Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

GO TO A STORE TAKE EACH POTENTIAL CAMERA YOU LIKE AND HANDLE IT. THE ONE THAT FITS YOU---BUY IT.

hangman45 Loc: Hueytown Alabama

Pentax K-1 with Pentax DFA 28-105mm

timcc Loc: Virginia

This is good advice. If you plan to travel or carry the camera on hikes, etc., I suggest looking at the lightweight Sony or Fuji APS-C mirrorless cameras. I have the Sony a6000 and love it. You could buy the body for less than $500 new and have plenty of money left to buy some high-quality lenses, a polarizing filter, and a sturdy tripod. Sony lenses typically come with stabilization, but if you need body stabilization as well, the Sony a6500 is an excellent camera (body currently on sale at B&H for $1,198). Most cameras today, whether mirrorless or DSLR, will serve you well, and I suggest using the bulk of your budget to get the best lenses you can afford.

WayneL Loc: Baltimore Md

Fuji X-T2 or to save money X-T20. Very good reviews on both and Fuji lenses are excellent.

Paul Buckhiester Loc: Columbus, GA USA

There is an excellent free presentation on buying a camera that you would appreciate. It’s on CreativeLive.

jackpinoh Loc: Kettering, OH 45419

Mirrorless is much easier to use, because the EVF shows you what the photo will look like before you release the shutter. Many mirrorless cameras from Sony, Olympus, and Panasonic have in-body stabilization. In-body stabilization is very helpful with non-stabilized prime lenses. Most people find that most of their photos are shot in the 35-50mm focal lengths. If you use prime lenses in-body stabilization is a great asset. A 24-70mm zoom lens is also a good option. Most 24-70mm lenses have built-in stabilization.

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

Depends on whether you want newer technology or not. The two major manufacturers have tons of lenses to choose from, whereas the newer mirrorless cameras have fewer lenses but newer technology and less weight and bulk.

jackpinoh Loc: Kettering, OH 45419

"fewer lenses" Maybe fewer, but plenty, and high quality.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Hi Sam and welcome to UHH.

IMO, you've got that backwards.... You'd be better served spending LESS on the camera, MORE on the lens for use with it. Generally speaking, lens quality makes much more difference in the final images, than does the camera the lenses are used upon.

You say you've been out of photography for about 20 years.... which suggests you've never used digital or only used very early ones.

And you state you want either a mirrorless or a FF DSLR... Two of the more expensive options and both with some unnecessary limitations.

So-called "mirrorless" are all the rage right now. As a result, they tend to be more expensive than similar specification DSLRs. BTW, be aware that there are crop sensor, full frame and even medium format mirrorless cameras. But another important thing about mirrorless, which are a "new design" within the past 4 or 5 years, is that there's a somewhat limited selection of lenses for them. It depends upon brand. Some are better than others. But there simply is nowhere near the selection of lenses like there is for, say, Canon or Nikon DSLRs. For example, among mirrorless camera manufacturers Fuji, Olympus and Sony have the largest system of lens, between 30 and 35 each. In comparison, the two largest DSLR camera systems are Canon and Nikon, who each offer about 90 lenses.

Similar is true for so-called "full frame". All manufacturers who offer FF offer a more limited number of lenses for them than they do for crop sensor cameras. For example, of the approx. 90 lenses that Canon and Nikon offer, about a third are "crop only", won't fit or fully serve on a FF camera.

With both mirrorless and full frame there are similar limitations in what's offered by third party manufacturers such as Sigma, Tokina and Tamron. They make relatively few lenses for mirrorless and a reduced number of full frame capable.

All for what? Do you plan to make huge prints from your images? Larger than, say, 16x24"? Do you need to use extremely high ISOs to shoot in exceptionally low light conditions? Higher than, say, ISO 6400?

If you answer "no" to those questions... or even if you answer "very rarely", you are shooting yourself in the foot not to consider more affordable and versatile APS-C/crop sensor/DX cameras from Canon and Nikon (or Pentax, Sony, if you prefer... though lens selection will be less).

Fact is, a relatively recent model 20 or 24MP crop sensor camera fitted with a quality lens will likely do all you need, far better than you might think.... and for A LOT less money, size and weight than full frame or with A LOT more choice of lenses and accessories than are available for mirrorless and probably for lower cost, too.

For example, a 24MP Canon 80D can be bought in kit with a very good performing EF-S 18-135mm IS USM lens for $1300. Or, if you want other lenses, the 80D body only can be bought for $1000 right now.

A couple high quality "walk-around" zooms only sold separately are:
- Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM... $800
- EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM... $800 right.

At the very least, that leaves you $500 to work with...

And maybe you want a telephoto for sports, wildlife or similar:
- Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM "II"... $500
- EF-S 55-250mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM... $300

Or perhaps you'd prefer a nice wide angle lens for scenic shots:
- EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM... under $300, or the EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM... $600.

