Affordable DSLR?

Ebay has cheap cameras. I've never bought a camera off amazon, but you can browse through Amazon and at least get reviews of things that catch your eye. That's where I got my first SLR. Do you understand any of the technicalities behind photography? If not, you may have trouble learning on a SLR. It's not impossible, but it does add unnecessary difficulties. You may actually want to try out a bridge camera. If you glance at it, it looks like a SLR, but doesn't have a removable lens. It's still a point and shoot, but you have the option of a fully manual setting. It's honestly (almost) the best of both worlds (minus interchangeable lenses). That's what I did. Even after switching from the bridge camera to a SLR, I still had (have) so much to learn.

This is a good website to compare cameras: DPRevew.

 

If a DSLR suits depends on what you're after. The bigger sensor of a DSLR will give you that blurred out background effect that's hard or impossible to get on compact cameras. Not even a bridge camera will help much there.

A question is if one is in your budget? From there it might help direct you to used or new kit.

I'm most familiar with Canon, so just to give you an idea of what's available on the starter end:
Used 350D is around £160 body only. This is no frills basic SLR. It gets the job done and has the essential basics.
Used 1000D (~£200+) or 450D (£300) body only. These are more modern, and the main difference is the inclusion of live view. Instead of looking through the viewfinder, you can use the screen to compose like on a compact, focus issues aside. The benefit these give you is you can magnify the display which lets you manually focus more accurately than through the viewfinder ever will.

A basic lens to add to the above would be a standard zoom. The EF-S 18-55 IS is around £75 used £100 new. Note the IS version is stabilised, not to be confused with the cheaper one without. That would give a general purpose use, but for doll photography, a popular lens to get is the EF 50mm f/1.8 II (£85 new). This gives you serious background blur potential on the cheap, but it might be a bit limiting as an only lens if you want to experiment with various things.

The cheapest new option is the 1000D with kit lens (~£350), but that's recently been replaced by the more expensive 1100D so might not be around for too much longer. Above that you can spend as much as you like!

If you want to look for places to get used kit in UK, I'd suggest mpb photographic online, and T4 cameras which has stores near Oxford and Swindon which is how I found them myself.

 

I'm not going anywhere near discussing which brand is better! There's already a thread here for Canon vs Nikon. That's one of the eternal arguments that never gets anywhere. Suffice to say you need to look at what you want, and who can deliver that. I'm happy with Canon myself, others may choose something else. There isn't a universal right answer.

 

Any SLR or SLR-like camera (like micro-4/3) will do the job you ask of it: take pictures with more flexibility and quality than a compact. You cannot really make a wrong choice. So choose your brand based on ergonomics & your budget--try to take advantage of sales, rebates (scarce right now) & local closeout specials.

If you already know someone that shoots a certain brand, it can be a good idea to match them--you will be able to borrow their lenses, accessories and knowledge.

I would only gently steer you away from "regular"-4/3 cameras (older Olympus models), since it appears all future development is on its mirrorless version, micro-4/3.

 

I'd have to respectfully disagree with steering away from Olympus. They are extraordinary cameras for a fraction of the price of Canon or Nikon. My camera (from e-bay) was an Olympus E-410 with two kit lens for about $300. You may be able to get a Canon or Nikon body (no lens) for that price unless it's uber old. Also, there are other companies other than Olympus that makes lenses for 4/3 bodies. So there are more than enough things to choose from.

BUT I would agree that if your friends have SLRs you should do two things: 1. See if you can borrow the camera for a day and go out and take pictures (of your doll, your friends, pets, trash cans, whatever). Try to take the camera off of Auto mode when you do it. If you aren't getting good pictures from it, then maybe you should hold off from shelling out the cash for an SLR and brush up on photography techniques. 2. If you think you're ready, definitely go for a camera that your friend has. Being able to swap lenses is something that I envy!! xD And out of me and my two friends we use three different systems, so there is no swapping for us!! T_T

 

adorama.com - search for factory refurbished.
cameras that have been phased out like the Nikon D40, D40x, and D50 (I'm just simliar with nikons, canon possibly has out of production models as well?) are going to be your cheapest bet.

 

OP is in the UK. Customs might be invoked from US sources. But I agree that refurbished is a nice middle ground between used and new.

 

Oooh! I can't believe I forgot this website: KEH.com. I swear I have ordered from them, but I don't recall what xD Anyway, people in some of the groups that I hang out in on Fickr love this place! I'd recommend browsing around the digital section :3

 

Canon is the most cost effective brand in three big company- canon, nikon and sony. And you might want to chose between these three brands if possible.

