DSLR around $500?

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NightMonkey

What would be the best DSLR camera I could get with a budget around $500?
Preferably one that comes with an okay lense and can record decent audio.
 
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It'll record passable audio if you add a pre-amp to it... still, it'd be about the same price to get an offboard recorder, and you still need to get a mic. The onboard mics suck on DSLRs... they are separate answers to your question; recording good audio and having a good mic.

If you have access to older lenses, you can go the route I went. I got my T3i through GetItDigital on Amazon and purchased a "Refurbished" camera. They're actually a gray market retailer and purchase the full kits to sell, then strip out the lens to sell separately for more money. As they do this, they can't sell the camera as New anymore, so they sell the new cameras for the refurb price right around $500.

Pawn shops have tons of older manual lenses (no auto anything) that you can put on the camera using a $10 adaptor ring from ebay... I'm currently shooting with an old Nikon 50mm f1.8 lens this way. Works like a champ:

IMG_0030.jpg

Granted, you have to focus and set your Aperture manually on the lens, but hey, it's better than letting the computer decide what photo to take for you.

They have those adaptors for any mount you can think of, even old M42 screw in lenses.
 
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knightly said:
Pawn shops have tons of older manual lenses (no auto anything) that you can put on the camera using a $10 adaptor ring from ebay... I'm currently shooting with an old Nikon 50mm f1.8 lens this way. Works like a champ:
Click to expand...

That sounds like a great idea to save money! I do manual everything as it is, so it would make no difference really to physically do it on the lens. Any downfalls about going the old lens route?
 
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NightMonkey said:
What would be the best DSLR camera I could get with a budget around $500?
Preferably one that comes with an okay lense and can record decent audio.
Click to expand...

Hi NightMonkey - in Canada, and at your budget level, I have two recommendations - one new and one used.

New, I recommend the Sony A37. It has fast, continuous autofocus in video mode (unlike Canon* and Nikon), a viewfinder that continues to work in video mode (unlike Canon and Nikon), and a 30 minute clip length limit (longer than Canon's 12 minutes** and Nikon's 20).

Here is what this camera can do:

(watch in 1080p): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZnCjTkmVR4

(with the NEX-5): http://vimeo.com/55721652

You can get one with the kit lens for:

- $498(US) at Amazon US (may have a challenge shipping to Canada)

- $498(US) at Adorama - plus VAT and duties

- $525.40(CDN) on eBay with free shipping to Canada

If you are willing to buy used, you can pick up a Panasonic GH1 body for $300(US)/$295(CDN) on ebay.ca. It has fast, continuous autofocus in video mode (unlike Canon* and Nikon), a viewfinder that continues to work in video mode (unlike Canon and Nikon), and essentially unlimited video clip length (longer than Sony's 30 minutes).

Combine the hacked GH1 with a new Sigma 19mm f2.8 lens for about $160CDN from ebay.ca, and you will have a great camera/lens combination to get started.

Here is what a hacked GH1 can do:

http://vimeo.com/43625636

http://vimeo.com/19308687

http://vimeo.com/34338834

(shot with a hacked GH1 and the inexpensive fully auto Sigma 19mm lens): http://vimeo.com/44634602

Hope this is helpful and Happy New Year!

Bill

* except T4i

** except T4i and 5DMkIII
 
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The budged seems very low.

I would go for a Canon T2i as it has the same sensor as the T4i.

The Lens depend on what you want to shoot, I would maybe to for a f1.8 50mm Canon, but you should also get a zoom lens.

Sound is more important than you think in the beginning, I would invest a bit more here, If you can affort ~100$ go for Rode.


ThatsBasti
 
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Yeah agreed with above get t2i/t3i refurbished body only or with a lens preferably the 50mm , and the rode mic to boost your audio but will still be crap, what's stopping you from waiting a few months and raising your budget?
 
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8salacious9 said:
Yeah agreed with above get t2i/t3i refurbished body only or with a lens preferably the 50mm , and the rode mic to boost your audio but will still be crap, what's stopping you from waiting a few months and raising your budget?
Click to expand...

If he's like other artists, after a month of noodles and cat food, the budget would be less ;)
 
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ThatsBasti said:
I would go for a Canon T2i as it has the same sensor as the T4i.

The Lens depend on what you want to shoot, I would maybe to for a f1.8 50mm Canon, but you should also get a zoom lens.
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I'd say t3i/600D because of e swivel screen, I use it so much I can't imagine life without a swivel screen. But that's potentially personal preference. I wouldn't get the t4i though, upgrades aren't worth the super jump in price, not to mention it's about double your budget anyway.

This is a great lens to start out with( after kit lens of course...), I bargained when I bought mine and got over 30% off of an already decent price. Only issue is because of the crop factor of the 600D not being a full frame censor, it makes the lens really only good for close ups, otherwise to fit a whole body in the frame you have to move back 10+ metres.
 
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Firstly, thanks for all the replies. :D

I want the camera mostly for filming video.