Or, maybe you want to shoot macro:
- EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM Macro lens... $400

What do you get with a "pro-sumer" quality 80D?

24MP image sensor (APS-C, self-cleaning)
30 second to 1/8000 shutter, 1/250 flash sync
ISO 100-16000 (expandable to 25600)
7 frame per second continuous shooting
53 JPEG or 24 RAW file buffer (before camera needs to slow or pause to clear)
100% optical viewfinder w/active matrix transmissive LCD focus screen
45-point AF, all high performance cross-type, works to -3EV/moonlight and is "f/8 capable"
Micro Focus Adjustment (to fine tune up to 40 specific lenses accuracy on the camera)
3", 1 million pixel, articulated "Touch Screen" LCD monitor
Fast "Dual Pixel Auto Focus" in Live View
Flicker Free mode (accurate exposures under fluorescent lighting)
HD video
built in WiFi
.... and more.

On an APS-C camera such as the 80D, those lenses...

10-18mm or 10-22mm "act like" 16-29mm or 16-35mm would on full frame.
18-135mm "acts like" 29-216mm would on FF.
15-85mm "acts like" 24-136mm would on FF.
17-55mm "acts like" 27-86mm would on FF.
55-250mm "acts like" 86-400mm would on FF.
70-300mm "acts like" 112-480mm would on FF.
60mm Macro "acts like" 96mm would on FF.

With two or three lenses you'll likely have every focal length and more covered, that you ever owned and used on film cameras. Depending upon what you want to shoot and feel you need, you can probably get the 80D with two or three lenses within your $2300 budget.

Or... you could get the least expensive, most entry-level current full frame Canon EOS 6D Mark II in kit with an EF 24-105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens for $2100 (after $700 discount, and with a free vertical/battery grip right now) and have $200 left for something, but not really enough for an additional lens.

6D Mark II gives you:

26MP image sensor (full frame, self-cleaning)
30 second to 1/4000 shutter, 1/180 flash sync
ISO 100-40000 (expandable to L: 50, H1: 51200, H2: 102400)
6.5 frame per second continuous shooting
98 JPEG or 20 RAW file buffer (before camera needs to slow or pause to clear)
98% optical viewfinder w/active matrix transmissive LCD focus screen
45-point AF, all high performance cross-type, works to -3EV/moonlight and is "f/8 capable"
Micro Focus Adjustment (to fine tune up to 40 specific lenses accuracy on the camera)
3", 1 million pixel, articulated "Touch Screen" LCD monitor
Fast "Dual Pixel Auto Focus" in Live View
Flicker Free mode (accurate exposures under fluorescent lighting)
HD video
built in WiFi
.... and more.

And when you have saved up more towards full frame-capable lenses to use on the camera, expect to pay more for them, too. For example, here are some of the larger, heavier FF-equivalents to the examples listed for the 80D above:

EF 17-40mm f/4L USM... $750, or 16-35mm f/4L IS USM... $1000, or EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM "III".... $2000.
EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM... $900, or EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM "II"... $1700.
EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM "II"... $1100
EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM... $2450
EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM "II"... $2000
EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro... $550 or EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro... $750.

Full frame means bigger, heavier, more expensive lenses too. In order to get that full frame camera you can expect to spend nearly your entire budget for a slightly more entry-level quality camera with just one lens, at best... then will need to save up and spend at least $1500 or a couple thousand more to outfit it with some additional full frame-capable lenses.

Worst of all, for all the extra expense and added size and weight you're carrying around... unless you make exceptionally large prints or do a lot of very low light shooting... YOU WON'T SEE ANY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN IMAGE QUALITY.

Or, perhaps I should say, YOU would be the only person who ever actually sees the difference.... while viewing your images at ridiculously high magnifications on your computer monitor. A common mistake people make is judging their image quality "at 100%" or higher. With 24 to 26MP camera such as 80D and 6DII, on the typical modern flat screen monitor "100%" is like making a 40 x 60" print, then viewing it from 18 or 20" away! OF COURSE it looks like crap! 25% or 33% viewing is much more sensible when judging qualities such as image noisiness & "graininess", sharpness, and focus accuracy. 25% or less is more like what you'll actually see by the time you resize the image to make a typically sized print. Even less if you display it online. All or most of the "problems" you saw "at 100%" disappear. Sure, when retouching images, it often makes sense to view them highly magnified. But unless you make huge prints, that's not what anyone will be seeing when the image is finished. So don't fall into the trap of thinking you "need full frame", by being way, WAY overly critical of your digital images, viewing and judging them at WAY too high magnification.

Now, let's compare the 80D and lenses with a nice mirrorless model...

Fujifilm XT-2 (24MP APS-C, similar to 80D).... $1500 for body only or $1800 with 18-55mm kit lens.
XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS wide angle lens... $900 (Canon 10-22mm... $600)
XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM... $1050 (Canon 17-55mm f/2.8... $800)
XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS... $800 (Canon 18-135mm, in kit w/80D... $300)
XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS... $600 (Canon 55-250mm... $300)
XF 60mm f/2.4 Macro... $600.

