Trying to suprise my wife with something amazing...

[Psychosis]

Last year, on Christmas Eve, I proposed to my wife. I did this cutsie little number where I wrapped a giant picture frame, filled with pictures of us, to throw her. In the middle, it said "will you marry me," and that's when I whipped out the ring.

 

Now, my problem this year is topping that...or at least, coming close. She's a fantastic artist, and is all ways taking pictures of clouds. So, this year, I'd like to get her a DSLR so that she can go absolutely nuts, and maybe even find a new hobby in photography. She draws, and she gets tattoo's, but she very rarely does any thing for herself. Seriously, she's the most task oriented woman I've ever met. She feels guilty when she spends $10 at a garage sale, for example.

 

Then, here I am with a reef tank...I spent more on dry rock and great stuff in the last week than she has on herself in 3 months. So, long story kept short (since she's headed this way) I could really use some help picking out a good system for her. Neither of us has experience with DSLR, certainly not post editing, but I'd like to get her a solid starting point if it's something she becomes passionate about.

 

Any reccomendations? I do, unfortunately, have a budget of about $300, but I can start getting her lenses and other accessories through out the next year if I can start with a solid body. Maybe Canon?

 

Thanks internet pals.

[Arkayology]

I am no camera expert by any means, but I really like my Canon t2i. It is a little older now then when I bought it so you might be able to find a new one for around 300-400 or most certainly a used one in your price range. It is a solid choice as an entry level DSLR.

 

Good luck finding your wife a camera. I think it's a great idea.

[ninjamyst]

A refurbished D5100 w/ kit lens is about $350. I am a Nikon kind of guy. My best advice is to go to a Best Buy and try them out. Pay attention to the grip, to the button layouts, to the dials, etc. Image quality wise, all the major players are about the same at the consumer level. At the end of the day, you want a camera you are comfortable with. I hate Canon's layout and dial and focus point selection, but my buddy shoots Canon and loves it.

 

For $300, you will have to look for refurbished older models. Dont get something that's more than 3 generations old. I think Canon is on T5i now, and Nikon is on D5300 for their consumer DSLR.

 

Lens is where you will invest your money. A quality lens will cost more than the body. Don't be afraid to go 3rd party for lens if budget is a concern. For starters, the kit lens is plenty enough. Once you figure out your photography style (landscape, portrait, macro, low-light, etc), start looking at specialized lens. My next point is debatable and very subjective, but stay away from those all-in-one lens such as 18-200mm. It's bulky, expensive, poor image quality.

 

Finally, is DSLR really the right camera for you? Mirrorless is the new trend. Have you looked into Micro 4/3rds such as the Olympus EPL series? I only use my DSLR for big trips now. Most of the time, I bring my mirrorless Nikon J1 that I bought for $200 (note that J1 sucks compared to other mirrorless but it's dirt cheap).

[Withers]

Last year, on Christmas Eve, I proposed to my wife.

 

 

Good luck ever topping that.

[Kellie in CA]

I wouldn't worry about trying to "top" last year. You really can't top a proposal, and I'm sure she doesn't expect you to.

 

She will appreciate the thoughtful gift.

[seabass]

IDK, for $300 - $350 maybe look at the following (then ask what others think about it before you buy):

New Canon DSLR:

• Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and DIGIC 4 Imaging (Body Only) (New in Kit Box) $299

Used or refurbished Canon DSLR:

• a condition 9, used Canon EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) $300
• a refurbished Canon EOS Rebel T3 DSLR Camera with 18-55mm IS II Lens Kit $339
• or a condition 8+, used Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D) Digital SLR Kit w/EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens $350

Used Sony Mirrorless:

• a condition 9, used Sony Alpha NEX-5N Digital Camera with 18-55mm Lens $350
• a condition 8+ used Sony Alpha NEX-C3 Digital Camera with 18-55mm Lens (Pink) $350

New Canon morrorless:

• Canon EOS-M Mirrorless Digital Camera with EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens $339

[ninjamyst]

EOS-M has poor reviews. T1i is pretty old but decent. T3 is severely crippled compared to T3i and T2i. Just my 2 cents =). T2i / T3i are good choices.

[-evan]

I love my t3i, the kit 18-55mm lens is decent too.Not sure how much they are now. The t2i might be a bit more in your price range, you might be able to buy the t2i with the kit lens and stay close to your budget, the kit 18-55mm will be good for now, or until you can buy new lenses. I think it's a lot like equipment for tanks, it's better to get good quality when you first buy instead of buying decent now and spending more to upgrade in the future.

