual focus when taking stills like landscapes or statuary or things like that.

Anyway, I think there are at least 21 AF-S style lenses in the Nikon line-up. That seems like a fair amount of choices to me. Yeah it probably tosses out a lot of third party lenses but what company (aside from the third party companies) truly want you buying anything other than their stuff? Aside from that, someone who is buying the D40 either A) doesn't want to do too much manually anyway, or B) likes the fact that it's a bit more like a "classic 35mm" and doesn't care that they have to manual focus a lens.

Overall yeah, sure, this is certainly a negative. I agree and acknowledge that. It's a "bare bones"/"back to basics" camera. And no, I don't recommend it for folks just starting out or folks who want to take tank shots unless their price range is really that low....but it makes a nice travel camera/back-up camera.

And ALL companies WANT to limit your choices. They want you to buy their stuff only and as often as possible. Please don't make it sound like one company is a bigger villan than the other. If that wasn't your intent I apologize in advance but it kind of "read" that way. Then again I'm having a bad day at work and perhaps I read more into it than what was there.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Anemone
iPhone Pictures!
Replies
3
Views
243
JohnL
JohnL
raidendex
Fixing White Balance
Replies
2
Views
140
wvned
wvned
P
Black Screen Issue with My Aquarium Camera App
Replies
1
Views
49
griss
griss
griss
Phone Camera Lens Kits
Replies
4
Views
220
Brian60077
Brian60077
Justin Hill
Help! Recover camera photos after SD card crash?
Replies
10
Views
787
midnightbast
M
Back
Top