 

I reccommend Nikon D3100. The cheapest I can find is AUD449, so around £287 new.

 

I'm not going to get into brand arguments, but I will advise against buying used. You'll find dozens of people telling you otherwise, but such is the state of the industry that the cheapest of this generation's cameras is generally better than the best of last generation. The obvious exception is buying a used example of a current generation camera.

Check out Nikon's brand-new D5100. It shares internal components with the excellent D7000, but is cheaper, and has a flip-out swivel screen that could be very useful when shooting at BJD-height. Any of the new Canons is a decent choice as well. I would also take a look at the Micro 4/3 cameras - the Panasonic GF2 and Olympus EPL-2 are both great, and you can get adapters to use them with all kinds of cool old-school lenses, too.

 

So, I was just in your shoes last April 2010. I made the move to a T2i DSLR from point and shoots. I also moved from the kit lens that comes with the camera that summer to the 15 to 85 lens. Its taken a lot to master the camera and the lens. I don't want to be a spoiler on it, but my point and shoots just get it right most of the time vs. the T2i. The T2i will not get it right when using automatic settings as much as the average point and shoot.

My recommendation would be to get a S95. This is a high end point and shoot with DSLR type features. I have been able to produce some fantastic shots with it. As a bonus you can shoot raw with it. I normally run it in Program mode set to raw + jpg. It so small that I can put it in my pocket and have it any time I want it. There is an equivalent Nikon in this class range if you like Nikons color. I love Nikons color, but my Canons are all very good cameras. If you like something bigger to hold, there is the G12. I have the G11, but they are about the same. I did a trip to Japan and Volks Sato last year before buying the T2i with that G11 as my only camera. The photos are equivalent to the S95.

Best Regards,

Bobby

 

I love my S90 (Which is identical to the S95 in terms of still photos), but I wouldn't consider it a replacement for a DSLR by any means.

The Nikon "equivalent", by the way, is basically worthless due to the lack of RAW and a mediocre lens. I'm a Nikon junkie when it comes to big cameras, but their P&Ses are garbage, except for the P7000, which is a carbon copy of the G11.

 

Hi there,

I am new to the world of DSLR & SLR cameras, so I was wondering if I could introduce my needs to this thread, and see if I am looking in the right direction.

I am looking to get into photography for these purposes:
-Blogging about my life. This includes:
-food
-crafts
-The baby I plan to have within the next 5 years
-my little dog.
-the needle felt creations I wish to sell in my Etsy store

And on top of it all, of course, my dolls. Is a DSLR camera going to give me the range of functionality I need for still life photographs, as well as wiggly worm subjects like my doggie and a some day baby?

Any suggestions for cameras that will be able to champion these tasks would be most welcome. I'll use your suggestions as a jumping off point to do more research, and hopefully some day soon I'll be taking better doll pictures and blogging about them! Thanks again!

-Glow

 

If an SLR doesn't give you the range you need, nothing will. The only thing missing would probably be video. If you don't need it now, I was try to explore some camera shops and try it out. Maybe rent one and see if it's a little too much or just right. ^_^

 

Why not trying a Sony Alpha 230? In the cosplay scene (also a lot of new photographs) I see a lot people with this camera. It's not to expensive, good quality, nice possible equipment. And it is definitely good for amateurs - even the menue is pretty simple with a lot of tipps. ^^

 

Aloha!

Honestly, any SLR you choose can do the things you are asking about, if you have the right lenses for it. Your demands are not that strict, so...

• For your casual stuff, the kit lens can do it. If you have more coin, you can buy lenses that do the same job a little better/differently. With some cash, you can get a prime (non-zoom) lens that handles low light & action better or a zoom with more range than the standard 3x. With more cash, you can get a zoom lens that handles low light & action better.
• For products, your kit lens can do this too. But much more important is setting up: make sure the item is well lit and your camera is stable on a tripod. Even a cheap tripod is better than none. With more money, you can get a macro lens which will magnify larger and be sharper, usually a prime in the 50-100mm range. Adding a magnifier to the kit lens is a cheaper possibility.

 

An SLR is definitely the best choice. The only downsides to DSLRs are size and price, in terms of performance, especially for stuff that moves, they're untouchable. Even the best Point & Shoot cameras can't come close to a basic DSLR when it comes to capturing things that are in motion.

