camera help

[talisker]

i'm looking to buy a camera for when i'm out walking for wildlife and scenery pics i like the thought of buying a DSLR but on my budget i'm not sure i will be able to afford it ,around £350.
i've seen camera's such as cannon 350d new for about that price but that will be with the stock lens which i've heard is not very good, or second hand around £250, if i go secondhand would this leave me enough money to pick up another lens, i'm new to this so don't really know what sort of lens i should be looking for mainly for long distance shots birds etc.
are some of the DSLR'S better than others when it come to lens prices ?
or maybe i'm barking up the wrong tree and should just go for a decent bridge camera as i could get one to fit my budget no problem.
sorry for all the questions but i've been reading up about the differences on the net and my head is battered

[GME]

Hi,

I have the Canon 350D and like it a lot. I would have preferred the 400 but the saving (I got mine for about £200) allowed me to get a cheap zoom too (£80 odd quid second hand for a 75-300mm USM). On the quality of the kit lens, I think you may be surprisingly impressed. I know it has been much maligned but as a standard zoom I have had some really sharp images from it. I wasn't expecting much either so that could have had something to do with it. I considered a bridge camera as well when looking around. The thing that sold the DSLR to me was the 'real' view through the viewfinder. Once I had tried this the Electronic viewfinder (or the LCD) of the bridge was just not good enough for my liking.
The thing is, if you have just used point and shoots, like I had before, you'll be amazed at the improvement in image quality a DSLR can provide, even if you get a 'cheap' one - as long as you can use it! Yes, there are better DSLRs than others according to many reviews. I would stick to a pretty well known brand, e.g. Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olympus, etc.
You will need as long a length as possible for your lens for birds, but can get 300mm lenses for £100 new to get you started (you'll still need to get fairly close to the birds though to fill the frame with them).

I suggest you go the cheap DSLR route as it allows you to expand with your photography. I set myself up for a budget I did not think was possible when I first started looking into it. I was also unsure as to just how much I would use the camera and if I would really get into photography. I really have the bug for it now and over the last year have learnt a lot. I am really glad I bought a DSLR rather than the bridge as I know I would have been just hankering after one all this time. I am now confident to keep saving up for a newer camera/ lenses knowing I will use them and enjoy them. It really is a great hobby. If it is one you are plannning to take up then the DSLR will allow you to experiment with settings or use the auto options while you learn. If you only ever see yourself using auto modes then the bridge may be for you after all. It's personal preference for a lot of it. Finally, I suggest you get into a shop and try a few out to see which ones you like. I really liked the Fuji 9600 in the shop and was convinced I was going to get that at first, but then the viewfinder issue cropped up after trying a DSLR, so see what you like!

Good luck whatever and keep us posted on your progress (then get some images uploaded in the galleries)

Gareth

[gfilmsuk]

Hi Talisker
The Canon 300D is still an excellent camera, (use mine all the time) and you can pick one up for around 200 GBP, that should also include the battery grip.
Dave

[Geoff F]

If you are looking at the secondhand market, also consider a Canon 10D or 20D (or the Nikon alternatives). These are semi professional cameras and often sell secondhand for the same price as a 300D. They are larger and slightly heavier but I like the feel of something that I can really get hold of. They have a strong magnesium alloy body that will withstand the occasional knock and, in my opinion, give a better balance with a long lens. Also the settings are big enough that I can see most of them without my glasses.

As you progress you will find that you come to require larger and more expensive lenses; but with interchangeable lenses, they can be purchased as you can afford them. For bird photography, and close ups of insects, I would suggest at least 300mm; which is already starting to sound expensive.

As an alternative there are some excellent 'point & shoot' cameras available now with long lenses at very good prices and you can still slip them in your pocket when out of use. But if you intend to get serious with wildlife photography I think that you will eventually want a dslr, so you might as well start off with one.

[talisker]

i've seen 400d that i like the look of there are a few canon refurbished ones on ebay atm for about £360 with the standard lens, but that would mean that i would have to get a lens later on, has anyone got any experience with canon refurbs are they ok ?, it's a saving on a new one but not a lot at around £40

[APC]

Which magazine says 350D is better than the 400. I have the 350D. It is proper well good.

[hunterswind]

My Nikon 8800 sold more pics for me than my d200 as its light and always in my Landrover !

[galanthus]

Originally Posted by talisker

i've seen 400d that i like the look of there are a few canon refurbished ones on ebay atm for about £360 with the standard lens, but that would mean that i would have to get a lens later on, has anyone got any experience with canon refurbs are they ok ?, it's a saving on a new one but not a lot at around £40

I have the 400d and it's fantastic, however, my mate has had the 350d quite a while and he loves it like his own kidney ahem, bit graphic there.

As for needing more lenses, this is the snag with dslr world, you will always want the next lens up and believe me, you will manage to find dosh to get it eventually, whether it means starving for weeks or murdering your favourite old aunt for inheritance I find it curbs your spending overall as every time I pull out my debit card I remember that money could go towards camera kit and put it back Don't forget you'll need memory cards, spare battery etc too. Also if you look around the camera mags...digital photo, digital camera etc, they often give a free camera bag or tripod away with a 6 month subscription, great saving.

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by talisker

i've seen 400d that i like the look of there are a few canon refurbished ones on ebay atm for about £360 with the standard lens, but that would mean that i would have to get a lens later on, has anyone got any experience with canon refurbs are they ok ?, it's a saving on a new one but not a lot at around £40

I bought a Canon S1 IS from them a while back. Couldn't tell the difference from new, apart from the plain brown box it came in. Came with a full canon 1 year warranty.
If you look at their feedback, it's 98% positive, most of the negatives say the same, poor communications and they take a long while to sort out any problems, but they always seem to get there in the end.

[GME]

Originally Posted by glsammy

I bought a Canon S1 IS from them a while back. Couldn't tell the difference from new, apart from the plain brown box it came in. Came with a full canon 1 year warranty.
If you look at their feedback, it's 98% positive, most of the negatives say the same, poor communications and they take a long while to sort out any problems, but they always seem to get there in the end.

We had this debate on another thread a while back and I'm with Graham. I bought both my camera and lens as Canon refurbs and have been delighted with both. They delivered in 2 days from payment and both are new as far as I can tell, and also with the 1 year warranty. Mine even came in the Canon boxes and had Canon seals on them. Touch wood but so far so good.