Oppo Photography Questionaire!

"Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif" (lumpy44)
07/25/2014 at 13:29 • Filed to: Cameras

Looking into getting and DSLR, I know there are lots of awesome photographers here. I am looking at about $500 max, so the options are pretty limited.

I have done some research that says Nikon will take little better pictures but a Canon will do 1080p video better. I am sure this is a vast over simplification. There are a couple of deals on at Wal-Mart that are pretty good on the Canons. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! looks pretty good too!

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Anyone have experience in buying used DSLR's from Craigslist or Kijiji?

DISCUSSION (35)

Textured Soy Protein > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 13:30

Lenses are what make pictures. Get the cheapest body you can find. Spend the rest on lenses.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 13:34

Atlas knows what's up. Buy a used camera body and a 35-50 mm lens and have at it! I'm a pro photog now but that's how I got my start. If you're just looking to get some skills, shoot film! ANy other questions, I'm here to help.

CAR_IS_MI > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 13:35

I still use my old Cannon Rebel XT from like 10 years ago with a decent Sigma lens. Works great and you can probably pick up a used, good condition XT body for under $100 or an XTi (the next step up) for under $200. Not going to be the latest and greatest but would be a good entry point for a DSLR and then if its something you really want to toy with and spend some $ on one then you can buy a nice new DSLR.

My .02

DrJohannVegas > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 13:35

Atlas said exactly what I was going to say: get a basic body with the minimum features (like video, for instance) that you need, then go out and get good lenses. I shoot digital using some lenses that are older than me. (Old Nikkor primes, hence I bought a Nikon body.)

When choosing a camera, think about the idea that the lenses are what you'll hold on to, and the body you will upgrade (in the digital age, especially) as technology advances.

Also, remember that most of the photo is the photographer. So, don't stress about spending lots on equipment, and just get started and play around. The more you take, and the better the sense of composition and (if you are into it...) post-processing you get, the better your photos will be. Good luck, and have fun.

DrJohannVegas > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
07/25/2014 at 13:37

It's funny you say to start with film. I think that a few years ago, I would have said the same thing. Now, I wonder if the additional cost of film (on a per-shot basis) is high enough compared to digital (where mistakes are "cheaper") that digital is now the way to start. Either way, glad to hear a pro chime in.

Dsscats > CAR_IS_MI
07/25/2014 at 13:37

I got an XTi in mint condition with a 22-80MM lens, 3 batteries and a silicone case for $180. It's a really good entry level camera.

Side note: If you get a cheaper camera, you can spend more money on lenses, and that's really what you want to spend money on.

Joshua "Dr. Science" Gilbert > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 13:38

70D. THE ANSWER IS 70D. or a used 60D. It's not under $500 but it's worth it. Also, hit up the guys on Photography.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
07/25/2014 at 13:39

I don't think film will happen, but hoping to find a good body for cheap now! Anything I should look for in a basic body? MP? FPS?

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > DrJohannVegas
07/25/2014 at 13:40

I hope to get some good chances to shoot and will likely be doing a lot of traveling with my new job. Anything special to look for in a body?

'Wägen, EPA LOL > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 13:41

There is no replacement for Nikkor glass. It is the edge that Nikon has on Canon. Canon has its edge in the body.

The kit doesn't look bad and I have that lens, it's not bad at all. I would recommend looking for a 55-200 to add to your bag almost right away or get an 18-135 instead of the 18-55. 18-55 is suuuuuper short focal length.

Biggest thing is to get a camera - Nikon or Canon - and spend all your money on glass. Lenses are interchangeable between bodies, you can spend less on a body now and then get a more expensive later when you have more money and if you really like carrying the thing everywhere.

E30Joe drives a Subaru > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 13:41

If you want to film any video period get a Canon. The body is not important, the quality of your photos is 100% dependent on the lens. Get a cheaper body with a great lens and you'll be in business.

Watch this video

macanamera > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 13:41

Nikon and Canon take equally great pictures as long as you are talking about comparable cameras. The main difference is the menus (I hugely prefer Nikon, I find it much more intuitive).

mr_gofast > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 13:45

my dad is a Semi pro photo hound - so ill list off what he told me. This also applies moreso if youre shooting cars.

Nikon vs Canon - crapshoot at this price point and experiance level - either is exceptional for what you want it for (what will you be shooting and where) - the 1080p advantange for Canon is negligable and frankly useless you have a HD tv and/or epic monitor for output you wont tell the difference from one camera to the other.

bodies/Lenses

Canon and Nikon both have very good lens quality - Nikon has the edge here since they have a bit better of a warranty on lenses and bodies then Canon - bodies are usually 1-2yr mfr. warranty and Lenses are 5 years for Nikon and 1 year for Canon

edge - Nikon

also to be aware - if you buy a old Nikon body and new lense - you wont have to worry - the mounting ring in the camera body hasnt changed size in years under Nikon - so any lense fits any body as long as the mfer is the same. Im pretty sure thats the same with Canon but check on that.

