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Can I dslr bird photography setup be had for $1000 USD? (1 Viewer)

nightheron28

nightheron28

Exterminate! Exterminate! Exxxtttteeeerrrrmmmiinat
Is this possible? I will most likely be able to get the memory for free also I have a nice Lowepro AW Slingshot 100 bag. I was wondering if there is a budget setup that includes a lens and camera for $1000 U.S.D.

I was thinking of buying used but the only place that sells used equipment around here called adray camera will only buy near new equipment it seems and sells it at near new pricing. For instance I remember seeing a Nikon D50 without a lens that they were selling for $500. They do not recognize internet pricing claiming that all of the internet retailers are scammers.

There is also a major online shop that deals in used www.keh.com but they had no zoom lenses whatsoever.

Other then that I do not know. I tried ebay but it seems ebay can be a bit of a pain in that there are a mostly new cameras and lenses being sold at near new prices and so much competition one usually only gets a minor discount over the item new.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!!
 
I did find this deal:

had for less than a month not even 1000 pictures taken and ive decided its to much for what i need and the extra cash would be nice for school.

includes:
Canon Digital Rebel XT Digital SLR Camera
Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens
Canon 75-300mm Telephoto EF Zoom Lens
SanDisk 2GB Compact Flash Card
camera bag
extra battery

spent over $950 only looking for $850

Is this a good deal?

Thanks.
 
I don't know about the pricing in the US so don't know if it's a good deal or not. But the Rebel XT is a very good camera that would serve you very well. The slight problem might be the 75-300 lens, it's a decent enough lens, but you may well find (as many have before) that a 300mm lens is a bit short for many birds. If possible look for a used Sigma 135-400 or a Sigma 170-500, both would offer you a bit more reach (though they might stretch your budget).
 
I have to agree with Peter.The 75-300 is a decent lens but may be a bit short.I still use it for flight shots though.I also own the Sigma 135-400 and am very pleased with it (see my gallery).It has hardly been off my 300d since I bought it.
 
postcardcv said:
I don't know about the pricing in the US so don't know if it's a good deal or not. But the Rebel XT is a very good camera that would serve you very well. The slight problem might be the 75-300 lens, it's a decent enough lens, but you may well find (as many have before) that a 300mm lens is a bit short for many birds. If possible look for a used Sigma 135-400 or a Sigma 170-500, both would offer you a bit more reach (though they might stretch your budget).
Click to expand...

Well I am asking him if hell sell just the camera. Probably not but here's to hoping. If this deal does not work out what do you recommend? Thanks. Also can you give me the exact make and model of the Sigma 135-400 lens. Thanks!
 
I agree with you about e-bay. It can be a real pain buying anything off it because the competition is so great. I've sold stuff through e-bay but I've almost never bought anything. Some people do it almost 'professionally' and so you will always be outbid. As I said before I got my second-hand lens through a Classified ad in a magazine. You'll still have to be quick off the mark if you find something but you might have a better chance than e-bay. Also, you may need to think about getting a tripod/monopod if you're getting a reasonably large lens. There are time when it'll make quite a difference to getting a sharp shot.

If you can't get the Sigma lens details, try posting a question on the Sigma sub-forum.
 
postcardcv said:
sorry I ment to post this last night... the lens I was refering to is this one - http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3275&navigator=3 (ignore the MRSP It's more like $600 new and a lot less used). If you want to get a feel for how goo dthis lens can be take a look in Keith Reeders gallery (you'll need to go back ~18 months) he got some great stuff with this lens.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this, appreciate it! Love your website by the way. Very nice photos! Love the Avocet shots the most I think, lots of action.

Well it looks like the guy will not part out that set. So now I am wondering which camera body to buy and where.
 
I don't think you can go far wrong with any of the entry d-slr's. I recently went through similar selections and bought a Canon 400D ( I think thats the Xti in america ) and the sigma 135-400mm, and am chuffed to bits with the results. It really is a cracking lens. The camera is just right ergonomically for me, is easy to get used to ( I have only had a few weeks, and I've never used one before that! ) and is full of features. Basically, i am REALLY happy with both. Here are some of my results ( please bare in mind that i've only had it a few weeks. ) See my gallery for more.

Hope that helps! :t:
 
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AC/DC said:
I don't think you can go far wrong with any of the entry d-slr's. I recently went through similar selections and bought a Canon 400D ( I think thats the Xti in america ) and the sigma 135-400mm, and am chuffed to bits with the results. It really is a cracking lens. The camera is just right ergonomically for me, is easy to get used to ( I have only had a few weeks, and I've never used one before that! ) and is full of features. Basically, i am REALLY happy with both. Here are some of my results ( please bare in mind that i've only had it a few weeks. ) See my gallery for more.

