I'm buying my first SLR camera, and I've decided on Canon for the brand (the photographers at the paper I work at all said to go with Canon). Buuttt, I'm on a budget here. I guess I want to have my cake and eat it too, because I want an inexpensive camera, but not cheap quality. Any advice? Where should I buy from (online or in store)? Which model? I won't spend more than $1,000 on it.
I recommend you buy second hand. A 40d can be had for about 400$, then you can also get the 18-55mm lens for about 50$ secondhand, about 100 for the 50mm f/1.8, a tripod, a bag, a flash if you want, and maybe the 55-250 lens. If you are willing to take the risk of having "no warranty"... Because when you buy from a store (online or not), you"ll only be able to afford a 550d with kitlenses and a bag.... Just my 2 cents.
Blimey...$1000 isn't a bad budget :-)... Once you've settled on a make/model etc - always worth checking online as you're bound to find it cheaper there...
You don't have to get top-of-the-range and from adverts I've seen online, you can get loads of cameras for under 1k
I'm pretty happy with the 500D and while it's €900 here, I think it retails at $700 there? I'm not entirely sure. But then you could always go with a 550D for a little extra. And I'm going purely by pricing here.
@vikdaddy@indiannie_jones@vuokkovuorinnen
All right, I'm going to sound like a total rookie right now, but what the heck are all these D's? 40D, 500D, 60D .. it's all Chinese to me.
Dunno if a link would work with all the separate fields I selected, but check out Best Buy's site. I dunno where else you guys sell cameras... Walmart, Target, Krispy Kreme, The GAP?
@indiannie_jones Hahaha ... Walmart and Target are my favorite stores everrrrr. They sell everything! But idk if I'd buy a camera there. A coworker shared this site with me: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
Jinx mentioned that place the other day in another thread - the T2i is in your price range :D although you could probably get it cheaper on eBay (from a reliable buyer, of course). But I'm not forcing any cameras on you! Have you tried any out? Would the photographers at work let you get a feel for their bodies (haha, couldn't resist that one)? :D
I went to that one too - well I'm clueless too, but to be honest, I'm glad I didn't go with the 550D and went down a notch because there is quite a difference in the prices and if you spend a little less on a camera body and have money left over from the budget you've set yourself, you can get a different lens and play around more to see what you enjoy. I've noticed that since getting mine, I haven't bothered going outdoors because I enjoy the dof I'm getting even just with the standard 18-55 (and I'm lazy, but that's another story) ~ but the few shots I have taken outdoors, I've been realllllly happy with and I don't think I've ever been able to say that about my own photos before.
Ooh, idea: will Walmart or Krispy Kreme let you try out the cameras in the store? I've read all over the boards that this kinda thing happens abroad. Not here, but elsewhere :)
If you can, try one out in the store and see how you feel.
@indiannie_jones
They use Nikons 'cause that's what the paper gives 'em to use, but they prefer Canon. Supposedly, their Nikons are always breaking and malfunctioning and stuffs.
Yeah, Best Buy and Walmart let you try out their cameras, so that's a good idea!
As for Krispy Kreme, they let you have samples of their donuts, lol.
You're joking about Krispy Kreme, though, right? lol.
I would suggest you don't listen to what anyone says and pick-up a camera that fits best in your hands... take 50 shots with everything in the store... than you will know...
Canon's button lay-out bugs me... doesn't mean they are bad cameras, just not for me...
Nikon's zooms are great, but too big for me...
Samsung 4/3 EVIL camera's are too small
sony too round
so I use pentax...
but that works for me! I would not assume it works for you...
The only advice I can give is a good second hand camera gets you 'more' camera.
B&H is great I order most of my film from them and MF gear...
Also, in terms of Canons, when people are talking about 40D 50D 550D etc, basically the less digits there are, the higher up the range is. So single digit ones like 1D 5D 7D are top flight, 40D 50D 60D are next down, and 500D 550D (and probably soon 600D) are the entry level consumer ones. 1000D is entry-entry level.
Within each range the higher the number the more recent it is, generally. so 40D is old, 50D moderately old, 60D very recent.
I reckon you'd probably get more mileage out of a newer body from a lower range, than an older one from a higher range (as in, take a 500D over a 40D) but I'm far from an expert. Like, however many miles there are between here and where @icywarm or @jinximages live - literally that far!
Also I second Jordan with the "try before you buy, guy (it's so fly)" advice, but with the caveat that it isn't always easy when it's your first time (matron) because you don't really know what you're trying. Certainly you can get a feel for the button layouts, though.
I guess another thing to weigh up is "newer/better/not-second-hand body + one generic multi-purpose lens" versus "older/less-good-er/probably-second-hand body + multitude of lenses". I opted for the former and built my lens collection over time. With a thousand smackers, or about 700 quid in real money, you've options in either camp, which is good.
@eyebrows Aha, now I get it! See, I would have thought the higher the range, the better. Obviously, I know squat.
All I want is for an expert to tell me the exact camera to buy so I can just get it over with.
I'm that type of girl that will go shopping for electronics out of impulse. I'll show up at the store and point at whatever seems appealing and say, "That one."
So really, can someone just tell me precisely what to buy? Thanks.
Oh, and I'd really like something that is good in low light and has a fast, er shutter speed? Yeah, shutter speed, that's what it's called.
hey zai,
I'm a nikon shooter, but my partner shoots canon, and i know both the TL2 and the 60d have the same sensor as is in her 7d-- that sensor is very good in low light and has lots of megapixels for cropping. A friend has the 60d and he loves it...it has an articulating lcd screen, so if you're interested in video, that may be a factor for you, although it looks like it's a bit more expensive than what you're looking for.
I highly recommend that you walk into a major electronic store that carries an extensive collection of cameras. Test-drive them, get a feel and pick the one you want. Then you can do a search online and see where you can find the cheapest deal. That's what I did when I bought a new camera a few months ago. I went to B&H Photo and Video store in Manhattan. They have a huge collection of DSLRs. I came home and bought the one I liked from Amazon. (I ended up not buying the camera I originally wanted because I didn't like the feel of it in the store - hence, I strongly urge you to hold a camera before you purchase it.)
Actually, they're re-emerging as a major contender, especially with that sweet Med-F setup they've got now. Wish I had my old lenses.....
I always tell people to stick to Canon or Nikon. In a nutshell and by no means exhaustive, my reasons include: lens quality and available selection; and, other brand compatibility.
Now, some companies (like Pentax and Sony) make some fantastic glass. But the range is somewhat limited so you have less choice. And, to make it worse, there are not many "other brand" lenses made for them, so the price point tends to be high. Where Pentax wins out a little bit here is that you can pick up an abundance of second-hand glass, and it is good quality. Sony pretty much just fails in that department, and I've lost count of the people I know who have bought Sony because some guy in a shop told them it was the duck's nuts, and then they've switched to Nikon or Canon and wasted their investment. I think Sony will be a big contender in the future, but they're a ways off yet. Other brands are hit and miss. I've shot Pentax, Minolta, Olympus, Leica (let's not go there - too expensive) to name a few, but I wouldn't touch them in digital format (at the moment). Oh, except that Pentax medium format stuff. But, that's because of my needs as a photographer. NOT because they are bad.
With accessories, you're also usually stuck with your actual genuine branded stuff. Sony's OCF (off camera flash) controllers are expensive, and, well, they suck (in my opinion, based on my colleagues who have given up on them). You cannot get Radio Poppers or PocketWizards for them (or for anything but Canon and Nikon, unless something has changed in the last two months), and so your OCF TTL choices are, well, out of one with other brands.
How many photographers at sporting events or other major events do you see shooting Nikon or Canon? What about other brands? There are reasons for this, some of which are not valid, but most of which are.
If you think you will want a huge range of lens choice, stick with Nikon or Canon. If you think you might want things like wireless TTL flash controllers, stick with Canon or Nikon. If your needs are simple, and met by something else that feels better, go with that.
When I tell people to choose Nikon or Canon, it is only because my opinion is swayed by my own needs, and they are the only two that can meet my needs. I just thought I should mention why (in a nutshell).
You didn't need me to add to this thread, since there is already a wealth of good advice. But I like talking about cameras... ;)
@eyebrows it'd be a nice extra, but I really shoot video once in a blue moon. And for silly stuff, like recording my friends being drunk and keeping the video for blackmail. so, na, it's not necessary. @jinximages yeah, I'm convinced on the Canon Rebel part. I'm just iffyy about which one to buy. t1i? t2i? the others? idk. @pixelchix That helps. So t2i is good in low light? hmmmm.
