[fred.r]

I've been keeping my eye out for DSLR's on craigslist and here's what's available. Also thinking about grabbing a new Canon G10. Here's what's on craigslist.
-Canon Rebel Xt DSLR (350D) - Comes with lens - 18-55mm efs and 2 batteries. Cheaper than the G10.
-Olympus E-410 with 14-42MM plus 40-150 Lens SLR DIGITAL CAMERA
A bit over the cost of the G10, but if it's worth it I might pick it up.
-Camera Olympus Evolt E300 8MP Digital SLR with Zuiko 14-45mm f3.5-5.6 Digital SLR Lens
Cheaper than the G10, same price as the Rebel.
Those are my options, those or going out and buying a cheap new DSLR like a Sony alpha DSLR-A200K 10.2-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera & 18-70mm Lens, or Nikon D40 6.1-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm Lens. Both around the $500 mark.

I used to do film photography so I can manage a DSLR fine, just didn't want the upcharge over a good point and shoot. Having never owned a digital camera I'm a bit lost.
What should I go for?

(If this thread is in the wrong place, sorry. I know there are a few knowledgeable photogs on here that can help me out though.)
BTW, this will be used for amateur MTB photos and my personal bring to parties etc... camera.

 

[Prettym1k3]

Nikon D40 on www.BHphotovideo.com

$509.90, and unless you live in New York, there's no tax. And unless you want the camera like... tomorrow, you'll have it in about a week.

18-55 DX lens, and a 55-200 VR lens are included.

www.kenrockwell.com if you're curious.

The price says $749.99, but when you add it to your cart, it's $509.90.

My buddy who does professional surf photography gets all of his stuff from BH.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/532253-REG/Nikon__D40_SLR_Digital_Camera.html

 

[ianjenn]

You can find a 20D or 30D for about $500 with lens. I would look out for 1 of those? I sold a 20D with lens for $400 recently. Canon or Nikon stay away from others. Cheap Nikons have no AF from my understanding?

 

[Transcend]

If you want a DSLR stick with Canon or Nikon. The lens and accessory options for the other brands simply do not compare.

You can usually get new current stuff on BH for surprisingly cheap prices compared to ebay.

 

[fred.r]

So basically, stay away from the camera's I listed? What about the Rebel? The guy's asking $350 for everything I listed. Should I go for it?

 

[fred.r]

Nikon D40 on www.BHphotovideo.com

$509.90, and unless you live in New York, there's no tax. And unless you want the camera like... tomorrow, you'll have it in about a week.

18-55 DX lens, and a 55-200 VR lens are included.

www.kenrockwell.com if you're curious.

The price says $749.99, but when you add it to your cart, it's $509.90.

My buddy who does professional surf photography gets all of his stuff from BH.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/532253-REG/Nikon__D40_SLR_Digital_Camera.html

I added it to the cart, still says $749.99.
Plus, I'm trying to get a camera by this up coming Thursday for a Vegas trip. It's not vital, but would be ideal.

 

[DsDhBxracer13]

If your looking for used stuff, check out the buy/sell forum on fredmiranda.com I've purchased stuff on there and also sold about $5000 worth of equipment this summer, and had great experiences with everyone on the board.

 

[Transcend]

So basically, stay away from the camera's I listed? What about the Rebel? The guy's asking $350 for everything I listed. Should I go for it?

Really depends what you want to do. The rebel is an old camera at this point and the 18-55 EF-S is not exactly a fantastic lens. Slow focus, missing some metering features etc.

That said, 350 is probably about right price-wise, and it will still take an excellent photo in the right hands. It isn't like it stops working because it is old.

I avoid ebay like the plague. For used stuff, I buy from keh.com and fredmiranda.com. Keh you will get a warranty, fredmiranda is private sales. I've bought about $5000 worth f stuff off fredmiranda in the last 3 years or so with no problems.

You can also look in the classifieds on sportsshooter.com.

 

[Transcend]

Oh, and ignore anything you ever read on kenrockwell.com . That guy is worthless, as is his website.

 

[Prettym1k3]

Granted, Ken Rockwell does a little less on the subjects-at-high-speed-flying-down-the-mountain kinda' stuff, but I've found a lot of his advice pretty helpful. You're a grand-master of photography and all, but I wouldn't say he is "worthless". He's just obviously paid by Amazon and a few other companies and, whether he'll admit it or not, motivated to sell certain models/brands.

