Sub $300 DSLR's

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NzVanFan

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#296144 25-May-2022 09:39

Standing on the sidelines at 9am watching our kids football has made me start to thinking about moving around taking some photos. I've been looking at second hand DSLR's on trademe, most under $300. All are quite old but the price point is the attraction - I'm sure I can find something that'll take half decent shots while I learn / have a play. If it turns into something more I'd likely buy something decent.

Anyone got any recommendations on great options / things to look out for etc when making such a purchase?

rscole86

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#2918264 25-May-2022 09:49

With my very limited knowledge, I'm not sure I'd be looking at any DSLR with your budget. You might get an ok body, but highly unlikely to get any lens' in good condition.

Considering your can get a brand new DSLR, with a lens, for about $800, I would wait until my budget could extend to new. Often you get cashbacks, or bags etc, if you're able to wait for the manufacturer deals.

Have you considered a bridge camera?

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timmmay

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#2918279 25-May-2022 10:11

I would look at mirrorless these days, unless the primary driver for a DSLR is the cheaper second hand bodies. You might find you can get a slightly older mirrorless camera for a good price.

Scott3

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#2918284 25-May-2022 10:25

With DSLR's, the lens focal lenght (how tightly zoomed) is a main consideration.

For sideline sports, bird, zoo and similar photography, you need a telephoto lens. Generally cheaper camera come kitted with a normal (cira 18 -55mm on apsc) lens.

Personally In your spot I would buy this, and give it a whirl (Canon 550D with EFS 55-250 f/4-5.6 IS II lens).

www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/electronics-photography/digital-cameras/digital-slr/canon/listing/3606833561

I have the same lens in my kit, it is very highly regarded (for it's pricepoint). List price for that lens at cannon is $549.

The longer focal length alone will mean you get photos that you are unlikely to be able to get with your smart phone.

Note that without a shorter length, you will need to swap to your smartphone to take photos of stuff close to you, landscapes etc.

WyleECoyoteNZ

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#2918287 25-May-2022 10:58

Also worth noting that if you go with a Canon body\DSLR, you can also buy Tamron lenses

nedkelly

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#2918300 25-May-2022 11:39

As an avid photographer with WAY too much camera gear I am just wondering if a Point and shoot with a fixed lens would be an idea, as you would obviously be on the sidelines.

There are a number of cameras from Canon, Panasonic and others which sport a fairly large zoom lens fixed on the body of the cameras, they can also be cheaper than DSLR cameras but obviously lower spec.

If needed I own two canon Point and shoot cameras with 50x and 60x optical zoom lenses (albeit a few years old) if you wanted example shots.

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Scott3

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#2918306 25-May-2022 11:55

nedkelly:

As an avid photographer with WAY too much camera gear I am just wondering if a Point and shoot with a fixed lens would be an idea, as you would obviously be on the sidelines.

There are a number of cameras from Canon, Panasonic and others which sport a fairly large zoom lens fixed on the body of the cameras, they can also be cheaper than DSLR cameras but obviously lower spec.

If needed I own two canon Point and shoot cameras with 50x and 60x optical zoom lenses (albeit a few years old) if you wanted example shots.

Could be a good play actually.

Something like this (Sony RX10, 2014 era. - was a USD1300 camera back then.)

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/electronics-photography/digital-cameras/point-shoot/12-megapixel-or-more/listing/3604241153

Review:

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-cybershot-dsc-rx10

Would get rid of the limitations of only having a single telephoto lens with the DSLR I posted above. Should note that the lens is 24 - 200mm 35mm equliverlent. About half the max zoom of the 55-250 i mentioned above on an aps-c camera (works out to 88-400mm equivalent).

nedkelly

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#2918311 25-May-2022 12:04

Scott3:

Could be a good play actually.

Something like this (Sony RX10, 2014 era. - was a USD1300 camera back then.)

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/electronics-photography/digital-cameras/point-shoot/12-megapixel-or-more/listing/3604241153

Review:

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-cybershot-dsc-rx10

Would get rid of the limitations of only having a single telephoto lens with the DSLR I posted above. Should note that the lens is 24 - 200mm 35mm equivalent. About half the max zoom of the 55-250 i mentioned above on an aps-c camera (works out to 88-400mm equivalent).

Agreed, the Canon 65x optical one I own is 21mm-1365mm at 35mm equivalent, and I know that Nikon also do one with super zoom, it really just matters what you think you would need or use, yes you are limited to the one lens length unlike DSLR but they are more compact that DSLR hence the Compact camera range.