The problem with Sony is that there's less in the way of affordable stuff for them. Nikon, and especially Canon, have a great range of midrange lenses and flashes, and tons of 3rd party accessories. Sony has been working hard to build a really nice professional range, and they have a set of low-cost amateur gear, but they don't really have that mid-level affordable stuff yet. It doesn't help that they've chosen to do stuff like using a non-standard flash hotshoe, meaning that all the flash acessories that are out for Nikon and Canon won't work on a Sony. This even applies to non-flash stuff that fits in the shoe, like microphones and video LED lights.

 

I have a Canon 400D with a couple of lenses and flashgun. Obviously it depends on what your finances allow as affordbale, but I think that the 400D fits within the affordable range, but with great results (especially once you get a flashgun- you can get really good priced ones such as the 270EX). I bought it mainly to photograph my kids, family, friends, but it's awesome for the dollies too, especially in natural light.

I would also recommend the Sony Alpha 300. I borrowed it from a friend a few years ago before I had the Canon, and sometimes part of me wishes I had gone for the Sony. Not just because it is really a good price, but because some of my most favourite pics of my son (and dolls actually) were taken with that camera and they just came out beautifully without any extra settings other than the auto.

You can buy adapters that mean 3rd party lenses work on all sorts of cameras, which is what I have- they just fit on to the camera before the 3rd party lens. I haven't had any issues using Tamron lenses in that sense with Sony or Canon

 

Hi there, I hope I'm not too late in discussing this topic with all of you.

I heard from two posters prior to this politely steer people away from Olympus models, and that 4/3 were hard to handle. This is a bit of kismet interest for me; I use a Lumix GF1 (a retired model, however, they have made a follow up model that does basically the same.)

The GF1 is wonderfully affordable and the range of techniques is wonderful....high ISO, fast shutter speeds (peaking at 4000 aperture,) has a plethora of "mood" and color settings (black-and-white has 3 different contrast options! There's also a "dynamic" and reto setting as well.)

Despite these quirky investments Lumix has put into this beautiful 4/3 model, they still have that ever-present issue that I've seen in all cameras made by Lumix: the noise created by Lumix lenses coupled with the overall quality of Lumix lenses suffers quite badly.

This is where the Olympus comes in. As well as a 4/3 user, I prefer to shoot only with Olympus lenses -- the Zuiko manual focus lenses are the best I've ever owned! I use a generic lens adapter (purchased for about $20 USD on Amazon.com) and these (usually used as analog,) lenses have never failed me.

Olympus Zuiko lenses are semi-vintage, but bought second hand, they're less or variably equal in cost to that of the lenses Lumix puts out for its cameras. I own some Pentax-K lenses for this system as well and I don't like them as much when compared to the quality of the Zuiko.

You'll still have a slightly "film" feeling and look with these lenses, but the light variables and contrast values are really nice for dolls. I use them sometimes for portraits, too. There's a lot more definition with a Zuiko lens. I've never been unable to capture a crisp, sharp image -- or a soft dreamy image, either.

If it's in your range to buy a new camera, I'd say to at least humor the 4/3 system. Go into Staples or Radio Shack, or wherever, and test one out just for fun. If you happen to buy a GF system, skip paying the $70+ dollars for the "kit" (lens) product, just buy the body. Then go get yourself to Craigslist, a local pawn shop, ebay.....whatever. Look up Olympus.

I'm a student and I live paycheck to paycheck. I hope this information helps someone who is in need of a cheap camera without sacrificing quality.

I'll end these thoughts with this; whatever DSLR you end up picking, analog SLR technology are still available to you, regardless of brand. Fotodiox and Rainbow Imaging are fantastic adapters compatible with a vast variety of digital cameras. They are seamless and air-tight and they work!

Best regards, and good luck to you!

Jack.

 

Olympus is mostly a problem since there bodies might be quite cheap, but a lot of the lenses you get for cheap from other companies are quite expensive.
For example: A friend of mine has a 410, and she would LOVE to have a 50mm lense like me (I own a Canon).
Now guess how fucking much a 50mm lense costs for an Olympus.

She now uses an analog 50mm lense, but that's by no means a perfect solution.
The reason why I prefer companies like Canon and co. is not because of picture quality and such, but because they are easier to upgrade and buy stuff for.
cosplayshots described the problems with other companies quite well.

