Photographers i need your advice!

[blacknightteg]

ok so i need yalls advice. im getting offered a 20d to buy. she's going to give me a 75-300mm lens with it as well. how much do you think i should pay for it?

[A.P. Photography]

You need to let us know how many actuations, condition of body, any scratches on lens, any extras (battery, grip, charger, CF cards) etc.

[blacknightteg]

actuation? sorry dont know what that means. condition of the body is not bad at all. she kept it really well. as did i when i was borrowing it for a while. i have a Cf card for it already, charger cf card reader, etc. she said she will be giving me the filters that she has for that camera as she doesnt need them. she just got a 5d mark 2 for christmas if im not mistaken so now she has that and her either 50 or 40d, i dont remember which model.

[A.P. Photography]

You can have a flawless body and still rack up 100,000 clicks. See if you can get a good ballpark figure on the number of times that shutter has been pressed. I would guess that a 20D with just over half of the life gone and a cheap lens would be around $400 +/- $40.

[blacknightteg]

she has had it since 2005 and this is basically her profession and she is going to school for it, she used that for a while until she got the 40/50d camera. she does a lot of shooting so im definetly sure its been used for a good amount.

[A.P. Photography]

Ok just so you know the shutter is only rated to 100k, if she used it a lot that means that it could be close to the rated actuations (actuation=taking a photo). So you could buy it and it work great for a year or more (depending on how many shots you take) or the shutter could fail 2 days later. For canon to replace the shutter from what I have heard is around $200 to $300. I would see if I could find a 30D that was gently used by a non wanna be pro and go from there. You should be able to pick up a 30D kit for around $500 to $600

[blacknightteg]

wow. i didnt know that. i have used it before and it seemed to be working fine. granted i dont know to much about the specifics and what not so forgive my ignorance. i just feel like its a good deal to start with, it being my first dslr.

[A.P. Photography]

You cannot tell when one is about to die, they just die. So it might seem like it is working fine and it may work fine for a while but it also could die within a few days. Knowing a few more specifics I would not pay more than $200 to $250. You can find better deals if you look around.

[blacknightteg]

yeah, i understand, thank you for your time sir. i do appreciate it, im really wanting to get into photography a lot more because i love taking pictures and always am in a situation where i wish i had a camera

[A.P. Photography]

With that last part I would say look more at a high end point and shoot.

[Dirty Octopus™]

With that last part I would say look more at a high end point and shoot.

get a Canon Powershot

[imbosile]

Yeah I would agree with A.P., most likely you won't always have the dslr with you unless you planned to bring it. A point and shoot might be best if you find yourself randomly getting in situations where you wish you had a camera, it will be easier to just keep in your pocket.

[imbosile]

With that last part I would say look more at a high end point and shoot.

Yeah I would agree with A.P., most likely you won't always have the dslr with you unless you planned to bring it. A point and shoot might be best if you find yourself randomly getting in situations where you wish you had a camera, it will be easier to just keep in your pocket.

[blacknightteg]

well i will do taht at some point but i really want to get the dslr. if i have that i will always have the intention of going out and taking pictures. the girl that wants to sell me the camera said she would let it go for 475 camera and lense. but i still dont know.

[A.P. Photography]

You can find a 30D for that price. I would walk away personally. If she has been using it in school and to make money then it has to have a high shutter count. You could pay $475 now and the shutter could go out in a month then you are back to square one but looking at paying out 200-300 to replace the shutter on an outdated camera. Also remember that DSLR's are NOT convienient and are cumbersome to "carry around".

[blacknightteg]

i know taht. but its not like i would carry it around on a daily basis. im just talking about when i know im going to do certain things, i want to know i have a camera there taht will allow me to take the shots i want.

[A.P. Photography]

i know taht. but its not like i would carry it around on a daily basis. im just talking about when i know im going to do certain things, i want to know i have a camera there taht will allow me to take the shots i want.

and always am in a situation where i wish i had a camera

I am not knocking you getting a DSLR but your statements lean more towards a PnS. Also understand that you get the 20D, the 75-300 it comes with is not going to handle but a small amount of situations you shoot in. So you will be spending more money on another lens to handle the other situations. Owning a DSLR is a money pit.

[blacknightteg]

oh i know that. its just that i dont want a point and shoot. thats not the kinda intentions i have, i am wanting to do things like at road atlanta and other car events. im going to get an slr but it will have to be some thing that takes the cf card. i still have that from using the 20d.

[A.P. Photography]

Well I still say you can find a better deal on a 30D if you look around.

[eViLMunkey]

You cannot tell when one is about to die, they just die. So it might seem like it is working fine and it may work fine for a while but it also could die within a few days. Knowing a few more specifics I would not pay more than $200 to $250. You can find better deals if you look around.

Hell on B&H you can find the new XSi for $650

[A.P. Photography]

Here is a 20D with kit lens for $400
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/pho/972335314.html

[A.P. Photography]

Here is a Nikon D70s with 28-105 lens for $425
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/pho/970698065.html

Just look around and you can find better deals.

[blacknightteg]

Hell on B&H you can find the new XSi for $650

i wouldnt have minded getting the xsi but the fact that i already have an cf car makes me limit my choices cuz i dont want to go buy something else.


thanks for the links, matt right?

[A.P. Photography]

thanks for the links, matt right?

Yep

[imbosile]

i wouldnt have minded getting the xsi but the fact that i already have an cf car makes me limit my choices cuz i dont want to go buy something else.

I'm assuming by cf car, you mean compact flash card. I wouldn't let that be part of your decision since memory cards are so cheap nowadays.

[A.P. Photography]

I'm assuming by cf car, you mean compact flash card. I wouldn't let that be part of your decision since memory cards are so cheap nowadays.

Troof. Especially if you are talking about a 2gb card. I picked up a couple of 4 gb CF Ultra II cards for $20 each.

[blacknightteg]

i understand, but i am keeping myself to a budget having already bought a charger for it and everything.

[A.P. Photography]

Well you got two good links to pursue that is cheaper than what she was going to charge you.

[DinanM3atl]

Yeah I would agree with A.P., most likely you won't always have the dslr with you unless you planned to bring it. A point and shoot might be best if you find yourself randomly getting in situations where you wish you had a camera, it will be easier to just keep in your pocket.

Just gotta get used to carrying it

I always have all 3 of my cameras with me.

[A.P. Photography]

Just gotta get used to carrying it

I always have all 3 of my cameras with me.

You and Speedminded. Mine don't come out unless I have a specific reason to bring it out. I picked up a little Sony Cybershot that I keep with me for snapshots.