OT Getting a used DSLR, advice?

[Creagerj]

I'm planning on getting a used DSLR and I would like some guidance. I'm a Nikon guy but I'm open to buying from Nikon, Canon, or Fuji. I have no AF lenses so I'm not really wedded to anything. Right now I am trying to decide between getting a Fuji S2, a Nikon D70, a Nikon D100, or a Canon 10d. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[al1966]

Ive had a d100 d70 d200 and a fuji S3, I still have the S3 there is something about the s3 files that is for digital very special, it has a far greater dynamic range and though its a 6mp sensor it behaves as though it is much bigger but not quite up to the 10mp of the d200. On the downside it is slower in Raw I paid not a lot more than a d70. just my two peneth

 

[peterc]

The S2 has great colour, but the battery consumption can be a killer. It takes 3 kinds of batteries (all at the same time).
If you have old Nikkors (even pre-AI) consider a D40 which can be had for about the same $$ as a D70 or D100. You can mount virtually any F-mount Nikkor ever made.

 

[Creagerj]

really, with the D40 or the D40x? How does the D40 compare to the others I mentioned. I have a few MF F mount lenses for my F3.

 

[peterc]

The D40 is 6MP. It's quite small, not the size of the D100 or D70.
You have no metering with the manual lenses, but that's not really a problem.
D40, Pre-AI Nikkor-O 35/2.

 

[back alley]

not used, but i'm thinking about getting a sony a200 with kit lens.
they have them locally for 499 new and my buddy has a few minolta lenses i can borrow.

 

[willie_901]

The Nikon D200 is a great buy right now since a nice used body can be had for under $900. This camera is quite capable at ISOs of 800 or less (640 or less if you are a fussy about shadow detail). If you know how to focus manually there are a lot of nice old AI/AIS lenses that work well on this body.Cv and Zeiss offer very nice new MF lenses as well. A Katz-Eye split-circle focusing screen is $100, but worth it. It is easy to use the D200 in full manual mode as well.

I was amazed at how I could use the D200 as I used my F3.

 

[mfunnell]

Of the cameras you listed I'd go for the D70 (though I don't know the S3: my comments aren't directed that way). The Nikon D100 and Canon 10D are both of an older generation with slow start-up times, slow write speeds and overall slow-ish operation. Not unusable by any means but really, obviously, slower than the slightly newer D70 (and, say, the more-or-less contemporaneous 20D from Canon). From there, I'd guess price and availability are your only limits. The above recommendations for a Nikon D200 are probably very sound if you can find one at the right price.

...Mike

 

[kully]

I'm with Mike on the D70 suggestion, choose it over the D100 at least.

I bought mine a couple of years used and it's been great - it's good at 1600 if correctly exposed. Battery life is amazing and you can easily fit a Haoda focussing screen for not much (I use it like this with a 105/2.5 AIS).

 

[Anupam]

D40 over D70 definitely. D200 if your budget allows. Also consider the Pentax line - they are brilliant.

 

[kully]

Hallo Anupam,

Could you explain why the D40 over the D70? I'm curious 🙂

 

[blazeicehockey]

I'm planning on getting a used DSLR and I would like some guidance. I'm a Nikon guy but I'm open to buying from Nikon, Canon, or Fuji. I have no AF lenses so I'm not really wedded to anything. Right now I am trying to decide between getting a Fuji S2, a Nikon D70, a Nikon D100, or a Canon 10d. Anyone have any suggestions?

Fuji have just reduced the RRP of the S5Pro - for this Nikon Fit camera, its a real bargain. If you can't afford that, the S3Pro aint that much more expensive than the S2Pro. You will be very satisfied with either coming from film.

Darrin

 

[gavinlg]

My advice: Canon 450d/400d/current or last rebel. The d40 won't meter with a lot of prime lenses and wont AF with any of the new nikon primes. Same with the d60 and the d40x. The canon rebel series are highly capable cameras, the current 450d/rebel xsi is near 5d image quality in a tiny little package that is cheap and well built. You can get an f-mount adapter for it and use your nikkors with near full metering capability, or you can take advantage of the superb canon L primes if you choose later down the line.