[seabass]

Yeah, based on what little I've read, I tend to agree; however, $300 is a tricky price target. If you notice, I only listed two cameras for $300 (and neither comes with a lens). A used T2i body comes fairly close. I found the following:

• condition 8+, used Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) $360
• Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR Camera (Body Only) $499

I think you can find some cheaper used cameras from individuals, or from other vendors in a more questionable condition. However, seeing that it's a gift, I figure that dented or cracked won't cut it. Still, you never know what you can find used.

[gulfsurfer101]

I just put my d!*k in a box! You just get a box, cut a hole, and put your *#@# inside, it's a d*#k in a box! Yeah I just went all JT on ya!

[VABumpkin]

A refurbished D5100 w/ kit lens is about $350. I am a Nikon kind of guy. My best advice is to go to a Best Buy and try them out. Pay attention to the grip, to the button layouts, to the dials, etc. Image quality wise, all the major players are about the same at the consumer level. At the end of the day, you want a camera you are comfortable with. I hate Canon's layout and dial and focus point selection, but my buddy shoots Canon and loves it.

 

For $300, you will have to look for refurbished older models. Dont get something that's more than 3 generations old. I think Canon is on T5i now, and Nikon is on D5300 for their consumer DSLR.

 

Lens is where you will invest your money. A quality lens will cost more than the body. Don't be afraid to go 3rd party for lens if budget is a concern. For starters, the kit lens is plenty enough. Once you figure out your photography style (landscape, portrait, macro, low-light, etc), start looking at specialized lens. My next point is debatable and very subjective, but stay away from those all-in-one lens such as 18-200mm. It's bulky, expensive, poor image quality.

 

Finally, is DSLR really the right camera for you? Mirrorless is the new trend. Have you looked into Micro 4/3rds such as the Olympus EPL series? I only use my DSLR for big trips now. Most of the time, I bring my mirrorless Nikon J1 that I bought for $200 (note that J1 sucks compared to other mirrorless but it's dirt cheap).

Where do you get the idea that a camera over 3 generations old is no good? The t2i and t5i are nearly identical from button layout to camera functionality. The only difference is that the t5i has a flip-style view finder and more ISO range. The t2i is a very capable camera, and uses all of the same platforms as any new canon. And if you look at some of Lani's pictures from a few years ago you will see that the picture quality depends more on the user and add-on equipment than a few useless bells and whistles. Getting a newer camera for the same price as an older, better camera for the sake of having something new is illogical.

[ninjamyst]

Where do you get the idea that a camera over 3 generations old is no good? The t2i and t5i are nearly identical from button layout to camera functionality. The only difference is that the t5i has a flip-style view finder and more ISO range. The t2i is a very capable camera, and uses all of the same platforms as any new canon. And if you look at some of Lani's pictures from a few years ago you will see that the picture quality depends more on the user and add-on equipment than a few useless bells and whistles. Getting a newer camera for the same price as an older, better camera for the sake of having something new is illogical.

 

Just a generalization that the used price of a 4th gen body vs 3rd gen body should be fairly close enough that you may as well pay an extra couple of bucks for the 3rd. But you are right that this is probably bad advice now given how fast Canon and Nikon releases new consumer level bodies.

[Archaic37]

The T2I is a greater starter camera. You could easily find a t2i with kit lens (18-55mm) and maybe some accessories for sub $300. There are a fair amount of differences between the T1i and the T2i but between T3 and 4 the differences are nominal i.e. touch screen or swivel screen.

[Reef Casa]

cannon or nothing IMO

[VABumpkin]

Just a generalization that the used price of a 4th gen body vs 3rd gen body should be fairly close enough that you may as well pay an extra couple of bucks for the 3rd. But you are right that this is probably bad advice now given how fast Canon and Nikon releases new consumer level bodies.

ah i see. yeah i hate how frequently they come out with new model names. its just a marketing ploy really.

[Arkayology]

The T2I is a greater starter camera. You could easily find a t2i with kit lens (18-55mm) and maybe some accessories for sub $300. There are a fair amount of differences between the T1i and the T2i but between T3 and 4 the differences are nominal i.e. touch screen or swivel screen.

This.

[seabass]

I agree, if you can find one at that price. Remember, he's looking to spend about $300. Are you guys using craigslist and eBay to find these deals, or is there somewhere else that is offering prices this low?

