Help! Which Digi Camera To Buy?

Now that my baby is 6 months old, I am able to get out again to do a little bit of shooting.

I just sold my old film camera system, and would like recommendations on a used digital SLR in the $500 range. This price needs to include at least one lens.

Thanks for your help!

If you sold off all your lenses and are starting fresh I would say Canon or Nikon are always good bets.

A used Canon 20D or new Canon XTi is around your range.

http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?omid=122&ref=pricegrabber&utm_source=PriceGrabber&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=CNDRXTIB&sku=CNDRXTIB

The D40 that Tony mentioned above is a good way to go as well. A new XTi will give you the most resolution and may be a good one to grow with for a little extra $. It has Canon's newest 10 MP sensor at a bargain price.

I have three small children and the best lens for infants and toddlers is a 50mm prime. I have the Canon 50 1.4. The 50 1.8 is a real bargain (~ $70) and IQ is top notch. The 1.4 has better build and USM but will cost a bit more.

Note that cheap kit zoom lenses are ok. But even the most inexpensive prime while give far better results. The prime will also provide low light compositional opportunities without blasting your child with a flash.

*Note: I just noticed you said you are able to 'get out' more now. If that is the case then a kit lens from either Canon or Nikon is a good place to start. These lenses do a lot better outdoors when stopped down to f8.

Yep - what Tony said.

If I were you, I'd look for a used Canon Rebel XT+ 18-55mm kit lens.

Mike's Camera is in the Park Meadows area and has offered excellant services when I've had a problem (they exchanged, on the spot and without question, a defective Minolta digital camera and a Nikon D200 that stopped working) and have been willing to meet online prices from reputable companies.

That said, I'm a bit concerned about the store at this time. I placed an order for a second D200 body, the 105 Micro, and the 18 - 200mm zoom and they didn't get them in. Their stock looks picked over and doesn't appear to have been replenished in awhile.

Dave, a local (more or less) store that is willing to match online prices... I will have to check that out. I usualy by online from a store in Canoga Park CA.
John

I have both the Canon XT and XTi. I originally purchased the XT to take photos of the kids and it works good in that regard, but the XTi is worth the extra money if you can swing it. Extra resolution, faster and better focusing, larger LCD, dust removal (had mine since last Sept and still no visible dust), RGB histogram, etc.

Either camera will do, but for landscape the XTi wins hands down for me.

Craig

Dave wrote:
Mike's Camera is in the Park Meadows...and have been willing to meet online prices from reputable companies.

That's great! Don't even bother asking at the Mike's Camera in Boulder. I was ready to drop $4K one afternoon, if they'd even make an attempt at approaching B&H's online prices. They didn't even come within $1,000, and didn't show the slightest interest in my patronage. Oh well. I went elsewhere and spent my money.

This is all you need...

Thanks Todd! You're right on the money. That's exactly what I was looking for!
When you drop off the extra $31,495 that I need to buy it, I promise to let you take it for a spin

NO!!!! On the d40, it has a really odd lens mount. It can only use AF-S and AF-I lenses. Honestly, look at a Pentax, like fast. Look at a K100d, and besides, thru April 31st, you get 200- rebate from Pentax when buying the body, 1 lens and a flash http://www.pentaximaging.com/purchase/rebates_offers/ And not to mention the ever cheap and vast array of Pentax lagacy K mount lenses

I did buy my 5D and lenses etc at Mikes in Park Meadows. They matched the B&H prices exactly for me.

RichieV

Renee:

Welcome back into the photo world! You didn't mention whether or not used gear would be acceptable but you can find new and used at KEH.

Their used camera gear is always terrific (and very conservatively rated). Anything rated EX or better will be in great condition and their BGN items really are a bargain. (Right now they have a Canon 10D in EX+ condition for $484!)

I purchased almost all of my gear used and a lot of it came from KEH. I have had nothing but great experiences with them (and B&H - where I usually buy new gear).

