sarahpixie21 Loc: Ohio/PA

Hey guys,
I have finally decided to take my photography to the next level and purchase my first 'real' camera... that is, not a baics point-and-click camera you get on sale at Walmart.
My problem is that I am very new to this and have no idea what I should start with. I am on a pretty tight budget and am looking for a good starter camera. I don't need the best one out there with lots of gadgets, just something of decent quality that I will be able to play around with while learning how to use the settings, play with lighting, and get some good general practice with.

I would really appreciate some suggestions as to what I should look for. If anyone has the camera they are reccommending for me, please post a picture or two that you have taken with said camera so I can see what it can do.

Again, I really appreciate any help you guys can give me. I am eager to learn, but just don't know where o start. :)

Dr Rae Loc: Sarasota Florida

I too was on a tight budget and bought a used Canon 20d off ebay for $250, it came with a kit lens. By no means the latest and greatest but I still haven't learned all it can do.

Beowulf Loc: Aquidneck Island, RI

Strong suggestion: Look into the used/refurbished cameras and lenses offered by KEH, Adorama, Cameta Camera, B&H, etc. There you will find Nikons, Canons, Pentaxes, Sonys, etc. at very reasonable prices. Go to a local photo store and handle the various cameras to see which feels right for you.

It would be useless for others to post pics taken with various camera models, as it is the photog who "makes" the pic, not the camera.

Good luck in your search.

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

I have two suggestion for you - the first one is the low $$$ one and will get a lot of flack from many on here.
Go on line and buy a decent used bridge camera Canon SX30 or Panasonic lumix FZ 35 up thru FZ150 Max $$ 250. 00 - $290.00

Next is a couple too three hundred $$ more - a used DSLR for $400 to $600[ - the big online stores have cameras with one or two lens with guarantees. quote=sarahpixie21]Hey guys,
I have finally decided to take my photography to the next level and purchase my first 'real' camera... that is, not a baics point-and-click camera you get on sale at Walmart.
My problem is that I am very new to this and have no idea what I should start with. I am on a pretty tight budget and am looking for a good starter camera. I don't need the best one out there with lots of gadgets, just something of decent quality that I will be able to play around with while learning how to use the settings, play with lighting, and get some good general practice with.

I would really appreciate some suggestions as to what I should look for. If anyone has the camera they are reccommending for me, please post a picture or two that you have taken with said camera so I can see what it can do.

Again, I really appreciate any help you guys can give me. I am eager to learn, but just don't know where o start. :)[/quote]

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

Drop the hiding and let us know a location you are near and someone here will probably know a good camera store for you to visit.
Other than that do an online search at the above mentioned stores for their used equipment - I did yesterday and found a couple DSLR kits - 2 & 3 lens - I liked. visit. less than $600

sarahpixie21 Loc: Ohio/PA

Ha! I am still new here and was creating my profile just a few moments ago.

Thanks for the advice, I will look around online for used cameras. I just want to make sure they haven't been over-used.

olcoach Loc: Oregon

Hi Sarah, Welcome to UHH. I too endorse the used route. I needed a back-up camera and just got a Canon 40D on Ebay for $350.00. I had a 40D that I sold in a moment of weakness and since I was familiar with it got this one. It has less than 9000 actuations and is perfect for me. You can find many similar deals and you will get a lot more camera for a lot less $ buying used. Take your time and do a lot of research and looking and you'll get a fine set-up. You can find a good used lens in the same way. Have fun and keep shootin'. Mike

heyjoe Loc: cincinnati ohio

i would go with a canon 30d,good camera to start with,you can move up in the line 40d,50d,7d,5d ,same controls,i would stay
with this line,it is more of the pro line

francesca3 Loc: Sausalito, CA

Sarah, responses so far have been for Canon cameras. As someone recommended, you ought to go to a camera store and handle both Canons and Nikons. (Sorry to all the other folks who use other brands, but those two are supposedly the best.)
I chose Nikon because of the quality of the glass in the lenses.
Finally, check out the what "full frame sensor" and "crop frame sensor" means ---> it makes a BIG difference that I knew nothing of when I bought my first DSLR camera.

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

No need to go the used route. Just get yourself a Panasonic Lumix FZ-150 bridge camera which comes with an excellent Leica zoom lens or a Canon SX40 which is similar but has a longer zoom lens. Both can work on manual if and when you want to learn aperture, shutter, ISO, etc. If not, they have various programs for various uses, or can run fully automatic.

Look locally if you have any camera stores. Then look at Best Buy. Then look on Amazon. You're then spending about $400 for brand new. It will do everything you want to do until you're ready to move up to dSLR models then you can still use the FZ or SX as a backup.

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

BuckeyeBilly Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

Sarah,
It really would help out those you're seeking advice from if you would list your budget. Some are suggesting the used DSLR camera route and that is fine....as long as you're going to the sites of the companies they've listed. Others are suggesting the "bridge" route (this type of camera is also known as a "superzoom"). The difference between the 2 types is that the DSLR has all types and ranges of separate, individual lenses to choose from. Each lens can get expensive but they will provide the best opportunity for clarity in your photos.
The bridge camera has one lens that can go from a wide-angle shot to a closeup shot, all at the press of a button.
As for cost, the used DSLR with one or two lenses might run from $250.00 to $400.00 or so. Probably about the longest range of lens you'll get with this is 55mm-200mm, maybe 300mm.
On the other hand, if your budget allows up to about $400.00, you can get a NEW bridge camera that will allow you to take photos the same as the DSLR (fully automatic or fully manual or a preset programmed setting) but you'll have the one lens that can go from about 28mm all the way to 600mm or 840mm or even 1000mm like what is on the Nikon P510! This is the type of camera I would recommend to you, mainly because you'll have a lot of fun going from a very wide shot to a very close closeup shot at the flick of a button. Here is a short list of good quality superzooms to research and select from (and they're all at or below $400.00):

Nikon P510
Panasonic FZ150 (this one is just slightly above $400.00)
Canon SX40 (I have this one and LOVE it!)
Fujifilm HS20 or HS30

Here are 2 scenes of photos taken with my Canon SX40 that show wide angle shots and then closeup shots, all taken from the same spot:

This red top of the boat is hidden from view by the tree in the photo above




Closeup of the same cloud in the above photo

RaydancePhoto

HI Sarah, welcome to UHH. I suggest you look at the Sony A33 used. It is a very good camera and you can use used Minolta lenses which are very good and they are cheap. You can get a used A33 for about ~300.00 with a lens. They are small and light weight. The Minolta lenses are very good, some are excellent and @ 1/10 the cost.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

If you ask a question like this on a site like this you are going to mostly get opinions from people to buy what they have or want. You need to tell the people what your needs are, exactly what your budget is, the kind of photography you like, how far you think you might want to go with photography etc. If you like portrait photography, you might want to budget for camera, portrait lens, tripod, lighting/strobes, back drops, reflectors etc.

If you like nature photography, you might want a body with high frame rate and a long prime lens.

Maybe it's landscapes. Wide angle lens to medium focal length lenses, tripod, backpack, straps, filters, extra batteries, extra cards etc.

You also need to put the camera in your hands to see how it fits. There's a guy selling a camera on UHH now because the camera is too small for his/her hands. Why buy it in the first place if you don't like the feel. You will regret buying cheap too. In photography, like most everything, you get what you pay for.

oldmalky Loc: West Midlands,England.

I would argue they are the best just the most common out there because they were the first,but Sony are catching up fast,as for your question, try the camera in your hands see how it feels,look at the price and if they all match up thats your camera wether it be a bridge,or DSLR,good hunting.