Whats the best semi-professional camera for under £400?

Question

It needs to be upgradable with lenses, etc.. but not so to be of paparazzi quality / complication. For amature photographer who wants to start taking it to the next level. Please help. thanks.

Answer 1

For quality, both in construction and images, get a digital SLR camera. Nowadays, the average price has dropped quite considerably. You can pick one up, with a lens, for half as much as you could a few years ago.

My first suggestion would be the Nikon D40. This comes with a kit lens; a pretty good one at that. It goes for about $500-$550. The lenses that most people get with this are the 18-55mm kit lens, and the 55-200mm. This telephoto lens comes in VR as well, but add another $50 to the price.

Another good choice would be the Pentax Super. I'm not sure if it comes with a kit lens, but it's still pretty cheap. It runs around $450-$550. You can pick up some old cheap lenses on KEH .com, or B&H Photo.

Both of these cameras fall under the same catagory as what the paparazzi use, but are far from the actual quality. While they use a $3,000 Canon 5d, or a $2,000 Nikon D200, these are the lowest entry level digital SLR camera's you can buy, the Nikon D40 and Pentax Super. They are small and compact, and depending on the lens, you can store them just about anywhere. Maybe not in your pocket, but you can find a place. Though they are small, but are pretty sturdy, especially for their price. Now, if only Canon could do this as well.

Hope this helped.

Answer 2

Beth you have all the answers to your question, but you have to pause, take a breath and DO IT! Unlike many of the know-nothings that ask this question, You have experience with several of the cameras especially the EOS 7D. And now that is what it comes down to. You have probably read Canon comparison charts and lamented many models. So what is left? You! You have to take the bull by the horns and make up your mind as to which camera "you don't think about when you are taking pictures!". In other words, you feel so comfortable with that you find yourself concentrating on the subject matter not the controls of the camera. That is the camera model that is best suited for YOU! I am a retired professional of more than 45 yrs and a Canon owner for most of my life. But I left the SLR (film) world for the "bridge" digital camera segment. Only to find I missed my interchangeable lens cameras. I chose to get into a Pentax for me it was the right thing to do. However, I wonder about my decision, given Pentax being bought out by Ricoh and there discontinuance of entry level DSLR's. But even with all this I feel comfortable with my current camera and my images show an improvement. Regrading your assignments, portraits. Nothing is written in concrete that you have to have a designated portrait lens. Being older, and the people I now shoot are older, I have come to the conclusion that a longer lens is better for what I am currently doing. I shoot with a 50-200mm lens, push out as close to the 200mm as I can get and also use a Soft FX filter, because my subjects have more wrinkles than I am sure you encounter! So good luck!

Answer 3

You won't get a semi-professional camera for under £400. You will get an amateur level DSLR, however, from Pentax, Canon, Nikon or Olympus, all of whom make such which retail at around the £400 mark, including a short zoom lens. Some companies are offering cash-back deals at the moment. Check out this site:- http://www.warehouseexpress.co.uk/

Answer 4

Nikon D80 is a good choice, it is similar to the Nikon D200 apart from a few extra features (not neccesary to an amateur) and the body is made of plastic instead of metal, there are tons of reviews online if you type in the name, Nikon cameras are compatible with all of their lenses even their old ones so you can pick up some real bargains, e-bay is a good shopping place for affordably priced Nikon equipment, you can pick up a D80 for about £400 on e-bay, maybe less if you are lucky, avoid the china sellers though, by the time you have paid the import duty it is not worth it.

Answer 5

400 pounds sterling would translate to 800 dollars american, or in that ballpark?
i got my olympus slr with two lenses and a 1 gig card for 760 dollars american last year...it has more than i'll ever learn it seems and takes as good a photo as i'm able to compose, and it is a great learning tool...a little slow on the firing sometimes and when shooing raw it is really slow digesting it, but over all i'm pleased with it and don't think i could have done better for the money i spent.

Answer 6

Try Fuji 9600 - I got mine for just under £300, it's now down to around £250. I love it. OK the lens is fixed so you can't put on another, but I havent missed this as the lens is so power full - from wide angle to around 300mm. Highly recommended.

Answer 7

check round camera shops if in uk try
jessops
london camera exchange
camera world
buyacamera
these will get you started
ask if they have any discontinued cameras
ie the camera model thats been replaced.
there are some good bargins
london camera exchange were selling FUJI S3PROs at £600
a camera that was first listed at £1,600
they may have nikon as well
they also have 2nd hand lenses
hope this helps

Answer 8

Try the canon powershot s5 is it cost like 350$ good luck

Answer 9

Cant beat a Pentax. Check out this site.

http://www.redbubble.com/

If you are serious, email me, and I will send you a link to my page. ALL but one, were taken on a Pentax. So you can see for yourself.

Answer 10

You're optimistic.

Buy secondhand and even then perhaps you'll need more money.