jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Tell her to go to Sams Club or Costco and look at the Nikon or Canon bundles. They are all really good starters that you can't go wrong with.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

if you like vanilla ;-)

foodie65

If she is interested in a point & shoot rather than SLR, have her look for a refurbished Canon SX 50.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Tell your friend to check out the Canon USA online store... https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/cameras/refurbished-eos-digital-slr-cameras#facet:&productBeginIndex:0&orderBy:11&pageView:grid&pageSize:36&

They have some really good deals on refurbished cameras there, but stock comes and goes quickly, so she may need to be patient. For example, they are out of stock right now, but have been offering Canon Rebel T6i with an EF-S 18-55mm IS STM kit lens for under $500. That's a lot of camera for the money. (I'm not knocking the T3i that some others recommended, but that's now a five or six year old model and there have been significant improvements in autofocus systems and image quality in the more recent models.)

Canon "factory refurbished" are typically not much different from new. Many times they're just returned overstock or open box/demo units that haven't seen any real use. They all also have the same warranty as new (you won't get that with other brand refurbs or with used gear).

If she considers this suggestion, there are cheaper, more entry-level models such as T6 and SL1 (both of which happen to use the same image sensor and similar AF as the T3i, by the way).

Note the T6i is near the top of the Rebel line... a more advanced model. The "STM" lens with the T6i are also is better performing than the unlabelled "micro motor" lenses often in kit with the more entry-level models.

She says she wants to photography landscapes, nature and people. Any camera can do those things. How well it does them will come down to what lens is used upon the camera, than the camera itself.

For example, a lot of the time wide angle lenses are wanted for landscapes... You can easily spend $900, $1000 or more on a wide angle zoom! Canon offers a <$300 EF-S 10-18mm IS STM that's quite good, while still being relatively compact and lightweight. It's a bit plasticky, but still a real bargain! (Nikon has just recently announced a similar budget priced ultrawide zoom, but it's not yet in stores and I haven't seen any reviews and tests done with it.)

"Nature" can mean a lot of things... Are we talking about wildlife where a telephoto such as a 55-250mm or 70-300mm would be wanted? Or are does she mean small subjects where a macro lens 60mm to 100mm or so would be the best choice? If she chooses a Canon camera, there are a number of options from around $300 to over $10,000! One lens I'd recommend she avoid is the Canon EF 75-300mm "III" (non IS, non USM). It's often offered cheap in bundles with various cameras, but isn't a particularly good zoom. The EF-S 55-250mm IS STM or EF 70-300mm IS USM are a bit more expensive, but still pretty affordable and are much, much better lenses. There are a number of different good macro lenses, if that's what interests your friend. I won't try to get into too much detail about them here.

For portraits of people, a short telephoto lens is usually what's wanted... wide angle lenses make for strong distortion and long telephotos require a lot of working space. For a low cost portrait lens, I'd recommend something like the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, which usually sells for around $120. Because they're also short telephotos, some people like to use a macro lens for dual purpose... for portraits of people, in addition to macro. One of the best for that type of use is the Tamron 60mm f/2.0. It has a stop larger aperture than most macro lenses, which can be useful for portraiture. But, it's more expensive at about $500.

I'm using Canon examples above because that's the system I use and know best. To be fair, you can set up a similar kit in most brands. However, tell your friend to be sure to look carefully at the system beyond the camera and kit lens that comes with it... Maybe not to purchase now, but to add sometime in the future.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Get a Canon EOS Rebel T6 EF-S 18-55mm IS II Kit. About $450.00 new.
Gets her into an incredible system that any EF or EFs lens ever made will fit. But beyond that that is unique to Canon these lenses also will work 100% perfectly with her new camera even if the lens is one of earliest ones ever made. It will be perfectly compatible and absolutely no loss of any function. She can't beat that with any other system and she can grow and do any type of photography from high power sports with an EOS 1DX MII to the highest resolution FF DSLR made in the 5DSR. The T6 is incredible in it's own right and is a part of a full system she can infinitely grow into including mirrorless.

wesm Loc: Los Altos CA

I'm a Canon shooter, I don't believe EF-S lenses will work with a full-frame body, just vice versa. However, we have a long ways to go before we start worrying about that.

wesm Loc: Los Altos CA

Thanks for all the replies. I am leaning toward the Oly E-M10 mrII, it seems really solid (I haven't shot one). I believe it's possible to later get a second lens, a telephoto zoom with a real nice reach.

But, it's complicated.... This is a friend I made as a work colleague, and she lives in Kiev, Ukraine. The situation is pretty crazy there, the economy is fragile, and they have pretty high tariffs on imported goods. Plus, the camera and electronics stores there have a reputation for being flaky to downright crooked, so it's not that easy for her to go and try something out. So online ordering is probably the answer, we're trying to figure out customs duties at the moment.

I like the M4/3 ideas, smaller, lighter, less conspicuous (yes, I think that's important, if for no other reason than petty theft on the street is rampant). I might go rent one myself, just to see how it does. But I really can't afford to buy more gear ...... (sigh)

Anyway, thanks. I am humbled to say she got interested after looking at some of my photos (I only showed her the half-dozen or so that were really good :D ))

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

The T6 is not full frame and I never said they would.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

I think you are right. In fact I believe some EF-S lenses can damage a full frame EOS. From what I have read most, if not all, EF-S lenses stick further into the body than EF lenses. You might damage the mirror.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

That is not the issue.
The camera was a T6 and it will take every EF and EFs lens ever made just fine.
FF Canon are not able to have EFs lenses mounted upon them as the EFs lens is built in such a way to prevent such mounting. If one is stupid enough to try forcing an EFs on a FF then they deserve the resulting damage.
So it is very confusing why anyone is worrying about EFs lenses on FF cameras. That has never been proposed. But here on UHH anything to be contrary or stupid to post I guess.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

I was replying to wesm's comment regarding EF-S lenses on a FF body.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Several years ago, I was told by a very young-looking BB salesman "Burst mode is no big deal; they just run video for a few seconds and then pull frames out". He had no response when I told him that my old Canon Rebel did burst, but not video.