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Buy a Digital camera with 700-800 $

A

a_2008

Junior Member
Hi!
I want to buy a digital camera with 700-800 bucks! but i dont know which one is good for me (I am amateur photographer but sometime i take pic professionally ) what is your suggestion?

Thanks
 
If you're thinking DSLR, the Nikon D5100 is going to be your best bang-for-the-buck @ $650 w/ 18-55 lens.

http://www.adorama.com/INKD5100K.html

In the P&S type cameras but bulky with a good size sensor, the Canon G1X looks good @ $709

http://www.adorama.com/ICAG1X.html

For a MILC, the Nikon J1 has a lot going for it @ $650 w/ two zoom lenses. The AF is super fast and it handles wonderfully. Many here will deride it for it's sensor size, but the sensor really overperforms and the cameras handles wonderfully for both stills and movies. (check out reviews at sites such as sansmirror.com). The sensor is smaller than other MILCs but it handles better than any and its sensor is much bigger than the typical P&S size sensor.

http://www.adorama.com/INK1J1RK3.html

For a true P&S that is a very handy size, the Canon S100 is best-of-breed @ $364

http://www.adorama.com/ICAS100BK.html

JR
 
do any of your friends or family shoot DSLRs?
if yes, it might be beneficial for you to shoot the same brand, as you can borrow/share some lenses and accessories (especially helpful if they have lots of camera gear 😀 for you to test try)

if you're a nature/outdoorsy photographer, the WR (Weather Resistant) pentax K-30 is probably a good choice. It's expected to drop in price in a few months
note: the 18-55 included is not the WR version
edit: 😵 WOW the costco kit actually includes the 18-55 WR...
edit: they changed the description, it's not the WR
if you're ok with spending $900 + tax and then selling the pentax WG-1, it might come out to less than $800 if you need it now though
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...=1&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1
also available in navy blue and black

or body only, currently cheapest shipped from singapore (the 18-135 is out of your budget though 🙁)
http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-price-watch/193133-k-30-676usd-da18-135wr-334usd.html
Pentax says the warranty will work in the US as well

otherwise, the nikon d5100 or canon T2i/T3i are both on sale a lot lately, and johnnyrebel's suggestions are all good.
if you don't care for video and want some budget for more lenses and accessories, you can go with older models of DSLRs and still get great results.
The olympus pen epl1-2 have been pretty cheap lately

lately there have been a lot of mirrorless offerings like the nikon J1 except with larger sensors
canon's eos M will be released soon @$800
pentax's k01 is selling for $690 with the DA 40mm XS pancake and natively supports all of pentax's K mount lenses
 
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fralexandr said:
canon's eos M will be released soon @$800
Click to expand...

+1. This should be a very cool option (if its handling is up to par). $800 gets you one "prime" lens fixed at 22mm. You would want to get the $300 zoom also, which pushed the budget a bit, and you would still want a longer zoom when one becomes available. This could eventually double your budget...

I did not consider Pentax, but the faithful are very happy with their cameras and you should have the option of buying used lenses at very appealing prices in the future.

JR
 
JohnnyRebel said:
+1. This should be a very cool option (if its handling is up to par). $800 gets you one "prime" lens fixed at 22mm.
Click to expand...
Yikes, no that's not a very good option for $800. I can pick up a Panasonic GF5 kit for $450; I don't see what makes the EOS-M nearly double the price.
 
Sorry 🙁
I was under the impression that not having a built in flash is better due to the reduction of weight and size and the fact that many professionals prefer using external flashes due to increased power & ability to bounce light, thus they consider the built in to be extraneous.
For most consumers however, the built in flash is a very convenient feature
 
fralexandr said:
reduction of weight and size and the fact that many professionals prefer using external flashes
Click to expand...
...and it helps with weather-sealing NOT to have that flash on a DSLR like the D4.
But, it is very handy on cameras like the D800, D700 etc... used by professionals. I use the commander mode of the built in flash to control external flashes. I also use it a lot as fill light, especially outdoors in sunlight. Once in a while, I'll rubber-band a business card to the front of it to bounce it off a ceiling.
 
I tried both of them and i held this 2 model , they were ok !

Now , After i reserch i find Nikon D3200 and Canon EOS T3i , these are in same range But idk which one is better for me ?! and after that i just buy body and then buy lense seprate ?! for example if i want to buy D3200 is it better to buy Nikon D3200 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR or buy D3200 body and Nikkor AF-S DX VR 55-200mm or other one ?!

In this site Nikon D3200 is winner

Thanks for your reply
 
fralexandr said:
sensor: APS-C vs 4/3
Click to expand...
I'll give you this one as Canon's sole advantage. If your shooting dictates the need for better high-ISO performance, the EOS-M will perform better. That said, the GF5 is no slouch, and probably more than what most people will need.

lenses: 162 vs 26
Click to expand...
Nonsense. The whole point of buying a compact mirror-less system is to use compact lenses designed specifically for that system. I don't foresee many people buying an EOS-M specifically so they can buy a $200 adapter and throw their L-glass on there; ergonomically that would be a disaster. Canon has 2 so far; m4/3 has a few dozen.

