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Help with buying first DSLR

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cultrara
Posts: 5147 - Karma: 46,850
I currently own a Cannon AE-1 with 3 different lenses and my grandfather has a film Nikon (not sure which model) with at least 2 lenses. I enjoy shooting video but have only done so on a small HD water/bomb proof Kodak Playsport. My budget is under $1000

Any suggestions and things to look out for would be really helpful
May 24 2012 9:06PM
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POW-WOW
Posts: 1464 - Karma: 46
If you want to stick to Canon because you already have three lenses you probably want a t2i or a t3i. You probably don't want the kit lens but here is a good package for $640


http://www.electricsam.com/product.asp?id=25711

http://www.electricsam.com/product.asp?id=25711
May 24 2012 9:29PM
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Mkvackay
Posts: 1903 - Karma: 5,465
your AE-1 lenses are FD mount, so they won't fit on a newer dslr camera without an adapter, and an FD to EF adaptors are not great

just an fyi
May 24 2012 9:35PM
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penguiin
Posts: 1444 - Karma: 561
I just bought a canon t2i refurbished for $500 and then a tamron 17-50 lens for a little under $500 (new). I know a lot of guys on here are running this setup and told me to go this way.
May 24 2012 9:39PM
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plorr
Posts: 3131 - Karma: 528
If you go with a Micro 4/3 camera instead of an actual DSLR, you could adapt all of those old lenses to it easily. I use a Panasonic GH2. It is great for video, definitely the best you can do for under $1000. For photos is isn't as good as an actual DSLR, but if your main focus is video, you can still take some nice stills with it.
May 24 2012 10:15PM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
For photography a 5dC, 1d2n or 30-50D are the best by far. As soon as you add video you scarifies a ton of photographic capabilities. Just saying. What FD lenses do you have?
May 24 2012 10:33PM
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cultrara
Posts: 5147 - Karma: 46,850
I have a standard lens, a wide angle, and a teliscopic lens
May 24 2012 11:13PM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
Fail.jpg
May 24 2012 11:58PM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
I mean what exact models do you have, it should say on the front of the lens.
May 24 2012 11:59PM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
Triple post but what percent are you going to be doing photo vs video?
May 25 2012 12:00AM
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123+ski
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
and on the flip side, good luck trying to make an edit with an older serious still camera. some of the canons and nikons give a decent balance, but you are definitely right that you can't have it all. Also, the gh2 isn't quite as good at stills (poor C-AF, smaller sensor), but it is more than usable, and how much the gh2 is better at video than a t2i is much more than how much better a t2i is than a gh2 is at video (hope that makes sense, couldn't find a great way to word it). Also the nikon lenses will work on almost anything (if he lets you use them).
May 25 2012 1:11AM
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,295
Good advice.
May 25 2012 5:52AM
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cultrara
Posts: 5147 - Karma: 46,850
My grandfather offered me his Nikon equipment because he no longer uses it. 

All my lenses for the AE-1 are made by Canon, I didn't see any model specifications besides what size they were.
May 25 2012 7:18AM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
facepalm.gif x1000

Then tell me the focal length! I'm asking you what lenses you have so I can tell you if they are good or not, I know a lot about FD's because I shoot film with an old Canon and have a bunch of lenses. There are lots of great FD lenses but there are also lots of bad ones. They all say the focal length and aperture on the front of the lens. Post exactly what I'm about to for all the lenses you have.

EG: Canon Lens FD 50mm 1 : 1.4 S.S.C.




