what is a good camera??

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Permalink Reply by detlef on November 16, 2009 at 4:32am

If you are looking for an Digital SLR it will be tough to find a new one for $ 500
but you may look on craigslist for a used one
do you have lenses ? consider buying a camera that fits lenses you already have.
if not
Nikon, Canon, Sony and Pentax are all good makes

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Permalink Reply by Sean on November 16, 2009 at 4:12pm

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-XS-Digital-18-55mm-Black/dp/B001CBKJGG/...

Canon xs dslr 18-55mm lens for 479

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Permalink Reply by Amy Latka on November 17, 2009 at 10:25am

I think you'll have the most options for expanding your lens arsenal in the future if you stick to either Canon or Nikon DSLRs.

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Permalink Reply by Michael on November 17, 2009 at 10:29am

Good is relative to what it will be used for and used by. I will assume you want digital. Since you are asking this question I will also assume that while you had a camera you were likely taking snapshots with it and not a serious technically wise amateur photographer.

At the very least so as not to be at a disadvantage you will need a dslr. A entry level dslr will be more than adequate and learning how to use the many features that it will have will keep you business through several photography classes and courses. In the dslr world $500.00 is not a lot of money and will not get you even a "REALLY GOOD" new entry level camera.

To get the most bang for your buck I recommend buying USED. On eBay you will find a very good selection to choice from and will end up with far more camera than your $500.00 would ever get you new. And if you buy from someone with a 98-100 percent rating who is listing it as "Like New" it will be just that. In most of those cases you won't be able to look at the camera and tell it is not new and it will work just like it would if it was brand new. Serious photographers tend to take VERY GOOD care of their cameras. If you really want to be a savvy consumer you can likely get a "GOOD" above entry level camera that has less mega pixels. Like a 6 meg or 8 meg instead of 10 and above. But again entry level will be more than you can handle for quite a long while.

I HIGHLY recommend going with Canon or Nikon. There is a reason why they are the top two (I'm not suggesting that the other major brands are producing some cameras just as good, just that it is a safer bet). But also because if you buy lenses for the camera there is a big chance that you will be able to use them when you upgrade your camera. But honestly at this stage almost any major brand dslr will do.

While I would have no problem owning a Nikon I prefer Canon because I find that there is a larger selection of lenses that I can afford. Good Luck

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Permalink Reply by Matt Needham on November 17, 2009 at 1:13pm

Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony and Olympus all have entry level DSLR kits with lens for $500. All of these cameras will have manual exposure control, and are very capable of top of the line image quality in skilled hands.

If I were starting over as a student right now I'd go with a cheap body, and spend more money on a faster zoom lens and a decent flash. A cheap body could be a new entry level body or an older mid-level body. I shoot Canon and I'd rather have an older body with separate aperture and shutter dials (like ##D models) than a newer Rebel with the +/- button. I think real world image quality differences are pretty minor. Go to a store where you can actually handle the cameras. Pick the one that makes you want to go out and take pictures when you hold it.

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Permalink Reply by Tyrone on November 18, 2009 at 7:09pm

My own approach to buying cameras fall into a certain criteria. All of my equipment except for the D90 is used.
It has to be comfortable for me to use, (logistics of buttons) etc. I play with the demos for weeks until I'm comfortable with the camera. It also has too have the features that I wish for.
I collect the manuals from the camera stores and go over all of them and weigh them against ea. other. I realize that there are some things digital will not do so yet, so I use a film camera as a backup.
I research the pricing and for example;
Nikon D90 on craigslist-used 750.00
18-55 (plus) 55-200mm -used 250.00
12-24mm Sigma -new 600.00
75-300mm Nikon -used 150.00
6 ft. tripod 25 Dollars-new So I got 2 of them!
Nikon F5 - new 400.00
A lot can be accomplished w/a little research.
Lenses are the life-blood of the system. The bodies are a means to an end. I read somewhere to invest in the best glass that you can afford. You can read what type of system I use on my page. And visit me at www.redbubble.com/people/matsumoto

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Permalink Reply by Faie on November 18, 2009 at 8:26pm

Before i used Nikon D60 with Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 & also Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6. Last week i bought my new 'baby' (as my 2nd baby) brand new Nikon D300s for B$2500 (Brunei dollers) with Sigma lens 70-200mm f/2.8 Macro HSM for B$1200. The quality pictures & also the function was so amaizing. You can check the pictures here in my album or you can check Http://urangBruneikitani.blogspot.com

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Permalink Reply by Greg maklae on November 21, 2009 at 7:45am

Because the model has been replaced, you can pick up one of the remaining Nikon D40's for under $500. Other than that used is the way to go. Just make sure it shots in RAW format, has a good number of lenses available and feels good to hold.

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Permalink Reply by Ken Knight on November 22, 2009 at 7:33am

D40 Nikonwith 18-55 mm len under 450$CDN

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Permalink Reply by nathan mccreery on November 22, 2009 at 11:01am

If you are in a college type course what are the course requirements? Everyone assumes the camera will be digital but I know of a lot of art school/college/university courses that start you out with film. If you are in a film course check out KEH.com. If you are going to need a digital camera E-Bay is as good a place as any, provided you know what it is you need. If you aren't needing big Mega Pixels there are many digital cameras two or three generations back that will work well as a student camera that can be had in the $500.00 range. They won't be brand new or the latest and the greatest but they will work for your purposes, or the other sources listed.

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