Used Cameras.What to look for?

[ACK2]

I agree with what has been said and will throw my 2 cents in. My experience is that (for me) film is the way to go. I have three Pentax and a Rollieflex 2.8. Three of the camera's are manual and one is digital. Each camera is used for different shoots. So the question for you is, what is your primary medium? That will determine your needs in a camera. You can have the most expensive camera in the world and unless you understand depth of field/lighting and lens, it won't make any difference. With that said, everyone is spot on with $$ spent in lenses and if you are doing macro shoots then invest in a tripod.
Good luck and let us know what you end up with.

[silken]

Originally Posted by goodgollymissmolly

Don't buy the D-300. It's a great camera, but it's at the end of it's run. The new sensors are much better. That's why I said D-7000, but you could think D-400 also.

I agree. I am waiting, and waiting for its next version after the D300s to come out. The D7000 is very well reviewed and a lot of bang for the buck. I think $2500.00 is too much for a used camera with so many pics already taken on it. There are so many options and electronics on these things that something could go wrong. Not that it happens often but... And yes, the technology just keeps improving so a new less expensive one will likely perform as good as that used one. It's a good idea to spend as much as you can on the lens. There's where you will see a difference in picture quality.

[Bud]

I am not a photographer and I am tired of taking flower photos with my iPhone cam...so I went and took the PATH to Jersey to their Walmart and asked the clerk if they have a digital camera that will shoot a red fire-ant...she sold me a $450.00 digital Olympus that can be set to auto and super macro that I just use a 4G disk that I can plug in my computer to retrieve my photos...I also bought a $35 camera tripod...I noticed how my photographs have improved from iPhone to digital camera...$2500! imagine how many orchids I can buy online with that amount!

[RJSquirrel]

yay I think you all spoiled my fun .
I was pretty high on the 1D but I'm going to pass. Im scared of it now. Thanks for all the info.
I might not have ever known the 300s was/is to be discontinued. I went to find something to verify that and yes its at the end of its run indeed. But you knew that...

Im trying not to dig my dirty little fingers into too much too fast and thats why I stopped and asked here as I value your views.

Going to take some courses here in town on beginning digital photography. The Houston Center for Photography has some 2 day weekend courses. Im going to attend the intermediate group meetings of the OS the next few months as the topic go figure is taking pictures of your orchids ..coincidence

So for now Im going to look and learn some, but I got the itch really bad to be better at this !!!....

and the d400 isnt out yet and I want to look at it, hold it smell the fresh plastic wrapping around it smells like money to me!!!

[goodgollymissmolly]

You're going at it the right way. Some seminars on photography will be beneficial. You'll be OK in the end.

Just don't overlook the goal. The camera is just the game plan. You score with pictures and you get pictures by understanding everything about your game plan.

[Connie Star]

I agree with the less camera, more lens crowd. I have a Canon t2i but lots of lenses including 3 macros. I also shoot birds and ultra macro. If I had $2500 to spend on photo equipment I might get into better studio lighting and upgrade a couple of my lenses.

[Bud]

This $2.8 million Leica is the world’s most expensive camera
We've seen our share of expensive cameras. The Phantom v1610, for instance, is capable of shooting 1 million frames per second — a feat that will cost you $100,000. But that's a veritable bargain compared to this 1923 Leica camera that just sold at auction for 2.16 million euros ($2.8 million), an absolute record.

[Lagoon]

Over 2mil for a camera? LOL, must be nice to have money eh?!

Yes I did Orchideya. I haven't really had much time to play with it much though - but I will
I got some shots in the bulbo forum, nothing else since then, lol, but I will, lol.

[tropterrarium]

Get the best and most appropriate lens you can buy, then see what's left over and get the body for that much, whatever it is. A 1D with a Zenith lens on it is a waste of money. You get tack sharp images with a Zeiss Makro on a budget camera. You will also keep the lens longer. Cameras come and go, good lenses are here to stay.