But if we're including lenses that work with adapters, there are m4/3 adapters for every lens mount from Canon FD to Leica M to Nikon F to obscure CCTV lenses.
 
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When you say you shoot professionally,. what does that mean? indoors, out doors? long range, short range?

weddings, mountains? Sports?
 
abaez said:
If you are looking for a compact camera I would do the Sony RX100.
Click to expand...

This, RX100 is the best P&S to date. A nice undocumented feature of it is that you can tilt the flash so that it would bounce off the ceilings.
 
When you say you shoot professionally,. what does that mean? indoors, out doors? long range, short range?

weddings, mountains? Sports?
Click to expand...
all purpose, every thing and everywhere ! mostly i shoot regular , not professional but i like to try professional ways !
 
Are you jsut saying that you are a hobbyist? Professionals get paid to take photos. Do you get paid to take photos?

If this is jsut a new hobby or you want a godo camera for special occasions, you should consider this:
Canon Rebel EOS (pay more for higher resolution if you want)
18-135
55-250

That might push you over $800 though.

Just do the standard:
Canon EOS rebel w/ 18-55 kit lense
55-250
You'll probably be closer to $700 than $800. With the extra money buy your self a camera bag.
 
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I'm a Nikon guy. Personally, I find the D3200 to be the best value in that price range right now. Canon probably also has something comparable.

If you are just learning, the 18-55 sort of lens is probably fine. Canon's 18-135 is better. Nikon also sells an 18-105 and 18-200 if you're looking for an upgrade.

I would also look into one of the 30mm or 35mm f/1.8 lenses. That will improve the quality of your photos immesurably. They are not zoom (they are fixed length), but just the capability of shooting at f/1.8 or f/2.8 gives most photos that "professional" feel by blurring the background, etc, but you obviously don't want to pay for one of the f/2.8 zoom lenses (starting at $1000).
 
Seeing that you're not sure what you want or need, and that you don't seem to have much experience with photography, I wouldn't advise you to take the routes described above.

Get a Canon SX40HS for about $400. It has everything you need - from a fantastic zoom lens and high ISO capability, to lots of effects and video capabilities. After you learn how to use it, you can decide if you want to move to better and more expensive cameras.

Look around this forum, there are a lot of people who are very happy with this camera, myself included.
 
AnitaPeterson said:
Seeing that you're not sure what you want or need, and that you don't seem to have much experience with photography, I wouldn't advise you to take the routes described above.

Get a Canon SX40HS for about $400. It has everything you need - from a fantastic zoom lens and high ISO capability, to lots of effects and video capabilities. After you learn how to use it, you can decide if you want to move to better and more expensive cameras.

Look around this forum, there are a lot of people who are very happy with this camera, myself included.
Click to expand...

I'll second that. The SX40 gives you everything from wide angle to 840mm zoom. Lots of manual settings to experiment with. If you find that it's limiting you, then it's time to move up.
 
Wouldn't the Panasonic GF3 be a better buy than the SX40 seeing as it's cheaper and has a way better sensor? The GF3 is $365 right now at Amazon.
 
What do you guys think about the Pentax K-30 in that price range?
It's got some great features and probably better than the T4i in many aspects
 
Thanks friends for your help till now!

IHateMyJob2004 said:
Are you jsut saying that you are a hobbyist? Professionals get paid to take photos. Do you get paid to take photos?

If this is jsut a new hobby or you want a godo camera for special occasions, you should consider this:
Canon Rebel EOS (pay more for higher resolution if you want)
18-135
55-250

That might push you over $800 though.

Just do the standard:
Canon EOS rebel w/ 18-55 kit lense
55-250
You'll probably be closer to $700 than $800. With the extra money buy your self a camera bag.
Click to expand...

Yes ! I like to learn who can i take photo professionaly so i am beginner!
how about D3200 ?! you say that Canon Eos is better than D3200 ?!why? ( just for know)
unfortunately I can not pay over 750 -800$
 
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a_2008 said:
Thanks friends for your help till now!



Yes ! I like to learn who can i take photo professionaly so i am beginner!
how about D3200 ?! you say that Canon Eos is better than D3200 ?!why? ( just for know)
unfortunately I can not pay over 750 -800$
Click to expand...

As a first time buyer there is no way to say one is better than the other.

I just wanted a good camera when I bought mine. Today, I would look at what lenses I want and base things upon that. When you own an SLR for a while, you start to realize what you want. No amount of reading or asking people can tell you what is best.

My only regret is that the focal lengths on my zoom lenses don't overlap at all. I wish they did.

Looking at what you are after, the D3200 .... your money is only going to get you the kit lens that comes with it to start and no other lenses. If you can save up and buy another lens for $300 in a few months, consider doing that.

So, do you plan on buying more lenses later on? if so, the D3200 w/ 18-55 will be fine.
 
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