Spec me a camera and lense for a newbie??

han_solo

han_solo

han_solo

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Hi there, am looking to get into dslr photography.. strictly as a hobby. Would love to get to an ok level so i can take fab pics of the family throughout the years :)

anyway, i don't have a great deal of money but having said this, i could always use money for other pc gear which i've not bought yet.

To keep costs down, i'll be looking at second hand goods only. Also, would like to get something slightly above entry level (if possible). Want to avoid upgrading again in a few months time.

Budget so far of say £500?

Certain auction site has a few Canon 550D, Sony A580 and a Nikon D5000. Any thoughts on these? (it's really confusing with the spec etc). Read on another thread that someone was really happy with the D60(?)..but read elsewhere it doesn't have an AF engine? :confused:

Anyway, you can tell i need help so please do! :)
 
There's a canon in MM at the moment if you have access? Bought my GF a 450D from these forums, she loves it. I'm no expert but any entry level nikon or canon is probably going to suit you fine by the sounds of it, and you can always invest in better lenses if the standard lens starts to restrict you.
 
hi, thanks for the reply :) i have access to MM but wasn't sure which camera to go for.. it's quite daunting and confusing! Take for example Canon... looks like the lower the model number.. the better the camera?

I take it a 550D is slightly better than the 450D you got for your GF? (or is it worse?)
 
han_solo said:
Certain auction site has a few Canon 550D, Sony A580 and a Nikon D5000. Any thoughts on these? (it's really confusing with the spec etc). Read on another thread that someone was really happy with the D60(?)..but read elsewhere it doesn't have an AF engine? :confused:

Anyway, you can tell i need help so please do! :)
Click to expand...

The D60 is ok but not great in low light and the auto focus us fairly dated. I have a D60, but looking at used prices at the moment I'd be paying the extra for a D5000. It has better low light performance and also does video and live view.

Both the D5000 & D60 lack a built in focus motor, it means that you don't get auto focus on older lenses. You might be able to get a D90 within your budget, although it won't leave you much for lenses.

Nikon lens wise the 18-55 is an adequate starter lens. You might also be able to get an 18-70, which are faster and are meant to be a step up quality wise. You might also want to compliment them with something like a 55-200 or 70-300 to give you extra reach.

I'd advice you go and try some cameras in the shops. If you can't find a D5000, try the D5100. Ergonomics play a big part.
 
i'm still confused :confused: I think i'd better spend a good part of a few weeks researching before i rush into buying anything...

...i money was no object i think the 7d or 5d mkII? (overkill and a waste for me? :P)


...just looking at megapixels.. the 550d looks solid? Sony A580 not even a contender? (looks quite good on paper)
 
Sony a33/35/a55 + Sony 50mm f/1.8 + Sony 35mm f/1.8 New total: £600-650

I wouldn't normally recommend Sony but their sensor stabilisation means that, combined with a wide aperture prime, you'll have a very formidable low-light setup. The 50 gives you a lovely, bright portraiture setup, and the 35 gives a walkaround standard.

As much as you may want to cling to zooms, I made the swap to primes only a fair while ago and never regretted it.

The only note with Sony is that it might be a little hard to find stuff second hand, and third party lenses (sigma, tamron etc) are a little more expensive as obviously there's not quite as big a userbase of them, though that's changing more every day. You'll want to try the cameras in person though as they have electronic viewfinders which some people don't agree with; if that's the case then the a330 etc. are all perfectly usable cameras. Talkphotography tend to have a few sony cameras up at a time in their Classifieds; at the moment there's an a700 for £300.
 
The D3100 is a good starter camera, I have one and love it, it has a guide mode which will talk you through the steps for taking your picture which is good for learning different techniques. You can pick it up for £400 new which will leave you enough cash left over for some accessories which you'll need :)

ZGUIDE.GIF
 
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that's very useful. thanks shauncr91

thanks mathab but i think i'm looking for something better? ..but in case it's a super bargain price please trust me with what you would like for it thanks :)

Which would people get?

D90 or Sony A580 or Canon 550D? (the reviews i've seens says D90>550D)
 
The 500D is a great camera, especially if it's going for a good price. It wouldn't limit you any more than a 550 or other entry level camera.
 
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