hi (used DSLR choice)

[sunnysingh]

<p>i want to have a second hand DSLR , i have three choice which is best please guide me <br>

1. canon eos 1d <br>

2. sony a300<br>

3. olympus e 520 <br>

or non of these ?</p>

<p>regards</p>

[jonathan_maloney]

<p>I think a little more info is required here - maybe you could answer some of these:</p>

<p>a) What is your budget and where will you be buying from? (i.e. local ads, online auction sites, KEH, Adorama, etc?)</p>

<p>b) Do you have any previous experience using DSLR cameras? If so, which brand did you use and what did you think of it?</p>

<p>c) Do you have any old lenses (Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Olympus, etc) that you can use?</p>

<p>d) What will you be using this camera for? (travel, street, professional, or just for fun, etc?)</p>

<p> </p>

[sunnysingh]

<p>this is going to be my first DSLR , my budget is around $800-$1000 , i dont have any old lens , i will use this camera for travel, street, hobby etc </p>

[chrisnielsen]

<p>Those are all very different, in fact they are on different ends on the spectrum! a 1D vs a E-510 couldn't be more different.</p>

<p>If you wanted an E-520 it would be a lot cheaper than $800</p>

[simon_hickie1]

<p>Hi. I've had a look at your portfolio. It seems like to like to get in close and fill the frame! It also looks as though you like to control depth of field with larger apertures. The latter would tend to reduce the appeal of a 4/3 body (E520) unless you are prepared to use fast manual focus prime lenses via an adapter.</p>

<p>Buying second hand suggests you need to think about build quality. On that basis I would favour something like a used Pentax K10D or K20D. They have built in image stabilisation and give you access to all the cheap legacy manual focus Pentax lenses. As a Nikon user, I have never had a problem with my D300 but that is going to be over budget. A D200 might be a possibility, but it's a bit old tech - if very well built. I can't comment on Canon or Sony. </p>

[sunnysingh]

<p>thanx a ton masters !<br>

which is best choice ? <br>

canon eos 1d for $550 (just body) <br>

sony a300 for $500 (with twin lens)<br>

olympus e520 for $500 (twin lens + extra bat)<br>

i luv canon 1d but dont know anything about DSLR so kindly help me </p>

<p>regards</p>

[eric_arnold]

<p>if you have $800-$1000 to spend, i'd also consider a new or refurbished nikon d90.</p>

<p>as for your current choices, the 1d will be complicated for a beginner and is fairly ancient by today's standards. the a300 is mediocre. the oly+2 lenses is a good deal and at that price you could probably also afford the excellent zuiko 50/2 macro lens, which would give you more control over DoF.</p>

<p>however, a nikon would be a better long-term investment IMO. the d90 has a gentle learning curve and excellent IQ. if you plan on expanding your DSLR system in the future, nikon makes more sense.</p>

<p>simon also has a good point about pentax. dont know too much about them, but apparently they have some pretty good bodies and a lot of legacy glass available. with $800-$1000 you could think about new.</p>

<p>also, you may also want to see if you can get just a body for around $500 and use the rest of your budget on better glass than a kit lens. the nikon 35/1.8 is very sharp for $200.</p>

 

[simon_hickie1]

<p>Eric is of course right to mention the Nikon D90. I'm a Nikon user (D300) and love the build quality. A new D90 should be within budget. Handling is excellent too. The 18-70mm nikon lens should be available very cheaply and would be a good place to start.</p>

[sunnysingh]

<p>thanx again masters !<br>

so finally guide me nikon d90 or canon 550 d kiss 4 ?<br>

regards</p>

[jonathan_maloney]

<p>I would be <em>very </em>surprised if you could get a 550D with lenses for $800-$1000. </p>

<p>A D90 is a very capable camera, but if this is your first DSLR, I don't think you should rule out the E-520 kit you mentioned earlier. For that kind of price, it is a fantastic bargain. </p>

<p>If possible however, try and look for the much improved E-620, a Canon 500D or a Nikon D5000. The Pentax Kx is also an awesome little camera for a first-time user as well. For all of these choices, you would definitely want the price to include at least one or two lenses, if possible. <br /></p>

[rdm]

<blockquote>

<p>the E-520 kit you mentioned earlier... it is a fantastic bargain.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I would also agree. Plus when you want to upgrade and add more lenses to your kit your money will go further than if you purchased one of the other cameras you mentioned</p>