Good luck,

John - your info is quite a bit off; you may want to check your source. The D40 can use any nikon lens - the mount hasn't changed in decades. AF-S and AI lenses are the only ones that will autofocus, and those constitute the majority of current lens selections, most importantly *all* of the DX lenses specifically designed for the digital bodies.

Here's a list of lenses that autofocus on the D40:

Super Telephoto Lenses
300mm f/4D ED-IF AF-S Nikkor
400mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S II Nikkor
500mm f/4D ED-IF AF-S II Nikkor
600mm f/4D ED-IF AF-S II Nikkor

Wide-Angle Zoom Lenses
17-35mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S Zoom-Nikkor

Standard Zoom Lenses
24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S Zoom-Nikkor
28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S Zoom-Nikkor

High-Power Zoom Lenses
70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor - NEW!

DX Nikkor Lenses for DX Format Digital SLRs
12-24mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor
18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor
18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor
18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor - NEW!
18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor
17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor
55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor
55-200mm f/4.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor - NEW!

Vibration Reduction (VR) Lenses
70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor
200mm f/2G ED-IF AF-S VR Nikkor
300mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Nikkor
24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor
70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor
80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED AF VR Zoom-Nikkor
200-400mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor

Close-Up Lenses
105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor

Greg Rodriguez is the salesman I've been dealing with at Mike's Camera in Park Meadows and he has been matching B&H's prices on the equipment I've bought.

Last spring I'd been stalking a pair of mule deer Does with a D200 and the 70-200mm zoom for quite awhile when I finally got close enough with a great angle, and composition. The camera wouldn't focus or respond in any way...it was dead despite having a good battery. Losing the shot was disappointing, but when I took the camera and receipt back to Mike's where I bought it, Greg looked at it and pulled a new-in-the-box D200 out and handed it to me.

I thought that was great service considering I'd been using the camera for about 6 months before I took it back and I’d paid the B&H price when I bought it.

Great to know Mikes at Park Meadows is finally matching online pricing. I asked last fall for the Canon XTi and it was definitely no matching of online pricing at that time. Perhaps Greg is the only sales person doing this? In any case, thanks for the info.

Craig

see what happens when you try to type when u are on the phone! lol TY for corercting me, yes those lenses are the only ones that allow for AF

"While the D40 can use almost any Nikon F-mount lens, it will only support autofocus on AF-S and AF-I lenses, of which are there are about sixteen at this point" http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/nikon/d40-review/

Ok,

This Nikon lens thing is a little confusing, especially since I use Canon.

Are you saying that the D40 can use *all* Nikon autofocus lenses in the same way the D200 can,or only AF-S and AF-I lenses? Just curious how the dark side works.

I just read the D40 dcresource review which states:
"Limited selection of AF-S lenses means that many Nikkor lenses (mostly primes) will not support autofocus."

That would be a deal breaker for me since I like to use primes and do not want to have lens limitations. But for many looking for any entry level DSLR, this may be a good place to start.

Thanks for all of your suggestions! I think I'll hold off on the Hasselblad until Todd shows up with the cash .
In the meantime, it looks like the XTi is closest to my budget.

So...is this a good deal?
Canon XTi $509

I also read that there is no spot meter, which would create problems with backlit subjects. Have you had any issues with this?

You may want to read this before spending your money. Follow Darren's suggestion and you can't go wrong.

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Express_Cameras

Holy crap!! 0.41 out of 10 ?!?!? That's not your average seedy photo shop; you've got to be seriously dedicated to screwing people to earn that kind of rating.

The cheapest I found the XTi w/ lens on ebay (from a reputable dealer) was around $715, new. B&H was around $770. Anything less than $700 and I'd be very cautious.

Thanks for the warnings. I'm new to the camera shopping scene, and wasn't aware of all of the crooks, uh, I mean "unauthorized dealers" out there!

Crooks would be putting it mildly. I wonder how some of these people sleep at night, or how they manage to stay in business and out of jail!?

I'm very thankful for the forums and search engines when it comes to evaluating mail order/online dealers - especially when it comes to cameras and electronics.