Cheapy cheap second body to keep in car?

siejones

siejones

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I am looking to get me a cheapish second body setup that I keep in the boot of my car as like an "always there" solution. Also a one lens solution and a few none to expensive filters (polarisers and a few nd's). If it's a cheap enough setup I won't hugely concerned of it being pinched e.t.c

I have already got a cheapy lightweight tripod I leave in the car anyway.

I thought about a compact but they just arn't flexable enough and I really want it to have a decent spot meter.

So I am thinking a second hand 400D as the body but I can't make my mind up on a lens. It can't be too expensive for above reasons.

I was thinking the Canon 18-55 IS but I don't like the rotating front element. Then I was looking at a second hand Simga 17-70 or Tammy 17-50 but I so wish they had IS/OS and will they be long enough e.t.c

Any thoughts?
 
Slightly off topic, but love your sig............:D
 
As you shoot mostly landscape I'd err on the wide side I think. You can always crop a bit later. IS isn't soo important if you get a cheapy tripod. I have a Manfrotto combo video/camera one that is very small and will hold a small dslr and lens securely enough provided it's not howling a gale. Hitec 85mm filters in a cokin P holder should keep the cost down on that side too.
 
The Canon 17-85mm is a much better lens. The Sigma is Ok for lanscapes but is a tad slow to focus for moving objects.

Have a look at MPB or ask Matt to keep an eye open for you. :)
 
fracster said:
Slightly off topic, but love your sig............:D
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:D

Gandhi said:
As you shoot mostly landscape I'd err on the wide side I think. You can always crop a bit later. IS isn't soo important if you get a cheapy tripod. I have a Manfrotto combo video/camera one that is very small and will hold a small dslr and lens securely enough provided it's not howling a gale. Hitec 85mm filters in a cokin P holder should keep the cost down on that side too.
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I think you have just echoed my thoughts :)

I do want to keep it wide but also have some length so that rules out the superwides.

Like you say IS isn't important as I already keep a cheapy tripod in the car but when push comes to shove I would rather hand hold a 30th of a second shot and use ISO200 than pull out the tripod these days.

The hitech 85mm filters with the placky cokin p holder is my old setup I uses to use and I was thinking about going with that again.

Great minds and all that ;)

AliB said:
The Canon 17-85mm is a much better lens. The Sigma is Ok for lanscapes but is a tad slow to focus for moving objects.

Have a look at MPB or ask Matt to keep an eye open for you. :)
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I was just looking at the 17-85. It does have a few niggly issues mainly at the wide end but I think I can live with that considering the rest of the setup. I do love the fact the Tammy 17-50 has 2.8 all the way through though....swings and roundabouts.

What's MPB?
 
Sorry you say cheapy cheapy and yet you look like you are intending to keep around £500 worth of kit in the car now that's an interesting use of the word cheap.
I keep a Fuji 6500FD 28-300 lens 6MP in the car and it cost £160,still not cheap but not a panic job if it gets nicked
 
CaptainPenguin said:
Sorry you say cheapy cheapy and yet you look like you are intending to keep around £500 worth of kit in the car now that's an interesting use of the word cheap.
I keep a Fuji 6500FD 28-300 lens 6MP in the car and it cost £160,still not cheap but not a panic job if it gets nicked
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It's a boat load cheaper than my current kit which scares me even when I am in the car with it ;)

No your quite right it's about £450 all in and that kind of defeats the object. I think around £250 is about what I could accept as a cheap setup.

I couldn't go with a compact. It's too restrictive for me.

I just found out the 400D doesn't have spot meter anyway so that's out the window.
 
Slapo said:
This looks pretty cheap, although somewhat indecent ;)
http://www.amazon.com/Inflatable-Judy-Doll/dp/B000SDI574/ref=pd_sbs_hpc_4
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:lol: but wheres the button? I never press the right buttons with these things.

