Digital SLR Offer

[Rob]

Hi Guys,

Got the chance of a D30 SLR body but the AF is not working... is this going to be a problem for astro work?.. I would of thought all focus would be by the scopes focuser?.

Please let me know if I'm walking into trouble here!!

Cheers

Rob

[astroimpulse]

Yeh, you focus using the scope. DSLRs use the lens to focus anyway and they'll be removed when imaging via your scope (as you know).

Why is it not working though? Has he removed inner filters?

[Rob]

It has this info

A USED CANON EOS DIGITAL SLR BODY ONLY

IN EXCELLENT COSMETIC CONDITION

POP-UP FLASH DOES NOT SYNC

AF DOES NOT WORK

WORKS PERFECTLY USING MANUAL FOCUS AND AN EXTERNAL FLASH

COMES WITH:

BP511 BATTERY

CF CARD

NO CHARGER

[Photosbykev]

You wouldn't use AF for focusing but imo I think that camera should be buried in a box rather than used

[Rob]

Its a photography shop.. not an individual here also (so you know)

[Rob]

Ok.. maybe I should continue the hunt for a cheap 300d...

[jgs001]

I reckon so, you have to wonder what else might be wrong with it Rob...

What sort of money is that, as you can get a new body only 1000d for under £300...

[JonH]

I'd be careful Rob and would want to know why isn't the flash or AF working. Maybe it's been dropped or gotten wet at some time. Being a dealer they should offer you a warranty and you could get the camera checked out by a reputable repairer, but then you're throwing more money at it.

It's a tricky one, especially if the price is good, but like Kev, I'd be inclined to look else where.

[Rob]

Thanks guys... its such a bargin @ £70 I looked twice I have to say, mind you the 300D's on ebay are going for £130 tops at the moment for a fully working with lens.. maybe I'll stick with that.

Cheers

Rob

[astroimpulse]

Yeh, if the errors aren't deliberate (ie. via mods) then it's a stay clear kind of thing.

It's worth crawling eBay and being patient as gems do come up quite often.

[russ]

I would stick with finding a 300D (or possibly a 350D). I paid £70 delivered for my 300D body from Ebay and that was boxed as new with all original disks and paperwork. And 8,035 shutter activations.

Picked up a canon 18-55 zoom kit lens for £25 Buy it now with free delivery. And was the MkII model.

The Canon D30 btw has a 3mp (300D is 6.3mp) sensor and noise control, even by 300D standards, was terrible.

[Rob]

Shutter activations...humm not thought about that

[milkyjoe]

If you're going to get a relatively cheap SLR, get the 350d if budget is going to be a problem. The 350d was the benchmark camera a few years ago. It has an 8.2mp cmos sensor, but the only downside is that is doesn't have Live View; it's not essential for astrophotography, but it can be useful for focusing. If you can save up, get the 1000d. It is highly recommended, and I have recently purchased one. :-)

[Rob]

The 1000D is very tempting I have to say

[milkyjoe]

You won't disappointed; it has Live View and takes normal SD cards (limited to CF with the 300d/350d), and has a 10.1mp (i think) sensor. I bought a brand new 1000d body only from fleabay for £236 just before xmas and bought a kit lens separately from an SGL member. I know it may seem a lot of money, but in terms of what you get and what it is capable of, i think it's a real bargain, especially for a dSLR!