 

I don't know what you consider affordable, but what I use is a Fujifilm Finepix S200 EXR. I think it was around 500 dollars. It's not actually a DSLR but it's so close Flickr lists it as one It has video mode, 12.something megapixels, and all kinds of custom settings. You can do manual focus or whatever. For me, it's a really nice camera. The only downside is that you really can't get perfect macro shots and you can't get really close to the subject (it won't focus). And actually I think the S200 EXR is discontinued but I know they have a new version out and I think it's called the S300 EXR. But I'm not sure.

Edit: Also you can't change the lens.

 

Of any of the camera brands on the market a good way to get started is with any of their lower end models and choose to upgrade to a fancier model of that same brand once you get a bit more experience. This allows you to just upgrade the body without having to worry about replacing lenses and flash units.

I currently have a Nikon D60 which is a discontinued model. Its on the lower end of the Nikon family but it was the camera I started with. It did not have a lot of bells and whistles which made it easy to get started with. I also have a lot of fun finding old Nikon lenses at thrift stores and getting them to work with my camera (Nikon designed their DSLRs to fit their old lenses!) I plan to upgrade in a year to a more advanced model but won't have to change my lenses. Another great thing with going with Nikon (or Canon) is the range of lenses and third party accessories available. You may pay more for the body of the camera but you will save more in other areas. You have to look at the whole picture not just the camera body.

I just got a Panasonic Lumix GF2 which is smaller than a standard DSLR for times when a bulky camera can be cumbersome. It does require a bit of a learning curve since all the adjustments are via touchscreen and you have to memorize how to get there. The photo quality is not as good as my Nikon lenses but it is still a great camera.

 

Ebay is a great place to get a camera, but if you're a bit picky like me, and like to test a camera before purchasing, and you don't mind buying used, another great option is trying Kijiji, or any other similar website. The camera I have (Canon EOS Rebel XT) had an original value of around $700.00 in store, but I managed to get it for $250.00 off a woman who had gotten a new camera for christmas.

You have to be careful when buying this way, and ALWAYS ask if you can try it out before buying.

Another good tip is to be aware when someone would want to get rid of something. For example, I got my camera because a woman got a new one for christmas. So things like holidays, and late spring (lots of people move then) are awesome times to look for something used.

Hope this helped~

 

It's true that Olympus has a smaller "list" of lenses, especially in the entry-level price range which I'm assuming your friend is. It seems she doesn't quite understand the fact that Olympus's 50mm lens wouldn't give her the same perspective as your Canon's 50mm lens gives you. So having a 50mm lens "like you" wouldn't happen even if she could afford the 50mm Oly. The bottom line is, Olympus's standard grade lenses are IMO able to compete with some of the more "popular" brands' higher quality lenses quite well.

Edit: Try Keh.com (if it has not already been mentioned). Some people live by it! lol

 

I personally own nothing but sony cybershots but no one company is better then the other. Each person likes different ones. Cannon has a very easy to understand programing, nikon make amazing lenses, and sony normally have great focus and steady shot. Each is to his own with companies however. I've known several professionals and they all agree that once you get a brand you should stick with that brand. Don't fall for the cheaper is worse or the more expensive is better. All cameras have highs and lows. Your lens is going to be part of it for you. The big part I've noticed with bjds is your ISO settings. This is what changes the way light is read by the crystals. I know this is alot of info but if you need any help with photographing a bjd feel free to message me!!

 

Another thing to look at would be a "bridge" camera.

I currently shoot a Nikon CoolPix P100. It has manual controls as well as automatic settings, but the lens is attached/unchangeable. It was about half the price of a true Nikon DSLR. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the CoolPix. The ISO settings are pretty good and the software is easy to navigate. It doesn't do low-light as well as I'd hoped (good but could be better, IMO, but maybe I'm expecting too much?). The auto-focus motor is a bit slow and it's slower when using flash.

I've also heard good things from friends about Fuji Film cameras. I plan on trying one when I buy myself a pocket camera.

Before you lay your money on the table, you should seriously consider how much camera you actually need. If you're looking at a DSLR because you want all the lenses and gadgets and to play with the manual settings, then go for it. If you only plan on throwing the camera into full auto and clicking away then you are probably better off starting with a bridge camera or even a higher-end point-and-shoot.

Also, DLSRs and similar cameras are big and fairly heavy. Consider the camera's size and how much weight you will be able/willing to carry.

