With a plethora of knowledge I have in the electronic field…I fail miserably in the camera field.
Ideally I’m looking to purchase a camera to take photos of the family… Mainly my 2 year old son. Not sure what I need to be looking for exactly as each camera had their pros and cons. So I’m looking for some insight as you what to look for in a camera or even point me towards some great deals. I’d like to keep the purchase price under $500.
Any recommendations and/or comments are welcome
Thanks
Any entry level DSLR can be had in that price point. Nikon is my brand of choice, but Canon is also very good. Nikon D3300 is probably the entry level nikon of choice these days. http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Digital-NIKKOR-18-55mm-3-5-5-6G/dp/B00HQ4W1QE/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1420645413&sr=1-2&keywords=nikon+dslr You can probably also get great refurb deals on D3200 and save a bunch of money. Not really sure what the equivalent Canon model is, but there is a competitor at every price point.
I ditched my Nikon DSLR for a Sony A6000 and im really happy with that decision
I love my dSLR (old Nikon D40). For taking great pictures in all kinds of conditions you just can’t beat them. The down side is the size. For proper shooting (different lens, external flash etc) my dSLR has a backpack case. Even setting it up for what I expect the conditions to be before I leave the house and taking just the camera it’s still a bulky beast. Thankfully camera phones have come so far recently that I’m fine using my iPhone 6+ for all the point and shoot stuff when I don’t feel like lugging the dSLR.
I ditched my Nikon because of the size and the fact I bring it when traveling the A6000 does everything the Nikon did better 
This is exactly why I haven’t used my d90 in a LONG time.
Its cumbersome to haul around.
I generally use my iPhone 6 paired with my GoPro Hero 3+
Hmm actually A6000 is probably above your price point I thought it was 5something with the kit lens its $699
I would check out a few options at bestbuy and see if you feel like carrying around a full size DSLR.
If you’re stuck on getting a dSLR then I would look for a lightly used setup.
I’ve been contemplating a GoPro Hero 4 Black for nighttime shots, mountain biking, snowmobiling, etc…is it crazy to think that this is comparable to a DSLR? I mean for $500, it’s an expensive camera as is, but I want to be able to use it for multiple purposes without sacrificing the option to have a decent everyday camera too.
My brother recently wanted to get his wife a DSLR for their wedding and wanted me to use it for the wedding photos. But I convinced him just to get her an iPhone 6 and I’d use that, hand her back the phone and there would be no waiting for editing, etc. She loved it. And putting the photos on social media was a tap away.
Unless you really want to take the time to compose a shot it’s hard to beat a modern camera phone now-a-days. Especially when your price point is $500.
I don’t have a 4 so I don’t know if it actually is that much better in low light situations but I do know the 3+ is basically worthless with low light
Yes it’s crazy to think it’s comparable to a DSLR. It’s pretty much the opposite of a DSLR. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, it might suit your uses perfectly, but it’s definitely not comparable.
I’m sure it’s a great camera, but I usually stick with standard body Nikon and Canon as a recommendation simply due to availability of accessories and lenses. Sometimes that’s not necessary, but with lack of details in the question, it’s a safe recommendation.
How does this compare to a Nikon 1? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=1052053&gclid=CIv164OkgsMCFeLm7Aodp3cAuw&Q=&is=REG&A=details
Both are really great options for a slim DSLR camera in all likelihood.
The best Entry Level DSLR via the Wirecutter
If you’re just goofing around with a camera, I wouldn’t think it would matter too much what you get. Canon or Nikon or the Sony mentioned above.
@00zx6r I just came across this camera, looks to be a good refurb deal. I’m doing some research now on it, being that I’m fairly new to this too.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201263109057?rmvSB=true
Anybody have any thoughts/input on this camera?
It’s a really good dSLR, and a step up from the d3300 in terms of focus points and the fact that it will auto-focus with a non AF-S lens (huge if you want to experiment with some cheaper used glass or non-nikon glass).
I’d probably buy it new for $465 and just download lightroom though vs a refurb for $420.
You can transfer wirelessly with a lot of mirrorless cameras (although the Fuji wifi is unreliable). Low light performance is still a big issue with most phones… on the flip side, blown out highlights tend to be a big issue too. Only snobs care about that, though.
I find the distortion of my iPhone lens to be really distracting. I usually lug my O-MD E-M10 around with a 50 mm eq. It sees more use than my 5D MKII.
If youre still in the market, I have my Canon 60D for sale @00zx6r
+1
Nothing else to add. It’s a good camera.
Good stuff. I’m specifically looking to play around with astrophotography so changing out the lense probably will happen at some point. I did just read something that said the D60 is a better camera because it includes a modified low-pass filter that lets more infrared light through to the sensor, allowing the red colour of nebulae to be recorded.
Not sure how big a deal this is though, considering what I’m looking to do might be more of an amateur thing. Part of me thinks though that I would rather spend more now to get better features than cheap out. It just seems that everytime you step up to the next level, there’s always another step that looks better. It’s like when is enough enough?
It’s like cars, it never ends. If you are looking to fit into a specific niche and sticking to that niche only, then the advice of others doing the same thing is probably valuable.
Generally speaking though, the 5200 is going to be a step up in terms of features. Heck, the D60 doesn’t have video recording at all, and the D5200 has 1080p @ 60fps capability. That alone would be reason enough for me… Then again, I’m not photographing the nebulae, so your mileage is bound to vary.