Camera for son

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beesee

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My sons birthday is rapidly approaching and I'd love to get him a camera (if only to keep him off mine), budget is a big consideration so I'm torn between getting an 1100D or looking second hand.
The only real stipulation is it must be canon so he can use my lenses.
 
My daughter has used my old 300D for a while and really liked it.

So I bought bought her a 450D (she wanted her own camera, rather than dads old one) and she really likes it.

As you say budget is a consideration, how old is your son and how much use is he going to get from it ?

Another consideration is can you use it as a 2nd body / backup - so would you be hapy to use it ?


Hope this is of some help...
 
beesee said:
My sons birthday is rapidly approaching and I'd love to get him a camera (if only to keep him off mine), budget is a big consideration so I'm torn between getting an 1100D or looking second hand.
The only real stipulation is it must be canon so he can use my lenses.
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Personally I've bought all my DSLRs second hand; two A700's and two A900's. Ok, they're more serious amateur kit so possibly less likely to be thrown around by their original owners but if you buy on a photography forum you have a reasonable confidence that the seller is serious about their hobby and careful with their gear.

Look to pay around 70% of street price for current models and significantly less for the equivalent previous lines.

It's worth meeting the owner if you can but I've only done that with the first A900 I bought as he was local.

I'd say the same regards to lenses.

You'll get better spec kit for the budget :)
 
He will be 15 and I know he will be getting as much use from it as time allows. Good idea on the 2nd body too. The 450D is certainly a camera I could use if I needed to.

Thanks for the idea of how much I should be looking at 2nd hand, thats very helpful
 
Buy a cheap body like a 10D so he can learn the basics with a basic lens like a 18-55 then if he does drop it wont be to much money wasted.
 
D-pearce92 said:
Buy a cheap body like a 10D so he can learn the basics with a basic lens like a 18-55 then if he does drop it wont be to much money wasted.
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Probably worth noting that the 18-55 is an EF-S lens and, while it has a 1.6 crop sensor, the 10D is EF mount only.

The 20D was the first Canon camera to take EF-S lenses.
 
Musicman said:
Probably worth noting that the 18-55 is an EF-S lens and, while it has a 1.6 crop sensor, the 10D is EF mount only.

The 20D was the first Canon camera to take EF-S lenses.
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Oh didnt know that, glad i went for the 20D then when i first started otherwise i would of been stuffed.
 
I gave my Grandaughter my 350d and an 18-55IS, she loves it.
Trouble is now she keeps borrowing my other lenses! She also loves the (my) niftyfifty so looking to buy one for her soon.
In fact, she has just got her GCSE in photography using the 350d.
She is also doing GCSE in fashion, so the camera will be very handy for her. They are quite compact too, so good for smaller hands, in fact I had to use it with a grip.
Second hand will cost around 125-150 with lens etc, although I have seen them go for 110
 
Musicman said:
The 20D was the first Canon camera to take EF-S lenses.
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Small correction before someone else picks me up on it :)

The 20D was the first Canon XXD camera to take EF-S lenses.

The 300D preceded the 20D by a few months and was the first EF-S body to market.
 
One thing which puts me off the xxxxD and xxxD bodies slightly and towards the xxD bodies is that the former only go to 1/4000th sec and the latter go to 1/8000. As a fan of wide aperture shots this matters to me as it's easy to exceed 1/4000 at f1.4 in good light and you can be limited to f2.8 or forced to use ND filters.

If a xxD can be had within budget I'd go for it for the faster shutter speed alone, if the user has an interest in wide apertures.
 
Musicman said:
Small correction before someone else picks me up on it :)

The 20D was the first Canon XXD camera to take EF-S lenses.

The 300D preceded the 20D by a few months and was the first EF-S body to market.
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If a low shutter count / good condition 10D could be found for a good price there is the option of using a Sigma or Tamron 17/18-50mm "kit" lens as unlike the Canon EF-S lenses these will fit and work no problem.
 
woof woof said:
One thing which puts me off the xxxxD and xxxD bodies slightly and towards the xxD bodies is that the former only go to 1/4000th sec and the latter go to 1/8000. As a fan of wide aperture shots this matters to me as it's easy to exceed 1/4000 at f1.4 in good light and you can be limited to f2.8 or forced to use ND filters.
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Yes but the OP wants it for a 15 year lad, so most of that will go right over his head!
If later he decides it's not for him, then a cheap s/h starter kit won't hit the pocket hard. If he takes a shine to it, and takes it up, then an upgrade can be purchased.
 
wontolla said:
Yes but the OP wants it for a 15 year lad, so most of that will go right over his head!
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Really? Maybe, maybe not, teenagers can be very quick learners.

