Does this camera exist yet?

[Papa Deuce]

8 MP.... interchangeble lenses, easy to use, and yet has advanced features... and costs less than $500 without any extra lenses?

I think when my wife gets this camera, it will be the last one she ever asks for.

Does that exist yet?

 

[ukcatfan]

Not yet. The leftover Rebel XTs are going for about that without a lens. You might be able to find an Olympus E-500 for that price, but they are getting very hard to find. The XTs are still in stock, but will not be around much longer. If you are willing to drop to 6MP, then there are a few other options. To be honest, the difference in 6MP vs. 8MP on a DSLR is not really noticable.

Kevin

 

[Papa Deuce]

Not yet. The leftover Rebel XTs are going for about that without a lens. You might be able to find an Olympus E-500 for that price, but they are getting very hard to find. The XTs are still in stock, but will not be around much longer. If you are willing to drop to 6MP, then there are a few other options. To be honest, the difference in 6MP vs. 8MP on a DSLR is not really noticable.

Kevin

Thank you.

 

[boBQuincy]

Nikon's D40 comes close at $550 with lens. Even though it's 6 MP and $50 too high, that should be close enough.

 

[ukcatfan]

I was thinking of the Pentax K110D that is $430 with lens.

Kevin

 

[handicap18]

Yes and no. Pentax and Nikon have a few with just the kit lens for right around that price. However, the biggest issue is getting extra lenses and other accessories. So while that budget will get you started, it is just the start.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Yes and no. Pentax and Nikon have a few with just the kit lens for right around that price. However, the biggest issue is getting extra lenses and other accessories. So while that budget will get you started, it is just the start.

As I expected.... I figured at least double that with an extra lense or 2, right?

 

[handicap18]

As I expected.... I figured at least double that with an extra lense or 2, right?

Depends. I currently have 4 lenses. The most expensive of which was $540. I also have one that cost $110. It really depends on your photography habits. If you really like taking pics and like learning then you can spend even more. If you have kids and want to get into taking pics of their activities that might be another lens. There are many lenses in the $200-600 range and even more in the $600-$4000 range. That doesn't mean that you have to get a lot more lenses. Many people are happy with just 1 or 2. Others get the bug like in any other hobby. Also you can find older used lenses at decent prices. One of my lenses I got used and saved almost $100.

 

[ukcatfan]

As I expected.... I figured at least double that with an extra lense or 2, right?

The Pentax has a special rebate right now that allows you to get the kit 18-55mm and 50-200mm with a $150 rebate. The total from Buydig before rebate would be $659. After rebate, you are only $9 over budget. That would cover most of what a beginner would want. Then you could save for a good prime lens like the 50mm f/1/4 that is great for low light. It runs a little over $200 but also has rebates at times.

Kevin

 

[Papa Deuce]

The Pentax has a special rebate right now that allows you to get the kit 18-55mm and 50-200mm with a $150 rebate. The total from Buydig before rebate would be $659. After rebate, you are only $9 over budget. That would cover most of what a beginner would want. Then you could save for a good prime lens like the 50mm f/1/4 that is great for low light. It runs a little over $200 but also has rebates at times.

Kevin

Well, let me ask you this: I am thinking of this as a Christmas present. Would you wait? ( I actually try to be done shopping by September as I hate crowds and malls. )

But that does seem like SWEET DEAL.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Depends. I currently have 4 lenses. The most expensive of which was $540. I also have one that cost $110. It really depends on your photography habits. If you really like taking pics and like learning then you can spend even more. If you have kids and want to get into taking pics of their activities that might be another lens. There are many lenses in the $200-600 range and even more in the $600-$4000 range. That doesn't mean that you have to get a lot more lenses. Many people are happy with just 1 or 2. Others get the bug like in any other hobby. Also you can find older used lenses at decent prices. One of my lenses I got used and saved almost $100.

My wife has always been a point and shoot type of person. But with our kids, it is starting to look to me like she might apreciate something better. We have had 3 different Coolpix models to date.

 

[ukcatfan]

Well, let me ask you this: I am thinking of this as a Christmas present. Would you wait? ( I actually try to be done shopping by September as I hate crowds and malls. )

But that does seem like SWEET DEAL.

I would wait for one reason alone. If you are giving it at Christmas but buy it now, it is only going to have four months of warranty remaining the first day she uses it. The prices are always dropping and there are sometimes holiday sales, so I personally would also wait for that reason. It is a really good deal right now that might not be around later, but is it worth risking such a short warranty? You could purchase an extended warranty, but that just adds to the cost and it would probably only be for the body and not the lenses.

Kevin

 

[Groucho]

I would definitely not worry about the difference between 6 and 8mp. You will likely not notice the difference unless you are printing very large posters or cropping to 100% levels often.

Pentax, Nikon, and Olympus all have DSLRs that meet your requirements other than the 8mp one. The Pentax K110D and especially K100D offer more than the D40, the D50 is very difficult to find any more, and the Olympus is really an also-ran, with a smaller, oddball sensor and some quirky features. The K100D + kit lens + 50/200mm is definitely the deal of the moment.

For a Christmas present, it's probably OK to wait... Pentax has been running good rebates pretty consistently for almost a year now and I don't see any reason to think that when this one expires, there won't be another coming soon after (hopefully including the K10D too )... the other thing is that replacements for the K100D and K10D will probably be out later this year according to what Pentax reps have said, though we don't have any details on them yet - hopefully they'll have a bigger buffer, and I wouldn't be surprised if the K100D gets the 10mp sensor of the K10D. Those may not have deals on them at the time but you should have some warning before K100Ds go out of production.