[DannaM]

This is off topic but I'm going to give you some advice from someone who has been married for 25 years.

 

THE biggest "issue" that enters marriages (not counting affairs obviously) is money and although it's her choosing not to spend, there WILL come a day when how much you spend vs how much she spends becomes an issue (even though - it's her fault in a way)

 

My advice is this....sit down and figure your household budget and that includes, mortgage/rent, car insurance, food everything you need to spend to keep going. Then with what ever is left over budget a certain amount into savings and THEN - give each of you an "allowance" that's exactly the same amount. That way you can spend away to your hearts delight and so can she without feeling guilty. If she decides to put her into a savings account for herself...no problemo I've seen SO many marriages go south because of unbalanced spending - what I mean is one partner spending more on their hobby and the other going without so the money stays in the family.

Hubby and I do that and he goes wild with season football tickets, gas, food, RV parking or hotels etc...and I easily match it with my tank spending but we do it freely without guilt or worry.

 

Just a (probably unwanted) sideline to making a good marriage even better

 

and congrats by the way

[Psychosis]

I did find a few deals on ebay, but the condition left something to be desired. The best I've found was a T3i on electronics monster with a kit for $400. Thank you all for the suggestions, I have more options thanI'd thought. I'm just curious, in layman's terms, what is a mirrorless camera? Outside of the weight of the body, what are the benefits?

[joy13]

If I was to get someone a camera take them out to look at them and get the feel. After they figure out what they like join a forum and see what kind of deals they have. My son has a couple of pentax cameras. found out he joined a forum and has gotten some really great deals on lens, he says it is a lot like the reef forums someone is always wanting to upgrade. Also check out thrift stores believe or not he has gotten some great deals there by just looking around.

[Sunar357]

I agree with Danna! Give her flowers so you can see her boobs! Oh wait...

[MarieH]

for that price I'd look at a canon 30d with a kit lens used, or a nikon d40 or maybe even a nikon d90 for a bit more. Oldies but goodies.http://www.amazon.com/Canon-8-2MP-Digital-Camera-Body/dp/B000DZDTKU%3FSubscriptionId%3D14Y3MT0G2J4Y72K3ZXR2%26tag%3Ddpreviewbuybox-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB000DZDTKU

[seabass]

I'm just curious, in layman's terms, what is a mirrorless camera? Outside of the weight of the body, what are the benefits?

A DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera has a moving mirror that provides a view through the lens to the viewfinder. A mirrorless camera obviously does not; so you would typically rely on the LCD panel instead. There are no advantages to a mirrorless system over a DSLR (other than size, weight, and cost). The advantages over a fixed lens camera is the ability to switch lenses (with restrictions) and typically a larger imaging sensor. You can see that they fall somewhere in between a high end compact and an entry level DSLR.

 

A serious photographer probably wouldn't be content with a mirrorless system as their primary camera. One thing to think about is that adapters are required to use typical DSLR lenses on a mirrorless camera (and there are typically few native lenses available for them).

 

Lenses are the key to a DSLR and are what can make them very expensive. For example, you would pay about $500 just for a good 100mm macro lens. If you are serious about getting into it, then prepare to invest a good deal of money into lenses (there are proprietary lenses specifically for Nikon or Canon).

 

If the desire is less serious, I would suggest a good compact fixed lens camera like the Panasonic LX7. People with a DSLR camera often carry these compacts when they don't want to haul around a camera bag. They have good manual controls similar to what DSLR cameras have and can take quality pictures. It might be a good entry into a DSLR as she learns more about photography. Plus, like I said, even people with DSLR systems like to carry them (so it really wouldn't be a waste of money should she decide to get a higher end camera with a larger sensor).

[DannaM]

[4x5]

I wouldn't discount a good point and shoot; many ladies prefer smaller cameras that they can stick in their purse and take with them everywhere. Some of the newer point and shoots have really impressive quality as well as having good macro, manual controls (if you really need them) and of course HD video. My girlfriend has a Canon S100 (latest model is the S120 I believe) and she takes it with her much more often than one of the DSLRs. The only let down for me with P&S cameras is the slower focus. But as with all things there are pros and cons.

 

I was going to suggest getting her a Fuji X100s but that's quite a bit over budget.

 

As far as a DSLR; I'd suggest getting the Canon or Nikon that you can for your budget; T2i, T3i, D7000 etc. And remember, the lens is more important than the body an more expensive