14 year old, new at photography, looking for good SLR camera?

Question

I have been looking for a SLR camera for some time now. I want one because I love photography, but as of now I have been using a 35mm that only works half the time. =[ I would love something digital. So, all you pros out there, if you have any ideas for a camera for me (SLR is very important to me) I would love to hear them. Try to be a little concious of price, i don't have a huge budget, but I am willing to look on Craig's list, and Ebay for the camera. $400-$500 Would be an ideal price range. Thanks in advance all!

Answer 1

Look at the Nikon D40 and the Canon Rebel XT.  Both should be under $500.  And both are very good cameras.

Answer 2

I have to be honest,  it is going to be difficult to find a good digital SLR in the price range that you are wanting.

Everyone will have their own preferences as to brand, but a Nikon D50 or D40 ; or a Canon Rebel are good starter cameras.  They should be at least fairly close to the price range you are looking for.   I would suggest that you do some research before you make a decision though.  DPReview.com is a pretty good site and you can get detailed reviews of most of the major modes.  And can even compare different models to one another.  You may also want to try checking out some online photograph forums and see what people are saying about their cameras.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Why not get a film SLR? You've been using a junky film camera, but film can be great.

A Canon Rebel or Pentax SLR are great quality cameras, that can be had with lens for well under $100.

For an extra $3, I can get my photos scanned at time of development, and am able to share them over email.

Answer 4

I'll echo the Nikon D40 or Canon Rebel XT. Also, since you've had some experience with photography you could consider getting the Canon 20D on Ebay. It can be found for about $400.

Was your old 35mm an SLR? If so then you should see if your lenses can be used on a DSLR. if that's the case then get the DSLR that can use your lenses.

Answer 5

Sorry this is soooo long to read.

I just bought a new Nikon d40x with a 18-55 mm Nikkor lense on ebay for $480 plus shipping. It was a lucky find.

The Nikon d40 and d60 are one of the best beginner SLR cameras along with the Canon Rebel XTi and XSi.

The Nikon d40 is verry cheap now since it has been out for a year. But one downside is it has 6 Mp. But it does take very good pics. As long as you don't print poster size pictures, the 6 Mp will not be a big deal. Also harder to keep resolution when croping with less Megapixels.

The Nikon d40x is the same as the D40 but it as 10.2 Mp and shoots 3 frames per second rather then 2.5 on the d40. I think this camera has been discontinued since the release of the Nikon d60 and harder to find.

The Nikon d60 is out of your price rage but a good SLR.

The Canon cameras are also out of your price range.

You should do some major research before you buy your first DSLR. Go to a camera store and try out the cameras, make sure they fit your hand comfortable and maybe ask a sales person.

If you are buying on Ebay, make sure the seller specifies that it is a new camera unless buying a refurbished or a used camera is okay with you. Read all the information the seller list for the product and verify that the camera is new, and comes with a new lense (if you want to buy with a lense). Be verrry careful and keep yourself from fraud. Also check the sellers ratings and comments. This will reassure you that the seller is honest and easy to cooperate with. Avoid buying from some whose rating is less than 99%. If you are unfamiliar with Ebay then have someone help you check it out.

I dont really know much about Olympus or other brands, and I'm sure they are good too.

Another tip for buying is to read reviews on Amazon.com

Its very reliable because the reviews come from people that have bought the product and used it themselves.

Good Luck finding your camera!

Answer 6

For a $400-$500 price range, I recommend the Nikon D40 with the kit lens. It can take very nice pictures in capable hands.

Use the D40 to learn, learn, learn. Upgrade in the future when you're confident the D40 limits your photography.

Visit dcresource.com or dpreview.com to check out camera reviews. There are PLENTY of review sites out there, so have a look around.

I hope you are successful in finding yourself a DSLR :)

Answer 7

Go to http://dpreview.com and check out the different DSLR cameras in a side by side comparison.  Also, you say you've been using a 35mm SLR, the lenses may be compatible with the same brand's DSLR, you may want to check into that.  The best prices for digital cameras online are usually found at http://adorama.com or http://bhphotovideo.com ..