Camera Buying Guide

My advice for buying a camera is the same as most electronics, decide how much money you are willing/able to spend and then try to fit the best possible gear into that price range.

I would recommend buying from either Adorama or B&H, the two biggest retailers in the country. Conveniently they are both located here in New York. I would recommend going to the store to purchase a camera so that you can see and feel the equipment and also ask questions to the salespeople before buying. If you are intimidated by large, crowded spaces, B&H can be a bit crazy and overwhelming--Adorama has just as much stuff but the store itself is less intimidating. But one of the advantages of B&H is that there is more equipment to look at on the floor since their retail space is larger.

Both Adorama and B&H offer their own student discount programs so you might want to check those out/enroll online before going to the store.

A good starter DSLR I often recommend is the Canon Rebel - which has taken many forms over the years, one of the newer versions is the T6 which is selling for $450 at B&H and Adorama. The Adorama version comes with a few more accessories including a camera bag for the same price. If you can afford this price (it may be slightly cheaper with student discount) this is the one I recommend getting.


Canon Rebel T6

Mirrorless Cameras

There are some rather affordable and decent quality mirrorless cameras available today. 

Kodak Pixpro S-1 - $299

This  is actually rather feature-packed for the price. The one downside to this camera is that the lenses for it are still rather big so it's almost as bulky as an SLR camera, but still it gives you plenty of control and options and would be more than adequate for this class. 

Buying Used

Buying used is a great way to save some money, but just like anything else it requires a little more knowledge, time and research. Adorama and B&H both have used departments and they are reputable vendors that test all their equipment. Both have a rating system that you should familiarize yourself with before considering buying a particular piece of equipment. Here's Adorama's and B&H's used equipment rating systems.

The other thing you will run up against when buying a used camera is that you will likely have to buy a camera body and lens separately, unlike the kits that come when buying a new camera.

I think Adorama has a bit more in the way of choices for used equipment and you will likely have an easier shopping experience there. But if you are buying used I would recommend not buying anything below "V" rating for camera bodies and "E-" or better for lenses.

For B&H I would recommend 8+ or higher.

Below I am listing/linking to a few options but these each represent a listing for just one individual piece of equipment, so if they sell it you may have to look for something comparable.


Used Cameras with lenses


Olympus E-420 with lens - $149.95



Nikon D40x - $199.95


As I mentioned, the used options represent just one specific piece of equipment, so if that one becomes unavailable you can also try going into the store and telling the sales person that you want to buy something comparable to a Canon Rebel and tell them your price range and they should be able to help you.

Keep in mind if you are not buying a new camera with a kit that comes bundled with a memory card you will need to buy that separately. Probably you will need an SD card (but double check because it varies from camera to camera). I would recommend at least 32GB, any brand is fine.

If you have further questions or would like me to look at a specific camera before you buy please email me.