Hope that helps! :t:
Click to expand...

Wow! Those are amazing pics for just having started out with this setup! Good job! I think I need to get this combo lol!
 
What do you guys think of the Pentax K10D someone on another forum is gah-gah over it but I was wondering what the experts thought. They said one nice thing is that it would have IS which I guess is not a big deal if you use a tripod, but they brought up the point that a tripod is not always practical?
 
Okay so I found some deals out there and some recommendations that I am wondering about. 2 people have told me that I need to try and get a Pentax K10D, K100 because they have shake reduction.

I was able to find this sell on the K100 new:
http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/pro...m_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PKK100D&sku=PKK100D

Also I was able to find the K10D new at another site for $523 plus $15 shipping.

I was also able to find good deals on the Nikon D70.

I did not do so well at tracking down a good price on the Canon XTi unfortunately.
 
yeah im pretty sure it is the xti. Remember to keep an open mind and not be forced into a purchase by 'fan boys'.

Yes, the pentax is apparently good, but you wont have such a large range of lenses and secondhand 3rd party lenses ( tamron, sigma ) are harder to track down. (well, over here, anyway)

Are you willing to sacrifice that for stabilisation? It will mean future upgrades will be limited. ( and , with nikon and canon, you can buy, at a cost, stabilised lenses - which are more effective than stabilised bodies )

If you bought a canon or nikon, and really wanted stabilisation, you could upgrade to a stabilised lens later on.

Most of my photos are on a tripod, but the sandpiper was just leaning on a hide. If you work on your holding technique, you will be able to handhold at longer lengths, dont worry.

Again i would highly recommend my setup to anyone considering it.

As with a tripod, if you're sat in a hide or stood in position it is practical, its just that if perhaps you see something while walking with a tripod, you may not always be able to get the picture quick enough. Anyway, in most cases, you wont get good pictures in those scenarios. Good technique will prevail over stabilisation.

That stonechat were taken in the field with a tripod, and i found that easy enough.

P.s AC/DC ROCK! 3:) :cool:
 
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Just like to mention that you can buy the Sigma 135-400 lens for Olympus DSLRs, which give a 2x factor, so you get the equivalent of 270-800, as opposed to about 600mm with most other camera brands. Also, some of the latest Olys are image stabilized.

Also, this lens is available for Pentax, so there is no need to limit yourself to the big 2, Nikon and Canon.

Finally, I agree with AC/DC - with magnifications like this, you pretty much need a tripod, so I wonder what advantages image stabilization really gives you. If you were going around taking twilight shots of landscapes and wanted to travel light, that's one thing, but for high-zoom nature shots, a tripod is the way to go.
 
yeah, i dont think IS is designed to replace a tripod, just to aid. It will help, almost undoubtedly, its just if your looking to upgrade in the future, have access to more lenses and accessories, and more chance of finding stuff secondhand, canon or nikon are the way to go.

But, if you value stabilisation over that, and dont see yourself doing any serious upgrading, then opt for the pentax.

I think pentax ( and sony ) have designed it as a gimmick to make potential buyers sway towards them. OF course image stabilised lenses from nikon and canon are more expensive, but the option is always there.

Of course, try holding different models in a shop - ergonomics are a key part in buying a camera.
 
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new to dslr myself also..i agree about the 75-300mm canon lens.... which i am still using..not enough reach...great to get started with (in feeding stations, stake outs and sitting ducks! so to speak)plus the price..
i bought the set up off e-bay without any problem..but i have bought and sold off e-bay for over 18 months now so i am used to the set up..if you are going down this line make sure the camera comes from a outlet that gives you the warrenty..
check my gallery for pics with the lens if you wish.
all the best
 
AC/DC said:
yeah, i dont think IS is designed to replace a tripod, just to aid. It will help, almost undoubtedly, its just if your looking to upgrade in the future, have access to more lenses and accessories, and more chance of finding stuff secondhand, canon or nikon are the way to go.

But, if you value stabilisation over that, and dont see yourself doing any serious upgrading, then opt for the pentax.

I think pentax ( and sony ) have designed it as a gimmick to make potential buyers sway towards them. OF course image stabilised lenses from nikon and canon are more expensive, but the option is always there.

Of course, try holding different models in a shop - ergonomics are a key part in buying a camera.
Click to expand...

That is the thing the only shop around here is super high pressure and I swore I will never go back there. Plus I feel bad using their displays without the intention of buying from them. They are at least 1.5x over what you can get on the internet.
 
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