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Digital SLR Camera & Lenses


The Gasman

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I am thinking of buying myself a half decent digital SLR camera body, flash, and a couple of lenses.

 

Where in Edinburgh is the best place to go for advice, and to see what's available?

 

I used to use GD Youngs, in Morrison St, which shows the age of my existing SLR!

 

Any help gratefully received. :thumb:

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kingantti1874

The shop which used to be next to jessops is good... But tbh, best to do your own research mate... D preview. Com will sort you out

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A body, lenses and a flash?

 

May I ask your budget?

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A body, lenses and a flash?

 

May I ask your budget?

 

Maybe about ?1,000 tops....

 

Body (assuming it doesn't come with a lens)

 

28mm - 52mm zoom

 

70mm - 300mm zoom

 

(lens sizes just approximate)

 

Flash - nice, but not essential, as I have an old but serviceable one.

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There's a shop at the top end of Morningside Road opposite Newbattle Terrace ( near Dominion ) which seems to sell a range of new and 2nd hand equipment. May suit you if you've got transport...........also The Merlin sells Strongbow !!!

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There's a shop at the top end of Morningside Road opposite Newbattle Terrace ( near Dominion ) which seems to sell a range of new and 2nd hand equipment. May suit you if you've got transport...........also The Merlin sells Strongbow !!!

 

Thanks for the info. Morningside's a bugger for me to get to (from Corstorphine) but it sounds like it might be worth the trip. While the Merlin (not been in there for about 30 years!) selling 'Bow is of interest, it may not be the best for me to be drinking when trying to get my head round all this!

 

:thumb:

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Are you looking at kit lenses or something a bit faster?

 

Oh, and what do you currently shoot with?

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Are you looking at kit lenses or something a bit faster?

 

Oh, and what do you currently shoot with?

 

Err... I have no idea what a kit lens is..?

 

I've got a Pentax Super A (35mm) with a 28mm - 70mm zoom, and a 110mm - 300mm zoom, but not used it for some years because of the cost of film.

 

EDIT: I may also be looking for a (very) cheap secondhand digital body to go with these lenses, to let me pass them on to a friends daughter who wants to try her hand at photography.

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Kit lenses are the one/two lenses that come with the camera, in a kit. Generally slower lenses usually covering the short telephoto and longer telephoto range, like say a 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 & a 70-300mm F4-5.6.

 

If you weren't passing on your existing lenses you could use them with a Pentax body although they will be manual focus - I use a couple on my Pentax though to be honest apart from the 50mm prime they don't see much use.

 

The best advice, considering most DSLRs are pretty good at their main job of taking photos, is to either go with what you know or have a feel and see who's ergonomics you prefer. Canon and Nikon will give you a wider choice of glass.

 

Here's an example of a Canon DSLR with twin kit lenses: http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-canon-eos-600d-digital-slr-camera-with-18-55mm-is-ii-and-55-250mm-is-ii-lenses/p1527119

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Kit lenses are the one/two lenses that come with the camera, in a kit. Generally slower lenses usually covering the short telephoto and longer telephoto range, like say a 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 & a 70-300mm F4-5.6.

 

If you weren't passing on your existing lenses you could use them with a Pentax body although they will be manual focus - I use a couple on my Pentax though to be honest apart from the 50mm prime they don't see much use.

 

The best advice, considering most DSLRs are pretty good at their main job of taking photos, is to either go with what you know or have a feel and see who's ergonomics you prefer. Canon and Nikon will give you a wider choice of glass.

 

Here's an example of a Canon DSLR with twin kit lenses: http://www.wexphotog...lenses/p1527119

 

Thanks for that, very helpful. :thumb:

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skinnybob72

If you buy the body and lenses separately then you can probably stretch your money further. You don't need to buy the most up to date model either as the difference from one to the next is likely to be barely noticeable.

 

You can pick up a Nikon D3100 body for around ?200 (it was more expensive when it was first out) which would leave you ?800 for lenses. This model has 'live view' as well as the normal viewfinder which can be quite useful.

 

In terms of lenses you could get good quality fixed 35mm (which is about the same as 50mm on a film camera) for about ?200, or you could blow all of your money on a decent mini-zoom lense, for example a 16-85mm for around ?600.

 

Unless you have a specific reason for needing a lense that goes up to 200-300mm you should concentrate on shorter lengths. I've been fotting for a good number of years and I could count on one hand the number of shots I've taken beyond 200mm.

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eBay!

 

Seriously, I got myself a Canon 40D body for ?200 a couple of months ago, camer ais in great condition and works brilliantly.

 

I also picked up 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses for ?50 each from eBay.

 

I regaulary look on gumtree for lenses too.

 

 

The 40D is an older model now (been a 50D, 60D and 70D has just been announced) but the pictures are really clear (all my doing of course!)

 

 

If you do go to eBay I only looked at sellers with good feedback etc since it was a bigger than normal purchase

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Kit lenses are the one/two lenses that come with the camera, in a kit. Generally slower lenses usually covering the short telephoto and longer telephoto range, like say a 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 & a 70-300mm F4-5.6.

 

If you weren't passing on your existing lenses you could use them with a Pentax body although they will be manual focus - I use a couple on my Pentax though to be honest apart from the 50mm prime they don't see much use.

 

The best advice, considering most DSLRs are pretty good at their main job of taking photos, is to either go with what you know or have a feel and see who's ergonomics you prefer. Canon and Nikon will give you a wider choice of glass.

 

Here's an example of a Canon DSLR with twin kit lenses: http://www.wexphotog...lenses/p1527119

 

Some good tips there from LL.

 

i can recommend the company jn his link.

 

I bought this package about a year ago.http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-nikon-d5100-digital-slr-with-18-55mm-vr-and-55-200mm-lenses/p10001494

I looked at the Canon but in the end plumped for the Nikon D5100 (nothing really to chose between them - I just prefered the look & feel of the Nokia).

 

If you avoid branded names you will save a lot of money on lenses. I bought the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 wide angle (check out the reviews if you're in the market for a wide angle lens) , sure the qulaity is a wee bit lower than the Nokia equivalent but the price was incredibly lower and it's a cracking lens.

 

Good luck which ever way you go.

 

Edit - http://camerapricebuster.co.uk/

 

My mate uses this company all the time and recommends them (he spends a LOT of money on caneras).

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