That Fuji mirrorless camera and the lenses for it certainly are nice and a bit more compact than a DSLR, but really aren't going to make any better images than relatively comparable Canon DSLR and lenses that cost quite a bit less! There are a total of approx. 25 Fuji XF-series lenses being made... Compared to almost 90 Canon EF and EF-S lenses for use on an 80D (as well as over 125 million EF/EF-S lenses manufactured the last 30 years, all of which will work fine on 80D).

Finally, I cite Canon examples above because that's what I use personally and the system I'm most familiar with. I imagine you could find very similar comparisons among Nikon, in particular... And to a lesser degree with Pentax and Sony... all of whom also offer both APS-C crop sensor cameras and lenses, as well as full frame models (Sony are mostly mirrorless now, too). Olympus and Panasonic now only make Micro Four/Thirds mirrorless cameras, using a sensor even smaller than APS-C, so there is no way to compare FF versus crop sensor with them. Fujifilm also only makes mirrorless, and only in APS-C size and medium format... no full frames to compare with them, either. Canon is making M-series mirrorless using APS-C (same as 80D in latest M6, M6), but has fairly limited selection of cameras and only about 8 lenses so far. Nikon 1 mirrorless cameras and lenses are being discontinued and were being made using 1" sensor, quite a bit smaller than even Micro Four/Thirds. Reportedly Nikon is planning to introduce a new mirrorless line, possible full frame, sometime next year. (I'm not holding my breath.)

Like some others did previously, I encourage you to go to a store and compare some models of cameras that you might be considering. See how they "feel". Explore their controls, menus and functions. Maybe download the user manual from the manufacturer's website and study it. You might find you have preference for one or another. Also try to keep aside a bit of your budget for other "necessities"... a spare battery, memory cards, some books to learn how to use the camera and digital in general, maybe some software for your computer, etc.

Hope this helps! Have fun shopping!

Soul Dr. Loc: Beautiful Shenandoah Valley

I would agree 100% . Fuji mirrorless cameras are well built and get great images with their excellent lenses.

Will

Bluetick Loc: Flowery Branch, GA

I agree with all the HOGs who suggest getting a good refurbished body. The lenses are the most critical components and where you should spend your money. You may have heard the analogy of audio components. Lots of folks purchase very expensive amplifiers and then buy cheap speakers and are very disappointed with the results. Same with camera equipment. The key to sharp images is good glass. One of my favorite lenses is a 49 year old 50mm f1.4 screw mount Takumar that I got with my first SLR, a Pentax Spotmatic. Now I use Nikons but I have adapted the Takumar to use on my Nikon (manually of course). I hope you end up with a system that you're happy with and welcome to the group.

Aren

When you buy a FX camera system you need to invest in prime lenses or you're waisting your money and they are Not cheap. The weight factor is also something to think about when traveling or doing a freelance job . I was a Nikon user for the past 45years and I was very happy with it, until I started to travel on assignment overseas and carrying 32+ lbs on my back was not fun. I was hoping that Nikon would develop a pro mirrorless system but that did not happen so I switch to Fuji X system and never looked back. There are many cameras out there that will give you what your looking for, but if the weight is a factor you need to go with a mirrorless system. How you get there, is by going to you local camera shop and hand fit each camera that you may want to try or better rent one B4 you buy it. Cameras are like cars it depend on how you want people to perceive you, whether you drive a BMW or Jetta, both German made but one cost far more. The most important factor is how it feels and are the controls easy for you to maniuplate and does it do 4K video in the event you need it in the future. I bought a Fuji XT20 as a backup to my XT2 and it can do all that I need and it's very light with my 16-55 2.8 lens, all under 2K. Good luck and I know this site will give you many good advice.

kdogg Loc: Gallipolis Ferry WV

Go to www.thedigitalpicture.com. They have reviews of both Canon and Nikon cameras and lenses. This has been a very helpful site for me when looking for used lenes. The reviewer Brian is very good sighting strengths and weaknesses of current and discontinued lenses.

whwiden

Look at the Nikon D750. Then, the f/1.8 prime lenses from Nikon. I like the 24mm and the 85mm. You could round out that set with a 50mm. At current prices, that might be done for $3000, I think. If you must have a convenience lens, I like the newer version 28-300mm Tamron. However, I would not get a full frame camera without at least one or two good prime lenses. In that regard, the Tamron 45mm prime is an interesting budget choice as well. I think you will find you can do a great deal of general photography with two prime lenses.

Sports or birding or wildlife requires different longer lenses, and maybe a crop sensor.

You could do very well with a Nikon D7200, a 10-20mm dx, a 35mm dx, and a 70-300mm dx, all easily in your budget.

repleo Loc: Boston

NMGal has a nice set up for sale at what should be an affordable price.
See here.
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-499949-1.html