Help!!!Second hand camera buying guide

[mongmong]

Hi fella senior n experience digital photographers,
Please help,I am a newbie in digital photography and am currently a student so i am on a tight budget (<$500). I would like to get a digital camera that is handy so i can bring it along with me daily so that i can capture shots whenever possible.However,due to my tight budget i am thinking of purchasing a second hand camera and would like to know what are some of the important things that i should look out for. Please help,thanks and deeply appreaciated.
Maybe u all can recommend me some novice camera as well
I am more into putting the photos online and also occasionally make out some 3R,4R print.Thanks

 

[AReality]

Hi!

Welcome to clubsnap!
Consider a 2nd hand Canon A70. ~$400
Then buy extra accessories should cost u $100 or so...

 

[zekai]

www.dpreview.com have a comprehensive review of almost all the decent digital camera.

a 2.1MP to 3.1 MP camera will be sufficient for your 3R and 4R. I ever printed a super 8R with 2.1MP. A lot of people i know buy 5MP camera to shoot at the lowest resolution to save memory.... what an irony.

Do not waste money on those 5 MP camera unless you have a bigger budget. Its a good to have but not essential.

advice is to get a camera with at least 1-2 month of warranty.
you can suss out problem and still get help. service charge w/o warranty is expensive.

no warranty is a big no no. flash break down, shutter freeze not to add on all the other computerizes glitches. Of course buy at your own risk.

dub be tempted to get those 10x or 12x optical zoom unless you want to lug a tripod everywhere you go. A 3x, 35mm equivalent of 120mm should be enough.

as for camera brand, for the cheaper range you are safe with canon, nikon, pentax, olympus. forget the sony... only the high end sony are good.

remember to budget for your flash memory. $150+ will get you around 256MB.
most people forget to add this.

so if you buying a camera for $400. Add $150 for the memory.... so $550++

add your accessories slowy. My order is, extra batteries, tripod, flash...

 

[mongmong]

Thanks so much for help seniors!