After reading through the posts and reading through the specs; I'm liking the Canon T3i or the Sony A37. Just having trouble deciding as they are only $100 apart. Either will probably work, but what is the better one for filming in general?
 
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I know little about the Sony, except that I've only heard of it a few times, it doesn't often get suggested. I recommend the t3i, but I use it so I'm technically biased. Look at it this way, Canon (and Nikon but not so much with video) are the leaders in DSLRs.

There's a thread on here of examples of films shot on the Canon series. I'll try and find it

EDIT: I can't seem to find it, but there is a thread out there somewhere here dedicated to where people have posted their films made on these cameras
 
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MileCreations said:
That sounds like a great idea to save money! I do manual everything as it is, so it would make no difference really to physically do it on the lens. Any downfalls about going the old lens route?
Click to expand...

Depending on the quality of the build of the adaptor... there are some rings that hold the lenses just past / short hyperfocal, so hitting infinity on the focus ring may be off slightly... but anything closer to the camera than hyperfocal should be just fine to focus on in those cases. If you get 1 adaptor / lens, you can adjust your backfocus to account for the manufacturing vagaries.
 
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NightMonkey said:
Firstly, thanks for all the replies. :D

I want the camera mostly for filming video.

After reading through the posts and reading through the specs; I'm liking the Canon T3i or the Sony A37. Just having trouble deciding as they are only $100 apart. Either will probably work, but what is the better one for filming in general?
Click to expand...

If you're going to save up, the T3i is a great still camera, but I would save a little more for a Panasonic GH2 (about $800CDN on eBay.ca). I sold my Canon T2i and bought a GH2 after I found out that Canon:

- viewfinders and autofocus stop working in video mode (and if you buy a T4i to get video autofocus, Canon autofocus motors are noisy and will ruin your soundtrack)
- has a 12 minute video clip length limit
- is susceptible to a phemomenon called moire when shooting brickwork, shingled roofs, patterned fabrics and similar subjects with fine details - as seen here and here

The GH2's viewfinder and autofocus continue to work in video mode, it has no shot length limit, the autofocus motors on most of its lenses are absolutely silent, and it is resistant to shot-ruining moire.

Take a look at the videos in this post to see the quality of the images the GH2 can produce.

All of that said, Canon shooters work around these limitations and produce some absolutely terrific work. But people shoud buy these cameras with their eyes open. I don't want anyone else to be as surprised as I was when I tried to shoot video with the T2i :)

The GH2 is not perfect either (non-standard 2.5mm mic jack, not as good a still camera as the Canons) - but it is a much better "video camera", in my view.

Cheers and happy shooting with whatever you decide ,

Bill
 
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brunerww said:
- viewfinders and autofocus stop working in video mode (and if you buy a T4i to get video autofocus, Canon autofocus motors are noisy and will ruin your soundtrack)
- has a 12 minute video clip length limit
- is susceptible to a phemomenon called moire when shooting brickwork, shingled roofs, patterned fabrics and similar subjects with fine details - as seen here and here

The GH2's viewfinder and autofocus continue to work in video mode, it has no shot length limit, the autofocus motors on most of its lenses are absolutely silent, and it is resistant to shot-ruining moire.

Take a look at the videos in this post to see the quality of the images the GH2 can produce.

All of that said, Canon shooters work around these limitations and produce some absolutely terrific work. But people shoud buy these cameras with their eyes open. I don't want anyone else to be as surprised as I was when I tried to shoot video with the T2i :)
Click to expand...

While all of these issues are true I'd just like to put my opinion forward about these problems.

I rarely use a viewfinder as it is, I often just use the 'zoom' function to check if things are in focus and such. When I use cameras with viewfinders I seldom use them, I use them, but not much.

If you're shooting films and not live events then I think you should be shooting manual anyway, when use cameras which do have auto focus I usually try and use the setting that auto focuses a little bit lets you have the ultimate control if you touch the focus ring.

Noisy motor? Yes. Ruin your soundtrack? Not likely IMO as most shoot external sound anyway. It would only be an issue if you had your mic on board the camera.

Unless you shoot live events then there's pretty much no reason to be shooting over 12min. On my t3i I am yet to reach the record limit, but I use different cameras when recording live events.

I've seen many examples of this moire, and it looks terrible, I agree, but so far I haven't met it myself. Perhaps I'm not shooting the right things, or maybe my camera settings are different to those demonstrated? Not sure really.

So yes I work around these issues :)
 
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Good choice, NightMonkey. The A57 is a great still camera (auto panorama and HDR, 12fps) - and for video, it has a fast autofocus and viewfinder that keeps working in video mode. And its 30 minute video clip length limit is longer than 12 and 20 minute limits of most Canons and Nikons - but you will have to be careful of moire when you're shooting patterned objects. Please see the shimmering moire on the roofs at 0:50, 1:00, 1:15, etc. in this A57 test:

http://vimeo.com/43985463

Good luck!

Bill
 
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