Can you recommend a DSLR for under £1000/$1500

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Dexter7176

Hi, I normally use camcorders that the university provide. When I finish I will need my own camera, a DSLR for under £1000 would be ideal. I would add lenses later unless I got a cheap camera body. If possible, a camera that's good in low light conditions. Any ideas?
Cheers
 
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Dexter7176 said:
The t3i looks great and it would leave more cash for the glass. I was looking to get the largest sensor as possible to help with low light shooting. I'm just learning about DSLR's so haven't read up much on the glass just yet. Would I be better(in the long run) getting a zoom or a prime lense. Thanks fro the help.
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Let's see.

You can get a T3i body for around $500, which leaves us with about $1000 (max. $1500).

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-T3i-Processor-Vari-Angle-Body/dp/B004M170YC

I'd grab a used Canon 24-105mm.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/800989486-USE/canon_0344b002_24_105mm_f_4l_is_ef.html

You have $200 left. Spend it on extra accessories.

Oh, and do you have audio covered? You may want to go for a cheaper lens and invest in a mic.
 
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ChimpPhobiaFilms said:
Let's see.

You can get a T3i body for around $500, which leaves us with about $1000 (max. $1500).

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-T3i-Processor-Vari-Angle-Body/dp/B004M170YC

I'd grab a used Canon 24-105mm.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/800989486-USE/canon_0344b002_24_105mm_f_4l_is_ef.html

You have $200 left. Spend it on extra accessories.

Oh, and do you have audio covered? You may want to go for a cheaper lens and invest in a mic.
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FYI - Dexter is in the UK, and Amazon US won't ship to him there.

Dexter - as you may already know, the Canon T3i is the Canon 600D in the UK. It is £358 (body only) at Amazon UK.

If you can live with no video viewfinder, no video autofocus and a 12 minute clip length limit, it is a fine camera :)

Good luck!

Bill

P.S. - you may also want to look at a £499 Panasonic G6 body with focus peaking, wi-fi, 1080/50p, built-in intervalometer, a video viewfinder, video autofocus and a 30 minute clip length limit (the 30 minute limit is in the EU area only - there is essentially no clip length limit if you buy a PAL unit from Hong Kong). For docs and weddings, you can lock this camera off and shoot for hours.

You can get the G6 with a 14-42mm power zoom lens from HK via eBay UK for £569.88

Here is what this camera can do:

http://vimeo.com/72010967

http://vimeo.com/73561266

More examples from my G6 group on Vimeo here: http://vimeo.com/groups/dmcg6
 
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Just my 2p - Any Canon running the Magic Lantern firmware will knock the socks off the competition for the money spent. ML truly transforms your Canon DSLR! As well as a plethora of exposure and compostition tools, it includes solutions for all sorts of limiting factors with the Canon system. It adds far too much functionalty to list here, so check out the ML website to see what it offers, and it's free too. :)

The 600D upwards is where it gets good imo, thanks to the flippy outy screen mainly (though it's not the be all and end all of course). Buy body-only, as the kit lens, while perfectly usable, has a poor max aperture.

Just to reiterate what a previous poster mentioned, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE GLASS!!!! Canon users have by far the greatest amount of choice when it comes to lens selection and aftermarket accessories. For your budget I would recommend the Tamron 17-50 2.8 VC as a do-it-all lens, especially as you can engage the camera's 3x zoom function for longer shots without losing any percieveble quality. This one lens will cover very wide to resonably long shots, at a constant f2.8 aperture, and with the VC (Tamron's image stabilising system) kepping any wobbles at bay. If you don't need the VC, then the new Sigma 18-35 f1.8 is a stonker of a lens, albeit double the price of the Tamron.

Check out Digital Rev for great prices (and they offer 12mth warranty too). This will leave you plenty of cash left over for accessories and other essentials. IIRC both the 600D and the Tamron 17-50 2.8 can be had for around/under £300 gbp each from DR.
 
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I'm not quite sure what all the fuss is about the 24-105L. :hmm:

On a FF body it's ok (at a stretch), but is an L lens in name only. It's totally outclassed by the 17-55 f2.8 (which is better in all regards except in reach). The Sigma and Tamron equivalents are just as good to the eye as the Canon 2.8 (especially so given the low resolution of HD video compared to stills), albeit with slower AF, but again this doesnt really matter for vid of course. The Sigma and Tamrons are also about a quarter of the price.

On a crop body the 24-105 give us an equivalent focal length of about 39-160mm, wheras the 17-55 gives you 27-88mm equiv. Which focal lengths are more usefull to the OP?

A crop body already has double the DoF of a FF body (at a given aperture), so sticking an f4 lens on it will look far less 'cinematic' than a f2.8, and of course we would need to ramp up the ISO to match the exposure too when trying to shoot wide open.

So, the L lens loses out on IQ, IS, wide angle capability, aperture (DoF, noise, 'look'), and gains only in reach (but does the OP really need that with the 3x zoom capability anyway?). I guess we get to wave our red ring about proudly though. :D

Obv it will come down to what the OP wishes to shoot, but 9/10 cats ignore the L stamp and go with a 17-50/55 2.8. :yes:

Dammit, thats 4p of mine so far, and I've not even posted an introduction in the Noobs forum! :lol:
 
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Also check the black magic pocket cinema with a m43 mount for some fairly inexpensive, good prime lenses.

The 24-105 has a lot of barrel distortion at the wide end but the build quality far exceeds the 17-55. Plus, it's weather resistant. Do not get the sigma 17-50 2.8 as the focus throw is incredibly small. Even on a follow focus, this would be really twitchy.
 
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brunerww said:
The 70D's video autofocus is indeed impressive, but sadly, the 70D is £1079.00 body only at Amazon UK. Dexter asked for a camera that costs less than £1000.
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Hmm he also posted $1500 so that's what I aimed for. The 70d with 18-55mm stm lens is about $1350.

I would suggest looking on this technology so your camera life spam may last a bit more than a used or older model even though the price is cheaper.

Not to mention, the af on video mode of the 70d will help a lot for videography/filmmaking, and the touch screen of doing follow focus.
 
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mdifilm said:
Hmm he also posted $1500 so that's what I aimed for. The 70d with 18-55mm stm lens is about $1350.

I would suggest looking on this technology so your camera life spam may last a bit more than a used or older model even though the price is cheaper.

Not to mention, the af on video mode of the 70d will help a lot for videography/filmmaking, and the touch screen of doing follow focus.
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Sadly, camera prices are significantly higher in the UK, so using US prices and converting to sterling doesn't work.

The 70D with the 18-55 stm lens is £1141.64 at Amazon UK, which equates to $1842.10 USD at today's exchange rate.

If he wants autofocus he can afford, I still recommend the Panasonic G6:


http://vimeo.com/66462307


Decent continuous (and touchscreen) autofocus, 1080/60p and essentially zero moire for £549.99 at Amazon UK.


Cheers,

Bill
 
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