Maybe the 18-200 mm OS HSM Sigma could do the job, there's a fairly recent thread about it here: http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=103041

I don't have the lens but I'm considering buying one in Summer or for Christmas.
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I have looked at these before but they have a (for me) big optical issue at 35mm which for me is an important focal length.
 
AliB said:
You sure you couldn't live with a G9 or G10?
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Yeah I was looking at these and the Panasonic LMX 3 with great interest but those small sensors are so noisy and too much depth of field you can't control.
 
Slapo said:
I know this might sound awful, but what about something else than Canon?
The Nikon D40 and Sony A200 are pretty cheap and if you bundle them with something usable like a Tamron 17-50 or 18-55 VR/18-105 VR (for the D40) then you might be in business :)
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Yeah funny you should say this I was just looking at the nikon D60 with the 18-55 VR but it's pushing the budget of cheap. The olympus E series are interesting as well.
 
I'd say the Nikon D40 too, good starter camera going cheaply now. Still some cash back options out there on new kit and plenty of 2nd hand which might be wiser if let in the car for longer periods.
 
J Gordon said:
I'd say the Nikon D40 too, good starter camera going cheaply now. Still some cash back options out there on new kit and plenty of 2nd hand which might be wiser if let in the car for longer periods.
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Just look on ebay as we speak ;)

Would be better if it came with the VR version of the lens though.

No pleasing me :lol:
 
If it's just for laying in the car, maybe a camera that takes AA batteries? Pretty sure some of the older Pentax models would fit the bill..
 
jaffamuffin said:
If it's just for laying in the car, maybe a camera that takes AA batteries? Pretty sure some of the older Pentax models would fit the bill..
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Yeah I did think about battery life left out in the cold. I thought I would leave the battery out and put it in my coat pocket or something.
 
If it's cheap you want how about something like a used Sony A100 or new A200 kit? Or the refurb Canon 10D (!) with 12 months' warranty (iirc) that Jessops/clear-r-gear have been trying to flog for £180 on Fleabay?
 
Flash In The Pan said:
If it's cheap you want how about something like a used Sony A100 or new A200 kit? Or the refurb Canon 10D (!) with 12 months' warranty (iirc) that Jessops/clear-r-gear have been trying to flog for £180 on Fleabay?
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More ideas thanks...will look into the sony's
 
Now the Olympus sounds like not a bad idea too, very portable and the lenses are crackers!
 
AliB said:
Now the Olympus sounds like not a bad idea too, very portable and the lenses are crackers!
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Yeah I like the fact they are so small and lightweight which is exactly what i am after. Don't know much about the lenses though. 14-40 in 4/3rds translates to 28-80 in real money which isn't bad.
 
AliB said:
Now the Olympus sounds like not a bad idea too, very portable and the lenses are crackers!
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Yep, the E-400 was just tiny (compared to my D50), I guess the newer models are just like that too. The only thing I mind about them Oly DSLRs is less highlight detail in raw files. That's probably just me, though.
 
The lenses are Zukio lenses and are probably some of the best there are for the money!
 
Why not get an older bridge camera. You can get a Fuji S602Z pro for about £80, has spot metering, M,A,S,P, takes 4 AAs and is a bleddy good camera even if a bit old. Cost about £450 when released with a 1GB microdrive. Still have the microdrive too, god is it slow compared to CF cards.

I shot a wedding on one a few years ago. Pictures were great.
 
EdBray said:
Why not get an older bridge camera. You can get a Fuji S602Z pro for about £80, has spot metering, M,A,S,P, takes 4 AAs and is a bleddy good camera even if a bit old. Cost about £450 when released with a 1GB microdrive. Still have the microdrive too, god is it slow compared to CF cards.

I shot a wedding on one a few years ago. Pictures were great.
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I think siejones might prefer something like the Panny G1 to a compact (which were ruled out due to sensor size and other things).
 
 
Slapo said:
I think siejones might prefer something like the Panny G1 to a compact (which were ruled out due to sensor size and other things).
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Which is why I suggested a bridge camera :bang:
 
My vote would go for a Sony Alpha - £220 ish with lens in some places....bloody bargain!

