aellman Loc: Boston MA

Novice,

For every popular digital camera, there are many online reviews which cover the features, good points, bad points, comparison with other cameras, and ease of use. Just Google the camera you're interested in as in this example: "Canon EOS Rebel T5 review." You'll get everything you could ever need to inform your buying decision. Best of luck.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Newbie for your stated goal this is very good advice. Save yourself some money and time and use your cell phone. Most phones take excellent quality photos, when used within their limits, they are certainly ok for what you describe, they are easy to use and they take video too. And they excel at uploading images to sharing sites, which is a feature many cameras don't even offer.

It's not the camera that creates a great image. The most expensive camera, by itself will not take a single image.

It requires skill to use a modern DSLR. The season is quickly approaching.
Using your cell phone you can focus on getting the shot you want to sell each of those items. And you can do it now, with no classes or heavy learning curve to climb.

Save learning how to use a new camera until after the rush.

aellman Loc: Boston MA

Couldn't agree more. The cell phone is a terrific tool for many kinds of photos, but particularly images of products for sale and other "quick and dirty" material.

BebuLamar

If you can tell us what kind of items you tried to photograph we can help you better. For ebay sellers I think you would need light, back drop or light tent and tripod to do a good job. Of course if the items are large then it's even more involved. Of course lots of time the cell phone works just fine.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Great post here on UHH under Links and Resources, titled "iPhone 6s Bikini Shoot".

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-352299-1.html

It really brings home the point of how photography is about lighting and composition and subject and not about the cost or complexity of the camera. Plus it's humorous and fun to watch!

Highly recommended.

aellman Loc: Boston MA

I am a fan of doing more with less. The backdrop could be a piece of $2.00 white school project board from CVS or Walgreens, curved to cover bkgnd and tabletop. You can rest your elbows on the table to avoid the expense of a tripod. Keep the camera or phone all the way zoomed out. If you need to make the image bigger, get closer. Do it near a non-sunny window, and you'll have all the nice diffused light you need. No extra equipment required!

aellman Loc: Boston MA

I am a fan of doing more with less. The backdrop could be a piece of $2.00 white school project board from CVS or Walgreens, curved to cover bkgnd and tabletop. You can rest your elbows on the table to avoid the expense of a tripod. Keep the camera or phone all the way zoomed out. If you need to make the image bigger, get closer. Do it near a non-sunny window, and you'll have all the nice diffused light you need. No extra equipment required!

See the attached image done in this way. (The car is about 10 inches long.) More than good enough for ebay.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Exactly!