Best DSLR deals on used market

[gryphonslair99]

Originally Posted by JDArt

I think I've heard you say that before. You're mistaken.

IS/VR is useful and, I'd argue, even essential on a tripod. If you have ever used a 500 or 600mm lens on a tripod, you will know that the lens still vibrates, certain times more than others. IS reduces the vibration, allowing you photographic opportunities you otherwise simply would not have in certain lighting conditions.

So no: it's not just for handholding a lens. Far from it.

On lens cost: last time I checked, lenses cost money, no matter which company you buy them from. One of the things I was pleasantly surprised by when I switch from Nikon to Canon is that the Canon lenses tend to cost less, sometimes significantly less. When I occasionally take a peek at the Olympus lenses, I'm shocked at how much they cost.

Canon specifically recommends that IS NOT be used when mounted on a tripod. The two do not play nicely. The newer generation has a pan mode IS that works well with a monopod, & I do not see why it would not work on a tripod, for panning purposes.

If you are having lens vibration problems on a tripod, you are not using a good enough (reads as sturdy enough) tripod. That is the whole purpose of a good tripod.

[Mr. Pickles]

Yeah, what Paul said. Just because there are a bazillion McDonald's around the world, doesn't mean they are the best hamburgers, although that Big Mac value meal is pretty tempting right about now....

[gryphonslair99]

Originally Posted by badpickev

thanks for proving my point. most folks shot fuji or kodak film. since the sensor is the digital film. it makes sense to get a sensor made by the folks who make your film. since most folks used fuji film get a fuji camera. it uses nikon glass.

in the end what is the BEST camera for you? the one you use. the one that best for me is fuji, they made my film, they make my sensor. the best one for jd is canon, cause nikon service didnt like him. hey jd, they dont like anyone, its just not you.

some people need to relax a bit.

i am still to funny for this board. sorry i forgot the smilys

If that is the case my next camera better say Toyota, because they make the best. Oh wait, that would be talking apples and oranges wouldn't it. Kind of like electronic sensors and film emulsion. Fuji does not make their own sensors. Hate to break the news but Sony makes both Nikon's and Fuji's sensors to their specifications. Does this mean you will be trading in your stuff for an A-100?

[JDArt]

Originally Posted by PaulS

By best, what you really mean is best-selling I guess? That's an important thing to consider, but following this to the logical conclusion we should all be using Canon as they have by far the largest market share and have lots of lenses and accessories

Well, now, I just read an article on the Pentax K100, I think it was, and it has image stabilization in the body. I can see how that would be very useful to someone, say, who shoots concerts at close range in environments that are of course dark. So there you have a tipping point in favor of another brand by virtue of a unique feature offered.

It would be tremendously useful to some to have IS in the body so that your 35mm and 50mm lenses are advantaged by the IS. Canon does not offer that.

[Max@Home]

Originally Posted by JDArt

It would be tremendously useful to some to have IS in the body so that your 35mm and 50mm lenses are advantaged by the IS. Canon does not offer that.

They do. It's called the EF-S 17mm-55mmF2.8 IS USM .

35mm and 50mm FoV covered with IS @ F2.8.

(OK, not at 'prime speed' of F1.4/1.8 )

Max@Home

[Paul Shields]

Originally Posted by JDArt

Well, now, I just read an article on the Pentax K100, I think it was, and it has image stabilization in the body. I can see how that would be very useful to someone, say, who shoots concerts at close range in environments that are of course dark. So there you have a tipping point in favor of another brand by virtue of a unique feature offered.

It would be tremendously useful to some to have IS in the body so that your 35mm and 50mm lenses are advantaged by the IS. Canon does not offer that.

Yes, it would be useful. I think the thing is that choosing a body or a system is down to what you want out of it. I've never really needed IS or long lenses, but I don't do that type of photography. For other people it would be key. I like the qualities that I get from an E-1, but these may not be significant for others. I really do not believe that one system can provide all things to all (wo)men - at least not without investing heavily. I suspect that most people get into a DSLR system and buy a few lenses and bits and pieces, and are mostly happy.

[JDArt]

I just checked selling prices for the Canon 10D on ebay. Going for around $450!

Still too much in my book. Even used, digital gets a premium. I could never justify paying $450 for a 10D when the far better XTi can be had for a couple hundred more.

[badpickev]

Originally Posted by gryphonslair99

If that is the case my next camera better say Toyota, because they make the best. Oh wait, that would be talking apples and oranges wouldn't it. Kind of like electronic sensors and film emulsion. Fuji does not make their own sensors. Hate to break the news but Sony makes both Nikon's and Fuji's sensors to their specifications. Does this mean you will be trading in your stuff for an A-100?

actually Fuji makes the sensors in its DSLR cameras. in the S2 fuji made the sensor but the transport or socket was made by sony. In the S3 its all fuji. fuji does have its own ccd fab. most or all of the point and shoots are fabed in a sony plant.

[gryphonslair99]

Originally Posted by rootrider

You are aware that Nikon has improved in this area recently, right?
And beyond that, can you show any proof or back up what you're saying at all? You've made a rather bold and biased sounding statement here.

Rootrider,

I am very aware that Nikon has made improvements. The proof is in the shooting. I give the original poster the exact advice that I followed for finding the best camera for me.

