Ok so iv been thinking about buying a camera but I'm not sure what to get. I'd like your suggestions along with a picture you've taken with that camera. Oh I'm looking to spend $500 or less

 

Nikon D5100 owner myself.

 

nikon L100 here i love it takes sweet pics

 

The D5100 cost alittle more than what I'm trying to pay

 

Panasonic Lumix ZS10 takes great pics along with great vid and sound quality.

 

I'm wanting more of an SLR. Should have stated that sorry

 

My $0.02:

There are a number of things that I would consider before purchasing another DSLR:

1. What do you plan on using it for? I purchased a DSLR (Nikon D80, and a bunch of lenses) a couple of years ago with the hope of using it while traveling. As it turns out, using a DSLR while traveling is a real PITA, you have to lug a bag around with all of your lenses, flashes, and other gear to be prepared for every situation (my camera bag weighs almost 75lbs). I recently purchased a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 and took it on my last trip. I couldn't tell the difference in quality between my DSLR and my little point and shoot.
2. Spend the money to get a DSLR body that has the motor built into the body. Not having the motor built into the body means that you need to buy lenses that have the focus motor in them which sometimes is quite expensive. The 50mm lens is a great example, without the motor in the lens, it's around $150, with the motor it's $250. Also, a lot of older lenses require a motor in the body to operate.
3. Don't get hung up on 'megapixels'! There are a couple of point and shoot cameras out there that boast 20MP which is greater then a lot of amazing DSLR cameras, where the DSLR wins is in the clarity, the little lenses of point and shoot cameras can rarely touch the quality of a DSLR.
4. Do you want a full frame DSLR? These cameras have a sensor that is 'equivalent' to a 35mm camera, opposed to most DSLRs that have a crop factor of about 1.3-2.0. A full frame DSLR will require very expensive lenses that do not have as much chromatic aberration as some of the cheaper ones. Also, I should note that the crop factor is a multiplier that you would apply to the focal length of any lenses that you purchase. For example on my D80 (1.5 crop factor) a 50mm lens is very close to 75mm.

As far a Nikon, Cannon, or Pentax goes, I can't really help you there. They are all pretty much the same, some minor tweaks here and there, but pretty much the same.

As far as comparable models go, the following are all about the same:

• Nikon D90
• Canon Rebel T1i / EOS 500D

Here is a pretty good review site: Nikon D5000 Compared to D90 and Canon Rebel T1i / EOS 500D

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

I got a sony alpha nex-5 about a year ago and I love it, it's not too big and it was financed for 24 months without interest so it was a good deal.

 

Are you currently a photog?

If not, I say start cheap and go to goodwill. You won't find any high-end cameras there, but you won't find any high prices either.

I was just eyeballing a Minolta 500si 35mm SLR, in its bag, with a handful of filters, for $20.

Pretty cheap way to get a (somewhat) nicer camera just to see if I'd even use it.

Didn't end up buying it though...found a 4ft long black light for the same money, and pounced on it.

 

i have a Canon Rebel T1i and LOVE it well worth the money!

look on bhphotovideo dot com in there used store i got mine cheaper than brand new not much but it saved me a few bucks and its in 9/10 condition

 

I just went ahead and bought something alittle smaller and better fit for me until I'm ready for a DSLR...got a Nikon Coolpix s9100...but thanks for the suggestions

 

I bought a Canon Rebel T3i a few weeks ago. I got it for $530 shipped brand new body only. Bought two lenses off of a friend for cheap and now I'm having a **** ton of fun with it. Can't get a better consumer grade camera at this time, I don't think. It also shoots 1080p video which looks awesome. Get a steadicam and you can film some sick ****.

 

I picked up a Canon T2i a month back and I highly recommend it, if you're looking for a DSLR. It's a little over your price range but it's leaps and bounds over the Canon T3 (not T3i) which is right around $500.

EDIT: just realized you already bought a camera.

 

I've been thinking about bying this one too. The 1080p video sounds really tempting, but the price is a bit too much for me. I'll probably have to look for a cheaper one that can shoot similar quality video. I have no idea what kind of lenses I need for video shooting, though...

 

i got a refurbished nikon d5100 with a 1 year warranty for $600

 

I bought a Nikon d3100 and realized it wasn't what I needed so I got the Nikon Coolpix s9100 it also shoots 1080p video although I haven't tested that out...but it's a nice camera and fast at capturing photo's