The human eye cant really tell any difference over 14mgs of resolution so keep that in mind. All that resolution figure shows is what size the pic you take is capable of being blown up to without going grainy. The higher the res the bigger picture you can make from a single image and keep the detail super high.

Dsscats > Dsscats
07/25/2014 at 13:45

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 13:48

I bought my D3000 used off of Amazon last year. Only set me back about $275. Also bought a used 55-200mm lens for about $100. All in with some accessories I probably spent around $450.

The camera takes fantastic pictures, plenty good enough for my uses. I've blown these pictures up to 8 1/2 x 11 for a calendar and looked great.

JGrabowMSt > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 13:54

Go with KEH.com. You will not be disappointed. You'll get the best customer service, and very good prices.

In my experience, it depends on what you want out of the camera. I hate Nikon's menu. I honestly can't stand it, it's not intuitive to me, and it's just frustrating when I have to pick up my girlfriends camera, because everything feels backwards to me. I've been using Canon cameras for probably close to 15 years at this point, and I have not had a bad experience with a single piece of gear I've used. That said, a friend of mine who's a photographer has always repeated over and over, "the best camera you can have is the one you have with you." If you're looking to go to car shows and take great pictures, but not have to worry about bumping things or having anything happen, I'd look at the higher end compact point and shoot cameras before a dSLR. I would look at a dSLR when you're ready to go beyond shooting in Auto. Primarily because in my experience, dSLRs are not always that good in Auto. Cameras are inherently stupid, and will always try to take "neutral" pictures. That can't be done. Get a camera with a lot of metering, and it will try to take the "right" photo, which may be everything you're not looking for. A more advanced point and shoot will give you the opportunity to learn the ropes better, without so much of the cost. It also helps at concerts when "cameras with removable lenses" are not allowed unless you have a photographer pass. Just another way to beat the system.

I've shot Canon as long as I've owned a camera. I have a point and shoot (SD1100IS), a lower end dSLR that I use for time lapses (T1i) and my main still/video camera (7D).

The SD1100IS can take an absolute beating. My friend has one just like mine, and his son has dropped it, thrown it around, probably gotten it wet a ton of times, and it just works great. Never had a problem with my own either, and while I never put it through a toddler test, it doesn't have a stunt double either.

The T1i was really nice as a beginner camera, but I outgrew it's capabilities. I wanted different pictures, I wanted better colors, I wanted to do different things and push the camera to it's limits. I still use it for time lapses so I can leave it somewhere wrapped in a white towel so it doesn't overheat, and I'm not going to be completely grief stricken if something happened to it. It would suck, but it's not my main camera. I bought it off KEH, and could not have been happier with it. That's probably why I still have it.

The 7D is absolutely the best thing I could have bought myself. It gives me pretty much all the results I could ask for. It also didn't come cheap. I bought the 7D new, because I knew it was what I wanted, and I didn't want to have any trouble. Never had to use the warranty, and pairing it with FoCal software has permanently changed photography for me.

Clearly, that's just my opinion, but I offer it as another way to look at it.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > E30Joe drives a Subaru
07/25/2014 at 13:56

I couldn't get all the way through that video, that guy is the friggin' worst.

E30Joe drives a Subaru > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 14:02

Haha I'm used to their style of presentation and terrible accents. Despite the weird antics they make a point.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > E30Joe drives a Subaru
07/25/2014 at 14:03

I couldn't get too any point, I believe I was looking into cameras before and found that guy and stopped looking almost immediately

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 14:30

It depends a bit on what you plan on shooting. If you are shooting a lot of action-ey stuff like sports or autocross, look for a higher fps. If you are into nature or studio photography, a higher MP count is nice, but not necessary. Also keep in mind that just because a camera has a higher MP count doesn't mean it gives a sharper image. It just means there's a bit more room for cropping things out.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 14:31

Heck, if you want to meet in person, I can bring some gear and we can go shoot some stuff. I've got a couple Nikon bodies and some lenses, and can give you a bit of a rundown on some stuff.

WeissGuy > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 15:17

I really like Nikon, the controls make more sense to me, and they're compatible with the older manual focus lenses some of which are pretty awesome.

But honestly, you can't go wrong with anything that's on the market right now, pretty much every current camera from any major manufacturer (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olympus) is capable of taking great photos and it really comes down to what feels right in your hand.

You should also check out some of the mirrorless cameras out there. One of my friends shoots with an EOS M and old Canon FD lenses and his prints are every bit as good as what I get from my Nikon setup that cost literally ten times as much.

Check out KEH.com for used gear. It's going to be cheaper than eBay and they'll actually take stuff back no questions if there's something wrong with it unlike eBay and craigslist. I've been buying from them for years and they have some of the best customer service in the business.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > BaconSandwich is tasty.
07/25/2014 at 15:18

Cool man! I would like to photo more sports and moving things but still have decent stills. I am going to get one soon so maybe we could meet up after that.