The Sony you linked is an 8.3x Optical zoom lens, so there are other cameras that have 10x or even 20x optical zoom which is not massive like the 50x-65x but should still be ample for the need you have.

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Scott3

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#2918315 25-May-2022 12:15

nedkelly:

Agreed, the Canon 65x optical one I own is 21mm-1365mm at 35mm equivalent, and I know that Nikon also do one with super zoom, it really just matters what you think you would need or use, yes you are limited to the one lens length unlike DSLR but they are more compact that DSLR hence the Compact camera range.

The Sony you linked is an 8.3x Optical zoom lens, so there are other cameras that have 10x or even 20x optical zoom which is not massive like the 50x-65x but should still be ample for the need you have.

OP is likely limited to one DSLR lens by budget, and if they want to take sideline sports photos, that kinda needs to be telephoto.

A Bridge camera will give them a much more all round lens, instead of being dedicated telephoto.

Just picked out an example I could find quickly, but after reading the spec's I kinda like the RX10. Big Sensor and fast (equivalent) aperture, compared to much of the completion. But this does come at the cost of zoom length. Not a camera for taking bird photos, but I think 200mm equil will cover the near half of the field or so for sideline sports.

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#2918327 25-May-2022 12:44

I still have the Nikon D50 with a couple of lenses as per this old post. Price can be negotiated.

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NzVanFan

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#2918646 25-May-2022 20:40

Thanks all for the replies - certainly some things to think about. Hadn't considered mirrorless. The last digital camera we had was likely a 8x zoom Fuji compact or something as it's all bee phones for a while.

Ironically I'd had couple of the Nikon D50's saved to my watch list. Really I'm just looking for something to mess around with - it may or may not turn into a hobby so something like that might do the trick (with the additional lens). That Sony mirrorless looks interesting although it's more than I really wanted to spend ideally.

Scott3

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#2918659 25-May-2022 22:14

NzVanFan:

Thanks all for the replies - certainly some things to think about. Hadn't considered mirrorless. The last digital camera we had was likely a 8x zoom Fuji compact or something as it's all bee phones for a while.

Ironically I'd had couple of the Nikon D50's saved to my watch list. Really I'm just looking for something to mess around with - it may or may not turn into a hobby so something like that might do the trick (with the additional lens). That Sony mirrorless looks interesting although it's more than I really wanted to spend ideally.

The Sony Bridge camera is especially nice (and had a very high price when it was new).

But really there are an abundance of cira 10 year old bridge camera's within a $300 budget. As an example the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150. Smaller sensor is worse for image quality, but means you get more zoom.

Cheap DSLR's (especially canon) get snapped up by people taking photography classes, so they hold their value a bit more, so less bargains to be had in that space. (even though the bridge camera's like these which have full manual modes would be quite fine for such classes).

deadlyllama

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#2918989 26-May-2022 15:59

I sold my old Olympus E-500 plus two lenses a few years back, then regretted it and bought a Canon EOS 550D in 2019, was about $300? Incl kit lens (18-55) plus a zoom lens (75-200?)

"Decent" is in the eye of the beholder, most older DSLRs were good when they were new and technology hasn't moved that quickly. Newer cameras give you smaller size, better low light performance, better video performance, anti-shaking, etc.

If you can, find something to borrow first! If you were in Wellington ... that 550D hasn't seen much use as it turns out...

NzVanFan

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#2919270 27-May-2022 07:12

I'm not too worried about image quality (within reason!) - sort of expecting it not to be to today's standard if I'm buying something 10 years old. The idea is really just something to have a play with and if I like it, re-sell the old one to recoup some cost and buy something half decent / modern.

The mirrorless options look interesting but I'll try and keep to the $250-ish price and look for the best option either mirrorless or DSLR around that. Seem to be a few DSLR options with additional lenses around that mark.

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#2919337 27-May-2022 08:30

Having stood on the sidelines taking photos of my boys playing football (and other sports) for a number of years (much less so now as they're older and hate it when I do that), I can honestly say the best results have always come from a Superzoom Bridge Camera.

A good one (even a few years old second hand) will have a lot of the adjustments that the average punter would find on a DSLR, but with a more easy-to-use interface and if all else fails, an auto mode.

The super zoom is great, as you can get those up close candid shots, but you can then immediately pan back and get a great wide shot. Can't really do that on a Telephoto-rigged DSLR.

The only thing I would say, is look for optical/digital viewfinder models...trying to take photos with a bridge camera using only a rear screen is painful.

EDit: perhaps something like this - https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/electronics-photography/digital-cameras/point-shoot/12-megapixel-or-more/listing/3610594244

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