Camera Labs

As the title implies i'm looking to buy a use DSLR. Fact is I had a D90 from about 3 years ago but due to circumstances i had to part with it and all my accessories. So I'm trying to get back but not go crazy.

It could be Nikon or Canon. I don't want to spend over $200 (might be impossible). Maybe $300
I will be using it for general photographing nothing specific.
As long as it can take decent pic with decent lens.

Please let me know if there are any specific info I'm leaving out in order to get help.

Below is a pic of the stuff I had

OK, so I guess my measly 200-300 budget will not cut it! fine....

Then can someone please help me out and recommend a use DSLR with a lens (use) and what ballpark i should expect to plunk down for it.

Hi SHUTTERUP,

Does it have to be a DSLR? For your initial budget you can even pick up a new camera plus kit lens (check our affiliate store B&H and choose your budget) so I guess a lot depends on how soon you might be able to add more glass. Alternatively, if your shooting conditions aren't too demanding why not look at Bridge cameras - the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ47 is in budget but you'd have to do your own research to find out if there are better options.

If it must be a DSLR then why not use the B&H price selector to narrow down the cameras currently available to a limit of, say, 50% over your max budget and then see if you can find used examples within your budget from a trustworthy vendor?

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Well... the cheapest way to get into DSLR photography... well... I have to admit: I don't know much about old Nikons so I can only talk about Canon in this way.
The cheapest bodys are the oldest ones like the EOS D60 and 10D (both of them have a 6 megapixel sensor and their screens are tiny and they need some time to wake up. It is still easy to get batteries for them.). The 20D might be out of budget, yet. Especially as you still need to add a lens. Both the D60 and the 10D don't offer an EF-S mount so you have to use the lenses that can be used on full frame cameras as well (EF lenses). One of the cheapest ways to get a quite good lens is the 28-80mm USM - the oldest version with a metal mount: http://www.lenstip.com/454-Canon_EF_28- ... tions.html (so no USM II / III / IV / V !)
It has a metal mount, a fast and silent ring USM motor with full time manual focus, a distance window and was, as far as I know, the first lens to offer an "molded glass aspherical lens" inside.
It's not to be confused with the newer versions of that lens, which were dramatically downgraded - but the way you can benefit from the worse newer lenses (called the same way as the older one) and their bad reputation is that the price for this old lens is very low as well. In Germany this lens is sold for about 20-30€.

That way you are not really flexible looking at both the camera and the lens but the quality can still be pretty good and in the future you could still add other lenses and then change the camera someday if you like working with DSLRs.

That was the (sorry, just guess the $ prices are similar) 200€ range possibility. For 300€ you could either take the EOS 30D (8MP, screen is the first really usable one) and the 28-80mm USM lens or the 10D + 28-80mm USM and a 100-300mm 4.5-5.6 USM in order to get a more flexible zoom range. Instead of the 100-300mm USM you could take a look at one of the older 70-210mm lenses (F4 or f3.5-4.5 USM) or a 50-200mm 3.5-4.5 but they tend to get slightly more expensive, are a bit shorter, but they "catch" more light than the 100-300mm. For 400€ you could get the 30D + 28-80mm USM + one of the tele lenses.


Still you'd miss some wide angle lenses. The cheapest solution should be an old Cosina 19-35mm lens or something like that.


For that money you won't get anything that's getting even close to the D90.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

@Bob, Thanks for the respond

I would rater it be DSLR However if i'm not able to bump up my budget I will take a look at your other recommendations. As far as shooting honestly 80%-90% will be inside for now, but will be about 50-50 later as I have some things coming in the not so distant future.


@Jiko
Thanks for the input.....

Think i'm going to take a look at the canon D60 I think that would work for now, baring no budget constraints.
What would be a good all around lens, sort of like a swiss army knife of lens it can get the job done but not a budget buster.

The cheapest allround lens is the Tamron 18-200mm (here it's always findable around 120-130€) but the set of two lenses offers a better image quality and *could* come cheaper.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

The 350D is the best of the very cheapest old DSLRs, bundle it with a lens in your budget, or better, save some money to get just the bit better lens.

The Tamron/Sigma 18-200 with the 350D is a quite good and very cheap option. Here in Holland they sell very often coupled at a low price.

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Ruben

Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Canon G5, Canon 350D, Canon 50D + BG-E2N
Tamron 17-50 2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM,
Canon 18-55 II plus lots of Minolta MD/M42 lenses and bodies

You may want to take a look at some Nikons as well, as you'll feel right at home with their controls and navigation.

When buying bodies used with a smaller budget, you essentially can either buy a new or last gen entry level DSLR, or an older (2, 3, or 4 generations old) but higher end DSLR.

You'd probably be able to finance a D3000, D80, or even a D200 if you shopped around. That being said though, you wouldn't have much room left over for some glass. You'll probably be able to find a D60 for $200, but keep in mind that it's an older body and will be considered almost "obsolete" within a few years. The D70/D70s can also be picked up for a lower price tag, but they're both quite old bodies. However, you will get a higher end body, with better build, a top LCD, and a feeling a bit more reminiscent of your old D90.

Regarding lenses, you'd be able to get an 18-55 kit lens for around $60 online, while it's not the greatest lens, it's pretty decent for general photography, and works excellently outdoors. For indoor photography, consider an older 50mm f/1.8 AF, but it's worth noting that a lens like that would only focus on a higher end body like the D70, D80, or D200. The entry level cameras don't have an AF motor built into them, so you'd be out of luck there. The 35mm f/1.8 is also an excellent, cost friendly DX lens that will autofocus on all cameras, but even as it's a great deal at around $150 used, you'd still have to up your budget. Some of the older AI/AI-S primes would be great choices for lenses as well, but they'd only meter on higher end camera like the D200, or a newer D7000. A 3rd party flash is also a cost effective way to get goos shots indoors without breaking the bank.

Overall, I'd say that if you can find one for a good price, a D80 would be a superb camera for you. If you can find one for around $200, such as this one on eBay. Add an 18-55mm kit lens onto that, plus a 50mm f/1.8, and you'd have a great combo for both indoors and outdoors. It may be a bit of a budget buster after shipping, but it's worth it. Being only one generation older than your D90, you'll feel right at home and have a camera with relatively modern specs.

Regarding a tele lens or an all-purpose lens, the Nikon versions are quite expensive, so you'd be looking for a 3rd party variant from Tokina, Tamron, Sigma, or another brand. I'm not too much of an expert on those, but the others seem to be recommending the Tamron 18-200, so I'd trust them.

Just keep in mind though, a good photographer can make a great image with any camera, so don't get caught up too much with gear

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-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams