Advice please for newbie

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oogzy

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Hi all, first time on the forum so if this is best moved to another section please let me know.
I have a 15 year old daughter who is showing real talent with photography. It is something she truly wants to follow and is also heading down the art / media route at school. She knows her way around Photoshop better than the teachers.
I want to buy her her first digital slr. A well loved used model will be fine for her first kit. I am no expert and find it overwhelming. I have a budget of 200 - 300 £.
I have been looking at Nikon models D40/D50 but also am now wondering if it is worth stretching to a motorized focus model. I wish to purchase within a week while i have the funds round me.
Can anyone point me toward a good start out model please? I was looking at nikon but only as they only make cameras and are not a jack of all trades manufacturer.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance. Dean
dean@mackness.co.uk
 
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I belive the models you are looking at have autofocus on them, best bet is to go down to local camera shop and have a play with some of thier s/h cameras, if the price there is too much then ebay is you friend
 
oogzy said:
I have been looking at Nikon models D40/D50 but also am now wondering if it is worth stretching to a motorized focus model. I wish to purchase within a week while i have the funds round me.
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The D50 does have a built in focus motor, the D40 (or any of the other entry level models) do not.

Ask for the in built focus motors, it's really down to how many used lenses you want to buy.
 
Don't overlook the Sony Alpha range, steady shot in the body so you can use the huge array of older Minolta glass with some terrific results (I have a couple of 20 year old lenses that are superb)

.DAVID.
 
Thanks for the speedy replies. I think of the models i have been looking at that the D50 would be favorite. I will check out your other suggestions when i get home .
I have got a few saved on ebay. Just trying to get the best bang for buck. At least if i buy used kit i may get extra zoom lenses etc.
Thank you all very much for the advice.
 
Does your daughter know you're doing this for her? If so, definitely take her down the local camera shop and get her to hold and play with a few basic cameras from each manufacturer (Nikon, Canon, Sony, Pentax are the main ones I think). Every person is different, and has different sized hands, so what is comfortable for one person might not be for someone else. If she can pick out a model herself, it'll make your decision easier as you know then you'll be buying something she's happy to use and will find comfortable to hold.
 
Hmmm good idea. It was going to be a surprise to be honest, but i can see your point. I just feel a bit bad taking up the dealers time and then hitting ebay for a bargain lol
 
I don't mind purchasing from a dealer as at least i will get some form of warranty, but don't want to be paying well over the odds.
 
oogzy said:
Hmmm good idea. It was going to be a surprise to be honest, but i can see your point. I just feel a bit bad taking up the dealers time and then hitting ebay for a bargain lol
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Yeah, I can understand that, but you could always go back to the dealer afterwards and pick up a few bits and pieces (like a bag, cheap lens blower, cloth, things like that). Some dealers have the cameras out on display anyway (the Jessops by me does) so you may not need to take up the time of any staff member while you're there.
 
oogzy said:
I don't mind purchasing from a dealer as at least i will get some form of warranty, but don't want to be paying well over the odds.
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The problem there though is that your budget is quite limiting if you want a new DSLR. Even basic models like the Canon 1000D with a basic kit lens will be around £350 in the shops, whereas you could certainly find a much better camera for the same price in the 2nd hand market. It'll depend on how much emphasis you place on having the warranty in case things go wrong with the camera. I personally like having one, which is why I spent extra to buy my camera new and not get it 2nd hand, but if you're on a tight budget I appreciate it may not be ideal for you.
 
Yes i was intending to buy second hand for her first venture. Some dealers still sell part ex models with some sort of limited warranty. I think Jessops deal in used models?
Will Jessops allow haggling? Lol
 
Davey_Pitch said:
Does your daughter know you're doing this for her? If so, definitely take her down the local camera shop and get her to hold and play with a few basic cameras from each manufacturer (Nikon, Canon, Sony, Pentax are the main ones I think). Every person is different, and has different sized hands, so what is comfortable for one person might not be for someone else. If she can pick out a model herself, it'll make your decision easier as you know then you'll be buying something she's happy to use and will find comfortable to hold.
Click to expand...

I definitely agree with this. My husband bought a Nikon D60 a couple of years ago which he really likes (having used Nikon 35mm models in the past) but I found it a bit limiting to be honest. However, he recently relented and bought me a Canon 500D to start out with which I think is great, it just suits what I want it to do better
 
Have you looked at http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/?

I recently bought a second-hand D80 from them. The sales assistant was really helpful and knowledgeable. He let me try out several different models and didn't push me into buying anything.

I would also recommend MPB photographic, although I'd still suggest going into a shop first.
 
Iris said:
I definitely agree with this. My husband bought a Nikon D60 a couple of years ago which he really likes (having used Nikon 35mm models in the past) but I found it a bit limiting to be honest. However, he recently relented and bought me a Canon 500D to start out with which I think is great, it just suits what I want it to do better
Click to expand...

Limiting in what way?
My daughter is fairly petite even for her age...
I rang a used camera shop earlier to see if they had a D50 in stock but alas not - had D70 and a D5000
I have my eye on this kit:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....303872&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_1156

Finishes in a couple of hours.
I have looked at used Canon models but they all seem a bit pricey

One question - in one of the ebay pics there is a number in the top digital display - is this the number of shutter activations?
 
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So, come on, put us out of our misery - did you win the auction?

The number in the top screen is the number of images you can still fit on the memory card. The number of pictures the card can hold depends on the quality setting you choose and the size of the card itself.
 
Depending on your rough geographic location, someone should be able to point you to a good local camera shop. I find that good independents are only a little more expensive than buying privately but tend to offset that with warranties and advice you may not be able to get elsewhere. Crucially your daughter would be able to choose the style of camera that suits her best. I find Nikon and Canon provide similar capabilities at the same price points, but that Canon just suits me a little more, so having the chance to handle a few camera bodies might help make the decision a little easier.
 
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