A good DSLR for ~ $1000?

D23

D23

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Is there such thing?

I need a camera for vacation and want to pick something up before I fly out (tomorrow)...

$1K all in would be good for camera and all around lense.

Anything stick out?
 
Personally I like used Canons. Your deadline makes this difficult to go that route though.

For a little more money, here's is what I would recommend

24-105 f4 ~$800
40D ~$300

Both of these prices are current craigslist prices (40d even has a 50 1.8 included which I recommend keeping as a light and fast lens, but you could sell it for ~$100).

It is a little heavy but for the money shoots very well. If you need to save money, you could get a 20D or 30D (don't get a 10D), but the prices are so close now, I would spring for the 40D.

If you want a lot cheaper, 40D, 18-55IS should be ~$400. The pictures will be disappointing compared to the 24-105, but it is much cheaper and lighter (don't get the non-IS 18-55, it's terrible).

Good luck.
 
I would take some DSLR classes to learn how to use it. These things are complicated. I have one and barely know how to use it properly.
 
Forget the hype. Just pick up a good point and shoot.

I succumbed to the hype a few years ago and bought a 800$ canon. I never took it anywhere because it was too big. Not to mention for any pictures that don't involve personal people someone else could take a better shot.
 
A dslr isn't going to make fab pics if you suck at taking pics. Go get a point and shoot. And google some quick tips about taking photographs.
Here are my suggestions:

1. Check to see what the background is, don't take a pic of someone if there is clutter in the back.
2. Get close, really look through the lens and SEE how big/small your subject is...don't take a pic with someone standing 100 feet away.
3. Lighting, turn your back to the sun.
4. Hold still...in lower light when not using the flash, don't move the camera around.

Have a great vacation! :)
 
I'd take the advice. I have a compact camera and took it to the auto show, took some really good shots. Last year I took a DSLR, take the same quality of shots, except when I need to sit & move around in the cars, I have to lug a big camera along. The DSLR took all the space in my backpack. Ask yourself if you wanna be lugging that around on your vacation.

If you don't know how to use it, its not gonna make a difference. For me a DSLR might dominate in low light conditions, where you adjust the aperture & shutter speeds. But then again, I'm no pro
 
I bought a Canon T2i several years ago and its still a great camera that also shoots HD video which looks amazing if you get a nice lens. At the time, I think I paid something like $850 for the camera body. I bought a Tamron 17-50 2.8 lens and its been a great combo.

Nowadays though you can get a T4i body for $599 or a bundle for like $50-100 more. The bundled lens isn't great but its not that bad either and its enough to get you started.

I like the smaller Canon rebel DSLR's, especially with the flip out screen for doing video and its size and weight is not too bad for travel. Unless you have a specific purpose, I don't think you'd need much more.

Still, I'll echo what others are saying.. Carrying around a DSLR on vacation is a pain and often a hassle if you are doing physical outdoor stuff. You can't stick it in your pocket so you always end up carrying around a bag. It can also hinder you in a way if you don't have a versatile lens with good zoom or lug around multiple lenses. My lens is somewhat wide and so zoom is pretty much a no-go. The weight also sucks if you are doing outdoor stuff like hiking. It is much more capable taking better photos than a point & shoot though. In certain conditions, point & shoots fail miserably.

These days though I prefer carrying around an extended-zoom travel compact like the Panasonic Lumix with 10x zoom. Its a bit more chunky than a slim complact but the extra zoom is useful and it still fits in the pocket.
 
Panasonic and SONY make a do-it-all DSLR's. I'd go that route then spending the big bucks on a Nikon or Canon.
 
BLUE_KAWI said:
Panasonic and SONY make a do-it-all DSLR's. I'd go that route then spending the big bucks on a Nikon or Canon.
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You talking about those mirrorless cameras like the Sony Alpha, Olympus Pen, Canon EOS M that are like a mix between point and shoot and DSLR with interchangeable lenses? Those are really cool but they are actually quite expensive as well. Some even more than a DSLR.
 
depends on where your vacation is going and how you can or want to pack.

