Which camera to recommend

A friend of mine wants to get into the photography hobby. He is totally entry level. He has ask me to recommend a camera, lens, & other options to get started.

My thoughts are:
Rebel T5i or T6i
17-55 2.8 IS (my thoughts are why start with a crappy lens when this great one is available)
600EX-RT flash
I am also going to recommend Creative Cloud to get him Lightroom & Photoshop.

Now the equipment adds up to around $2100
He has said he could spend around $2500

I know the Lens and Flash are top notch (my opinion). I do not know about the cameras. That is the part I most have questions about.
Is there a better camera than those 2 in his price range? Which one of the 2 is best since the 5 is cheaper than the 6? Is it worth going with the 6? I have been away from Rebels for many years and the last one I owned was an XTi. So I am not familiar with those cameras.

Any help or suggestions would be great. Thank you.

If he is going the rebel route the T6s is what I would pick. Its an interesting camera.

Frodge, "Interesting"?
Would you care to elaborate?

Here's what I'd recommend:

Nikon D7200
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR Lens (excellent lens for the $)
Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon
Nikon SB-700 AF Speedlight

Just under $2500 US for the above.

guntoter wrote in post #17676992
A friend of mine wants to get into the photography hobby. He is totally entry level. He has ask me to recommend a camera, lens, & other options to get started.

My thoughts are:
Rebel T5i or T6i
17-55 2.8 IS (my thoughts are why start with a crappy lens when this great one is available)
600EX-RT flash
I am also going to recommend Creative Cloud to get him Lightroom & Photoshop.

Now the equipment adds up to around $2100
He has said he could spend around $2500

I know the Lens and Flash are top notch (my opinion). I do not know about the cameras. That is the part I most have questions about.
Is there a better camera than those 2 in his price range? Which one of the 2 is best since the 5 is cheaper than the 6? Is it worth going with the 6? I have been away from Rebels for many years and the last one I owned was an XTi. So I am not familiar with those cameras.

Any help or suggestions would be great. Thank you.

What does your friend want to shoot?

At entry level, knowing nothing, with a $2500 budget, it's very easy to walk away with a setup that is a brick that doesn't do what he wants/needs. Too easy to spend $2500 and end up with just a camera and a lens or two that result in someone just using their iphone.

What is he into? General is too broad. What drew him/her into photography as a hobby enough to start this game with a $2500 "entry" budget?

Knowing nothing, I'd put him on a $400 or less setup real fast. Learn from it. Then drop the $2k on the "real" setup after some knowledge/skill is built up and he/she knows what they really actually want.

Examples (used/refurb):

Just get something and go and learn:

40D + 18-55 STM, $250.

I wanna do wildlife on a budget, like birding and all that fun stuff:

7D + 400 F5.6L, $1.2k (half the budget!)

Digs macro:

40D + 100 F2.8 macro, $500.

Wants to do portrait:

5Dc + 85 F1.8, $700.

Could go on and on. But none of it is helpful or useful unless we know what your friend is actually drawn to.

I wouldn't spend $2500 on a "general" setup not even knowing the concept of what they even want to shoot. But I'm probably conservative with that kind of thing.

Very best,

I just got a newbie started with a refurbished T3i/18-55 II/55-250 II. Her total outlay was under $500. She has honed her talents nicely in a year.

Thanks for the answers guys.
I do need to see what kind of photography he wants to do, but what got him interested is seeing my pictures, and I photograph everything. Events, landscapes, birds, sports........and more.

I will talk to him about it.

Since he is "totally entry level" I would suggest that before he spends any big money he should:

1. Get a G16 or G16 (which have the ability to take fine photos in M mode as well as Auto)
2. Buy "Understanding Exposure", and maybe take a photo course if one is available to him
3. Take LOTS of photos of all sorts of subjects, and learn how to process them
4. THEN decide what he needs to buy that his G-series isn't providing.

MalVeauX wrote in post #17677154
At entry level, knowing nothing, with a $2500 budget, it's very easy to walk away with a setup that is a brick that doesn't do what he wants/needs. Too easy to spend $2500 and end up with just a camera and a lens or two that result in someone just using their iphone.

What is he into? General is too broad. What drew him/her into photography as a hobby enough to start this game with a $2500 "entry" budget?

Knowing nothing, I'd put him on a $400 or less setup real fast. Learn from it. Then drop the $2k on the "real" setup after some knowledge/skill is built up and he/she knows what they really actually want.

Examples (used/refurb):

Just get something and go and learn:

40D + 18-55 STM, $250.

I wanna do wildlife on a budget, like birding and all that fun stuff:

7D + 400 F5.6L, $1.2k (half the budget!)

