Buying Digital SLR camera help needed?

[Andy_con]

Im interested in buying a digital slr camera, mainly for close ups.

my dad has a nikon 8700 and its fantastic.

i dont really wana go new so am thinking second hand. But i dont know what models are out there? can anyone help?

 

[GaryS]

Nikon D40/D50/D70/D70s/D80
Canon 300D/350D/400D/10D/20D

you will need a macro lens to go with the camera body if it's mainly close-up work that you will be doing.

 

[Andy_con]

well my dad 8700 has the bog standard lens on it and it does real gud close ups.

i will check those ones out cheers

 

[GaryS]

Very good but you asked about DSLR's and the Nikon 8700 is not a DSLR.

 

[Andy_con]

oh is it not?? what is it then??

 

[dick]

bridge camera

 

[Andy_con]

meaning???

 

[GaryS]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_digital_camera

 

[zack40]

nikon D40 is worth looking at.great picture quality and it's easy to ues if your new to photography it's a true SLR...

 

[Washington]

How much are you looking to spend? There can be massive price differences in dSLRs so the concept of "cheap" varies from photog to photog.

 

[Andy_con]

well check out my site - www.laser-man.co.uk and you will see the type of photos i take, i do alot of close up stuff

 

[furry_cup]

canon eos 400d

 

[miltage2]

seems like everyone is looking for a dslr at the moment! Me included!

 

[furry_cup]

my personal preference is to go with Canon, always have and we use them and modify them at work and they have never faulted us and are so user friendly

 

[Rich]

I'd go for Canon aswell just to take advantage of the excellent Lenses they make.

 

[Andy_con]

i will have a look at them then, are there any second hands ones out there/old models which are gud???

 

[zack40]

go the nikon way many more lens's around!

 

[Andy_con]

i only want one lens and thats the lens it comes with lol

 

[zack40]

^ if your after a SLR trust me you will and up buying more then 1 lens..its like a disease lol i said the same thing when i got my first SLR, but im always on the look out for a new lens on ebay if it's cheap and the right one...

 

[Andy_con]

ummm i see.

so nikon or cannon and which model???

 

[Rich]

No real reason to buy and DSLR if you dont intend to change lenses to get the most out of them IMO. Better of with bridge camera like you dads.

 

[Andy_con]

ok then, his does do top photos

 

[mij29]

Heres a couple of close ups with a bridge camera that i took.







and this one just to show how versitile they are witt out havin many different lenses. Ok the moon isn't brilliant but it was mty 1st attempt, think i could have got it better if i had messed around with the Apperature a bit more.

 

[Has]

Thats ace for a bridge camera.

Was one of my considerations when i was looking.
Good value for money.

 

[mij29]

Thats ace for a bridge camera.

Was one of my considerations when i was looking.
Good value for money.

Thanks mate, glad you like. Only had the camera a few months so i'm still learning.
Really good fun though tryin to better yourself.

 

[Andy_con]

heres some using my bridge camera. there scaled down, but the originals are 3mb and top quality

http://www.laser-man.co.uk/2006/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9&Itemid=13

http://www.laser-man.co.uk/2006/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=18

 

[zack40]

mii29.. good to see your getting creative with your new camera nice work..

 

[mij29]

Thanks mate. Practise makes perfect!

Long way off yet but i'm enjoyin myself tryin.

 

[Andy_con]

these ones also came out well on my bridge camera

http://www.laser-man.co.uk/2006/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8&Itemid=9

 

[mij29]

these ones also came out well on my bridge camera

http://www.laser-man.co.uk/2006/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8&Itemid=9

Well they look good enough to me. Why do you want to upgrade to an Slr?

 

[Andy_con]

the cam i took them on is my dads and i want my own.

i dont want anything specific, just a good cam like my dads nikon 8700

 

[B Real]

Youre always going to get different opinions on nikon/canon/other. The best way to see what you prefer is to go into a shop and handle them both, go with the one that feels right. Personally, the canons dont fit my hands but the nikons are perfect, so I went nikon (D80 - highly recommend it). At the end of the day, theres not much difference in performance between nikon and canons, and you can't go wrong with either.

Could probably pick up a nikon d70 second hand for cheap. The canon 350D's are well cheap too. Hold off on the 400D cos its not long out - price will drop pretty soon.

Have a budget in hand first and stick to it.

Check out www.ephotozine.com for endless information - the guys there are more than happy to help and offer some great advice.

 

[Andy_con]

cheers, wheres a gud place to buy second hand??? i dont really wana get one off ebay!!

 

[ukaskew]

Somewhere like London Camera Exchange is pretty good for second-hand stuff, depends if you have one nearby though.

I'm working my way towards a Macro Lens for my Nikon D50, this is as far as I've got with the equipment I have up until now...

Panasonic FZ20 (Bridge Camera) with Nikon 6T Macro Filter

Nikon D50 (DSLR) with 18-55mm Kit Lens

Looking forward to seeing what a dedicated Macro can do (I'm looking at the Sigma 105mm), should be way beyond my above efforts.

 

[unofficialPete]

/\ I see the gear bug has got you, I'm sure I remember you saying you could only afford 1 lens a year

 

[ukaskew]

/\ I see the gear bug has got you, I'm sure I remember you saying you could only afford 1 lens a year

Nearly...got the 50mm 1.8 and Sigma 70-300 last year (£180 in total, so cheaper than most single lenses!) and this year I got the Sigma 10-20 Ultra-Wide as a combined Christmas present from just about everyone.

I'M saving for the 105mm, it's my one personal bought lens for 2007 and hopefully I can pick it up cheaper in New York when I go next month.

It's a slippery slope!

 

[UncleGrumpy]

Canon is where its at

View attachment 15371

 

[GaryS]

this year I got the Sigma 10-20 Ultra-Wide as a combined Christmas present from just about everyone.

what's your opinion of that lens? I'm thinking of getting one myself for my landscape work.

 

[unofficialPete]

63/500, Don't tempt me with more zoom!

ukaskew: Getting yourself a decent setup!
The Sigma 10-20 looks a decent lens for the money, may have to open the wallet, really want an UWA and macro!


I'm not sure what your shooting at the mo sounds like everything but I can really recommend a decent flash, opens up a new world!

/\ I see the gear bug has got you, I'm sure I remember you saying you could only afford 1 lens a year

Nearly...got the 50mm 1.8 and Sigma 70-300 last year (£180 in total, so cheaper than most single lenses!) and this year I got the Sigma 10-20 Ultra-Wide as a combined Christmas present from just about everyone.

I'M saving for the 105mm, it's my one personal bought lens for 2007 and hopefully I can pick it up cheaper in New York when I go next month.

It's a slippery slope!

 

[ukaskew]

this year I got the Sigma 10-20 Ultra-Wide as a combined Christmas present from just about everyone.

what's your opinion of that lens? I'm thinking of getting one myself for my landscape work.

Not sure yet, it's being delivered tomorrow...

I researched for weeks though and it came out well on top for me. The Nikon 12-24 is only ever so slightly better apparently, but then it's also well over double the price! It's going to New York with me next month so I'm going to get some practice in soon before I go.

Looks superb though...

http://www.flickr.com/groups/sigma10-20/
http://www.trekearth.com/photos.php?cat=lens&id=3327
http://www.nikonians.org/nikon/nikkor-12-24mm/super-wide_shootout_3.html
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=298


Pete, Birthday in March so an SB400 Speedlight is on my list. One good thing about this photography stuff, everyone is really supportive/appreciative of it as they all see the results from it (most of the family got a personalised calendar via Photobox at Christmas) so they don't seem to mind spending money on it now when it comes to gift ideas for me.