And BHphotovideo is closed now, but I ordered my D40 a few days ago, just tried it again right when I posted my first reply, and I got this:

 

[Transcend]

Ken's biggest issue is that he is paid by Nikon and just plain makes up "facts" much of the time. Oh, and i'm only a grand master at making coffee, nothing else.

 

[Prettym1k3]

You can find a 20D or 30D for about $500 with lens. I would look out for 1 of those? I sold a 20D with lens for $400 recently. Canon or Nikon stay away from others. Cheap Nikons have no AF from my understanding?

Cheap Nikons (D40, D40x D60) won't auto-focus without an AF-S lens (more expensive). The D50 was the last of the "cheap" Nikon DSLR's to offer auto-focus on any standard lens, without it having to be an AF-S lens. I hardly ever used the auto-focus option on my old D50.

Having a D40 should be nice though. I missed having a DSLR.

Transcend, are you a Canon man? Most of the guys I see shooting at events are using something along the lines of a 40d or a 50d. My buddy who does surf photography did some riding shots of me and some buddy's last year and swore by his 40d with a multi-remote flash setup.

 

[Transcend]

I shoot all canon bodies and lenses and elinchrom lights.

 

[blue]

Oh, and ignore anything you ever read on kenrockwell.com . That guy is worthless, as is his website.

x9999

Believe nothing Ken Rockwell writes.

NOTHING.

D40s blow. Get a used Canon 20D/30D for the same price and a nice third-party lens. Much nicer body, better images/sensor, faster shooting, and faster AF.

And this is coming from someone currently shooting Nikon.

 

[fred.r]

Found this for $525 - Canon 30D SLR Camera & Sigma DC 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OS
Good deal?
Sorry for all the questions, I hate when people do this about bikes, but being a total DSLR newb in a rush I need the help.
Thanks again.

 

[fred.r]

I think I might just settle for the Rebel brand new at Bestbuy. On sale for $550 - Canon - EOS Digital Rebel XS 10.1-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black w/ Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens.
Unless the Canon 30D with lens on craigslist is that much better of a camera/lens and the guys still has it.
Thoughts?

 

[Transcend]

Great body, terrible variable aperture lens. F/6.3 at 200mm? Wow.

Honestly, if you want a good deal, get the new rebel body ONLY, and then pick up a 50mm f/1.8 for about $75. Those low end zoom lenses really leave a lot to be desired.

 

[fred.r]

Great body, terrible variable aperture lens. F/6.3 at 200mm? Wow.

Honestly, if you want a good deal, get the new rebel body ONLY, and then pick up a 50mm f/1.8 for about $75. Those low end zoom lenses really leave a lot to be desired.

What if I grab that 30D, sell the lens, and grab a 50mm f/1.8? A bit more hassle and $$$ than I was looking to spend, but if it's that good of a set up, it may pay off if I end up getting further into shooting beyond just for fun.

 

[dropmachine]

I would sell my 20d with 18-55 kit lens for 400...lemme know.

 

[fred.r]

I would sell my 20d with 18-55 kit lens for 400...lemme know.

The main difference in the 30d and 20d is the metering system right? 20D doesn't have spot metering like the 30D.
Is spot metering vs the 20D's center metering worth a continued search?

 

[dropmachine]

I have no idea. All I know is that that bloody camera helped me learn TONS, and I don't regret paying the extra over the rebel for even a second.

The problem that I have with the low end DSLRs is that they feel like My FIrst Camera from Fisher Price or something. They feel small and cheap and plastic and disposable really.

The 20d helped me grow considerably, and I'd have kept it had I not scored a deal on a 1d Mark II.

 

[fred.r]

I have no idea. All I know is that that bloody camera helped me learn TONS, and I don't regret paying the extra over the rebel for even a second.

The problem that I have with the low end DSLRs is that they feel like My FIrst Camera from Fisher Price or something. They feel small and cheap and plastic and disposable really.

The 20d helped me grow considerably, and I'd have kept it had I not scored a deal on a 1d Mark II.

Just out of curiosity would you mind posting some pictures you've taken with that cam? I can't buy yours since you're in Canada and would like to have something in my hands by Tuesday at the latest, which wouldn't be possible with customs and what not. But I'd still like to see what the camera's capable of.

