Posted by dirtyw0rld I use a d7000 I love it so much I don't really have any worthy complaints, I got it for under 700$ refurbished from henry's photo (canadian). Your older dx lens will work fine. I'm using a Nikkor 35-105 D lens as my everyday lens and its from like 95, works incredible

That's not bad at all. And you're happy with it in low light?
I'll probably be buying a 50mm 1.8 with it as well for better low light shots. My 3200 is decent for its sensor size, but lacks in light painting situations, and long exposures for astral photography.

I started with a D5100 and I was in the same boat as you, It lacked some features I wanted. I just picked up a D7100 and it's a lot more camera. I'm impressed so far, it's definitely worth the upgrade.

I never used in camera HDR on my 5100, and I havent yet on the D7100. I find it easier to do it manually and it only works if you're shooting in JPEG only. HDR doesnt work with NEF's. So I would rather do it manually and have the option to edit my raw files later.

I picked up my D7100 brand new for 1040 in canada. So you should easily be able to keep it under a grand used or d7000's are ~800 brand new.

Any lens' that worked on your 3000 we'll work in either camera.

I went with the 7100 over the 7000 because; More AF points, Expeed 3 processor, no low pass filter, slightly better video, sharper display, and slightly better weather sealing. You just have to decide if thats really worth the extra money, I think you'll be happy with either one.

Posted by Mister Owl Hello! I'm having a debate about a future upgrade and would like a second opinion. I currently have a D3200 and am pretty happy with it, but it lacks some features that I am finding more important as I dig deeper into photography. No auto bracketing. Poor quality at high ISO, and EV step customization. So, I was looking at the D7100 and the D7000.

Posted by Mister Owl That's not bad at all. And you're happy with it in low light? I'll probably be buying a 50mm 1.8 with it as well for better low light shots. My 3200 is decent for its sensor size, but lacks in light painting situations, and long exposures for astral photography.

I've been shooting northern lights and stars with my d7000 lately with great results on the part of the camera. My tripod is sadly lacking and I do NOT have a remote shutter release I just use the self timer.

Posted by /dev/nox What (old) medium-format camera to buy..? Looking for a good one (to use in urbex'ing, of course). Budget: $2000 --- Maybe: Mamiya RZ67 Pro II Maybe: Hasselblad 500CW, 501CW, etc.. Maybe: (insert suggestion here) Format: I don't care so much, 6x6 looks more aesthetically, 6x7 is more practical (or maybe not).

I have a Rolleiflex that I enjoy tremendously, if not often enough, lately.

To be fair, it's all I've ever known in medium format, but it's always served me well and the damned thing has taken a beating and keeps cranking out quality images.

so i just found a GE X400 thats in really good condition on craigslist for 50 dollars, i found it to be a new price of 100 here are the specs posted
14.1 Megapixel with a 405 MM lens.
15X Optical Zoom
Like New!
Brand new at Walmart is $100...
Cash only
Rarely used
No scuffs or scrapes
think its worth it?

just bought my FIRST Dslr, Nikon D5100 with the Kit lens for my upcoming Titan I explore- any tips i need to know before i start taking pics of everything in sight to figure it out ? im still Searching for the 50mm f/1.8 at a price i dont feel like i should at least get a kiss... any help/tips would be Appreciated, but understand, im not up to speed on it at all, and Tech Speak is better if spoken in plain language

I know there are a bazillion responses here but I'll throw out my two cents worth.

Best camera for urbexing? I'll quote one of my favorite photographers, Chase Jarvis, "The best camera is the one you have with you." Outside of that, the best camera to buy is the one you can afford. Don't worry about pixel count, anything over 7mp will produce excellent photos for online posting.

And most of all, when you take your camera with you, remember to bring your memory card(s). Thankfully my camcorder takes stills as well and has a built in hard drive cuz I went to Roggen, CO for an exploration and forgot all my memory cards at home(and had two different cameras with me). Lol.
-Daniel-

Posted by AmcKidd just bought my FIRST Dslr, Nikon D5100 with the Kit lens for my upcoming Titan I explore- any tips i need to know before i start taking pics of everything in sight to figure it out ? im still Searching for the 50mm f/1.8 at a price i dont feel like i should at least get a kiss... any help/tips would be Appreciated, but understand, im not up to speed on it at all, and Tech Speak is better if spoken in plain language

First off, excellent DSLR! I use the D5100 at work and love it. Search on Craigslist for the 50mm. I've seen them being sold for $70-90.

Photo tips: bring and use a tripod. In the dark you will want to use long exposure(use Shutter Speed priority, the S on the mode dial, and go for 10-30 second exposures) unless you have an external flash or powerful floodlight. When you get your camera, take lots and lots of photos. The best way to learn your camera is to use it and the more familiar you are with your camera the easier it will be to use in the field and the better photos you will take. Hopefully that helps and if you have any specific questions or need any more advice, feel free to message me. I'll be happy to help however I can. =)
-Daniel-

What kind of DSLR would you guys recommend under $500??

A used one.

Posted by UrbanXNick What kind of DSLR would you guys recommend under $500??

Its a bit over $500. But im extremely happy with my pentax k30. Its replacement, the k50 is roughly the same price. As a perk its also fully weather sealed. I think its $620 for body only. Just under $700 with a kit lens.

Check on www.bhphotovideo.com

I paid extra and got mine with the 18-135mm instead of the 18-55mm.
I recently bought a sigma 8-16mm which i am absolutely trilled with.

