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Buying a New (to me) Camera on a Budget

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Turbo Monkey
ok...so i have a ton of responsibilities i need to take care of but i'd REALLY like to squeeze in a camera with my tax refund that's due to hit on Friday. many of you that know me know how much i love photography and my current camera is a Nikon Coolpix that is being held together with a rubberband. so i figure at this point anything is an upgrade. as much as i'd love to spend $400+ on a camera...the budget will only allow for $200. I'd love a Nikon D-anything. at a quick glance ebay and craigslist are showing over $200 for anything that has more than just the body with it.

so any of you monkeys wanna help me a graphics monkey out? :cupidarrow:
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
For $200, stick it in your sock drawer and hold out until you've got a few more dollars to keep alongside it. My $0.02. Even "entry level used" is going to be above the $200 mark, and adding a lens puts you into into $300+.

You're not going to get anything digital and worthwhile for that price. For $350, you can get a D40 with a lens and be happy. For maybe $300, you can get the aging D100 + lens - probably not recommended over the D40.

You can get a used D40 or D70 body from KEH for around $250-275. I know that money is burning a hole in your pocket, but sit on it until you've got a few more bucks to put alongside it. Rummage through your crap in the attic or closets, see if you can put anything on eBay - anything sells there, clothes, junk electronics, anything.
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
Yeah, $275 seems to be the sweet spot where you can get a bunch of used camera bodies of varying brands, models and conditions.
 

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Turbo Monkey
where's biggins when you NEED him? :cupidarrow:

i guess i just figured that anything would be better than my nikon coolpix being held together by a rubberband??? it can be really frustrating when you're trying to take a cool photo only to get crap like this...



 
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MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
The canon S-series (S70 is what I have, dunno what model they're up to now) is an amazing camera which will give great results if you know how to control exposure. Spot metering, aperture and shutter priority modes plus manual, versatile flash options, etc.

I got it because it gave so much control and pretty damned good optics in a relatively tiny package--took it all over the world and got amazing shots.

Don't get a crappy SLR when you can get a great compact which will probably do what you need it to do.

From my S70:





Or get an old mechanical Nikon F2 or FM (or a Pentax K1000), a 35mm or 50mm lens, and lots of film. But the processing and printing costs will add up fast.
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
You don't have to step all the way to a DSLR. Step part way to an advanced point and shoot.
I don't know... I get that if you're going to stop at an advanced P&S. Or if you're going to spend a couple years with one. Seems like, though, if you're half the way to a used SLR and really want an SLR, it might be better to just hold off a little longer.
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
it can be really frustrating when you're trying to take a cool photo only to get crap like this...
Question that might inform our advice a little better--what would you have done differently with an SLR that you couldn't do with your current camera to make these photos more pleasing to you?
 

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Turbo Monkey
Question that might inform our advice a little better--what would you have done differently with an SLR that you couldn't do with your current camera to make these photos more pleasing to you?
good question...probably nothing different.

i just think the cameras i've used on loaner produced a better photo...had better stabilizing abilities, better focusing abilities, things like that.

i readily admit i'm not looking for a camera that's gonna confuse the fvck out of me. when i was playin around with the D200 way back when (it was a loaner camera) i actually was a bit overwhelmed with it and tended to stay with the automatic settings. which on a D200 still gave me awesome shots.
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
good question...probably nothing different.

i just think the cameras i've used on loaner produced a better photo...had better stabilizing abilities, better focusing abilities, things like that.

i readily admit i'm not looking for a camera that's gonna confuse the fvck out of me. when i was playin around with the D200 way back when (it was a loaner camera) i actually was a bit overwhelmed with it and tended to stay with the automatic settings. which on a D200 still gave me awesome shots.
define awesome.


i would think you would be better served thinking about composition rather than sweating things like sharpness.
 

Silver

find me a tampon
Jul 20, 2002
10,840
1
Orange County, CA
i would think you would be better served thinking about composition rather than sweating things like sharpness.
:stupid:

That one with the guitars is never going to be a good photo, no matter what camera you use. You've got three light sources staring right back at you...so you either turn them off, add a bunch of light to balance them, or you move.
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
Or learn to use the light sources to some dramatic effect. And learn to use the light meter accordingly.

Part of "sharpness" and "better focusing" is learning why/how the camera focuses and uses a given shutter speed. I don't think, in the guitar picture, the picture is unsharp because of bad focus, but because you're using too slow of a shutter speed.

If you just want a camera that will give you better exposed/focused pics without your input/thought (nothing wrong with that!), maybe you need a more advanced/modern model. But if you're not familiar with the whys and hows of photography, I'd get a book on the subject or take a short course, and continue to use your camera until you've got a better idea exactly what equipment you want/need and why.