Digital SLR advice needed please

Quenastoise

I am not sure it I am posting in the right category - if not feel free to move.

I am looking for a digital SLR with 70-200 mm lens. I have tried the Canon A200 and Canon D400 and liked them but I have a real problem about spending on myself and on a hobby. Can you recommend a good model that doesn't cost the earth please ? How do you feel about buying second-hand ? I appreciate that a decent sum of money will be required but provided that I make full use of the camera (and I will as photography is an established hobby), then I will get my money's worth over time.

Many thanks in advance

Bowling_4_Gold

My mate went out to get a relatively cheap Nikon D5000 (about £500 with 1 lens) and ended up paying over £700 just getting an extra lens, flash gun, and a couple of filters. It all adds up really quickly - be warned!

The Sony A-Series is probably best value for the budget end of the market - you can get an A230 Kit (with 18-55mm lens) for £349 from Jessops, but then there is the cost of the 70-200mm lens to factor in.

Go have a chat with someone form an independant camera shop - they are always up for a lengthy chat on what kit best suits you. There is a brilliant camera shop near me called Station Cameras, but this is in Reading so you will probably have to look for a shop close to you.

Good luck!

Marty_J

Bowling_4_Gold wrote: »

The Sony A-Series is probably best value for the budget end of the market - you can get an A230 Kit (with 18-55mm lens) for £349 from Jessops, but then there is the cost of the 70-200mm lens to factor in.

I'd rather pay £30 more and get a Nikon D3000 from Amazon.

patman99

Bought a 20 - 300mm Sigma zoom lens for under £50 on Ebay.
Just remember, todays top DSLR is tommorrows 'average but not good enough' model.
Ibought a Sony A200 as at the time it was the best by a country mile. Now, I'd probably go for aNikon D5000. The best thing to do is to read real user reviews on sites such as 'Dooyoo'.
Quite often these reviews are much more truethful than those in magazines.

Money_Grabber13579

Marty_J wrote: »

I'd rather pay £30 more and get a Nikon D3000 from Amazon.

That's the one I've got, but I'm not convinced it takes outstanding pictures. The lens that comes with it is 18-55mm, so not much of a zoom either, and you'd be looking at paying a further £150 for another lens, or depending on the zoom, a couple of thousand!

ManAtHome

What are you using at the moment - if an SLR, check whether your lenses will work on a(ny) new body (eg Contax/Yashica work as manual on Canon or Olympus). If you don't have a (film) SLR, have a look at some 'bridge' cameras (eg Fuji, Panasonic) - these are 'SLR like', fairly long lenses (eg 28-350mm) but not changeable.

How much are you planning to spend in total (eg body, 24/28, 35-70, 70-200, 400 lenses and a decent flashgun)?

doodledoodle24

can recommend the canon 400d, had it 2 weeks now and love it!

diable

you will also need a 18 - 70 lens as well

[Deleted User]

Personally, i've gone el cheapo for my first dSLR.. got a Panasonic L10 (£300) which i came with a rather nice kit lens (14-50mm), i bought a 50-150mm at the same time (£50), then i've got an Olympus OM converter (£10 from ebay), an Olympus 50mm f1.8 OM (£28), a Steinheil 300mm OM(£30) and just bought a 28mm f2.8 OM (£18).

Next thing I want to get is a lensbaby muse.. they look fun

That's a whole range of lenses for under £450. You say that photography is already an established hobby? Does that mean you already have some lenses - why not get an SLR that can use them? If you are starting from scratch, you need to look at where you plan to spend your money in the future - the body isn't as important as the glass remember

cyberbob

You get what you pay for with a Canon you will find it will be cheaper to get compatible lenses as lots of manufactures make them. From personal experience with both digital an Normal SLRs over the years I would always go for a Canon. If for some reason I couldn't Fuji would be my second option

Bowling_4_Gold

Marty_J wrote: »

I'd rather pay £30 more and get a Nikon D3000 from Amazon.

Well yeah, but then you compare the D3000 with the D5000, then you realise you want to get the D5000 - adding upwards of £100 onto the initial price.