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October, 2024

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Photography what to buy!

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Bensun
Posts: 480 - Karma: 1,654
REASONS I WANT TO BUY
I am a graphic designer and I think it would extremely helpful to be able to take my own photos rather than having a shutter stock subscription/etc. Since I am in Europe I am constantly surrounded by amazing sights to photograph (I may never have the finances to come back). I love taking photos but I am aware the industry is extremely saturated with talented photographers so my use would be more for personal pleasure.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
I have used my parents old digital camera but it broke recently so I have been left with my pentax k1000. I have been taking photos it with it for a little more than a year and know how to develop n such. Now I no longer have access to a developing Lab and it has become very expensive to develop my own film. I am not too familiar with digital cameras nor cameras in general. I know the basics about exposure but I would call myself a beginner.

WHAT ARE REPUTABLE SITES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM!

WHAT IT WILL BE USED FOR/ HOW MUCh I AM WILLING TO SPEND
I am interested in camera that is not too cumbersome. I often carry it backpacking and skateboarding. I am willing to pay up to 1200 dollars on a camera. Is buying used risky?

If someone could point me in a direction that would be great! Any input is much appreciated!
also I attached a couple pics i took with the k1000
Sep 29 2015 8:15AM
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ChoomaChad
Posts: 194 - Karma: 669
You can basically just go through the old threads on M&A in regards to the camera question. Everyone will have a different answer, but you can cross-reference with Google (and find reviews for gear).

After that, if you do want to buy used, check out http://keh.com. They have a great way for grading used gear. I've had many people tell me that they are very reliable, but have never bought from them myself. Best of luck!
Sep 29 2015 9:51PM
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123+ski
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
used gear is a great way to save money. KEH ratings a very conservative, everything above BGN is essentially new. BGN is what people on ebay call "like new" (though there can be a lot of variance in this category). Another good place to look for deals (besides here) is fredmiranda. You have to pay for a seller account, but it is much lower than ebay fees, and sellers typically pass these savings along (usually 10% lower than ebay and better condition).
Sep 29 2015 10:33PM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
Fuji X100t
Sep 30 2015 12:34AM
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saskskier
Posts: 4774 - Karma: 10,005
You should be able to find an awesome set up in your budget. I mean I picked up an old Nikon d80 body for like $150 and a couple of lenses for another $200. The d80 is old and there are more capable cameras out there, but it's capabilities are beyond my abilities and still takes awesome shots.

I've had great luck with ebay, but that's not to say it will always be the case. I'm sure I'll pick up dud equipment eventually, but it hasn't happened yet.
Sep 30 2015 1:49PM
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