Second Hand DSLR Under

heya,

I'm looking at getting a cheap, second-hand DSLR to play around

with, like say this:

ViewItem&item=7548358568&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%

Rough budget is US$150 to $200 (Too low?), and the reason is I just

bought a used 800si, and I miss having that kind of build quality

and responsiveness on a digital P&S, and using my parents digital

P&S is kinda annoying anyway =).

What model camera(s) would you guys recommend? And a rough idea of

how much it would be, and whether buying something like the above

off eBay is a good idea? (I read somewhere on photo.net that digital

bodies aren't so good second hand, but the above looks like a pro

body, so I assume it would be ok?)

Alternatively, do you think I should boost my budget? (Money isn't

*that* much of an object, however its more of a muck-around thing

for learning, hence I don't want to spend all that much).

Or should I try and buy a more recent DSLR (e.g. Canon 300D, Nikon

70D, E-Volt) either second hand, or new?

Thanks,

Victor

I don't know that I would try to go for that item (the link btw is:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7548358568&ru=http://search.ebay.com:80/7548358568_W0QQfrppZ50QQfsopZ1QQmaxrecordsreturnedZ300QQfviZ1

personally I would say go for something a little more recent like this

http://www.keh.com/shop/SHOWPRODUCT.CFM?CRID=12160517&SKID=DC0299907119004&SID=newused&BID=DC&CID=02&SOID=N&curpic=0&dpsp=0

it is a canon d60 (the precursor to the 10d) and a decent price.

if you get a DSLR. make sure to include the cost of a lens.

800si is a Minolta right?

If so, I'd look at a KM Maxxum 5D, it's quite inexpensive as DSLR's go and then you can use your 35mm lenses on it.

Digital bodies aren't the best used buy, as they change so rapidly. It's only in the last couple of years that the change rate has slowed down (And even then, only in the consumer bodies, there aren't huge gains between the earliest consumer bodies like the Canon D60 and the best current bodies, like the 20d).

Your best bet is to match the DSLR to your current kit and needs. IE I wouldn't get a Pentax *ist DS or Olympus E-Volt 300 for shooting action, while I wouldn't buy a Nikon D70 if I loved shooting with old MF glass. The KM Maxxum 5D has in-body Image Stabilization, which is a nifty feature, and is otherwise pretty comparable to it's competition (Nikon D50, Canon Digital Rebel, Pentax *ist DL).

Buying such old DSLR's is fraught with problems.

<P>I simply wouldn't do it.Try to buy a 2nd hand 300D instead.<BR>They are reliable,well supported and truly modern.

<BR>if you need jutification to spend more,there's allways the fact that you'll be able to resell the 300D for a reasonable price.You won't lose much at all