A handy backup, regardless!

Cheers,
James
 
EdBray said:
Which is why I suggested a bridge camera :bang:
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A 'bridge' camera is just a compact digicam with a better grip, zoom lens and, sometimes, more controls. They still use the same sensors and most of the rest of their internals.

The Panasonic G1 has a 4/3 size sensor and interchangeable lens (micro 4/3).
 
Slapo said:
I think siejones might prefer something like the Panny G1 to a compact (which were ruled out due to sensor size and other things).
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Panasonic G1? Haven't even looked at Panny's. Will check it out thanks.

AliB said:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/olympus-E-500-E500-Kit-DSLR-with-14-45mm-lens-mint-UK_W0QQitemZ390004860848QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CamerasPhoto_DigitalCameras_DigitalCameras_JN?hash=item390004860848&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1300%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

The kind of Olympus SLR around your budget?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Olympus-E-500-E500-SE-kit-Zuiko-Digital-Lens-Extras_W0QQitemZ270328209384QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_CameraLensesFilters_JN?hash=item270328209384&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1300%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
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yeah that's a good price...Don't know much about the E500. Will have a read up thanks.

Moos3h said:
My vote would go for a Sony Alpha - £220 ish with lens in some places....bloody bargain!

A handy backup, regardless!

Cheers,
James
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The Sony A100/200 is very appealing as well especially considering the on body image stab.
 
towershot said:
I keep a Nikon FE SLR with a nifty 50 on

Not thought of film ??;)
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Yeah it did cross my mind. It would be the ultimate cheap option but developing and not being able to stitch puts me off.
 
It might not have spot metering but the 400D has been my travel camera of choice and with a Sigma 17-70mm makes a terrific combo.Going with a 350D which is still a pretty decent cam would significantly drop the cost.Alternatively Dixons and PC World have had blowout sales on the Olympus 410 twin lens kit for around £299---they may have some left.
Cheers,
Pete.
 
TheWombat said:
It might not have spot metering but the 400D has been my travel camera of choice and with a Sigma 17-70mm makes a terrific combo.Going with a 350D which is still a pretty decent cam would significantly drop the cost.Alternatively Dixons and PC World have had blowout sales on the Olympus 410 twin lens kit for around £299---they may have some left.
Cheers,
Pete.
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A canon would be my first choice as my main system is canon. It just winds me up canon choose to leave off a so called "pro feature" such as spot metering on their lowend SLR's. I have always thought it must be harder to impliment but other manufaturers prove that wrong. I only use spot metreing these days and I am so used to having that kind of control I don't want to use anything else.

My friend brought the 410 setup from PC world when I went on thier website they wern't advertising it anymore so I presumed they had all been snapped up.
 
siejones said:
Yeah it did cross my mind. It would be the ultimate cheap option but developing and not being able to stitch puts me off.
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Why can't you stitch?

Shoot, Dev, Scan Stitch?

I must admit, I was going to suggest a film camera. Would tie-in very nicely with your new, more purist approach to post capture work.
 
Gandhi said:
Why can't you stitch?

Shoot, Dev, Scan Stitch?

I must admit, I was going to suggest a film camera. Would tie-in very nicely with your new, more purist approach to post capture work.
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Get mine deved at my local chemist and get a high res scan to disk at the same time.then just bump in on the PC, nowt simpler.:p

Alone_again_s.jpg
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I'm not the best of togs,but it gives you an idea.
 
Gandhi said:
Why can't you stitch?

Shoot, Dev, Scan Stitch?

I must admit, I was going to suggest a film camera. Would tie-in very nicely with your new, more purist approach to post capture work.
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Well yeah shoot...develop...then buy a good enough scanner to do really 35mm film justice and I think we are back in the same price range and not enough use to justify the cost.

It is food for thought though. ;)
 
I would say the Sony a200.
Still seems like a lot of money to spend on something your going to leave in the car though.
My car is not even worth £450! :lol:
 
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