bleirer

The first 2 kits shown here are $500 with 2 lenses. One Nikon one Canon. If you are not a Costco member you can still order but it costs 5% more than the price shown. Other places might have similar kits, like best buy, Wal-Mart, target.

https://www.costco.com/all-digital-cameras.html?price=200-500&refine=MIN_PRICE%253A%2528%257B200%2B500%257D%2B500%2529|

jim quist Loc: Missouri

My wife bought her first dslr a few months ago and loves it. A Canon 5d Mk4.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1274705-REG/canon_eos_5d_mark_iv.html?sts=pi&pim=Y

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

That really is within her $400 budget.

BebuLamar

I have a Nikon D1X which I think we can buy now really cheap. It does look professional.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

The Nikon Z6 with kit lenses would be good choice. Even a Z50 with kit lenses would be good and cheaper. Don't go so cheap that you end up buying twice. That often happens with new people.

Paul Diamond Loc: Atlanta, GA, USA

You can find a Nikon D3200 2 lens kit used for $250. It has an 18-55mm and 55-200mm zoom lenses. Everything from wide angle to portraits. For a used camera, you ask about how much is the "shutter actuation count," the number of times the shutter has been clicked. I have a complete D3200 2 lens kit with a never used Nikon brand camera bag. The camera has 28.000 shutter actuations, much less than 1/2 it's useful life before the shutter needs to be replaced. And then you should ask if it is a Nikon USA warranty camera (so it can be repaired easily in the USA). This one is a Nikon USA camera. Was going to sell it on ebay for $250. Haven't posted anything here for sale yet. Will have to investigate the "protocol" of rules in doing it. - But, $250 is a lot less than $400, if that's your budget. And it comes with extra rechargeable batteries, lens hoods, etc. It's a great first camera you can set, basically, on automatic or select what is important to you and the type of picture you are taking. Can show you pictures taken with this camera - scenics, family, landscapes, used in my studio some years ago for product photography. No problems with it of any kind. Contact me if interested. Even have the original store display box if you want to pay the cost of getting it shipped to you.

Not trying to sell. But, from the pic, you might have medium size to smaller hands. You said the Nikon camera model felt good in your hands. The Nikon D3200 is a smaller size body that my wife enjoyed because it was not as big, as heavy or as complicated as my bigger Nikons.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Hi Kaydence. It sounds from this post and your other post that you and your friend have already done quite a bit of photography together, and that you have at the very least gotten a good introduction to photography. I am presuming that the two of you will continue to do photography together while you are learning. Having someone to be right there with you as you learn will give you a huge head start. Friends are almost always helpful, compassionate, and understanding teachers.

One suggestion that I would make is that you might want to seriously consider getting a camera either like the one your friend has or else one very similar to it. You could also consider finding an older model camera of the same brand. Very nice ones are sometimes available at fairly low prices. If you are a student, your teachers might know someone who would give you a camera and lens.

If you live in an area that has a camera store, they also probably have a selection of used cameras available. One store in my area is really good about accepting trade-ins from their good customers, so they almost always have a good variety for sale. Just don't let them push you into buying something different from what you want.

A good option might be for you and your friend to visit a camera store and bring the camera you have been using, if you really do like it. You could then see exactly what they have for sale that is similar, and exactly what they have that might be just a little bit different.

Don't let anyone intimidate you, and don't let anyone pressure you to get something that isn't what you want.

Have fun.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Here is a camera about your budget.
It will use any of the Canon EF/EFs lenses. This includes those big white pro lenses you see at sporting events by all the pro photographers there or those red stripe lenses you see all the pros using at press conferences.
So this will get you set up in the most pro used system and the best selling system in the world 17 years straight.
https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/products/details/cameras/eos-dslr-and-mirrorless-cameras/dslr/eos-rebel-t7-ef-s-18-55mm-is-ii-kit

So get it and never look back.
An added bonus all the lenses you get for it are 100% compatible with the mirrorless RF mount Canon cameras. No other brand can make that claim so you are future proof.
Have fun.

Bob Smith Loc: Banjarmasin

I would get a used Fuji X30 it has a fully auto mode and you can when you get used to it use more advanced features. Nice little zoom and looks nice especially the silver. Well built and should be within your budget. But I'm biased because that was my first digital camera and I still use it for my grab and go.

Collhar Loc: New York City.

That's a loaded question. Who ever owns a camera will always say theirs is the best.

cdayton

$900 won’t even begin to buy you a fancy camera; maybe, a decent lens (used)! If you want to look professional, pick up a Canon EOS 1D X Mark III with some nice white lenses (body only about $6500). Like real sports cars, pro cameras are not cheap. Oh, I forgot. Real pros own 2 just in case.

Cyber Digest

? why put this $2,495 information up here ?

BebuLamar

For less than $400 it's possible to buy the original 2001 Canon EOS-1D. It looks almost the same as the EOS-1DX MK III

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

There is no such thing as a best brand because they all work well. If you can, go to a store that sells a variety of brands and see which ones feel the best to you. Then read some reviews and make your decision based on those criteria. There are many folks here that will tell you that the particular brand that they use is the best, but it isn’t necessarily true--it’s the best one for them.

It would be nice if there were a concrete answer, but there isn’t.

banders26 Loc: Illinois

There are many manufactures of cameras. One way to judge it is, does it feel comfortable in my hand. Regardless of the manufacture if it does not feel good you will not use it. Pick a budget find a camera store and tryout a few in hand. Then rent it and try it. Once you find a camera try to find it used. You can find some online stores here that sell used equipment.