Any photogrophers here?

[Tim Abbott]

I'm looking for a DSLR preferably of the Nikon flavor, my dad and uncle both use the D40x and they have lots of lenses and such that I can borrow.

I like the D5000, and D60, budget is about $550 +/-

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Tim

 

[wbarnhill]

I'm looking for a DSLR preferably of the Nikon flavor, my dad and uncle both use the D40x and they have lots of lenses and such that I can borrow.

I like the D5000, and D60, budget is about $550 +/-

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Tim

I'm pretty amateur and use Pentax, but Ken Rockwell does some pretty good reviews on Nikon equipment.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d5000.htm

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d60.htm

As you can tell, he prefers the D40 to the D60 and the D90 to the D5000. The D40 is discontinued, and the D90 is above the price range you're looking for. I completely understand looking at costs though, and so I'll also bring this to your attention:

http://www.keh.com

I've bought cameras and lenses from them before and would again in a heartbeat. If you don't mind used equipment (their rating system is on the money), you can get a great deal.

Good luck!

 

[Tim Abbott]

Maybe the D40 is the way to go. I found a few with lens' for about $350. That's funny, someone else recommended KEH to me as well just yesterday.

Thanks for the info!

Tim

 

[rpadula]

A pro photographer on a Mac forum I frequent often extols the virtues of refurbished cameras and lenses at Adorama.

They have a refurb D5000 currently at $499. A D60 for $349.

 

[Lawreston]

I'll profess another Plus for KEH. I've even traded with them equipment which I took in as trades and KEH is an honorable organization, unlike many of the Internet camera and electronic dealers.

Don't rush into a purchase right now. After the big Photo Marketing Association show(either recently or about to occur) there'll be a lot of new cameras. The new cameras can result in a lot of fairly recent cameras to become trade-ins by those who have to have the latest goodies. (I was a member of PMA for over 25 years.) Though not "practicing" retail since 2004, the backside of my experience can be seen at the backside - and side - of my hangar. You won't go wrong with Nikon, given what you stated for availables.

HR

 

[wbarnhill]

I'll profess another Plus for KEH. I've even traded with them equipment which I took in as trades and KEH is an honorable organization, unlike many of the Internet camera and electronic dealers.

Don't rush into a purchase right now. After the big Photo Marketing Association show(either recently or about to occur) there'll be a lot of new cameras. The new cameras can result in a lot of fairly recent cameras to become trade-ins by those who have to have the latest goodies. (I was a member of PMA for over 25 years.) Though not "practicing" retail since 2004, the backside of my experience can be seen at the backside - and side - of my hangar. You won't go wrong with Nikon, given what you stated for availables.

HR

Speaking of 'reputable electronic dealers', definitely be careful with deals too good to be true if you start looking at retail online. Adorama and B&H Photo generally have the lowest legit prices. The ones selling lower are either selling used or grey market (i.e. not US spec or US warrantied) equipment, or are planning to upsell the crap out of you on the phone (and if you refuse the upsell, whoops, the order got cancelled). So be careful there, if you were possibly thinking of that!

 

[Lawreston]

Speaking of 'reputable electronic dealers', definitely be careful with deals too good to be true if you start looking at retail online. Adorama and B&H Photo generally have the lowest legit prices. The ones selling lower are either selling used or grey market (i.e. not US spec or US warrantied) equipment, or are planning to upsell the crap out of you on the phone (and if you refuse the upsell, whoops, the order got cancelled). So be careful there, if you were possibly thinking of that!

In keeping with the above advisory some of the best "appearing" deals may be seen at a "Something" of Maine Website. Stay away!!! It's not from Maine, though used to be a fixture in a well-known tourist haven. Bait & Switch operators, got driven out of state by state legal authorities, though "Something" professed that its "other" Long Island(NY) community was more in keeping with the religious culture of its children. Bee Ess! One trick was to take a telephone order, accept the credit card. After a few weeks during which the customer didn't receive the merchandise the customer would complain. "Oh, the selection is on back-order for several more weeks. I'll issue a refund on your card." The customer would be sent a refund slip but the refund information never got turned in to the card's issuing bank; so "Something" had the use of the money for, often, many weeks. Part of the "deal" with the state -- before relocating for the sake of the children - was that "Something" had to post just short of $100,000 in an escrow account to cover pending claims by other ripped-off telephone customers. (Does that have a Barron Thomas ring to it?)