(I'm not trying to discourage you, but you also don't absolutely need a DSLR to take great photos. Camera technology has made some big leaps in the last few years. A newer P&S might have the capabilities you're looking for. )

If there is a Ritz Camera near you, I'd definitely recommend buying from them. Their insurance covers everything (including droppage) except fire and theft. The only time something bad happened to one of my previous cameras it was because I dropped the darn thing.

 

I wouldn't personally get a bridge camera. They generally have the same sensors as a similarly-priced point & shoot, just attached to a lens with a much greater zoom range. For anything where you don't need more than 200mm, a more normal "pro" point & shoot, like the Canon G12, is the better option.

 

I dont know what is in the affordable range for you but I just got my first proper camera about 2 months ago or so. I have Canon EOS 550D and it works like a dream. I paid £750 for mine but I took better lens so it probably would cost less with basic lens.
examples;





Good luck finding right camera, there are plenty to choose from
​

 

I'm going to join in with the Olympus love. I've got an Olympus E-500 DSLR, and use a Vivatron offset flash and Zukio lenses.

It works well for my doll photography, and my side job as a wedding photographer.
When I purchased mine two years ago, I got the camera body, a 32mm lens, and a macro lens for $700.

 

I have a Canon, and am a professional photographer. I am also a Photography instructor. My biggest word of advice for people looking to buy a dSLR is go to the store and hold the cameras. A lot of the advanced settings (what cause a camera to cost so much) will never be used by a hobbyist or amateur or some professionals for that matter. All dSLRs on the market have the same basic settings (full manual mode and the ability to shoot RAW) and the megapixels are high enough in the entry level cameras that print size isn't even a real issue anymore.

Don't get caught up in the technical garble. Go with a camera that feels good in your hands... I mean, would you buy a pair a shoes to wear everyday if they hurt your feet? No.

And as stated before- canon and nikon do have the largest ranges of accessories and lenses.

 

I loved my Sony Cybershot... (spaz) I forgot the name of it but it was the Carl Zeis version. Really good Bridge camera. I got shots that full dslr owners were having trouble with but I had a problem with the files it cold save. I really wanted to save raw files and do some major editing that way. Keep that in mind.

You can get that particular one for about 200 USD now. Less online. I sold mine gently used for 200 to a random person at a convention lol.

 

I believe the only bridge/advanced compact that will save RAW files is the Panasonic Lumix LX5.
It sounds like a lot of your friends were having difficulty getting the settings right. They also might have needed external flash units if it was too dark. DSLRs require a lot of fiddling sometimes.

 

Just today I got a nice deal on a Nikon D3000 package. It was the last one left at Target and was on clearance for $404 including the 18-55mm lens. It's very easy to set up and use, too. Of course, I haven't tried anything complex yet, but it definitely seems to be a case of something that's simple to start with, while still being capable of more versatility later on. But I'd definitely recommend some research and reading up on cameras before making the investment, or even taking a class if you can find one. Last semester I took a course in b/w film photography using old-school SLRs, so now I'm in a better position to understand how to use the manual settings.

 

Besides the Panasonic LX5, the Canon S95 and G12 can also save RAW, as can the predecessors of all three models.

 

I don't know if this has already been suggested, but why not buy a used model? That is what I plan to do. Models from a few years ago can still take super quality photos, and you can find the bodies on ebay from $200 if you're lucky.

 

A good way to get a DSLR for cheap is to buy the body separately, like off of ebay. Then, you can buy the lens! You can save $300-500 sometimes!

 

I've actually noticed the exact opposite. I'm guessing this depends on the brand/model of camera you are searching for.

 

I have really not seen this work out. I guess maybe if you're getting a fairly high-end camera and sticking a fairly low-end lens on it, or somehow have a lead on inexpensive used lenses for that camera. But the cheapest lens you're going to get is already $120-200, and a good lens can easily be $300-500+. I really think that in most cases, especially for a first DSLR purchase, forgoing the kit lens is a false economy.

 

Because i dont like starting repeat threads, I would like to post my ideal camera and possibly get suggestions. I'm fairly new to photography but i'm a fast learner when it comes to technology so one that is complicated isnt all that much of a big deal.

I'm not sure what kind it is dslr or slr or even something else, which I wouldn't mind if anyone could clear it up for me, but the type you can switch out the lenses? I'm pretty poor so this is something i'm gonna save for so price really doesn't matter, though I would not mind If it didnt cost an arm and a leg.

