Re: used digital slr bodies

On Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:23:29 +0100, Wolfgang Weisselberg wrote:

> Steven Green <steven.green30@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> 
>> Any thoughts or experiences purchasing used digital bodies?
> 
> Handle the body first, see if that model fits your hand and eye.
> 
> Remember that just _one_ bad bargain is liable to set you back much more
> than buying everything at a reputable local brick-and-mortar store
> compared to all bargain ...
> 
> -Wolfgang

I just took a field trip to the local "Best" buy today to get a feel for 
the cameras. I will admit, up until holding the Sony, I was leaning 
heavily toward it because I liked the Zeiss lenses I had for my Contax. 
The a700 felt like a cheap plastic toy without a lens mounted on it.

I then held the Canon 5D, the camera I wanted like crazy back a year or 
so ago. It felt a little better but I was hoping for something that felt 
like the Contax, and a little more substantial. Then on the 
recommendation of the sales clerk I held the Nikon D300. That felt the 
best out of the bunch; It felt like a camera to me and it fit my hands 
well.

This doesn't nearly put me in the Nikon camp because my family is largely 
Canon and I hold out hope that we would be able to share lenses. I am 
still planing on waiting til fall to see if there is a 5D II and what the 
FF Sony feels like ... and well if they were to make a mid-level FF Nikon 
that felt like the 300D, lets start a rumor shall we :)

I started this thread thinking maybe I would get a digital sooner than 
this fall and get a nice wide angle lens for landscapes. My sister has a 
Digital Rebel XT that I am borrowing. I don't really care for its feel 
and it doesn't seem to be wearing well. I am inclined to save my pennies 
till later in the year and see what is around then. I am less inclined to 
grab a used Rebel and the 5D has not dropped enough for me to get it yet.

As for "Best" buy ... they still wanted $3200 for the 5D ... um I think I 
saw it for less elsewhere ...

-Steve