And again, how much do you shoot photos VS video?
May 25 2012 9:51AM
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123+ski
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
to help you out, just tell us everything it says on the front ring of the lens, as it appears. Also, any thoughts on how much photo vs how much video?
May 25 2012 11:04AM
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eheath
Posts: 61601 - Karma: 123,020
Yeah, people seem push aside the gh2 when it's by far the best video DSLR on the market. Everyone bitches and moans about the 2x crop sensor. Even a 11-16 is VERY WIDE on a 2x crop sensor. Crop factor gets interesting around 10-15mm. 11 on a 7d = 17.6mm on a FF camera while an 11 on a 2x crop is 22mm. 17.6 to 22 isn't that big of a difference when it comes to "wide" lenses. Then, with a 2x crop, its exponential. a 200mm on a 7d = 320mm on a FF while on a 2x crop its 400mm! id say thats pretty useful and worth sacrificing the SUPER DUPER WIDE @ 11 on a 7d. 11 on my fs100 (1.5 crop) is too wide sometime. When i follow cam big jumps, im at 16 usually. 11 is nice for rails but shit if you KNOW your lens isn't as wide, back up 1ft and you're good.
May 25 2012 1:08PM
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plorr
Posts: 3131 - Karma: 528
even if you do need the extra width the panny 7-14 is an excelent lens.
May 25 2012 3:56PM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
Yeah, for video I'd go with a gh2 over a t2i, and you can use Leica M glass! /end drool fest
May 25 2012 4:12PM
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cultrara
Posts: 5147 - Karma: 46,850
thanks for the help guys. Right now im looking at either the T3i or D5100.
Jun 9 2012 2:46PM
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Panchuk
Posts: 1610 - Karma: 355
I think you just completely disregarded what everyone said in this thread.
Jun 9 2012 4:22PM
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cultrara
Posts: 5147 - Karma: 46,850
like what? Some people thought I was taking primarily videos, which is not the case.
Jun 9 2012 6:21PM
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jibcrew1
Posts: 1505 - Karma: 522
Who makes the gh2 sorry I'm new towards dslrs
Jun 9 2012 8:09PM
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123+ski
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
panasonic. I have one, and I try to stay fairly up to date with the hack settings, though the newer ones are a little bit more confusing at first. let me know if you have questions about it
Jun 9 2012 8:11PM
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.qzyxya
Posts: 1479 - Karma: -26
Get the T2i. Its cheaper than a T3i and works just as well. You can get them for under 1000 bucks. Much better than D5100. Get the kit lens with the T2i and then later upgrade. You can easily adapt the FD lenses to the T2i (GH2 would be better and takes just as nice pictures... but you've dismissed it for no reason).

Sep 5 2012 6:04PM
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Belzebub
Posts: 451 - Karma: 812
Are you like an undercover canon representative? Every camera advice you give is: get canon t2i!its better than every other camera! And to op dont let the fact that you have canon fd lenses make you go for canon, coverted to ef mount the quality is pretty mediocre. Im not exactly an expert at nikon, but i think some of their newer cameras can use old nikon lenses even with autofocus. Find out more about your lenses, google them, if they are good and fits to a new camera, my pick would be to go with nikon.
Sep 5 2012 6:18PM
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eheath
Posts: 61601 - Karma: 123,020
Dude, who the fuck are you and why the fuck are you littering the M&A forums? GTFO
Sep 5 2012 10:31PM
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SNP_CREW
Posts: 249 - Karma: 495
hahaha he did this to me too
Sep 5 2012 10:51PM
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Linked
Posts: 325 - Karma: 216
Get the gh2 unless you are 100% only going to take photos but even then it's still a good choice
Sep 6 2012 2:39AM
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CrotchKiller
Posts: 9037 - Karma: 6,943
.
Sep 6 2012 3:11AM
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
All DSLRs pale in comparison to the GH2 for video, and vintage lenses with m4/3 is a magical combination. And for the record, budget-level Nikons have better sensors and metering than Canons.
Sep 6 2012 3:29AM
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.qzyxya
Posts: 1479 - Karma: -26
T2i and 17-50 2.8 /thread
Sep 11 2012 2:32PM
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mlp
Posts: 360 - Karma: 45
no
Sep 11 2012 2:38PM
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michael_bc
Posts: 1386 - Karma: 720
You do realize that the T2i is terribly mediocre for photography, do you? And the Tamron (if that's what you mean) is great if you are on a budget but many lenses out there are far better.
Sep 12 2012 8:44AM
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michael_bc
Posts: 1386 - Karma: 720
this.

OP: Nikon D5100, D90, D7000 are all great options for photography with a little video on the side. I don't know how useful your old lenses are. I'd choose between a D90 and a D7000 depending on your budget (also counting lenses).
Sep 12 2012 8:51AM
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