Ah the T2i is the 550D, which I can verify the pretty decent low light performance of. It's not a miracle worker, but it's pretty decent. Doing a quick side by side comparison of the T1i and T2i at dpreview.com there's not much to choose between them, at first glance. Not sure if the T2i's (550D) sensor is better than the T1i (500D), or how much by.
i personally believe that a good picture is not necessarily from the camera. A good photographer is the one who can pick and shoot simple objects and turn 'em to something extra-ordinary. Loooong story short-your EYES are the best camera to have. You should have at least a sharp and keen eyes, a good taste, artistic style, flair, color coordination and have a technical knowledge in composition. For me -photography is a way of communicating emotions than technical stuff .(of course ,a good camera can help) but, a writer can write a best selling novel with a pencil but i couldn't do the same with the most advance computer. It is not the CAMERA but the photographer that makes the photo. I've seen a lot of photographers in this 365- project, they're using a really pricey cameras but Gosh!!--you should see how rubbish their work is...and in contrary some use the unpopular brand and OMG !!-you should see how Amazing their work is.
So if you will take photos just for a hobby get a nice point and shoot camera and if you use photography as your bread and butter... then, . buy a good one.. One that you can really afford $$$ and happy with and not because.. Annie Leibovitz is using it..
Good Luck.:)
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Personally - I'd go with a Nikon but hey...
I'm pretty happy with the 500D and while it's €900 here, I think it retails at $700 there? I'm not entirely sure. But then you could always go with a 550D for a little extra. And I'm going purely by pricing here.
All right, I'm going to sound like a total rookie right now, but what the heck are all these D's? 40D, 500D, 60D .. it's all Chinese to me.
And I must go back to work now!
Good day, gentlemen.
I watch too much American tv :/
Yaaay
I'm looking at this page
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ns=p_PRICE_2%7C0&ci=6222&N=4288586280+4291570227
but I'm not too sure how to pick out the right one. I don't know a thing about cameras, I just know my point-and-shoot has got to go.
Roffle, so they suggest Canon but use Nikon?
I went to that one too - well I'm clueless too, but to be honest, I'm glad I didn't go with the 550D and went down a notch because there is quite a difference in the prices and if you spend a little less on a camera body and have money left over from the budget you've set yourself, you can get a different lens and play around more to see what you enjoy. I've noticed that since getting mine, I haven't bothered going outdoors because I enjoy the dof I'm getting even just with the standard 18-55 (and I'm lazy, but that's another story) ~ but the few shots I have taken outdoors, I've been realllllly happy with and I don't think I've ever been able to say that about my own photos before.
If you can, try one out in the store and see how you feel.
They use Nikons 'cause that's what the paper gives 'em to use, but they prefer Canon. Supposedly, their Nikons are always breaking and malfunctioning and stuffs.
Yeah, Best Buy and Walmart let you try out their cameras, so that's a good idea!
As for Krispy Kreme, they let you have samples of their donuts, lol.
You're joking about Krispy Kreme, though, right? lol.
Oh, hoorah! Yesh, I'm kidding... mehbeh ;D
Although free samples of donuts would be grand *sigh*
Canon's button lay-out bugs me... doesn't mean they are bad cameras, just not for me...
Nikon's zooms are great, but too big for me...
Samsung 4/3 EVIL camera's are too small
sony too round
so I use pentax...
but that works for me! I would not assume it works for you...
The only advice I can give is a good second hand camera gets you 'more' camera.
B&H is great I order most of my film from them and MF gear...
you are buying into a system...
If you can buy a body, but hate the lenses for that system... that is no good...
make sure you like the system... or you will be through good money before bad... (I know I used that backwards)
Within each range the higher the number the more recent it is, generally. so 40D is old, 50D moderately old, 60D very recent.
I reckon you'd probably get more mileage out of a newer body from a lower range, than an older one from a higher range (as in, take a 500D over a 40D) but I'm far from an expert. Like, however many miles there are between here and where @icywarm or @jinximages live - literally that far!
