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Chat => Photography => Topic started by: Sam on June 06, 2014, 19:23:24 PM

Title: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Sam on June 06, 2014, 19:23:24 PM
I'm looking at buying a second hand DSLR (body only), do you think these are in general a bit dodgy (I'm worried the inside lens is dusty / scratched whatever). What's the general opinion?
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: XEntity on June 06, 2014, 21:16:04 PM
Dead or hot pixels are one of the main things I'd be worried about to be honest. Dust you can at least get cleaned, but depends on what you are looking at really, if expect high end cameras to have been looked after slightly better. Number of actuations is usually a good measure to know how much it's been used.
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: addictweb on June 06, 2014, 23:06:54 PM
I bought a second hand D90 from MPB (http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/) as they gave my a decent trade in price for my knackered old D70. Its as described and the service was great.
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Sam on June 08, 2014, 00:43:37 AM
I bought a second hand 350D with 18-55m so lets see how it turns out.
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: XEntity on June 08, 2014, 09:00:16 AM
To be honest I wouldn't have gone for that camera, the screen is too small and it's all just a bit slow, I think it takes CF cards as well. The 400D has the bigger screen, and the 450D takes SD cards.

Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on June 08, 2014, 14:10:24 PM
The majority of my gf's holiday photos were taken on her 350D (which we bought from Ollie who used to use for his professional photography before he upgraded). It's not amazing but it does the job for stuff like that.
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Sam on June 08, 2014, 18:42:24 PM
To be honest I wouldn't have gone for that camera, the screen is too small and it's all just a bit slow, I think it takes CF cards as well. The 400D has the bigger screen, and the 450D takes SD cards.

Oh it doesn't use SD ???
f**k.

As for screen / speed, its for the wife, she has a crap compact at the moment.
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: XEntity on June 08, 2014, 19:47:59 PM
You can get a CF to SD adapter for little cash, probably cheaper than buying a whole load of new cards
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: zpyder on June 09, 2014, 08:22:30 AM
Depending on how much you paid for it I'd have probably gone for one of the newer low-end SLR's over a 350D. I think it's around 10 years old? The 350D was good at the time, but by todays standards, the crap compact, if it was made in the last few years, could well be better than the 350D and kit lens.
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Sam on June 09, 2014, 18:41:56 PM
Ok so I've made a boo boo. If its complete crap I'll buy her another. The cheapest DSL I can find that's Cannon is the 1100D body only for 200 quid. Since the 18-55 lens is pretty standard, I've basically paid 85 quid for the camera. I'll dump it after 6 months if its rubbish.

The only reason I went for 2nd hand is because I was led to believe that a body is really a body. I mean forgetting things like HD video and screen size, the bodies don't change a lot in quality?

As for CF adapter, what do you think to this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/DSTE-DQ0201----5mm-SD-CF/dp/B00EJE45XG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402335520&sr=8-1&keywords=compact+flash+adapter
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: XEntity on June 09, 2014, 20:04:34 PM
Are you still looking at second hand at that price? You can get a new one for an extra £50

You could get the 500D with lens second hand on amazon at the moment for £200, the 500D comes with an IS lens, which I believe the 1100D doesn't (although regardless I'd sell you my kit IS lens for a very good price if you wanted that anyway, as that's just sitting in a box and has probably been used a couple of times just to test the camera)

Although I know you are not in the market right now, but let me know if you make a move ;)

Oh and you could save yourself a quid or two on the adapter if you get it from eBay :)
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Sam on June 10, 2014, 01:11:09 AM
I don't tend to use ebay as stuff arrives "whenever the f**k the seller can be arsed TM". I have an Amazon prime account.

I've been ripped off on the camera ain't I. Oh well. I'll blame nige.
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on June 10, 2014, 09:07:37 AM
lol, its really not that bad, I doubt you will care at all once you try it tbh.
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Sam on June 11, 2014, 12:48:01 PM
lol, its really not that bad, I doubt you will care at all once you try it tbh.

I do suspect half of the above is by very keen or semi-pro photographers. My wife points and shoots. If she can have a half decent zoom and change lens she's in heaven.

I have a 550D and my pictures look sh*t. It's not about the camera it's about who uses it. I have no talent at all.

But its all good advice I appreciate it.
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Binary Shadow on June 12, 2014, 22:32:29 PM
I've had a 350D and a 450D, I always thought the photos from the 350 were better tbh
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: zpyder on June 16, 2014, 17:40:16 PM
Must be said, that the camera shop I worked at briefly this year were still using a 350D to take passport photos. Simple and reliable.

Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Sam on August 28, 2014, 10:34:05 AM
She really likes it. And I can't tell any quality diff between the 350 and the 550. The 350 is just smaller with a sh*t screen.
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Dave on September 13, 2014, 13:49:37 PM
I bought a second hand 350D with 18-55m so lets see how it turns out.

thought you already had a DSLR years ago?

If it doesn't work out then Canon has an e-bay shop where they sell refurbished models - I got a Rebel xti from there a few years ago (which I believe is the Canon US equivalent of the 400D).
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Dave on September 13, 2014, 13:55:57 PM
She really likes it. And I can't tell any quality diff between the 350 and the 550. The 350 is just smaller with a sh*t screen.

well I guess one will produce bigger raw or jpeg files than the other... prob some differences in the auto focus etc.. its the lens that really makes the difference though.... I'd take a good lens on a 350 over a kit lens on the 550

the nifty fifty is a great little lens (obvs fixed focal length), also tamron do a good 17-50mm f2.8 lens for cropped sensor DSLRs
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: zpyder on September 16, 2014, 08:52:20 AM
One issue with the tamron, unless they've updated it, is that the autofocus motor in it is really noisey. A shame as it is a really sharp lens, pretty good in low light, but typically when shooting in low light you're indoors and possibly trying to take photos in a quiet environment. It was noisey enough that I wouldn't consider using it unless I was at a very loud non-acoustic gig!
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Sam on September 17, 2014, 11:58:56 AM
I've got a Sigma 12mm-24mm which I've had a while but I find the images to be a bit blurry.
http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-sigma-12-24mm-f4-5-5-6-ii-dg-hsm-canon-fit/p1524169
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Dave on September 27, 2014, 19:05:05 PM
get yourself one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-EF-50-1-8-Lens/dp/B00005K47X
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: M3ta7h3ad on September 28, 2014, 02:32:10 AM
get yourself one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-EF-50-1-8-Lens/dp/B00005K47X
Best lens ever. Instantly turns you into a bokeh master and portraits look awesome.
Title: Re: Second hand DSLR
Post by: Serious on September 28, 2014, 10:22:16 AM
A lot of Canon cameras of this age use compact flash, the in camera interface for the memory was never designed properly for the intense use it gets in a camera. Due to this the pins can break or bend and require costly repair. Other than that there should be few problems, provided you have checked the camera out properly.

I've got a Sigma 12mm-24mm which I've had a while but I find the images to be a bit blurry.
http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-sigma-12-24mm-f4-5-5-6-ii-dg-hsm-canon-fit/p1524169

I have the Tamron 10-24mm, a comparable option. I was expecting minimal use from it but it's almost permanently on my camera. No blurry pics. If yours is producing blurry images then it's worth getting it checked.