New to the world of photography - Camera Choice

[darkc]

If the Nikon feels better in your hand then thats the one. I started in the digital age with a D80 and thats exactly why I chose Nikon. I have never looked back. I a do agree if you can stretch the budget for a D90 then that would be the way to go you should be able to pick one up at a good price since it's due for an update soon.

Grey market cameras are new but have warranty from the country of purchase, so if something goes wrong you will have to send it back to that country. I have friends who buy grey market all the time and are happy with their purchases but nothing has gone wrong yet! Alternatively here is the MACK warranty but I have heard mixed feedback from this option.

[Rick]

Thanks for the input

Still undecided about whether I should buy new or used and even what camera to buy. I suppose ill just sit tight until something pops up second hand with some warranty.

I'm contemplating buying something like a D3000/5000 or D40/60 as it is cheaper, and buy a couple of lenses. Can always buy a better body later. Then on the other hand I could just buy something decent to start with and not have to worry about upgrading for a long time. I'm leaning towards midrange S/H gear.

Also, when buying second hand lenses, can they be subject to stuffing up due to lots of use, even if taken care of?

[rellik666]

Hi Rick,

firstly come along on Wednesday, you can have a play. I am sure people will let you have a shoot and a feel!

Secondly, at the end of the day it is the lenses that are going to cost you and the rate at which technology is moving bodies are upgraded so quickly. I would stick with a second hand beginner body. I recently went from the D50 to the D300s and it is a big jump, I have learnt loads but I think if I had gone straight to the D300 it would have overwhelmed me.

There is no Auto on the semi pro bodies, so it can be a bit frustrating when you mess up that one shot cause you forget to change the settings!

I had no idea if the D50 has an internal motor or not, but it is not something I noticed at the beginning anyhow, so I wouldn't worry about it...

My advice is get a cheap body, D60/40/80/70/50 whatever and buy a nice general purpose lens. I second the 18-200VR as good walk around lens. Great for learning and gives you a good range. (it is pretty expensive but you should get a good second hand one) And find out what you enjoy taking shots of. I started off thinking I would like to do animals and landscapes, now I find that I really love Urban shots and wide angle shots....

Finally...join us on Wed! 7pm St Kilda Pier!

Roo

[ollie]

i love my D80

[Rick]

Good reply Rellik.

Thats exactly what I was thinking. Buy a second hand beginner body and buy some nice new lenses? Then once I have learnt the body and ready to move on I can upgrade. Do you people recommend buying new or second hand lenses?

[Rick]

Also how does the D60 compare to the D3000/5000?

[Gregg Bell]

Also how does the D60 compare to the D3000/5000?

Very little in it. D5000 has some new features, like a flip LCD, more ISO settings, though to be frank, its not a big deal imo. I only use 100/125/160/200/400. The D60 has 100/200/400/800/1600/3200. However you can make ISO 125 by selecting ISO 100 and +0.3 EV exposure.

All cameras have the same settings, the D3000 has tutorials on ti, but the tutorials on here are just as good. the sensor is the exact same, and the D5000 can record 5 minute videos. That's all there is in it I think.

D60 is a very good camera. you could allocate the AE-lock button to change the ISO instead of going into the menu.

[rellik666]

Depends on the Lens I think...lenses don't really drop in value so sometimes it can just as cheap to buy new. But sometimes you can get a gem that is no longer available new.

Sometimes you can get a really cheap second hand lens, like the kit lens 18-55mm is pretty reasily available, is good starter lens and can be cheap and cheerful.

I would suggest that getting cheap new lenses can be a bit of white elephant as you will get frustrated with them....and anyhow you are on here! Do some research and then come and ask...look how much info you get!

Roo

[I @ M]

Very little in it.

Not quite correct, the D60 has a CCD sensor and the D5000 has the CMOS sensor which is a better option in this day and age with Nikon. That point alone makes the D5000 more desireable.

[Willz]

Definitely the D80, it is situated well above 450D (towards 40D)

[Rick]

How do the two sensors differ and what do they do? Even if I was to get a D80 im sure even they still had the 'CCD' sensor dont they?

[I @ M]

Rick, the sensor is the "film" of the digital camera, the bit that records the image first off.
The D80 shares the same / similar CCD sensor to the D60 and the D200.
Nikon now uses CMOS sensors in all models except for the D3000.
There is nothing radically wrong with CCD sensors but from what I can see the CMOS sensors are better at handling high ISO values in conjunction with the newer processors being fitted to cameras now and are just another step in the evolutionary process of digital cameras.