DrJohannVegas > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 17:03

Get a light body. If you are going to be hauling it around, you don't want something which weighs a million pounds. I would keep an eye out for a lightly used D31/3200 or a D5100, if you want to go Nikon. It's surprising how many people get upgrade through those models.

Edit: if you want to have easier use of the (excellent) older manual Nikon lenses, which can be a real bargain, you need the 5100. But, overall, go by required basic features, then weight, then other things.

Stephen the Canuck > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 21:52

One thing I suggest; go to a Camera store (in person), one that will let you turn on and play with the cameras, and then play with a bunch of different ones. See how they feel in your hand. Find one you like, and then look for an older/used one online. I've seen sales from Future Shop/Best Buy/Walmart for a Canon T3i with EF-S 18-55mm for around $300. So drop another $100 for a bag, and a decent memory card.

Edit: I'm going to share this to the Photography Kinja page. It's a great resource, and very friendly.

Stephen the Canuck > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/25/2014 at 22:34

Something like this would be good.

iforgotmyburnerkeyonce > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/28/2014 at 20:52

Oh, god. I missed another Canon v. Nikon debate/flamewar.

Disclaimer: I own 3 Canon DSLRs and 2 Canon SLRs.

Now that I've put in my disclaimer, depends on what you're going to shoot and how deep into photography you're going to get.

If you just want a camera that's better than your phone, but want to put a bit of coin into it, I'd suggest one of the Fuji X Series cameras. The X100 and X100S are fixed lens cameras that I personally wouldn't mind owning for when I'm not needing a camera for a job. The X-T1 is the body I lust after. All those sexy, sexy dials. If you want interchangeable lenses, then look at an X-E1 or X-E2.

If you're looking to get into photography pretty seriously, then I would suggest a DSLR. I won't put up a "OMG BUY THIS BRAND OR YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG" response, but I'll say that the *only* reason I ended up going Canon was because TheGirlfriend has a 5D Mark II and a couple L lenses that I could borrow, so it was a no-brainer.

Decide which one you like better by holding the two, comparing how to set settings and such, and possibly even find someone who has one of each brand, and ask to borrow it for a day.

Personally, I can't make heads or tails of Nikon's lens naming scheme, but I know that there are *some* incompatibilities with their older lenses that don't have motors in the lens (at least with the entry-level bodies that don't have AF motors inside of them). All Canon EF bodies and lenses are compatible. I know this because I used my 300mm f/4L IS that I just got about a week ago on the EOS 650 I own, which is the first EF mount SLR that Canon produced. No problems; IS worked great, as did the USM AF motor.

Either way, in the way of Nikon v. Canon, they're both on the same level. It's a Chevy vs. Ford debate. I'm secretly rooting for Fuji to make a 35mm sensor and blast the both of them out of the water.

iforgotmyburnerkeyonce > 'Wägen, EPA LOL
07/28/2014 at 20:56

There is no replacement for Nikkor glass. It is the edge that Nikon has on Canon. Canon has its edge in the body.

Tell that to my 85mm f/1.2L II

iforgotmyburnerkeyonce > Joshua "Dr. Science" Gilbert
07/28/2014 at 20:57

Guys on Photograpy here:

You're close; The answer is actually 1DX.

iforgotmyburnerkeyonce > Textured Soy Protein
07/28/2014 at 20:58

I second this, with an addendum of "make sure to get at least 8 to 10MP in the body you choose"

iforgotmyburnerkeyonce > WeissGuy
07/28/2014 at 20:59

The EOS M was complete and utter crap. This is a testament to "it's not the camera that makes the picture, it's the photographer"

WeissGuy > iforgotmyburnerkeyonce
07/28/2014 at 21:18

I actually don't know anything about the ergonomics or functionality of it, but I've seen his RAW files and they look pretty great color and dynamic range wise.

iforgotmyburnerkeyonce > WeissGuy
07/28/2014 at 21:25

It was plagued with a lot of AF issues, and was slow, clunky, etc. Canon didn't do the job they should have with that camera. I think it may have been just a ploy to strengthen the DSLR market and put down mirrorless cameras, but then again, I'm a natural conspiracy theorist.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > iforgotmyburnerkeyonce
07/28/2014 at 22:58

I really do like the idea of having the interchangable lenses on the off change I do ever get more serious into it. My dad has a bunch of old, old Canon lenses that he said I could have so that is about the only reason I am looking at Canon instead of Nikon. I know there are a lot of online stores out there but I like buying things off the local Kijiji just because I can hold it before buying it. Thanks for the info!

WeissGuy > iforgotmyburnerkeyonce
07/29/2014 at 14:56

Ah, that explains it, he just uses it with an adapter and old MF L-series lenses.