Also if anyone has any good websites that I can go to, to learn more about photography and camera's I'd really appreciate a link or if there is something on DOA that I missed that describes all this point me in the right direction. I just would like to learn more about the type of camera and learn how to use it correctly before i buy it xD

Thanks in advance for any help xD

 

Dslr/slr stand for Sigital Single Lens Reflex or Single Lens Reflex - these are cameras with interchangable lens systems. A newer format, the Micro Four Thirds, is a more compact type of system camera that has just been around for a couple of years that also also offers different lenses but is mirrorless (hence no "lens reflex")

I've found this to be a very helpful site for info on cameras and how to take better photos -

http://kenrockwell.com/

also a good site for good camera reviews is here - http://dpreview.com/

As for buying used - my own advice would be to buy the camera body new as they are upgraded/outdated every few years as the technology and resolution constantly improve. (That way you know if won't have problems and if it does you have a warranty!)
Many come with a kit lens that is good for starting out and you can always add to your lens collection later as you better understand which ones will be useful for what purposes.

There are lots of good deals on used lenses though, I think of lenses as an investment since so long as I stick to the same lens mount (I use Nikon myself) I can keep using the same lenses when I get newer camera bodies.

I still use some of the old manual Nikon lens I got 25+ years ago that will fit my newest digital SLR body (even tho they do not have autofocus)

I have also gotten great deals on ebay buying used lenses in excellent conditin that saved me about 25% of the cost they would have been new.

 

Holy wow!! Thank you so much!

LOL I've been trying to get this out of my photography friends for ages. I was debating on the buying used actually. You made a good point I don't want it to be broken before i even use it. I should have thought of that I'm quite accident prone and a warranty would be a VERY good thing!

The only camera's I've actually used is a Kodak and a Fuji film, I liked the Fuji but I really liked my friends camera which is a Nikon as well. I think I'll have too look into those. And I didn't know that the lenses were camera specific thats good to know*unless i read that wrong anyways*

 

Buy a Micro four thirds camera or the sony nex3/nex5.. pair it with a decent prime old lenses and you're set to go... easy and cheap.

 

just want to say that this is exactly what I did
the Nikon D40 was phased out a few years ago and "replaced" by the D3000 (the d40 is said to be more powerful than the d3000, but nikon pushed to have a cheaper consumer camera so they cut things on the d40 to make the d3000)
I bought my nikon D40 with 18-55mm kit lens on adorama.com as a Factory Refurbished model.
Meaning that it came with a nikon warranty still
Many refurbished cameras are store floor models that are usually in great condition.
My d40 was 100% perfect minus some scratches on the bottom where you screw to mount it on a tripod.
So my suggestion would say go factory refurbished, rather than used you still get a camera cheap, but you're buying it under warranty. (D40's are pretty hard to find factory refurbished now since they're getting super out dated [at least 3 or 4 years now] but you can still find them if that's what you decide you want. But easily comparable and slightly more powerful would be the D3100 which does video! and you can easily find those refurbished )


On that, beware, Ken Rockwell can be a bit bias on the Nikon side. and if you dig he actually has a page in there raving about how anyone who's thinking about getting a dslr needs to get a D40 XD
I honestly swear by him as well, but I'm pretty die hard nikon ^^;

 

LOL for one I totally have to know what kind of lizard you have for your avatar, SOOOO CUTE!!! looks like a leopard gecko like mine his name is Neo and he's a carrot tail, and super adorable.

Second sweet thanks for the info will gladly put your guy's suggestions to use. I'm going stir crazy without a camera i'm even dreaming about getting new ones at night -___- ....pathetic. Unfortunately It'll be a while until I can get any money saved up for one. Since I've gotten two reviews on Nikon I'm probably going to lean more towards that which I can get easier help with if needed.

Thanks for all the help you guys Super extremely appreciated. Dont know how long I've been looking for this info. My photography friends must not either know much or want me to do photography because they all want me to get a point and shoot and that's NOT what I want at all xD

 

she's my leopard gecko (Rainwater Albino Morph) and that's actually a photo that I took with my d40

http://fav.me/d48vs10

The lens I used was 50mm f/1.8 AF-S (af-s meaning that it has a focus motor on the lens [giving you the option to do auto or manual focus], most cheaper nikons dont have focus motors in the camera), a pretty cheap lens that I got off amazon for ~200$
supa cheap and my favorite lens that I use for almost all of my doll photographs!

my most recent doll photo (same lens) http://fav.me/d4aivld

>3< so cheap camera, cheap lens can make for really great photos if you just use them right