Digs macro:

40D + 100 F2.8 macro, $500.

Wants to do portrait:

5Dc + 85 F1.8, $700.

Could go on and on. But none of it is helpful or useful unless we know what your friend is actually drawn to.

I wouldn't spend $2500 on a "general" setup not even knowing the concept of what they even want to shoot. But I'm probably conservative with that kind of thing.

Very best,

GeoKras1989 wrote in post #17677172
I just got a newbie started with a refurbished T3i/18-55 II/55-250 II. Her total outlay was under $500. She has honed her talents nicely in a year.

These are great answers. It's too bad they probably won't be heeded by the prospective shooter. To advise him to go out and buy the 17-55 2.8 and a 600RT flash is ludicrous. First off, being this new to the hobby he doesn't even need a flash yet, let alone a 600EX. For someone just starting out I think the suggestions from Mal and Geo are excellent. If this guy wants to buy new, then I would advise him to go with the T5i/ 18-55 kit. Save some of his money, get his feet wet and work from there.

Heck, he could follow the original suggestion, spend all of his cash on equipment and have the learning curve make him end up with all of this stuff in the closet gathering dust. Because you can afford to spend X amount on beginning hardware doesn't mean you have to.

Thanks again guys for your input. I guess I was thinking of what "I" would want and not what someone who is truely entry level "should have". I do like the T5i & kit lens suggestion. For a rebel, it is a nice camera from what I have been able to find out in the last day or so.

You guys are very kind to offer your ideas. Thank you.

I also wonder why the suggestion for the 600EX RT (or 580EX)? IMO, flash should be considered later on : once basic exposure is learned.

GeoKras1989 wrote in post #17677172
I just got a newbie started with a refurbished T3i/18-55 II/55-250 II. Her total outlay was under $500. She has honed her talents nicely in a year.

^^^ Bingo.

Until your friend finds what it is they really enjoy shooting, don't spend a boatload of cash. Once they narrow down their interests, then we can start making some specific suggestions on where to spend money.

Do the 70D bundle currently out right now.
$1099 after mail in rebate...
http://www.adorama.com …liate.62259.bun​d-36180098
He just missed a sweet bundle of this with printer for way under $1k.

There is also a 6D + 24-105 right now that is a great deal.

For the flash get the new 430EX III-RT. $299

Check CanonPriceWatch.com

And if he is willing to wait until Black Friday the killer deals will show up.

guntoter wrote in post #17677965
Thanks again guys for your input. I guess I was thinking of what "I" would want and not what someone who is truely entry level "should have". I do like the T5i & kit lens suggestion. For a rebel, it is a nice camera from what I have been able to find out in the last day or so.

You guys are very kind to offer your ideas. Thank you.

Heya,

Just a thought, if you go the entry route, I'd still suggest getting something like a 40D (used/cheap) and 18-55 STM lens (or 24STM or 50STM). Very inexpensive way to get into the game. And the other reason is, if he/she grows out of the body or lens, they are something that will literally sell the day you post it here. They can just ask you to sell it for just a wee less than it was purchased for, and move on to the next setup after knowing more about photography and having a more refined idea of what they need. It's almost like free-rent for a good year while these are still high demand items that sell fast at decent prices ($150 for 40D will sell fast, 18-55 STM at $75 should sell the day you post it, etc).

I was just trying to not only get them a good usable kit, but also something that can be traded in, if you will.

Software wise, start them on Canon's DPP (free; for RAW manipulation) + Gimp (free) or either Lightroom 4~5 ($60~80 cheap!)

Very best,

guntoter wrote in post #17676992
A friend of mine wants to get into the photography hobby. He is totally entry level. He has ask me to recommend a camera, lens, & other options to get started.

My thoughts are:
Rebel T5i or T6i
17-55 2.8 IS (my thoughts are why start with a crappy lens when this great one is available)
600EX-RT flash
I am also going to recommend Creative Cloud to get him Lightroom & Photoshop.

Now the equipment adds up to around $2100
He has said he could spend around $2500

I know the Lens and Flash are top notch (my opinion). I do not know about the cameras. That is the part I most have questions about.
Is there a better camera than those 2 in his price range? Which one of the 2 is best since the 5 is cheaper than the 6? Is it worth going with the 6? I have been away from Rebels for many years and the last one I owned was an XTi. So I am not familiar with those cameras.

Any help or suggestions would be great. Thank you.

The 17-55mm is way overpriced unless you have a specific need for a fast zoom and know how to use it.

As others have done, I would suggest a Rebel with the kit 18-55mm STM or 18-135mm STM lens. The 18-55mm STM is just as sharp as the 17-55mm and doesn't have the inconsistent AF problem that some report with it. See my review.