Moving up to SLR, budget £900 How would you spend?!

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Duncan.F

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Duncan
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Hi Folks,
New to this forum, I currently have a Canon Powershot G5 and previously 35mm SLR's. Limited knowledge of photography but keen to learn!
I have a budget of £900 tops and would like to hear what others with greater experience would spend it on. I am a keen Canon fan and am actively considering the 400d or 30d. My thoughts are at present to go for the 400d and spend more on the lenses. But which ones??

I have always been a sportsman and would like to do some sports photography but also a bit of everything. A friend took some photos of my daughter [no, nothing dodgy!!] and I was so impressed with the results, so portrait appeals. Occasionally I tend to be an 'opportunist' I rarely go anywhere without a camera and something strikes me as interesting I take photos.
So there you have it a camera and lens that suitable for most things!

I would be very interested to hear your views.

Dunc
 
If i was starting from scratch (And i did) i would take a serious look at the Olympus E-510.

The twin lens kit is around £650 - £700 and give you an EFL or 28-84 and 80-300mm. The kit lenses are far better than the Canon 18-55. It has a very good dust removal / protection system, Body IS and loads of other 'enthusiast' features.

I also got the 14-54mm 2.8-3.5 lens (EFL 28-108) and its fantastic.

Worth a look for sure...
 
I'd get a used 20D, and a Canon 75-300IS for the long stuff, and perhaps an 18-50EX DC Sigma for carry around?

Should be do-able in your budget, if you don't mind buying used.

Cheers,
James
 
I'm new to DSLR's myself but if I started from scratch id go for:

400D body for around £400
Canon 50mm 1.8 MkII for about £50

Then depending on preference and types of photographs you want to take:

Sigma 24-70 f2.8 for about £290

or

Sigma 70-300 f4-5.6 APO for about £180

that will leave enough budget for a case, tripod, memory cards etc or you can get all of the above on budget if you shop around.
 
Spend a while looking at all the different systems, really find out if there is one that will suit your stlye/needs best. I don't know anything about them but the olympus stuff keeps getting good praise around here.

Once you know who you're buying into, get the best glass you can and the most affordable body to put them on that will do the job. It's lenses that make the biggest difference.
 
IMO the best you can get for the money would be either of the two following, although slightly over budget.

Canon 400D + 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Kit Lens + Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO MACRO HSM lens £945.98

or under budget:

Canon 400D + 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Kit Lens + Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens £791.98
 
If you'd like to get into portraiture, you may be better off allocating a bit of that budget to some entry-level flash kit; remember a decent flash will set you back c.£200, & the same again for a portable studio kit.....don't try "serious" portrait work with the built-in flash (well, try it & then decide not to!).
 
check out camera price buster for a range of prices as well

you could get a 30D with a 17-85 IS for £890

or a 30D body only and a 70-300 IS USM for about £910
 
Find a shop and hold some of the different cameras first. If you like them all fine. If you don't like the handling of one or two you may have avoided an expensive mistake from buying just on recommendation.
 
Hi folks,

Thanks for all your replies and advice! Its so difficult I am still not sure on the camera. My waters tell me the 30d but it takes another 150squids or so out of the budget!

Cheers.

Dunc
 
Hello there,
Personally I'd go with a Pentax K10D - they are dropping in price as we speak! Its an excellent camera [got one myself] but, again in my opinion, its not particularly beginner friendly!
Also though it has won a clutch of awards there isn't the same choice of lenses [at the moment] as there are for Nikon/Canon.
Still I'm glad I bought it..
Cheers
John
 
Hi,
Well I have taken the plunge and gone for a S/H 400d, comes with std kit lens and 17-70 sigma. Will reveal all [inc my folly/joy?] when it turns up!

Dunc
 
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