The 20d Is also extremely capable and a very strong camera. Typical excellent canon image quality of course.

 

[gavinlg]

Fuji have just reduced the RRP of the S5Pro - for this Nikon Fit camera, its a real bargain. If you can't afford that, the S3Pro aint that much more expensive than the S2Pro. You will be very satisfied with either coming from film.

Darrin

If you're not keen on the canon system go the fuji S5 - it's a brilliant camera, MUCH better than the d200 in my opinion for most things bar high detail landscape work (though more than adequate, and with the most dynamic range of any digital camera made yet damn good at it)

 

[2XLX2]

I'm planning on getting a used DSLR and I would like some guidance. I'm a Nikon guy but I'm open to buying from Nikon, Canon, or Fuji. I have no AF lenses so I'm not really wedded to anything. Right now I am trying to decide between getting a Fuji S2, a Nikon D70, a Nikon D100, or a Canon 10d. Anyone have any suggestions?

i'm almost in the same boat: trying to find a DSLR for around $400. bodies i'm considering are: D100, S2, and D1X. i hear the D1X has a nicer viewfinder [i'm used to FM2N's] that makes it easy to focus MF lenses, and it meters AI, AIS lenses. can anyone comment on it? but of course, it's HUGE, and must weigh a ton. 🙁

my big concern is whether these "older generation" stuff are compatible with today's technology [hardware,software,accessories]... it sure sucks to be a techno-phobe :bang:

 

[Ade-oh]

If buying a used Nikon DSLR, I would very strongly recommend going for one with the up to date flash system (is it i-TTL, I can't remember?). Flash on the D100 is dire whereas the the more up to date cameras work extremely well. I would go for a D200: I'm still using mine and I don't see any great need to 'update' it for the equivalent newer models.

 

[Anupam]

Hallo Anupam,

Could you explain why the D40 over the D70? I'm curious 🙂

Of course 🙂

- You can buy it new.
- Better viewfinder (not D200 level, but better than the D70)
- Can also take pre-AI lenses (no metering of course, but they'll mount_
- Lighter and more compact - it's just the cutest - almost RF size - I am so tempted to get one - and I have a D200.

 

[Ade-oh]

Of course 🙂

- You can buy it new.
- Better viewfinder (not D200 level, but better than the D70)
- Can also take pre-AI lenses (no metering of course, but they'll mount_
- Lighter and more compact - it's just the cutest - almost RF size - I am so tempted to get one - and I have a D200.

I agree with all of this: I'm trying to persuade my wife that she wants me to buy her one for Christmas.

 

[Creagerj]

Looks like I'm going to go for the Nikon D40. I placed a bid on a factory demo model being sold on eBay. Hopefully it goes cheep.

 

[Warren T.]

Of the cameras you listed I'd go for the D70 (though I don't know the S3: my comments aren't directed that way). The Nikon D100 and Canon 10D are both of an older generation with slow start-up times, slow write speeds and overall slow-ish operation. Not unusable by any means but really, obviously, slower than the slightly newer D70 (and, say, the more-or-less contemporaneous 20D from Canon). From there, I'd guess price and availability are your only limits. The above recommendations for a Nikon D200 are probably very sound if you can find one at the right price.

...Mike

Just a minor point: I still use a D100 today, and the start-up time is instantaneous. I heard about the slow start-up on the 10D, however. I would agree on the slow write speeds, but only for RAW, i use .jpg on mine, so write speed is not an issue for me. Again, my D100 is not slow-ish at all.

That being said, I would also recommend going with an newer generation body for your first dslr. I know several people who got great deals on a new D40 with two lenses (18-55, and 55-200 VR) at Costco for around $500-something. A possible drawback on the D40/D40x is the fact that there is no built-in focusing motor in the body, so they will not autofocus with many Nikkor AF lenses that use body-driven AF mechanism.

--Warren