DSLR for $600 or less

What is the best DSLR camera for $600 or less? Sorry you guys. I'm in my second semester of college and i need a DSLR for my

Photography 101 and my Imaging 102 class. Thank you!

<p>Opinions will vary of course, but I think the Nikon D3200 or D3300 would give you good bang for the buck and not break the bank.</p>

<p>I can agree with Matthew. - Maybe you even get a 2 lens kit of an early (still "current") version of Nikon's most basic on sale somewhere for your money.<br>

Hitting the used market is another option. - Samsung SG20 (same as Pentax K20D) comes to mind. - I got mine with a kit lens for 240 Euro used in 2014. <br>

The questions here: What do YOU want or need. - <strong>I am pretty sure you'll survive your classes with almost anything ever made</strong> i.e. the first generation isn't out of discussion: Canon EOS 10D / 350D or Minolta 5D / 7D or Nikon D200 / D2H to name a few in the by now hopefully less than $200 range. <br>

Biggest brand picking factor to consider: "What brands are the guys I could occasionally borrow lenses from shooting?"<br>

Having that sorted out its all about the following: the most basic current Nikon or Canon will give you decent AF and lowlight performance. An older mid range model will have a way more pleasant user interface, seperate wheels to set shutterspeed and aperture access to functions via dedicated buttons and levers instead of "via menu" and maybe a slightly bigger & brighter viewfinder image.<br>

With Samsung / Pentax and Minolta / Sony you get the advantage that optical image stabilization happens inside the camera body (buy it once) instead of every lens you are buying (pay it 3x, miss it another 2x). <br>

I don't know where are you planning to end with your camera. Maybe check this thread about the basic dilemma: http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00dg8Q of a guy who bought the basic Nikon (a while ago) & licked blood. <br>

An older mid range camera doesn't necessarrily help. - You'll get lower resolution smaller files, lack a bit of high ISO performance, need to spend more time postprocessing your images. So your next wealth peak is most likely doomed to help upgrading to a current model of those cameras.<br>

Basic ones will remain not really considerably worse than the next model for about 4 years. OTOH their lack of convenient control access might annoy you some day too and you'll do the same upgrades as above, for shooting convenience not necessarrily image quality.<br>

I should also mention that Canikon AF is considerably faster than Pentax's and (similar by now vanished brands') i.e. I do kind of desirte a partial switch to for example Nikon for either sports (even in brought daylight) or indoors events. I can cover such stuff somehow but am aware I am missing shots due to my cameras' shortcomings. <br>

The smart big money usually goes into lenses; these hold their value comparably better than cameras but on the entry level it doesn't matter that much. If you start out with a kit zoom you pay how little for it- $100? A basic 50mm is less than $200 and in the same league there is the also desirable long consumer zoom. - The 3 of them are what most people might settle on. A worse choice is usually going for the convenience of a consumer zoom with endless range something like 18 -200 by brands like Tamron (on sale for 150Euro) it will most likely fall apart during 4 wild years and perform worse than kit zooms. - With a Nikon 18-120 VR or at least an 18-80 instead of 18-50 or 55 you wouldn't pay much extra and could get away without a second lens during ordinary tourism. <br>

Sorry about not giving a straight answer. - I'd love to spend more than your budget.</p>

<p>Typo above: Samsung GX20, not SG20. Mentioned as a middle old back then medium range SLR that should sell cheaply now. </p>

<p>The best is the one that fits your hands and your "logic" best. Go to a store, and try the available DSLRs there that fit your budget. There are no real bad DSLR (or mirrorless) systems around, the major differences are more in handling, button and menu layout. And how this works out, is mostly down to personal preference, so you have to try for yourself.</p>

<p>a Canon Rebel - T6i, 700D, etc. <strong>refurbished</strong> (includes one year warranty) will give you the best "bang for the buck" value but go to a store and check them out <br>

(be sure to also check out the mirrorless models !)</p>

 

<p>Take a look at the Pentax DSLRS. They are a very good value for the buck.</p>

<p>Also, Olympus Four Thirds DSLRs are very cheap now and have superb optics. E-3, Evolts etc.</p>

<p>No one can tell ypothe best DSLR as there is NO best DSLR it is personal taste, what is the best car to buy, answer that one</p>

<p>I just checked our local ads, and there are several Nikon D3200 or D5000 or D80/90 used kits with lenses and accessories available for $400 or less. Granted, these come with the risk of buying used, but make for a very low cost of entry. These older cameras are fully functional for learning and entry-level photography. They will not likely be satisfactory long-term, but are already fully devalued. My two daughters have similar kits they used very effectively for their Photo 101 and 201 classes. If you are willing to buy used, you should take a friend who knows something about cameras with you to test and check whatever you might buy. Insofar as megapixels are concerned, anything over 8-10 MP is more than sufficient for a first set of gear. When choosing a camera, keep in mind your instructor will likely require you to be able to control for manual focus, depth of field/aperture, all aspects of exposure, and ISO. The following will NOT be needed in any lower-division photo class: Ultra-high ISO, ultra-high resolution (over about 10 Megapixels), any lens under 30mm or over 85mm (prime lenses only need apply), special purpose lenses for macro, super-telephoto, or ultra-wide angle, more than a camera's built-in flash, etc. You may need a serviceable tripod, but buy this cheap and used for certain. Any money you spend for equipment in this range you can almost certainly sell later for about what you paid. Recommend you do not buy first generation cameras, such as the D3000, D40, etc, as these are so out of date as to be nearly useless. If you buy body and lenses separately, make sure they are compatible. Good luck, and don't hesitate to ask more questions.</p>

The Canon SL1 rebel is on sale at bargain prices like $400 with a kit lens. It may be discontinued but I had one

and it is a great starter camera.

<p>Get a used one! </p>

<p>Refurb Nikon D7000 for around $350. Money left over for Nikon 35/1.8g and a couple cheap SD cards.</p>

<p>http://nikonrumors.com/2016/01/12/refurbished-nikon-d7000-now-349.aspx/</p>

<p>I would suggest you do not ignore the top of the range Olympus and Panasonic MFT cameras such as the GH2 which largely has the features of a DSLR with external controls reducing the need to go into menus and with features a bsaic DSLR simply doesn't have. Which is why I use a GH2 these past couple of years. I found one s/h for $550 on Amazon when I looked.</p>

<p>A used old model with a resolution of around 10-12 MP would be a good choice to get you started. </p>

<p>You can purchase a brand-new Pentax K-5II for around that price if you can find one. Very good camera...</p>

So, my freind gave me one of his old DSLR's. It's a Canon EOS Rebel XS 1000D with a 18-55mm lense, and a 75-300

mm lense. Should I be good for my class, or do I need anything better? I might do some photography outside of class too.