Recommend me a camera please

Trampas

I am a beginner when it comes to all this.

I am looking to get a camera over the next week or two.

I will need to take long shots as I will be on a safari so would like to see the animals and not just dots in the distance.

I have been recommended the following

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-Digital-Camera-18-55mm-3-5-5-6/dp/B00131W8IW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1265640027&sr=1-1

http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/3230692/art/canon/eos-1000d-ef-s-18-55mm-le.html

http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/1753646/art/olympus/e-520-zuiko-digital-ed-14.html

I was hoping for a bit cheaper but it is the usual you get what you pay for.

€500 max with lenses and bag.

Thanks

nilhg

The Olympus would be the best bet of those, you'd need to buy another lens to go with the others and even then you wouldn't have the same reach or would the lens be stabilised. I have the two lenses on my Oly E510 and am very happy with them, at your budget you won't get better.

To get an idea if the zoom range check out here

The Olympus kit can be got cheaper here but you might want to ring them and check out delivery times if you're going next week.

HxGH

Increase your €500 to €800 and you can get yourself a snaptastic Nikon D5000.

Best camera I've ever own!

duffarama

HxGH wrote: »

Increase your €500 to €800 and you can get yourself a snaptastic Nikon D5000.

Best camera I've ever own!

Yet doubling the cost of initial outlay... does not compute. Especially when he can have an effective 28-300mm reach with a very capable DSLR and in body stabilisation within his budget :rolleyes:

Fanthomas

If you are a beginner foget about those cameras unless you want to come back from safari with nothing.Buy something simple like that :http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/2386473/art/olympus/sp-590-uz.html

Rb

Buy the 450D and pick a 55-250mm IS lens second hand if you need the extra reach.

HxGH

duffarama wrote: »

Yet doubling the cost of initial outlay... does not compute. Especially when he can have an effective 28-300mm reach with a very capable DSLR and in body stabilisation within his budget :rolleyes:

A man can dream can't he?

Trampas

Thanks for your replies.

Not leaving for 5 weeks

Sleepy

I'd second Rb's advice if you plan to get seriously into photography.

However, if you're likely to simply use the one dSLR and a couple of lenses for a long time, I'd recommend looking at the Sony SLR's. You don't have the same range of extra lenses / accessories to build on that you'd have with the Canon system but their cameras rate very highly on the 'bang for your buck' measures.

Tackleberrywho

nilhg wrote: »

The Olympus would be the best bet of those, you'd need to buy another lens to go with the others and even then you wouldn't have the same reach or would the lens be stabilised. I have the two lenses on my Oly E510 and am very happy with them, at your budget you won't get better.

To get an idea if the zoom range check out here

The Olympus kit can be got cheaper here but you might want to ring them and check out delivery times if you're going next week.

Thanks for that link, I had no idea what 300mm meant! I'm looking at a Nikon D5000 18-55Nikon lens and a 70-300mm Sigma, €774 on pixmania
I want to take pics of anamils out to 150metres or so so.
Any advice on SIGMA lens??
http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/741934/art/sigma/70-300-mm-f4-5-6-dg-macro.html#tech-specs

duffarama

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

Thanks for that link, I had no idea what 300mm meant! I'm looking at a Nikon D5000 18-55Nikon lens and a 70-300mm Sigma, €774 on pixmania
I want to take pics of anamils out to 150metres or so so.
Any advice on SIGMA lens??
http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/741934/art/sigma/70-300-mm-f4-5-6-dg-macro.html#tech-specs

The Olympus kit can be got cheaper here but you might want to ring them and check out delivery times if you're going next week.

Took me about 4 weeks to get delivery from there, I'm sure you can pay a little extra for swifter delivery. The olympus 14-42 and 70-300 are 2 great quality and reasonably lightweight lenses. €658 is a bargain when you include the body stabilisation which is more important at longer focal lengths.

sheesh

Have a look at ffordes.com

they have a good range of second hand equipment

If you are fairly sure you are not getting into photography you could cut costs by buying a film camera and just bring loads of film with you.

Make sure that you can get it through the airport with out it going through the X-ray machine

on the digital side of things:
there is a d40 for sale in adverts.ie that would see you right you could look in to getting a nikon 300mm lens for it

this lens might match it and do what you want its from ffordes

I am banging on about ffordes because I have got stuff from them myself and they seem reliable and reasonable

there job done (maybe)
wait for the nikon people to say if those 2 will go together

I am a canon user