Digital Cameras

[thebigfella]

Also worth noting that you should try to base your decision on which body, more on the 2nd hand lens market. Whilst there are good bodies from other brands on the market, you will find a larger range of 2nd hand Canon and Nikon lenses (or 3rd party with canon/nikon mounts) available. Also remember that the glass will hold it's value and the manufactures only push updates (canon definitely) to their existing Pro/Prosumer lenses on average every 10 years; essentially you are investing in a brand for a long time; much longer than the life of the body.

Regarding action photography, just prepare to spend a lot of money if you want to take it seriously. Fast zoom/prime lenses cost serious cash 

[J OGorman]

I currently have a compact digital camera which is fine and takes great still images in good daylight. When it comes to low light, instant and distance shots it isn't great and was thinking about purchasing a SLR camera as I want better quality and instant shots. I also have an interest in taking action shots especially when it comes to sport such as running, cycling and football.

Has anyone has much experience with the SLR cameras and what would be a good one to start off with?

What would be a fair price to spend?

What are the best lens to go for?

Cex are selling a Canon 5D for £500 @ the minute

[Armaghgeddon]

Can anyone recommend a good cheap tripod?

[laoislad]

Can anyone recommend a good cheap tripod?

For a DSLR or a compact?
I have a Manfrotto one for my camera but these are expensive enough but are very good.
I also have one that I bought off eBay and was €20 brand new, it's ok for photos but if you are taking long exposures it's not great as it will shake, the Manfrotto one would be rock solid.
I'm sure you would pick up a decent one on eBay for 50 or 60 squids.

[Armaghgeddon]

Can anyone recommend a good cheap tripod?

For a DSLR or a compact?
I have a Manfrotto one for my camera but these are expensive enough but are very good.
I also have one that I bought off eBay and was €20 brand new, it's ok for photos but if you are taking long exposures it's not great as it will shake, the Manfrotto one would be rock solid.
I'm sure you would pick up a decent one on eBay for 50 or 60 squids.

DSLR.
I was looking for one for taking long exposure, would like to try and catch the ISS but by hand it is difficult.
Have found a manfrotto tripod for £60 on gumtree. Would they be the best on a budget?

[laoislad]

Can anyone recommend a good cheap tripod?

For a DSLR or a compact?
I have a Manfrotto one for my camera but these are expensive enough but are very good.
I also have one that I bought off eBay and was €20 brand new, it's ok for photos but if you are taking long exposures it's not great as it will shake, the Manfrotto one would be rock solid.
I'm sure you would pick up a decent one on eBay for 50 or 60 squids.

DSLR.
I was looking for one for taking long exposure, would like to try and catch the ISS but by hand it is difficult.
Have found a manfrotto tripod for £60 on gumtree. Would they be the best on a budget?

Yup Manfrotto are imo very good tripods.
60 sounds very good depending on what condition it is in.
You also have to consider the head on the tripod, I use a ball head type which I find easy to use and manoeuvre.
Haven't gone out with my camera in a long time.I like doing long exposure shots, you can get some amazing pictures at night with just using a torch and a long exposure.

[Armaghgeddon]

Can anyone recommend a good cheap tripod?

For a DSLR or a compact?
I have a Manfrotto one for my camera but these are expensive enough but are very good.
I also have one that I bought off eBay and was €20 brand new, it's ok for photos but if you are taking long exposures it's not great as it will shake, the Manfrotto one would be rock solid.
I'm sure you would pick up a decent one on eBay for 50 or 60 squids.

DSLR.
I was looking for one for taking long exposure, would like to try and catch the ISS but by hand it is difficult.
Have found a manfrotto tripod for £60 on gumtree. Would they be the best on a budget?

Yup Manfrotto are imo very good tripods.
60 sounds very good depending on what condition it is in.
You also have to consider the head on the tripod, I use a ball head type which I find easy to use and manoeuvre.
Haven't gone out with my camera in a long time.I like doing long exposure shots, you can get some amazing pictures at night with just using a torch and a long exposure.

Im not 100% sure about what my camera is like a night. Bought it over a year ago and only starting to learn some of the functions.
I have been practicising taking pictures of the ISS but they come out like orbs, more than likely due to wrong setting and/or shaky hand.

[Armaghgeddon]

Was given a Miranda Titan 606 tripod but it doesn't have the screw plate for my camera. Does anyone know where I can get one or a suitable replacement?

[Maguire01]

If you go second hand you can get great camera bodies as people who hardly use them go for the latest and greatest model. Most bodies half in value after a year or two.