It's just something to keep in mind as sometimes the limitations of kit can be found very quickly and it's probably best to consider as much as possible before spending hard earned dosh.
 
I got my 13 year old daughter a 450D second hand from this forum, we share lenses :)
 
woof woof said:
One thing which puts me off the xxxxD and xxxD bodies slightly and towards the xxD bodies is that the former only go to 1/4000th sec and the latter go to 1/8000. As a fan of wide aperture shots this matters to me as it's easy to exceed 1/4000 at f1.4 in good light and you can be limited to f2.8 or forced to use ND filters.

If a xxD can be had within budget I'd go for it for the faster shutter speed alone, if the user has an interest in wide apertures.
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Well, I started out with a Practika Nova 1 that only went to 1/500 when I was 11 and graduated to a Canon AV-1 when I was 14, which still only went to 1/1000. Never did me any harm...

FIRST YORKSHIREMAN:
In them days we was glad to have the price of a cup o' tea.

SECOND YORKSHIREMAN:
A cup o' cold tea.

FOURTH YORKSHIREMAN:
Without milk or sugar.

THIRD YORKSHIREMAN:
Or tea.


etc.

:)
 
artyman said:
We 'ad to make do wi' carboard box wi' pinhole :D
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Indeed.

When trying to post a little advice based on personal experience it's sometimes easy to wonder why one bothers.
 
woof woof
 
woof woof said:
One thing which puts me off the xxxxD and xxxD bodies slightly and towards the xxD bodies is that the former only go to 1/4000th sec and the latter go to 1/8000. As a fan of wide aperture shots this matters to me as it's easy to exceed 1/4000 at f1.4 in good light and you can be limited to f2.8 or forced to use ND filters.
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I live in Scotland... its rarely a problem at the fast end of the shutter scale :-) In good seeing though one could equally drop the ISO... I've heard.
 
wontolla said:
Yes but the OP wants it for a 15 year lad, so most of that will go right over his head!
Click to expand...

woof woof said:
Really? Maybe, maybe not, teenagers can be very quick learners.
Click to expand...

I was fourteen when I began teaching myself theory from manuals & tried working in manual. I soon realised I favoured wide apertures. Don't underestimate youth :} get him one he can learn with, I began with a 400D & the EF 50mm f/1.8.
 
beesee said:
My sons birthday is rapidly approaching and I'd love to get him a camera (if only to keep him off mine), budget is a big consideration so I'm torn between getting an 1100D or looking second hand.
The only real stipulation is it must be canon so he can use my lenses.
Click to expand...

As mentioned, personally I would go 2nd hand. More camera for your $$$.

Not knocking the XXXXD model, but you could get a better camera body for alot less. But best bit of advice is find out which camera body he feels comfortable using.

Its very much personal choice, I couldn't get on with the XXXD range, controls too cramped and it just didn't feel right, so bought a 20D, which I still have today and its a great camera and not a bad camera to start with, or if the smaller body feels better to hold, the 350D (not the 400D) is the better small bodied camera to start with (better built and better autofocus, the 400D was a drop in quality, although very much improved with the 450D and later models).

It depends on your budget, but good places to compare used prices are mifsuds, camtech, mpb photographic, park cameras, digital depot, ffordes and of course there's the for sale forums on TP
 
with any canon body, just make sure you get the 50 f1.8 too. it is a cheap piece of plastic but worth every penny of its price!! and great lens to start "learning" photography
 
kelvinkuokm said:
with any canon body, just make sure you get the 50 f1.8 too. it is a cheap piece of plastic but worth every penny of its price!! and great lens to start "learning" photography
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I have one and couldn't agree more
 
wontolla said:
Yes but the OP wants it for a 15 year lad, so most of that will go right over his head!
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I'm 14 and understand everything he just said, we're not all as stupid as Waterloo road would have you believe :)
 
What's waterloo road?
 
Ash HIM what he would like, in reason of course ££'s, and get him that one.

He should then use it, it was his choice and not YOURS.
 
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