£600 - £650 budget DSLR set up help!

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stockwell

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Dave
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I've been asked to help a friend buy a DSLR for her husbands 40th present. £600-£650

I'm not very experienced in this field, but bought my own a while back, but I'm wondering what people think to my plans for this.

I'm thinking I should advise to approach it roughly:

£300-£400 body with a basic lens
£150 a relatively cheap zoom lens, either a canon 50-250, or perhaps a cheaper Sigma 70-210 or something,
£100 for sundaries like a tripod, filters, bag etc.

I was plannign to advise against a Grip as I dont think he would be taking huge amounts in one go, so probably worth saving here.

Definitely want to go the Canon route, so I'm thinking perhaps a 450d. What are sensible alternatives to this in the canon route? I'm suggesting second hand market also to get better quality for the money.

Any advice very greatfully received.
 
Bit of a risky one this as who knows what hubbie would want in a camera. Brand new or second hand?

Me - I would suggest a 550d or a 50d with kit lens and a nifty fifty.

If you had enough left over 55-250 is a bargain.

Would ignore the sundries

davie
 
its a very vague task, but I know him well and he would be delighted just to get going with it. I think I'd say no video essential at this point, but I will ask the question.

I've been googling hard for the past hour, and I'm wondering about a £400 second hand 450d with a few bits (bag, shutter release) and the 18-55 kit lens. Thats a second hand as new condition.

Definitely agree with the 55-250mm - thats the lens I have on mine and at between £100 and £150 on the market (second hand to new) you definitely get a lot of lens per pound.

That should come in under £600 and look a decent package?
 
I presume the 500 is the only video one isnt it? I remember when i was buying I was advised that the 450 was better quality, so only go for the 500 if video is essential. Would you agree with that?
 
I'd sway towards a new 550D with kit lens. It's a newer model and being a 40th birthday present the warranty would give piece of mind too.
 
Think I;m looking at £600 for that or thereabouts which takes the whole budget without putting a zoom on it. My fear is that he would need some sort of zoom to go with it, so sort of wanted to keep the £140ish for the 55-250mm

Whats the options for a cheaper zoom, or am I really throwing it away to go for anything but the canon.

I use thr 55-250 and find it massively flexible

How much difference is there between a 550d and a 450d, or is it essentially the newness which I woudl be paying for?
 
Looks like new, its about a £100 difference between the 450 and the 550. some online offers talk around £500 for the 450 with the 18-55.

I dont think thats a great lens is it? but it does keep the cost down a touch
 
Get the 550d. The video is professional and the stills are slightly better than the 450d. The lens kit is ok to start with, or your other option is to get just the body for around £515 and then the 50mm 1.8 lens for around £80.
 
TBH if this is to be the guys first serious camera then surely a decent body and kit lens would be fine. There's plenty to master there without adding telephotos or wide aperture primes. Just my opinion though......;)
 
stockwell said:
Looks like new, its about a £100 difference between the 450 and the 550. some online offers talk around £500 for the 450 with the 18-55.

I dont think thats a great lens is it? but it does keep the cost down a touch
Click to expand...

Personally I don't think thats enough of a saving to justify the the difference unless he's really not going to want to spend anymore on it.

Besides the 55-250 I'd say the 50mm 1.8, the 17-85 IS used and the Tamron 17-55 non VC used or new look like the best value although they each obviously offer something different.
 
Thanks moreorless.

What would you say the major difference is between the two bodies so I can feed this back to my friend?

Thanks again,
 
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