Then go to a photography store and try out the cameras you are interested in. Hold them, get a feel for the controls, examine the potential lenses and accessories that you will want/need. Shoot some pictures with the cameras you decide you like. A good photography store will let you do so. The one we have here even has a computer and monitor set up to allow you to review the photos right then and there. Once you decide on what you want, then look for the best deal. With a DSLR you are not buying a camera, you are buying a system. Good glass, taken care of, will last a lifetime. DSLR bodies will come and go.

The proof was in the shooting. The shooting I did with the camera's I was interested in. I used comparable lenses from both Nikon and Canon when I did my tests. High ISO shots at some local high school football games. The Canon results were better. I now own the Canon Body and Lens that I tested. The actual ones that I used in my test not another one of the same model. There is no better test than the one you do for yourself. What Nikon had to offer at the time did not match up to Canon when I did my tests for what I wanted. If I was a Studio/Protrait/Wedding shooter, I would probably be shooting Nikon.

I am fortunate that the camera store here is interested in photography, not just money. They will let you take the camera, lenses etc out and use them yourself. Shoot for a while and bring them back. That is why of the two camera stores in our City, they have the majority of the business and have the best reputation among photographers. I have bought lenses from them that I did not like the results I got, took it back and exchanged it for a different copy that I did like. They truly are a customer service store.

Believe me, I know and respect Nikon cameras. I have been in photography for 30+ years. You don't have enough money to buy my F2 bodies and collection of lenses. There wasn't IMHO a better film camera ever made than the F2. Or one made in so many varieties. When I shoot 35mm film I still and will always grab one of my Nikon F2's. If I shoot Medium Format (which I rarely do these days) I love my old Pentax 67. Not the 67II but the original 67. I will always stand by what I advised. Narrow down your choices and go try out the cameras you are interested in. Make your own decision with the results you get. That is the same reasoning we used at work when our Lab director choose the XNiteFujiS3 and the new XNiteFujiS3IR at work. It was the best camera from his tests for forensic investigative work.

[jfrancho]

I think the original request was to "throw out some ideas" about a good deal on a used DSLR. Attacking everyone else's opinions isn't really necessary. Neither does defending your opinions like life depended on it. Camera, why it's a good deal, and possibly where to get it is really all that's necessary.

[rootrider]

Originally Posted by gryphonslair99

The Canon results were better.

I don't think anyone will say that Nikon is better than Canon at high ISO shooting right now, but your previous statement had a very biased tone to it.. and that was all I was trying to say.

[badpickev]

not being a canon junkie or sheep.... i cant really say, but the best deals seem to be the d10/20/60. I dont think the rebel really holds up well enough to trust it used. i supposed a canonite will be more than happy to try to educate me.

in the nikon world you have the d100 and d70,also noting the fuji S2 has fallen to the under $500 mark. you can find the kodak slr/n falling in price as well, its full frame.

for sigma its really the sd10.

for oly mosy folks say the e1 but the e300 and 500's are cheap as well

not sure on pentax

the big thing is glass, the cost of oly glass gives me sticker shock, but oly folks says its cheap. the sigma can only use sigma glass, but there are a lot of mods out there. nikon glass is better than canon, even those canon folks live in egypt along the river denial, thats why it cost more than canon glass.

with canon you have a plethera of bodies and sensor format sizes. with nikon you get the ability to use different sensor types, such as fuji (oohh those colors) and kodak (color and iso of 6).

if the nikon bodies i really feel the fuji S2 is the best of the lot due to the ease of use and the colors, then the D100 and then the D70

the old minolta's are out there cheap now that sony took that line over.

[JDArt]

Originally Posted by badpickev

the big thing is glass

That's a good point, and it's worth noting that the third-party makers are bringing out some very good quality lenses these days. So it's worth noting which cameras these third-party vendors make lenses for. I know Canon and Nikon are in the mix, perhaps also Minolta?

[cyclohexane]

This is what I know of the third party lens makers:

Tokina makes lenses with their name for Nikon, Canon, and some for Minolta. They don't make any more lenses for Pentax under the Tokina name because the Pentax equivalents are the same lens (12-24, 10-17, etc.).

Tamron makes lenses with their name for Nikon, Canon, Pentax, and Minolta. The Minolta thing surprises me because many of the Konica Minolta lenses are the same as the Tamron equivalents, compared to the two Tamron lenses in the Nikkor line-up. I don't know of any Tamron lenses in the Canon or Pentax line-ups.

Sigma does Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Pentax, and Olympus. Of course, they also make lenses for their own cameras.

[nsurit]

Hmm, moving from a point and shoot to digital SLR and want used "good deal." What that tells me is that you don't have as much money as "The Donald", want to take the next step and want great value for your money. In my very prejudiced opinion, I'd say to go for the camera I've used for the past 2 1/2 years, which is the Olympus e-1. It is built like a tank, will produce high quality images as big as most of us will ever print and the accessories are not going to kill you with their price. You can use your OM compatible lenses, flashes, etc in manual mode and all of those items can be had for a song. They can be had new, with warrantee for a very decent price. When the e-2 is announced in the next few months, the opportunity to acquire one inexpensively may even get better.

Now, if you are concerned about image (yours, rather than the ones you create), know that eventually you will be willing to shell out the megabucks (read that as thousands) for the IS lenses, and really are going to hit the lottery, then you might want to look at something made by either Canon or Nikon. You might be looking good with one of these around your neck, however the images hanging on the wall won't know or care. Neither will the folks looking at them. Bill "Love those Olympus Cameras" Barber