DSLR Cameras

1. 73

   DzyMsLizzyposted 7 years ago

   I am looking for suggestions for decent brands, and any observations you folks may have on buying a used DSLR camera.
   
   My digital point-and-shoot, which has taken very good photos for the last 5 or more years, has crapped out.  In no way can I afford a new DSLR; even used ones seem to be out of my price range, but I remain hopeful.
   
   I have an old Pentax SLR film camera; I wonder if all the expensive lenses I have for that will work on a DSLR, given the same (bayonet) mounting system???
   
   Maybe my budget dictates that I am stuck just getting a new point-and-shoot.   
   
   Thoughts?

   replyreport
   1. 93

      MizBejabbersposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      My thoughts aren't gospel, but here's my take so far. It has been my experience that a bayonet mount is a bayonet mount. I have a 30-year-old Nikon film camera with a great set of bayonet lenses that are not Nikon. I don't remember what brand they are. If I ever buy a DSLR camera, which I probably won't, it would probably be a Nikon just to make sure the lenses fit. My husband says they will. The reason I probably won't is because right after we bought that camera, I discovered that my eyes had lost the ability to focus the lens on an SLR. I'd been co-owner in a photography studio and took lots of candid shots at sports events and weddings, so that came as a real shock to me. I've had lasik twice and now have lens implants, so I thought it was just a personal visual problem. But then  my cousin said that she'd given her SLR to her son because she couldn't focus the lens anymore. She had and still has 20-20 vision. I guess it comes with age. 
      Most of the time I just use my iPhone camera. I found that my iPhone camera has the same megapixels that my Samsung camera has. My Samsung lens has a 10x zoom, which I find adequate for most of my shooting today, but it doesn't go as finely micro as I would like. I think I caught it on sale for about $175, and that was about 10 or 12 years ago before the prices came down drastically.
      I would, however, advise on taking lenses to a camera shop to make sure they would fit any prospective camera before I made a purchase.

      replyreport
      1. 73

         DzyMsLizzyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks, MizBejabbers;
         
         I would expect, yes, that bayonet = bayonet.  But as far as focusing goes, I am able to focus with my glasses on; it's not an issue.  My film camera has a fairly typical "line across a circle" focusing mechanism, and it's easy enough to see when it's all lined up. 
         The other option is to just leave the focus set to 'infinity,' which pretty much covers the whole spectrum from near to far  ;-)  (except for macro).
         
         I was aghast at the prices even for new point-and-shoot cameras; $249 & up!  I paid under $200 for the one I have.
         
         As far as phone pictures...bah!  I don't have a decent phone camera; my phone is a government-issued freebie for folks under a certain income level, and well, you get what you pay for.  I've used it in a pinch, but the pix it takes are pretty much crap.
         
         I guess I'll just try to keep saving up the $$ from my writing toward a DSLR...the timing on this is SO annoying, as I recently signed up to be a contributor for Shutterstock, to add another income stream...and now I've got squat!  Murphy, GO HOME!

         replyreport
         1. 86

            snakeslaneposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Why not just get a cheap Nikon Cool pix digital camera, you can download directly onto computer to use while you're saving up for the other Liz?

            replyreport
            1. 73

               DzyMsLizzyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               That's exactly what my original digital camera was/is; the one that just crapped out.  Except they aren't 'cheap' anymore; the price is nearly double what I paid back when I bought this one. 

               replyreport
               1. 86

                  snakeslaneposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  Could try a pawn shop maybe? I paid 60 bucks for mine.

                  replyreport
                  1. 73

                     DzyMsLizzyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                     we don't have any 'real' pawn shops around here; only the kind that are barricaded with bulletproof glass, and only take gold & silver...and don't have any general goods for sale...or anything, for that matter.

                     replyreport
                     1. 86

                        snakeslaneposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                        Oh darn! I'll look here and let you know if I see anything.

                        replyreport
                        1. 73

                           DzyMsLizzyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                           's okay; I'll have a look around at Target, and a couple of other stores around here; maybe I can play their "price-matching" game against them.  LOL

                           replyreport
                           1. 86

                              snakeslaneposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                              Ok good, something tells me you are a smart shopper lol.

                              replyreport
         2. 93

            MizBejabbersposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Liz, I recently saw a cheap $60 camera at WalMart that was 12 mp, and I think it had a small zoom. That is 5 mp more than my current Samsung or my iPhone. I've been considering buying it, but I don't know how well it would work. I'm a little wary. You might get a good one used, but I would want at least a month's warranty from a pawn shop.
            
            My very first digital camera was a cheap Japanese (or Korean) job that didn't even use a card. My SIL remarked that it wouldn't last long, and she was right. I took some beautiful photos on a cold spring day and rushed to get them downloaded from the camera to my computer. The camera had died. It was only 10 months old and had a 6 month warranty. I never got the opportunity to retake them because it took awhile for me to be able to afford a good camera.

            replyreport
2. 51

   matthewtaylor78posted 7 years ago

   Nikon is the best...

   replyreport