I use a Pixel 2 XL and am more than happy with it but im going on a cross country trip to several stops and would like a camera with a zoom and wide angle. I will be buying used, I have my eye on a Canon EOS M50 in a local pawn shop for 379 but I am open to other suggestions. I dont really care about video, mainly just for pics
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Camera recommendations
- Thread starter mclld
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I said I want zoom plus being able to swap lenses
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They wont budge
I'd ask on Canon specific forums, like on DPReview, Reddit, etc. Sounds like a decent deal, but might find better, especially if you need lenses.
How much zoom and how wide? The camera you are looking at has interchangeable lenses, right? Will the kit get you what you need or will you need to buy more lenses? Perhaps an all-in-one or bridge camera might be more your speed? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to help. 
I will be buying something that can use different lenses, probably 200-300 mm in zoom and maybe 10-15mm wideHow much zoom and how wide? The camera you are looking at has interchangeable lenses, right? Will the kit get you what you need or will you need to buy more lenses? Perhaps an all-in-one or bridge camera might be more your speed? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to help.
At $379 is that basic kit lens (assuming not body only) or is it a two lens set? Assuming just the kit lens, what concerns me is the price + pawn shop. You don't even know if it works and no warranty. If you are on a a tight schedule with a cross country trip, you want reliability. Plus, as I checked KEH and B&H for used M50 which have been inspected and condition graded with warranty. Neither KEH nor B&H had one in stock which is not surprising since new camera in 2018. M50 new $649/$879 for one/two lens sets at B&H. Adorama did have a M50 body only (white color) in E+ condition for $504. That new, you are not going to see a major price drop, which only make the pawn shop more suspicious with the lowball price.
Basic lens and the pawn shop has a 30 day warranty. I'm not going on my trip until the end of May
Do you have any idea now how much one or both of those lenses could cost you? Might be much more than you are anticipating! Have you thought about this?
Cell phone photography is fun but it is really very different in many ways from photography with other kinds of cameras and lenses. Are you aware that if you buy, say, a Canon DSLR, that you are also in essence buying into a "system," meaning that you'll need other Canon lenses that will work with the particular "mount" on the camera body you choose, and also that shooting with lenses which come in different range sizes also means that using each requires knowing how to get the best out of each, and also that "speed" matters? (Look it up if you don't know what I mean by this.).
I second the recommendation for a "bridge" camera. Although I have a Nikon DSLR with various lenses and also a Sony mirrorless Nex-7, again with various lenses, this past summer I purchased a "bridge" camera for a specific trip and for specific reasons. I really didn't expect to wind up loving the thing as much as I do and/or using it nearly as much as I have been in the months following.... Surprisingly, I've hardly touched my other cameras and lenses. This "bridge" camera is a real gem and it not only has a very nice range in terms of 35mm equivalency (24-600mm) but it also is quite convenient in terms of NOT having to hastily try and swap out lenses in rapidly-changing situations, awkward situations or in places where weather or local conditions (blowing sand at the beach, for instance) could cause major problems. It still has all of the controls one needs in order to achieve the impact and effect one wants out of an image. The one-inch sensor is larger than that found in cell phone cameras but not as large as found in most M4/3 cameras, much less digital SLRs which are either using APS-C (in Nikon terminology, DX) lenses or are full-frame. I had been concerned about this when I first got the "bridge" camera, thinking that most of my images might not be all that satisfactory, but was really quite pleasantly surprised at the general quality of many of the images I have shot with it so far. That's me, though: YMMV.
If you have no other previous photography experience other than shooting with a cell phone, I strongly recommend that you take a look at "Bridge" cameras and consider purchasing one of them (they all have a fixed lens) rather than trying to get into a DSLR system, multiple interchangeable lenses and all the rest, which is going to involve lots of money and lots to learn, while presumably on a holiday trip you will really want to just enjoy yourself and come home with some pretty nice images..... A Bridge camera is "all-in-one" and they are definitely a step above a "point-and-shoot" camera and offer the opportunity to use many controls in order to achieve the effect and the image you want. Think about all of this....
My particular "Bridge" camera is Sony's RX10 M4 but there are others out there by other camera manufacturers as well. Check things out, go to a retail store (NOT a pawnshop!) and try a current-model camera or two in hand, see what you think, and also really pause for a bit and honestly assess and analyze what your current skill set and photography knowledge is and how much time you want to put into learning new techniques and skills, not only just prior to the trip but also, as may happen, does and can happen, "on the fly" right in the midst of a trip.....
In the end, what are your real goals for this trip? For enhancing your skills in photography? How much money and time can you really afford to put into this? Serious questions and something you need to consider, especially if budgetary considerations are an issue.
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Ditto to everything Clix Pix said.
Another option is to rent some gear from your local camera store. That will give you a chance to get a feel for what might be good for you before making an investment.
Why mirrorless ? For the weight or because you prefer EVF? The Canon 200D is a great APSC camera for which you get the really great 10-18 wide angle zoom lens which is as good as the 11-22 for the M50.
I have had cameras for years so yes I know, one reason I am.leaning to Canon is because of great cheap lenses such as the 55-250mm. I don't have to go mirrorless, I am fine with an older body like a 7d which I can get used all day for 3-400
On getting a camera yes, brand no. I can always use adapters for other mounts. I would consider a camera that doesn't have changeable lenses as well. I think another good option for me would be one of those rugged and waterproof cameras, I kayak a lot and am outdoors all the time
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A GoPro was already suggested to you and you quashed that idea straightaway.
You need to really decide what your end goal is before you start listing eleventy billion options. You’ve had a lot of good suggestions and rejected them all so far.
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I’m actually running a LUMIX FZ1000 now and I can mirror your sentiments. I wanted simpler, but with a larger sensor. Quite impressed with the results and flexibility so far. It’s one reason I recommended it to OP.
I've actually just bought an FZ1000 myself just a few days ago; it seems pretty good so far for a bridge camera.
Only time will tell if it can actually replace a DSLR (probably not), but the robin in my POTD shot today was taken with it.
Cheers
Hugh
Pretty much everything I’ve submitted for the last month or so has been from the FZ1000. I really like it quite a bitI've actually just bought an FZ1000 myself just a few days ago; it seems pretty good so far for a bridge camera.
Only time will tell if it can actually replace a DSLR (probably not), but the robin in my POTD shot today was taken with it.
Cheers
Hugh
Have you looked at the Canon Refurb. site? I got my SL2 from there around 8-9 months back . 479 with kit lens iirc . Was around 100 off B&H .Just about everything photographic Canon sells ends up there if you're patient . Plus it's got a warranty , which you probably won't get from Benny at the pawn shop .
Have you looked on Craigslist? I buy and sell gear on there all the time. So you are normally buying from the direct owner not a middle man (pawn shop) where you can gauge a bit better whether the equipment was treated ok or abused. If sensor size wasn't a concern and you just wanted a great camera for traveling I would look at Sony's RX line. Not going to say one brand is any better than another, but those RX cameras truly are nice and compact while having a good feature list.
If you do buy from the pawn shop I would have my laptop at the shop take the camera outside and photograph a pure blue sky upload the photo to your laptop then look for dust spots - I would do this prior to buying. While dust spots can be cleaned you may see a task larger than what you want to deal with.
If you do buy from the pawn shop I would have my laptop at the shop take the camera outside and photograph a pure blue sky upload the photo to your laptop then look for dust spots - I would do this prior to buying. While dust spots can be cleaned you may see a task larger than what you want to deal with.