Each brand will have it cheaper and expensive lens ranges. That's where the real money can be spent. Good quality glass holds its value pretty well.

Dpreview is a site worth visiting for a bit of understanding  about what's out there

So buying the right lens is key more so than the camera body then?
Do you suggest eBay best place to buy 2nd hand?
Has anyone bought 2nd hand SLR camera before?

The lens is far more important than the camera body.
I have a Sony A550 DSLR but the lens that came with it wasn't the best.
I bought two new lens a 18-55mm f2.8 and a 70-300mm zoom lens.
You should pick up a good Canon,Nikon,Olympus or Sony second hand easy enough but most brands are all more or less the same nowadays,it's the quality of the lens that matters.
Also if you just buy a DSLR and leave it on Auto all the time you may as well just buy a normal cheap compact camera, its worth putting in the effort to learn how to use a DSLR properly.

100% correct that the lenses are the investment. But i'd urge caution when it comes to buying a second-hand DSLR. Like a laptop, or just about anything digital, they don't last forever. I'd be more tempted to go second-hand on good lenses (even though you won't save that much) and get a new body.

[Syferus]

Scraped together the cash for a Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II lens for my 600D (~£175 new) and I have to say I'm extremely impressed by it. I'd seen people be told a hundred times that they'd need to splash big money for a lens that's fast enough for action photography but this fella performed fantastically well at the Mayo-Dublin game for me when I optimised the settings. I was in Row EE, 31 rows from pitch-side:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/Syferus/catch.jpg

And that's not even the clearest picture I took. Obviously the higher end lenses will preform even better but if you're just someone who likes to get a few high quality snaps at a game or event (concerts probably excepted given the darkness and the f/4-5.6 range) this lens offers that and plenty more besides. I chose Canon over Nikon earlier in the year specifically because of the quality and price of this lens and their f/1.8 50mm, which remains the best value lens on the market - you can usually find it for around £75-80 on Amazon.

[Bingo]

Ok, looking for a decent quality camera.

Not overly into photography or that but with the kids growing up now, it be nice to get a decent camera to take snaps and that of them and other stuff. Have a lower priced digital camera from few years back but it takes about 3 secs between pressing botton and picture been taken.

Main key features:

Good zoom
High quality
Instant pictures


I'd be quite clueless in this area, so any help be much appreciated.

[Main Street]

You won't have to wait 3 seconds these days 
The features you are looking for are,  Continuous Shooting Mode,  Optical zoom  and Camera Pixels.
Each of the recognized brands have their weakness which you don't see highlighted in reviews but in the problem pages.
As long as you appreciate that compact 'point and shoot' cameras have their different fragilities, you will easily be satisfied by the quality of whats on offer. Just take good care of the thing.

Personally I like the Panasonic Lumix ZS20, It will do everything you want with minimal user expertise needed, but i've had to renew the lcd lens after a very slight knock, a job that you can either do yourself or throw the camera into the bin. It wouldn't put me off buying another of the same model. There are cheaper and more expensive Panny models.

[JimStynes]

Anyone able to advise me on the following two cameras or something in a similar price range:

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/cameras/digital-cameras/dslr-cameras/canon-eos-1200d-dslr-camera-with-18-55-mm-telephoto-zoom-lens-22001914-pdt.html#cat-0

or

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/cameras/digital-cameras/dslr-cameras/nikon-d3200-dslr-camera-with-18-55-mm-f-3-5-5-6-vr-ii-telephoto-zoom-lens-22103762-pdt.html#cat-0

Leaning towards the Canon because the brother in law has said he can lend us his lenses from his camera.

[gallsman]

Anyone able to advise me on the following two cameras or something in a similar price range:

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/cameras/digital-cameras/dslr-cameras/canon-eos-1200d-dslr-camera-with-18-55-mm-telephoto-zoom-lens-22001914-pdt.html#cat-0

or

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/cameras/digital-cameras/dslr-cameras/nikon-d3200-dslr-camera-with-18-55-mm-f-3-5-5-6-vr-ii-telephoto-zoom-lens-22103762-pdt.html#cat-0

Leaning towards the Canon because the brother in law has said he can lend us his lenses from his camera.

Jim, I bought the Nikon a week ago but am a complete beginner so cant advise. However, it you go with it, I'd buy from Pixmania. Cost me 280 for everything Currys offering plus a 1 TB portable hard drive

[DickyRock]

Go for the canon jim. Lenses are where the money goes so borrowing brother in laws is a good bonus