Budget SLR solution.

Hi all, I am a student on a really tight budget and i want a DSLR. I

cannot afford the DRebel, D70 etc........but I've seen some D30's in

really good condition for around the $500 mark, all with around 5000

to 6000 shots on the meter (or so the owners say). As for lenses, I

was thinking of the canon f 1.8 50mm and the sigma DC 18-50mm to

start with. My question is, is this camera even now a good starting

point for SLR photography for the price, and will the D30 work with

the sigma zoom?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Sally

The Sigma lens being newer than the body, I'd assume that it'll work fine, but you'll want to double-check. I think that the lens is usually sole as a kit with a 55-200.

 

The 50/1.8 is a sweet little lens - depending on what kind of photography you're after a 28/2.8 may be more appropriate on a D30 for general photography (I use my 28mm more than my 50 on my 10D), on the other hand the 50/1.8 will be great for portraits.

 

Even now, that's a great starter camera. It still have very low-noise compared to digicams, it'll let you achieve a shallow depth-of-field, and with its big pixels you'll have lots of working room to extract the best out of your lenses (f/11 sounds like an ideal aperture to work at, with anywhere from f/8 to f/16 being reasonable).

I had a friend who loved their and still does. It's a good 3mpxl camera, its main weaknesses being really slow autofocus and a lack of features. If you can't afford any more right now though, so you certainly won't be wasting your money.

 

I've got two things to say though, have you considered a Powershot G5? It'd be cheaper than a D30 with lenses and is very very good for a point and shoot. And, don't forget to figure in at least $100 for a decent memory card and reader when budgeting out your purchase.

I wonder if the Sigma lens works on the D30. If Canon people are stupid and assholes

enough to divide their own EOS/EF system by making the quite reasonable 18-55

compatible only with the DRebel and not with other DSLRs, chances are Sigma has done

the same with their DSLR-specific lens. Just a thought, check with official sources if it

really works on the D30.

It's probably compatible. Sigma doesn't have any reason to artificially limit their market using EF-S.

Macman, get a clue. The 18-55 is compatible only with the 300D not because Canon engineers are stupid assholes, but because they had to make some compromises to create a 18-55 lens that basically sells for $100. Namely, the rear element extends so far into the body that it would hit the mirror on a 35MM body.

 

But go ahead and try it anyway. Don't let those stupid assholes tell you what to do with YOUR camera equipment.

"I wonder if the Sigma lens works on the D30. If Canon people are stupid and assholes enough to divide their own EOS/EF system by making the quite reasonable 18-55 compatible only with the DRebel and not with other DSLRs, chances are Sigma has done the same with their DSLR-specific lens."

 

 

That is just silly.

The D30 does sound like a good option for you.The D30 is actually the BEST option for certain users who love it's supersmooth,colourfull 'plastic'look.I've yet to see any other camera that has quite the same look to it's images<P>

 

You may find one of those sigma lenses on ebay if not available by itself.There are other cheapish options though.Cosina has a 19-35(?)lens that is also sold by many other names.I recall it sells quite cheap

>>>>> Macman, get a clue. The 18-55 is compatible only with the 300D not because

Canon engineers are stupid assholes, but because they had to make some compromises to

create a 18-55 lens that basically sells for $100. Namely, the rear element extends so far

into the body that it would hit the mirror on a 35MM body.

 

I did get the clue a long time ago. You didn't. My rant specified that the 18-55 doesn't

work on others DSLRs (that was D right there). For that, they are assholes.

>>> That is just silly.

 

Incapacity of explaining why it'd be silly is so silly that it begins to be called "stupid" :)

Stupid assholes, no. Short-sighted, absolutely. And for an issue like that I'd blame a combination of their marketing and engineering departments, not engineering alone - and the issue isn't limited to the 10D, it goes back to the D30. It very much sounds like marketing requested a wide-angle lens for the DRebel and engineering wasn't left with enough time to actually design one with the proper retrofocus so they hacked something based on the 22-55 (pure speculation, but this reminds me so much of what happens in my industry).

 

They'd be stupid if they designed and released today a new amateur DSLR with a 1.6x crop factor that didn't accept EF-S lenses (all their pro models have used 1.3x (or even 1x) for a very long time. They'd be assholes if they did that on purpose.

"Incapacity of explaining why it'd be silly is so silly that it begins to be called "stupid" :)"

 

Oh please. I am sure you know exactly what I meant, but no matter:

 

Your statement regarding Sigma *possibly* making a digital-specific lens incompatible with certain Canon cameras -- due to the suspected use of similar construction techniques to the 18-55mm -- is a proposal that I am willing to call silly. Sigma wouldn't intentionally make its lenses incompatible with a Canon body, especially not physically imcompatible, as the EF-S lens is with anything other than the Digital Rebel.

Hi Sally,

the D30 is an option but I wouldn't believe 5-6000 acutations as the youngest sample would be two years old now and 3000 pictures a year is not normal use for a DSLR.

 

Have a look at the hotshoe, my PJ friends have their 550 flashes atached to the camera all the time and on the D30 and D60 the hotshoe loosens.

And in any case, but some $300 back for a shutter replacement!

 

Have fun

 

Volker

Thanks guys for the advice...........maybe the D30 isn't the right option for me as among other things I will be shooting sports, and the v slow autofocus would be an issue....I have considered P&S prosumers Marcus, but again, they are slow to focus. Also, the cost of a replacement shutter could make the D30 a false economy!! Thanks again everyone.