Fuji x10, compact professional level camera, its got no push here stupid button so some experinence is good

Nikon 1 , its a simple fits in pocket point and shoot, good quality and battery life

panasonic lumix , the compact with the leica lens

Better pictures and more involved Nikon D3000 or D3100. I have carried the Nikon D60 ( forrunner to the D3000) all over europe and the carribean with multiple lens, but its what i like. You can put it on auto or do whatever you'd like. It runs 100 to 1600 Iso so i can take pictures in a dark cathedral or on a beach.

Dont get sucked into needing huge megapixel count, the sensor on all under 1k cameras is little and wont matter. Plus most places that print shots wont use the total pixel count in the print anyway.
unless your making 11x14's on a regular basis 10mp will be just fine.
 
Get everything from B&H in the US sent via courier ( they have very reasonable postage rates including customs clearance) and get a canon rebel t2 or t3 body plus sigma or tamron image stabilized superzoom which will be your all in one lens. That would be great for a vacation. Alternatively get a kit and use that or get the superzoom and sell the kit lenses. The body will be fine as its plenty for most people and those two lenses I mentioned are extremely good travel lenses. An older rebel will be fine unless you want to take movies, but who the hell uses a dslr to take movies?
 
more I think about it, learning a new camera while on vacation could be really fun or really annoying. I personally wouldn't do it but my travel photos are really important to me, many places we go we will probably never be back to so the photos are all we have.

Other side is depending on where you vacation could be the perfect place to buy a really good camera, duty free and discounted.

+1 for B&H, great shop and pricing
 
Just stay away from Sony alpha. Most people I know with a Sony have had multiple issues, and has left me stranded without a camera twice. I bought a rebel t4i and couldn't be happier, with this dslr. That said I still have a small point and shoot with it because its easier to whip out should you want a quick photo.
 
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I actually got the Panasonic GH2. It does take amazing photos, but just as complicated as the Canon's/Nikon's. But it is smaller then the pro-DSLR's which is a big plus.

I picked up the Samsung WB850F point and shoot camera from Black Friday. The photo's are amazing for a camera from that price point. Amazing in low light.

toshison said:
You talking about those mirrorless cameras like the Sony Alpha, Olympus Pen, Canon EOS M that are like a mix between point and shoot and DSLR with interchangeable lenses? Those are really cool but they are actually quite expensive as well. Some even more than a DSLR.
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My personal opinion is to first get a high quality p&s and secondary a dslr. I really like the Canon S110 (I have the S95), good quality photos in a small form factor that will easily fit in your pocket. The best camera, is the one you have on you.

I bought into the whole DSLR thing a few years back, have a Canon 40D with three lenses, flash, tripod, etc. Excellent photos, but it's a lot of gear to carry around. Even if it's just the camera with one lens it gets in the way.

Micro 4/3s cameras don't make much sense to me. Smaller than a full on dslr with a smaller sensor that still won't fit in your pocket. Lens options are limited and just as expensive as dslr lenses. Why not just get a small dslr and decent lens instead?

If and when you get a dslr, focus more on the lens than the body. You'll notice a much bigger improvement in quality by going with a better lens than body (assuming same size sensors).

My pick would be a gen1 Canon 5D, which can be had for around $500 on Kijiji. The user interface is a bit antiquated but the pics that come off a full frame sensor are insane. A 50mm F1.8 is dirt cheap at $120 brand new, under $100 used and has very good sharpness. So for $600 you have an excellent starting point into the dslr world, you can decide from there if you want to add more lenses/flashes/tripods/etc or stick to something smaller and more portable
 
I have a panny gf3 with the f1.7 20mms lens, but I was definitely debating for awhile between a high quailty p/s like the s110, u4/3 and a decent dslr. I wanted something for my touring trips and small so I crossed off the dslr. I chose the micro due to the sensor size and versatility of interchangeable lens, so if I feel like getting into semi-serious photography, I have some more options to play with (although imo good photography really depends more on technique than the camera itself).

I payed about 700 for everything, lens was second hand but the body was new.
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