 

[dropmachine]

What the camera is capable of, and what I can do are two totally different things.

http://www.dropmachine.com/media/showgallery.php/ppuser/2/cat/500

 

[ianjenn]

These are from my 20D if it helps. The 30 has a larger rear LCD and also a better FPS just a little faster! Also the 30D may have custom function options on it. So you can create 3 different type of in camera processing to be applied to all JPG images in it.

 

[ianjenn]

The pics above are OK. But this is one of my co-workers website. All her images were done with her 20D and just had PS work done on the.

http://www.monicanicolephoto.com/

 

[Transcend]

If the 30d has spot metering and the 20d doesn't (I am not sure) get the 30d. I use spot metering almost exclusively.

 

[fred.r]

If the 30d has spot metering and the 20d doesn't (I am not sure) get the 30d. I use spot metering almost exclusively.

Awesome, thanks for all the help Transcend, and everyone else.
Found a local seller with a 30D that lives less than 5 min away. Going to check out his camera after work today.
Thanks again.

 

[wysiwyg]

If you can run to a 30D do it, if not a 20D.

Re spot metering read...

this kinda cheating but....

 

[blue]

I loved my 20D. You can find very clean examples in the low $300 range online. Avoid the kit lens (Canon 18-55). It's pretty horrifically soft. I'd get the body, a 28mm f/1.8 USM and a 50mm f/1.8 to start with will cover some decent range. Just the 50 won't be the best on a crop body - it's a short telephoto with the APS-C sensor in the 20D. USM lenses (ring focus) will be much faster focusing for things like action and sports than others. The 70-300 USM III gets panned for being soft (and slow), but that's really only beyond the 200mm range. Otherwise it's dirt cheap and good for outdoor reach or if you're using off-cam lighting.

The center-weighted metering isn't bad. It's not quite a spot meter, but I never had real complaints about it.

 

[BiscuitFuelled]

I forgot Canon were a bit tight with their metering... the Nikon D40, D40X and D60 all have spot metering, and they're bottom-rung cameras.

Remember to budget for all the other bits and pieces that you'll want once you start shooting - leave at least a little aside for a speedlight. Other than that, I'll shut up, as you want a Canon and I'm a Nikon man if ever there was one! Heh heh

 

[fred.r]

Ended up with a used 30D and a 50mm f1.8 lens for a good deal. Thanks for the lead Ska Todd.
Just printed out the 200 page manual, bought a 8g compact flash card, an extra battery, and now I'm gonna start figuring the camera out.
Any tips, settings, ect... you guys wanna pass along to a newb is aprisheated.
Thanks again for all the help from everyone.

 

[Transcend]

Move the focus to the * button on the back, and away from the shutter button. This is key as it will unlink exposure lock and focus.

 

[fred.r]

Move the focus to the * button on the back, and away from the shutter button. This is key as it will unlink exposure lock and focus.

Still trying to find out how to do that. But thanks for the tip.

 

[Transcend]

Still trying to find out how to do that. But thanks for the tip.

It's a custom function on all Canon bodies. Custom Function #4 i believe? You want AF * and AE shutter button

 

[fred.r]

It's a custom function on all Canon bodies. Custom Function #4 i believe? You want AF * and AE shutter button

Thanks, 4 was right. The language was a bit different but I figured it out.
I'm assuming I should keep the AF mode on "one shot" with this method as opposed to what Canon says for moving objects. They say to set it to Al Servo AF but this seems to render the Custom Function useless.
I'll read up more about the camera, I was just looking for some general tips. Thanks again for all the help, Fraser.

 

[narlus]

Cf 4 does a few things, depending on which option you choose...you can have exposure lock, or not lock it (useful if you are tracking a subject through variable lighting and not shooting manual).

 

[Transcend]

Ya there is 3 settings like Narlus says. The one I use (and most sports photogs use) is the option to put focus alone on the * button, and then have exposure lock ONLY happen when you depress the shutter button halfway. This way you can independently focus, or lock exposure.

When shooting in full manual mode, it simply moves focus to the back of the camera. On my IS lenses, it also means that when you focus, it doesn't trigger the IS as the shutter button would. This saves batteries if you have IS on.