what to buy: My name is mike , My son is 14 and has always had an interest in taking pictures with his phone. He wants a more advanced camera one with lens changing . i know nothing...

mlongo007

My name is mike , My son is 14 and has always had an interest in taking pictures with his phone. He wants a more advanced camera one with lens changing . i know nothing about cameras like this so thats why i need your help . can you guide me in what type of camera would be appropiate for him with out killing my pocket book. any info you can give me would be appreciated. thank you mike

insman1132 Loc: Southwest Florida

Can we ask, Mike, what is the price max available in your pocketbook??

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

Both Canon and Nikon have entry level cameras with interchangeable lenses. Suggest you go to a camera store or best buy with Mike and have him handle different cameras until he finds one he is comfortable with. Buying cameras aren't as easy as you might think. The camera has to feel comfortable to the user. Don't waste your money on something he doesn't' like. Good luck.

CO

The Nikon D3xxx and D5xxx series camera are excellent entry level DSLR cameras. I would not purchase the D3400 as Nikon eliminated the ultrasonic sensor cleaner and its built-in flash has only one-half the power of the flash in the D3300. Amazon still has brand new D3300 cameras with 18-55mm lens for $435.

The Canon Rebel series are also great entry level DSLR cameras.

It comes down to how the fit and controls are for the user. I like the fit and controls of Nikon cameras best.

If your son changes lenses a lot you may want to get a filtered blower. Dust bunnies can often be seen in the viewfinder. This is due to dust settling on the focusing screen inside the mirror box. A few puffs of air from a blower can often fix it. I have the Koh Global Hepa Jet Air II blower. It has a large hepa filter, an anti-static filter, a one-way check valve, and a medical grade PVC bulb. Adorama Camera has it or you can order it directly from Koh Global.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Welcome to our forum!

There are so many choices. The DSLR is the traditional "good camera," but mirrorless cameras are becoming more popular. Your son can decide which he would prefer. Refurbished cameras offer good value for money. Used can also be a good choice, but slightly riskier. Buying an introductory level DSLR with a lens or two would be a good way to start. There are no bad cameras, so you're not going to get stuck with junk. Below are some comparison sites. this is a good time to get good deals on cameras and lenses. Ordinarily, I recommend that people take their time, but holiday sales won't last very long. As I said, you really can't go wrong.

KEH.com is a good source of used camera gear.

Read comparisons and specs, and decide what features are important to you.
(Reviews) https://www.youtube.com/user/TheCameraStoreTV/videos
http://www.cameradecision.com/
http://cameras.reviewed.com/
http://camerasize.com/
http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM
http://snapsort.com/compare
http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras?utm_campaign=internal-link&utm_source=mainmenu&utm_medium=text&ref=mainmenu

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

insman1132 wrote:

Can we ask, Mike, what is the price max available in your pocketbook??

...then add 20%.

mlongo007

I guess i didnt want to spend to much just in case he decides this isnt for him you know how 14 teen year olds can be .so i was thinking around 400 hundered dollars give or take .

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I am going to say that what has been suggested to you about going with him to a camera store and letting him select from entry cameras what he likes would be the best solution. If he has no experience with dSLR cameras it would be the best for him to enroll in classes that teach photography and to get involved with a camera club. In the camera club he will find many experienced persons that can guide him even further.
If you pretend to surprise him with a camera there is always the possibility that whatever you choose could not be to his liking or it could be more camera than he actually needs. There are places that sell refurb and used cameras if saving some dollars is important.

ELNikkor

Look for one with a touch screen;that's probably a good starting point for him.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Maybe renting a DSLR with a wide to moderate zoom would be a good place to start, see if that generates some interest and motivation. And remember that a DSLR is like a computer and a computer accessory combined. Learning the camera's technology is a challenge in itself. What you do with the photo after it’s taken is a whole other challenge.

CO

If you're not certain that he wants a camera, you could rent first. LensRentals.com is excellent. I've rented from them numerous times. They include a pre-paid return shipping label in the box to make returns easy. If you get it delivered to your house, someone will need to be there to sign for the package. Another alternative is to have it delivered to a local FedEx store. The store holds packages for up to five days.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

mlongo007 wrote:

I guess i didnt want to spend to much just in case he decides this isnt for him you know how 14 teen year olds can be .so i was thinking around 400 hundered dollars give or take .

There are several retailers offering a Canon T6 kit for that amount, I think even Canon USA has one about that $$ level, Check B&H Black Friday should still be running.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

I bought a D7100/18-200 for my 16-year-old grandson who is now 21 and an excellent photographer. I bought a D3400 for my granddaughter who does nothing but snapshots. None of it was wasted in my opinion.

mlongo007 wrote:

My name is mike , My son is 14 and has always had an interest in taking pictures with his phone. He wants a more advanced camera one with lens changing . i know nothing about cameras like this so thats why i need your help . can you guide me in what type of camera would be appropiate for him with out killing my pocket book. any info you can give me would be appreciated. thank you mike

Bill_de Loc: US

Something along these lines -

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1238275-REG/canon_1159c008_eos_rebel_t6_dslr.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1433065-REG/nikon_1588_d3500_dslr_camera_with.html

I personally shoot Nikon, a choice made years ago. If I was starting over today, who knows. These are 2 excellent brands.

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BebuLamar

mlongo007 wrote:

My name is mike , My son is 14 and has always had an interest in taking pictures with his phone. He wants a more advanced camera one with lens changing . i know nothing about cameras like this so thats why i need your help . can you guide me in what type of camera would be appropiate for him with out killing my pocket book. any info you can give me would be appreciated. thank you mike

Give him the job of researching on which camera that is best for him. He is 14 he is old enough to do his own research. I spent almost 2 years researching before I bought my first camera when I was 20 and bought my camera when I was 22. It's interesting to research about things that I like I hope it's the same for your son.

The reason I recommend this than taking a recommendation from someone else. If I were you as a father and I bought my son something because I like it's bad enough. Buying him something because someone else recommend that I don't know anything about is bad in my opnion.