Recommend a cheap DSLR - quality photos (new or 2nd hand)

[ancient_mariner]

this look like exactly what im looking for, for a really good price
thank you!

If you can, do check it isn't too small. Buying online gives you the right to return within 14 days and some dealers like LCE give a good warranty with used kit too.

I use a Sony A7III and some heavy lenses because it makes the images look like I want them to, but a time will come when I can't manage that, and then I'll go for something like this.

 

[Emma385]

If you can, do check it isn't too small. Buying online gives you the right to return within 14 days and some dealers like LCE give a good warranty with used kit too.

I use a Sony A7III and some heavy lenses because it makes the images look like I want them to, but a time will come when I can't manage that, and then I'll go for something like this.

Thanks so much, its really good to know this camera will hold its own reasonably enough, even when I start wanting better quality images from better lenses

 

[ancient_mariner]

Thanks so much, its really good to know this camera will hold its own reasonably enough, even when I start wanting better quality images from better lenses

Some of the guys here doing birding use M43 gear, and it's capable of very good images. It's important to expose correctly, but with these cameras what you see in the viewfinder is what you get from the sensor, which makes getting the right exposure easier.

 

[ancient_mariner]

If you really want to go down the rabbit hole, one of the guys here runs a site that scrapes and collates all the used gear: https://usedlens.co.uk/?pricemin=undefined&retailer=0&brand=all

It's very useful, but a little dangerous.

 

[Brentor]

It's very useful, but a little dangerous

Interesting, why?

 

[the black fox]

Hmmm I sometimes wonder about the advantages of a silent shutter , I have the option in use on my Olympus but on the recently acquired Nikon z8 I have actually switched on a a medium volume the sound generator , and finding it beneficial as the birds tend to look for where the noise is coming from leading to far better poses . It’s really a suck it and see option but it works for me

 

[ancient_mariner]

Interesting, why?

Have you ever found an unexpected bargain that you never knew you needed?*

*I've just come from browsing ebay. I'd quite like a guitar with P90 pickups because I've never had one, and instead I've come across a quite rare handmade prototype guitar that doesn't offer anything I need, but appeals because of its uniqueness despite probably being a bucket of trouble.

 

[Sangoma]

Just looking at a the Panasonic Lumix G9, will this be what im looking for?

I have G9s, now they have come down in price s/h, are a bargain.

Things I like, 5 custom modes that will save all settings; nearly all the buttons are customisable; dual stabilisation (with suitable lenses); excellent viewfinder; "friendly" menu system; dual SD slots; very good low light performance, much better than expected; fast focussing with useful features, easy to hold and use, not too heavy, but big enough to be easy to use.

Good range of lenses, which are generally very good, with three lenses you can have 14-800 FFeq (although that would be outside your initial budget)

The lenses will fit on all the Panasonic M43 series should yu decide to get another body for any reason.

 

[Crotal Bell]

Im open to anything up to £700, I dont mind any size/weight, yes, id mainly be photographing birds, plants + insects (macros) and some portraits of people. Im a graphic designer so im comfortable with using photoshop, however never edited raw images before

Just looking at a the Panasonic Lumix G9, will this be what im looking for?

Hope that helps, thank you!

The Panasonic G9 is very good for birds, but ideally you want the 100-400mm Lieca lens and that's going over your budget. You could start with a 100-300mm Pana lens like I did and save up for the Lieca at a later date. Some say the older style focussing tech in the Panasonic lacks what Canon/Nikon have to offer, but I find it works well once you learn the camera, and I have a very good keeper rate of pictures in burst modes.