I have my small point and shoot which I am quite happy with but on occasions, I would love to have a really fast lens and the feel of DSLR. I am thinking of buying an used DSLR body and adding a 50mm f/1.4 lens so I can have nice combination for indoor shots at low light.
Any recommendations on what body to get? Obviously this is going to be a spare camera that's not going to get a lot of use so the cheaper the better. There is D1x here on the forum for sale for $300 which looks like a decent buy but I would like to hear if there are other options.
Thanks for replying. One thing I forgot to clarify is that 5 MP is fine with me. I rarely print photos and usually watch them on my laptop or HD TV. But thanks for pointing out the limitations of the memory card. Didn't think of that.
drabina wrote:
I have my small point and shoot which I am quite happy with but on occasions, I would love to have a really fast lens and the feel of DSLR. I am thinking of buying an used DSLR body and adding a 50mm f/1.4 lens so I can have nice combination for indoor shots at low light.
Any recommendations on what body to get? Obviously this is going to be a spare camera that's not going to get a lot of use so the cheaper the better. There is D1x here on the forum for sale for $300 which looks like a decent buy but I would like to hear if there are other options.
You could probably find a D50 or D70 for less than $200. I loved my D50, ISO 1600 was fine by my eye, and I would often push it to 3200 or more in post.
You can get a refurbished d5100 for about $350 or a refurbished d90 for $500. The sensor on the d5100 is a better sensor and it would be my pick for what you describe, but you need AF-S lenses for AF. The Nikon 35 f/1.8g DX works very nicely on the d5100.
If those don't appeal to you, I'd suggest browsing KEH to see what bodies they have available to meet your criteria.
The D1x is capable of 10.1MP in post, as well. Depending on your budget and what you're shooting, it could very well be a perfect companion to your point and shoot camera, and don't be surprised if you find yourself picking it up more than the P&S I went from a P&S to a D50 to a D1h and found the rapid response of the shutter release addicting Plus, that D1x will meter with manual focus lenses, if you have any.
D1x still a great camera...i recently bought one just for nostalgia.....as mentioned old, poor battery life small card size, etc etc but 300 is too much IMHO. 150-200 is really all one should spend on this age of technology. This price range could net you a newer technology in the consumer body range ie D70/s
A D1x is just too old unless you have a particular reason to prefer that camera. I'd be looking at D50, D70s (not the original D70), D80 as older contenders, but I'd much prefer D90, D200, D3000/3100, D5000/5100. Otherwise, you'll have the DSLR "feel" but your P&S may take better pictures.
Thanks for all replies. I did some research on the models you guys recommended and narrowed it down to either D200 or D3100. Just do not know yet if I should go with the smaller D3100 or older but more serious D200. Leaning towards D3100 as it has a movie mode and live view. Another plus is that the camera is small so with either 35mm or 50mm lens it should be easy to carry.
I think you can get a decent D2h for around $300. Pro body and does a better job in low light than the d200.
...just found out that you need one for travel The D2h is bulky.
I'd have to agree with Rodolfo. For what you're describing, the D50 is not a bad call, despite it's age. I still have my D50, and even though my D300 gets most of my use now, i still like taking the D50 out with a small prime attached, or a Tokina 12-24 f/4 wide angle zoom (version 1, screw drive, excellent optical quality...and cheap now) and exploring the world. Only 6mp, but nice big photo pixels/buckets compared to high megapixel newer point 'n shoots. I use mine up to 1600 ISO, and while not the low-light/low noise performer of today's gear, the character of the "noise" is quite film-like, something Nikon did right with this camera. Smallish LCD screen on the back, and only a rear command dial, but solidly built with a couple really nice benefits... Super long battery life and the classic Nikon screw-drive motor for all those older, D, screw-drive lenses, which the 3000 series and 5000 series don't have. I easily got 1000 or more shots out of a single battery charge...sometimes I wouldn't charge it at all during a month of casual use. A slightly better choice might be the D70s, which is very similar to the D50 with a few upgrades, but basically the same 6mp and IQ as the D50. Pick up an older 50mm f/1.8 screw-drive lens for around $80-90 bucks, or the older 50 f/1.4 for a bit more, or a newer 35mm f/1.8 G lens for a couple hundred.
Here's a link to some "test" shots using a 50 f/1.8 and 12-24 with the D50... nothing special artistically speaking, but you can get an idea of the images these lens/body combos produce, which were minimally processed using Picasa, (which is free) so they could be better using LR or Aperture or other software.
D3100 is the way to go, especially in regards to your stating how you will use it. It can shoot movies and it's small and light yet you will get some very nice images from it.
I went from a P&S to a D50 to a D1h and found the rapid response of the shutter release addicting 