Also I second Jordan with the "try before you buy, guy (it's so fly)" advice, but with the caveat that it isn't always easy when it's your first time (matron) because you don't really know what you're trying. Certainly you can get a feel for the button layouts, though.
I guess another thing to weigh up is "newer/better/not-second-hand body + one generic multi-purpose lens" versus "older/less-good-er/probably-second-hand body + multitude of lenses". I opted for the former and built my lens collection over time. With a thousand smackers, or about 700 quid in real money, you've options in either camp, which is good.
Yeah!
All I want is for an expert to tell me the exact camera to buy so I can just get it over with.
I'm that type of girl that will go shopping for electronics out of impulse. I'll show up at the store and point at whatever seems appealing and say, "That one."
So really, can someone just tell me precisely what to buy? Thanks.
Oh, and I'd really like something that is good in low light and has a fast, er shutter speed? Yeah, shutter speed, that's what it's called.
I'm a nikon shooter, but my partner shoots canon, and i know both the TL2 and the 60d have the same sensor as is in her 7d-- that sensor is very good in low light and has lots of megapixels for cropping. A friend has the 60d and he loves it...it has an articulating lcd screen, so if you're interested in video, that may be a factor for you, although it looks like it's a bit more expensive than what you're looking for.
Do you want to shoot video with it too?
Yepp because if you went to DxO Mark (a little more um... yeah... than dpreview)
you might be tempted by the new pentax...
http://dxomark.com/index.php/en/Camera-Sensor/Compare-sensors/(appareil1)/680%7C0/(appareil2)/676%7C0/(appareil3)/619%7C0/(onglet)/0/(brand)/Nikon/(brand2)/Pentax/(brand3)/Canon
Actually, they're re-emerging as a major contender, especially with that sweet Med-F setup they've got now. Wish I had my old lenses.....
I always tell people to stick to Canon or Nikon. In a nutshell and by no means exhaustive, my reasons include: lens quality and available selection; and, other brand compatibility.
Now, some companies (like Pentax and Sony) make some fantastic glass. But the range is somewhat limited so you have less choice. And, to make it worse, there are not many "other brand" lenses made for them, so the price point tends to be high. Where Pentax wins out a little bit here is that you can pick up an abundance of second-hand glass, and it is good quality. Sony pretty much just fails in that department, and I've lost count of the people I know who have bought Sony because some guy in a shop told them it was the duck's nuts, and then they've switched to Nikon or Canon and wasted their investment. I think Sony will be a big contender in the future, but they're a ways off yet. Other brands are hit and miss. I've shot Pentax, Minolta, Olympus, Leica (let's not go there - too expensive) to name a few, but I wouldn't touch them in digital format (at the moment). Oh, except that Pentax medium format stuff. But, that's because of my needs as a photographer. NOT because they are bad.
With accessories, you're also usually stuck with your actual genuine branded stuff. Sony's OCF (off camera flash) controllers are expensive, and, well, they suck (in my opinion, based on my colleagues who have given up on them). You cannot get Radio Poppers or PocketWizards for them (or for anything but Canon and Nikon, unless something has changed in the last two months), and so your OCF TTL choices are, well, out of one with other brands.
How many photographers at sporting events or other major events do you see shooting Nikon or Canon? What about other brands? There are reasons for this, some of which are not valid, but most of which are.
If you think you will want a huge range of lens choice, stick with Nikon or Canon. If you think you might want things like wireless TTL flash controllers, stick with Canon or Nikon. If your needs are simple, and met by something else that feels better, go with that.
When I tell people to choose Nikon or Canon, it is only because my opinion is swayed by my own needs, and they are the only two that can meet my needs. I just thought I should mention why (in a nutshell).
You didn't need me to add to this thread, since there is already a wealth of good advice. But I like talking about cameras... ;)
@jinximages yeah, I'm convinced on the Canon Rebel part. I'm just iffyy about which one to buy. t1i? t2i? the others? idk.
@pixelchix That helps. So t2i is good in low light? hmmmm.
So if you will take photos just for a hobby get a nice point and shoot camera and if you use photography as your bread and butter... then, . buy a good one.. One that you can really afford $$$ and happy with and not because.. Annie Leibovitz is using it..
Good Luck.:)