View Full Version : Camera advice
Matblack
11-09-2006, 08:57
I'm thinking that sometime this year or next I'd like to get a DSLR, we went to Monkey World yesterday and it would have been nice to have a camera with a half decent zoom.
My A85 is a nice compact but it doesn't have the zoom capabilities that I could get with a DSLR or the clarity.
I don't want to spend a fortune and I think that the quality of the pics I was seeing over on the other place about a year ago were very good, so I wondered if there was good equipment on the secondhand market?
MB
It depends on what kind of zoom you want, and the clarity. You could spend £800 on a 30D, or £650 on a 400D and then £450 ish on a 70-200 f/4 which would be very sharp and a decent range. Or you could buy the 100-400 f/4.5 - 5.6 which isn't *as* sharp but a bigger range for about £1000. Basically with a DSLR you're looking at lots of money. If you just want a bigger zoom you could get the Canon S3 IS (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/CanonS3IS/Default.asp). 6mp, 36 - 432mm equiv. (12x optical zoom), Image stabilizer, etc. That costs about £450. It all depends on how much you want to spend.
I'm interested in the same - I'm starting my photography course and I need to get my hands on a 35mm SLR - so if anyone knows of any going (relatively) cheap, I'd be very grateful.
Film SLR's can be had on ebay for £30. I got a very good Canon EOS 50 for about that. It had more features than the 300D at the time which was retailing for about £650.
leowyatt
11-09-2006, 09:34
I'm currently trying to find one for kitten and am looking at EOS300, any others you'd recommend looking at instead?
If you can get an EOS50, do :) They have similar features to a £600 DSLR but can be had for under £50. Oh but thats just the body. You'd need some lenses. I found review of the EOS300 (http://photo.net/equipment/canon/eos-300) and it mentions its rubbish for flash photography. Only 1/90th sync speed compared to 1/250th of a modern DSLR.
leowyatt
11-09-2006, 11:03
So go for the EOS50? Any suggestions on cheap starter lenses?
From that review you posted it suggests a 50mm/f1.8. Would we want a manual or auto focus lense or does the camera do that?
The lens does the focusing. The 50mm f/1.8 is a brilliant lens and can be had for £80ish. Its got both auto and manual focusing. Its a great portrait lens but not a good all round lens. I think you can get the Canon 28-105 for a decent price.
leowyatt
11-09-2006, 11:39
The 28-105 was the other lens suggested in that review so I've found a couple of those that have no bids yes so could be had for around £20 if they stay that way.
EDIT: Also found an EOS 50 :D
:o £20! I paid £220 for mine 2 years ago :)
leowyatt
11-09-2006, 12:01
:o £20! I paid £220 for mine 2 years ago :)
\o/ not that you paid that much, that we could get it for that price :D
Matblack
11-09-2006, 12:38
Secondhand 300D looks tempting for around £375?
MB
That seems a bit high as you could get a 2nd hand 10D for that, which would have AI Servo focusing for sports and a better body.
Matblack
11-09-2006, 13:11
That seems a bit high as you could get a 2nd hand 10D for that, which would have AI Servo focusing for sports and a better body.
OOoooo I've been after a better body for years :D
MB
leowyatt
11-09-2006, 16:38
OOoooo I've been after a better body for years :D
MB
Hehe haven't we all, just been looking at lenses and :shocked: how much (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120026836946&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNARL:UK:78&isfrommerc=1&refitem=110031610431&itemcount=8&refwidgetloc=watch_reminder_email&refwidgettype=osi_widget) for one?
Hehe haven't we all, just been looking at lenses and :shocked: how much (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120026836946&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNARL:UK:78&isfrommerc=1&refitem=110031610431&itemcount=8&refwidgetloc=watch_reminder_email&refwidgettype=osi_widget) for one?
I have that one. I paid £1090 for it over a year ago. Thats a cheap lens by comparison :D Canon EF 600mm f/4.0L USM Image Stabilised 2-4 Weeks
£5,899.99. Thats the sort they use at football games, motorsports, well any sports really.
I agree with petemc entirely...
£300+ is not the right money for a used 300D. I will be selling mine within the next month at the latest (probably) and I will be over the moon if it manages to make £300 :p As said, thats getting into 10D money.
If you can handle the size, a 350/400D is a good place to start out (better than a 300D) or a used 20D. Lenswise you can get a reasonable zoom lens (300mm at the long end) for less than £300, but the really good/sharp glass clocks in at £1000+ really.
Basically, think long and hard about if a DSLR is exactly what you want in terms of a long-term drain on your finances (because thats really what it is) or if something like an S3 IS is more for you.
If you want something to take with you to places rather than for it to become a "proper" hobby then IMO, go for the S3 IS type camera. By the time you find yourself being limited by the camera then the next generation of bodies will probably be out and you wont have wasted money on rubbish/entry level glass and know why the good stuff is expensive and why its worth every penny...
leowyatt
12-09-2006, 16:51
So from a film SLR perspective is the 50N the best option to go for or would others such as the 300v/650/1000/3000/3/5000/50E/5/10 be considered.
It's quite hard to know what to go for.
The thing with Canon SLR's is that the lower the number the better. So the 1 is the best. Then you have the 30 and 50 I think. Then the 300, then 3000. So as you add zero's you loose features. So if you can get a 50 for a good price, do it :)
leowyatt
12-09-2006, 17:00
ah i see, I thought the higher the number was better :embarassed: so if you can get a 1 all the better, if not pimp for a 30/50?