HR

 

[wbarnhill]

In keeping with the above advisory some of the best "appearing" deals may be seen at a "Something" of Maine Website. Stay away!!! It's not from Maine, though used to be a fixture in a well-known tourist haven. Bait & Switch operators, got driven out of state by state legal authorities, though "Something" professed that its "other" Long Island(NY) community was more in keeping with the religious culture of its children. Bee Ess! One trick was to take a telephone order, accept the credit card. After a few weeks during which the customer didn't receive the merchandise the customer would complain. "Oh, the selection is on back-order for several more weeks. I'll issue a refund on your card." The customer would be sent a refund slip but the refund information never got turned in to the card's issuing bank; so "Something" had the use of the money for, often, many weeks. Part of the "deal" with the state -- before relocating for the sake of the children - was that "Something" had to post just short of $100,000 in an escrow account to cover pending claims by other ripped-off telephone customers. (Does that have a Barron Thomas ring to it?)

HR

Yeah, they were offering an amazing deal for a camera I was looking for. Lucky for me I looked up the address in Google street view. Became amazingly obvious that it's a ripoff. You'd think they could afford better digs.

 

[Trapper John]

Yeah, they were offering an amazing deal for a camera I was looking for. Lucky for me I looked up the address in Google street view. Became amazingly obvious that it's a ripoff. You'd think they could afford better digs.

Not all Abe's are honest, apparently...


Trapper John

 

[Tim Abbott]

I got a good line on a used D40 w/ lens, charger, etc. being sold locally.

I'll keep a lookout for the too good to be true deals, thankfully, I've been suspicious of such operations

Tim

 

[wbarnhill]

I got a good line on a used D40 w/ lens, charger, etc. being sold locally.

I'll keep a lookout for the too good to be true deals, thankfully, I've been suspicious of such operations

Tim

Excellent! Now in exchange for our advice, you must post photos.

 

[Ghery]

Not just * of Maine. I had a dealing with another one of those slick operators last year. I refused delivery and it took them a while to credit my card. Never again. My local Kits Camera might not be the cheapest, but the customer service they've provided is work any extra cost. And they aren't bad on price to begin with.

 

[Lawreston]

The "tourist haven" I referenced used to be the scene of many camera and electronics shops during the summer seasons. Almost all of the shops were owned by members of the same family -- brothers, uncles, sons, nephews, etc. Big Bait & Switch operators.
Someone(I wouldn't know who) wrote a letter on behalf of other independent camera stores' owners, to the then incoming Attorney-general who, as a lawyer -- and can now be seen on Court TV -- had been a long-time customer of a camera store(I wouldn't know whose) about the tactics of the shops referenced at the top of this post.

During several months the letter writer was multiply visited by members of the Consumer Fraud Division - Attorney-general office. Consultations resulted in shopping expeditions by those "dumb farmer-looking" individuals from Consumer Fraud Division, not to mention the Consumer Affairs Dept. of several TV stations doing an ongoing expose during their prime time news programs. Eventually, said tourist haven was nearly vacant of said shops. Those dumb farmer-looking individuals, when they were in the letter writer's place of business? The only parts that didn't "fit" were the fine leather attache cases which, during the first visit, had been left in the automobile.

HR

 

[Lawreston]

My local Kits Camera might not be the cheapest, but the customer service they've provided is work any extra cost. And they aren't bad on price to begin with.

Precisely! Buy local when possible. I sold my store in 2004. In 2008 I went to see Les Miserables at Maine State Music Theater. A long time native acquaintance was playing Jean Val Jean, the lead. After the show I went to the make-up room to see Dennis(St. Pierre). It was a bit noisy, so we meandered outside and talked. In the darkened area I saw a familiar face passing a dozen feet away. He suddenly changed direction and came to us with his hand to me, "I've missed you!"
"John-Charles Kelly! I sold the store"(four years before).

"I know; and those women don't know anything," he responded.
John-Charles had been at the summer theater for over 30 years and my customer for at least most of those. It's nice to be remembered for something other than price factors.

http://dennisstpierre.com/

http://www.broadwayworld.com/people/gallery-person/John-Charles_Kelly/

HR

 

[Tim Abbott]

Pics you shall receive. The top of the garage at Logan is a good plane spotting place, plus I plan on many pics of local airports.

Not to mention my border collies, which I am obsessed with

Tim

 

[Henning]

I'm looking for a DSLR preferably of the Nikon flavor, my dad and uncle both use the D40x and they have lots of lenses and such that I can borrow.

I like the D5000, and D60, budget is about $550 +/-

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Tim

Both the Kodak and Fuji professional models use the Nikon F mount as well. I have an old Fuji S2 Pro that's a pretyy decent old work horse, but I'm probably going to replace it soon with whatever the latest pro level Kodak body is when I go shopping.

 

[AcroBoy]

I have tons of camera gear and have always been a Nikon and Leica fan. Ken Rockwell is OK, but DP review will give more objective information. KEH and BHphotovideo are both great outfits. However, for the relatively small price differential, I buy locally. The margins on camera gear are small, and if anything went wrong with the camera, the local shop may have more clout in getting it repaired, and can send it back on their dime.