See if you can make it to the Melbourne meet on the 17th that they have organised and have a cuppa and a chat with a few members there regarding gear, there should be a fair variety of it on hand and some advice to go with it.

[Rick]

Still havent got anything guys!

My wage top up has been a little late and a few other things have had to been paid for, so hopefully it should only be about 2 weeks longer. Figured that I sort of don't want to get anything more than say a cheapish D60 until I hone my skills a little more! I figure I may as well just spend money on a couple of nice lenses that I can use when I upgrade the body later on down the track.

I should just buy lenses with AutoFocus motors built in yes?

If anybody has a D60 with all original boxes for sale, PLEASE, let me know!

Thanks alot

[Rick]

Ok so on the look out at the moment for a camera. Seeing as I don't have enough posts on here to post a WTB thread i'm having a look on Ebay.

Are these reasonable?

$539 - Refurbished D60 body with original boxing etc. No lenses.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Nikon-D60-Bod...ht_3894wt_1165

$750 Buy now price - D60 with 3 lenses, all original boxing and some warranty left
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Nikon-D60-dig...#ht_654wt_1165

$600 Buy now price - D60 Body and 18-55mm VR Kit
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Nikon-SLR-D60...#ht_500wt_1182

$550 Buy now price - D80 Body only with a few extras
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Nikon-D80-Bod...#ht_549wt_1165



Just to name a few. Would I be better off spending more of my budget on say a D80 and buy some cheap kit lenses to get grounded, or get say a cheap D60 with some lenses and go from there?

Being a beginner I cant really justify getting anything more than a entry level camera until I improve my skills. Any helpful feedback that can help me decide on the smartest path would be great.

Also if somebody could tell me what prices I should expect to pay for D60/D70/D80/D90? S/H. Not too sure.. If you know of some deals in Melbourne that would suit me please let me know!! My budget is around $800-1000. Prefer to keep it on the lower side of things, being a beginner.

Thanks alot guys!!

[maccaroneski]

I am a D90 owner after having originally had a D60.

Those prices for D60s look a little high. In particular, stay away from the second one you have listed - those lenses, not being the VR versions, can be had dirt cheap. The 70-300 in particular has a pretty bad rep. And I'm not exactly sure what a "generic 0.42 fish eye" is, but it sounds nasty.

If I were you I would look at this:

http://www.dwidigitalcameras.com.au/...idProduct=1792

plus this:

http://www.dwidigitalcameras.com.au/...idProduct=1792

Add a 4GB Sandisk SD card for $20 bucks, and you are almost bang on the $1000 mark, and you'll be good to go for 6 months to a year unless lens lust gets the better of you.

For me that's the best value body going around at the moment, it lacks nothing in terms of sensor quality and the like, does video even (if you think you might like that) and you won't grow out of it for a few years. I grew out of my D60 in precisely 3 months.

And no matter what camera you buy everyone pretty much recommends a "fast 50" (i.e. a 50mm lens with a low number as the minimum aperture - in this case, 1.8).

That combo will let you take portraits, low light shots, landscapes (at a pinch) and even some fast action stuff (although obviously 50mm is neither big in zoom terms nor wide as far as landscapes and the like go).

If I had my time over that's what I would have done, and saved myself a bunch of cash in the process, as I am now upgrading kit lenses for better ones etc etc...

[nick351]

Rick I've sent you a PM regarding second hand D90.

[Rick]

Thanks alot macca! Thats the sort of response I was after. From the sounds I maybe better off spending slightly more on the body (D90) and a ##### or two to get me started..

Nick, PM replied!

[Rick]

BTW Macca, the two links you put up are the same!

[maccaroneski]

BTW Macca, the two links you put up are the same!

Oops!

Here's the one for the lens.

http://www.dwidigitalcameras.com.au/...?idProduct=118

[Rick]

Thanks Macca.

I've had an offer for a D90 + lens for roughly $1000 incl. postage.

In my mind I would be better off getting a new Body and lens from DWI. Should I bother getting the MACK diamond warranty or whatever it is? Obviously its another $217 so that blows the price out. Should I just stick with the $77 option? Or not bother at all?

For the sake of a hundred or so dollars I would rather buy new gear. IMO s/h would only be really worth its while if it was a bit of a bargain!

At the end of the day i'm in two minds about warranty and whether its worth it. From what I can understand the link to the D90 on DWI is a 'grey import' and therefor has no warranty what so ever? Can anybody clarify?

Thanks in advance. Just want to know 100% my options before I blow some money...