I can second the pure epic awesomeness that is pentax, and the availability of awesome manual focus glass for super cheap.

The Canon Rebel t3 is a great camera you can buy for $400-450 new. Canon and Nikon are the top two DSLR makers on the market today and you can NEVER go wrong with a Canon. The t3 was my first DSLR I bought 1.5 years ago and I still have and use it. Quick autofocus, sharp photos, solid body construction, wide variety of lenses available to use, excellent 720p HD video and it's a Canon. ;)

You can also look on sites like Craigslist and can find good cameras(Canon t2i/t3i, Nikon D5100/D90) for $500 or less. Just make sure you ask about the condition, how well they took care of it and if you could meet up and try it out before you actually pay for it.

Word of advice, don't fall into the pixel count stupidness. Any camera with 7.1mp or more will produce sharp, clear, good photos for use posting online or making small to medium sized prints. The only reason you will need a high pixel count would be if you plan to do a lot of heavy cropping and editing, or if you plan on making poster sized prints of your photos.
-Daniel-

Posted by DantheMac Word of advice, don't fall into the pixel count stupidness. Any camera with 7.1mp or more will produce sharp, clear, good photos for use posting online or making small to medium sized prints. The only reason you will need a high pixel count would be if you plan to do a lot of heavy cropping and editing, or if you plan on making poster sized prints of your photos.

Although resolution is getting to the point where most will never really take full advantage of it, newer cameras have noticeably better sensors; this equates to better colors, better/cleaner high ISO, better dynamic range (especially with Nikon) and probably a little more.

Posted by Byberrian Fanman Although resolution is getting to the point where most will never really take full advantage of it, newer cameras have noticeably better sensors; this equates to better colors, better/cleaner high ISO, better dynamic range (especially with Nikon) and probably a little more.

Very true. Canon and Nikon are the way to go for DSLR currently. Not saying that Pentax or Sony are not good, as they do make good cameras too.
Main differences between Canon and Nikon:
-Canon has more "pop" and vivid colors, Nikon a better dynamic range.
-Canon has much better video, Nikon has slightly better photos.
-Canon has a faster autofocus(better in low light) system, Nikon has a slightly more advanced/complex autofocus system.
And the biggest difference:
-Canon lenses zoom clockwise to zoom in, Nikons zoom counterclockwise to zoom in. Lol. Which makes absolutely no difference in picture or camera quality. ;)
-Daniel-

ps-this response was more aimed at the general "what camera" question, not the which DSLR under $500 question.

I'm sort of surprised to see people jumping from p and s to slr. I did all of my shooting in my first few years with my Galaxy S3. It actually took some decent shots.

I ended up becoming angered with low light though. On that small of a sensor, any sort of low light went instantly grainy. Hated it.

I have a mortgage, bills, a fiancee, blah blah blah, couldn't afford to shell out on an SLR (or rather was unwilling to.)

I ended up picking up a 2 year old Fujifilm HS10. Only 10 mp, but with a 30 times zoom, and decent manual control. I can do up to 30 second exposures, have manual focus and aperature, manual ISO, and the zoom lens is fantastic. Quality is negligible compared to a new Nikon SLR of course though.

My point is that this is the perfect camera for me. A bridge camera, it doesn't require lenses, the built in lens is of a decent quality, and I got it off Kijiji for 100 bucks. I'm very pleased with the purchase, and I do believe I've taken some decent photos with it. Still learning.

For anyone else using a P and S, consider a bridge camera. There are newer ones from Cannon and Fuji and others that are great stepping stones to the manual world. I'd recommend the idea.

If I ever win the lottery I'm buying a Pentax. I hear nothing but greatness about them.

It's not my budget. I can't afford it so it's a Xmas gift.
Costco has the EOS Rebel T3 for $390:

What’s Included: Canon EOS Digital Rebel T3 Body Eyecup Ef Camera cover Wide Strap Interface Cable Battery Pack Battery Charger Battery Cover EOS Digital Solution Disk Sling Bag 4GB SD Memory Card Warranty: 1 year Returns accepted within 90 days from date of purchase

Deal or No Deal?

Posted by UrbanXNick Deal or No Deal?

There doesn't appear to be a lens in that set-up, so you'll want to factor that in. I'm sure you could find the kit lens that would usually come with it on Craigslist cheap, other lenses might be more fun.

In fact, if you don't mind lightly used, you could probably find a more complete set-up cheaper on Craigslist. (I found a good deals in my area, anyway.)

If you NEED new, here's another option that gets you everything (including a lens and a larger memory card) for $429: http://www.adorama.com/ICAT3K.html

I don't think the Costco set up is a BAD deal, but it IS incomplete and you CAN absolutely do better.

Sorry I just noticed it wasn't posted, but yes the Costco deal includes a 18-55mm lens.

Specifications:

Effective Pixels: 12.2 MP CMOS Sensor
2.7-in. LCD Monitor
Lens Specification: 18-55IS
EOS HD Movie: 720p
ISO Sensitivity: Auto, ISO 100-6400
DiG!C 4 Image Processor
Continuous shooting 3.0 fps
Autofocus
Dust Deletion Feature
Remote Control
Self Timer
Storage Media: SD / SDHC / SDXC
Battery Pack LP-E6
Dimensions: (W x H x D) 12.99 cm x 9.97 cm x 7.79 cm (5.69 in. x 4.17 in. x 3.09 in.)
Weight: Approx. 495 g (17.4 oz) Body Only

That does make things better.

I would still give Craigslist a try, though. At least to see what you could get at about the same price. You might be surprised.