Cheers :D
Hmm, after following the link for the S3 IS review, I also found the Sony DSC-H2 and -H5. I'm a bit of a Sony fan, and my DSC-F717 has seen far better days (rarely gets used these days as it's big and heavy and loses out on too many things to my DSC-P200).
Someone may very well have caused me to spend some money then (probably not this side of Christmas though).
ah i see, I thought the higher the number was better :embarassed: so if you can get a 1 all the better, if not pimp for a 30/50?
Cheers :D
Yeah a 1 would be amazing but I doubt you'd get it under £200.
leowyatt
13-09-2006, 08:43
Is there much difference between the 50e and the 50n?
Basically one has eye control for focus points. So you can look where you want it to focus. Some people say it works, others say it doesn't. I got the n and I'm happy enough.
leowyatt
13-09-2006, 10:48
Basically one has eye control for focus points. So you can look where you want it to focus. Some people say it works, others say it doesn't. I got the n and I'm happy enough.
Erm which is which? is the N the one without the eye control thingy?
Oh yeah. N is normal, E for eye.
leowyatt
13-09-2006, 11:01
Cool, so one of those and a 28-105mm lens would be a good starting point? Oh if the lens is manual focus, would auto focus still work?
If the lens is fully manual, then no. Maybe thats why its so cheap. It could be an older model without AF. If you can get the AF model.
leowyatt
13-09-2006, 11:12
Sorry to keep asking all the questions, but with lenses, the range i.e. 28-105 gives you the focus range?
What is the best thing to do regarding f ranges with lenses?
Would something like this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sigma-28-200mm-DL-Hyperzoom-Zoom-F3-5-5-6-Lens-4-Canon_W0QQitemZ140028601229QQihZ004QQcategoryZ4687 QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) be suitable?
Is this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=001&item=110029874271&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1) a fixed zoom lense?
I'm actually thinking of going for this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=011&item=320025283130&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1) one if it will fit.
I have eye control on the EOS30 and seldom uses it.
leowyatt
13-09-2006, 14:38
I have control EOS30 and seldom uses it.
Really? Would you be interested in parting with it? Or should I say persuaded to ;)
I would for the right money :), it's mint, with box and manual with a IR remote and a vertical grip.
I also have about £50 worth of film and slides in the freezer, Fuji Velvia, NPH, NPZ, Reala.
I do need money to go towards a D30 which should be getting in late October.
leowyatt
13-09-2006, 14:45
I see would it come with any glass? or would that need to be sourced separately? Not sure about all that film though :D
Narh, i'll be keeping my 50mm and 28-105 since they'll be use on the D30.
I'll throw in the film for a £10, its not like i can use it if i don't have a film camera. But in all honestly i have no idea what its worth, ebay is a mare to judge prices. If its worth less than £100 i'll probably keep it.
leowyatt
13-09-2006, 14:50
I see have been looking at 28-105 lenses, how much are you after for your camera?
Here's a pic of it with the 28-105 MKII, its mint :)
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/1844/533911578loms1.jpg
leowyatt
13-09-2006, 14:59
Here's a pic of it with the 28-105 MKII, its mint :)
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/1844/533911578loms1.jpg
looks good
Price wise, The body was £400, the vertical grip was £80, the remote is £20. So it cost me £500 new, but obviously stuff depreciate and I wouldn't pay anyone £500 for it secondhand no matter how mint it is. I am torn between wanting money and letting it go to a nice home where it'll be use for some good.
I've said already i wouldn 't let it go for £100, £300 is ripping you off :D. I really dunno.:embarassed:
leowyatt
13-09-2006, 15:19
Fair enough mate, have a think.
There are other stuff i'm looking at in the mean time so no rush
I mean whatever fair market price, that should be fine (unless its stupidly low now days), would throw in the films for free even.
I'll see how much i can save up from now til October for the 30D, it'll determine i desperate i am to sell it ;)
Pete, would you care to guess how much it's worth?
leowyatt
13-09-2006, 22:00
Bloody hell, just seen this (http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/13/carl-zeiss-creates-over-five-foot-long-telephoto-lens/)
Its only 100mm more than the Canon 1600mm :D
leowyatt
13-09-2006, 22:41
It looks bloody enormous, how on earth do you carry that around :D a tripod needed to shoot with that. infact it looks like a cctv camera.
Dymetrie
13-09-2006, 22:42
it looks like a cctv camera.
no it doesn't...
Dym
CCTV operative
Ah my mistake. Its a Canon 1200mm. 1600mm is actually quite impressive.
http://www.e-fotografija.com/markII/1200mm.jpg
leowyatt
13-09-2006, 22:45
erm why would you need such a lens?
leowyatt
13-09-2006, 22:46
To pull chicks. Dur.
Don't think so somehow, more likely the chicks will think you are compensating for something ;)
oh and Dym I meant the shape My Picky :p
To pull chicks. Dur.
Pull chicks, no. View from a distance on the nudist beach, yes ;D
it looks like a cctv camera.
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/4213/pan2tg5.gif
:confused:
fatiain
(another CCTV operative)
leowyatt
14-09-2006, 09:07
top down it looks like one of these (http://www.ameinfo.com/images/news/5/7975-panasonic.jpg).
You two unconfused now :p
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