First time DSLR shopping

kdt7943

I'm looking to buy my first DSLR camera. There seem to be a lot of black friday sales so I thought I'd take advantage and buy a camera this weekend. My budget is $600 or less and I want to stick with Canon or Nikon. I enjoy shooting landscape mostly with sunrise/sunset and beach scenes as well as some of friends and family. I would like something that is decent in low light because I'm interested in learning to photograph the moon and stars.

I've found the following that fit my price range:

1. Canon EOS Rebel T3i with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS and EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Lenses ($500 Best Buy)

2. Canon EOS Rebel T5 with 18-55mm Lens, Extra 75-300mm Lens ($450 Best Buy)

3. Canon EOS T5i refurbished with 18-55mm IS STM Lens Kit ($510)

4. Nikon D3300 with 18-55mm Lens ($500 Target)

5. Nikon D3200 with 18-55mm and 55-200mm Lenses ($500 Best Buy)

6. Nikon D5200 refurbished with 18-55mm VR Kit Lens ($500)

7. Pentax K-50 18-55mm

Any suggestions would be appreciated! Also, what are your thoughts on mirror-less cameras?

PBked

Hi,
Buying a camera is a minefield today. The technology is just getting better all the time. Buying decisions are generally subjective. As a Canon user, I would advocate the T3i from your list. The T5i is a better camera but you say it is refurbished - you can be extremely lucky buying refurbs or you can come in for a great deal of grief.
Nikon users will no doubt point you in the direction of the D5200.
To help you decide it is best to visit a store and try out the different DSLRs. How do they feel in your hand? Can you operate the various buttons and wheels easily with your thumb and index finger? Is the viewfinder bright enough for you? Don't be shy of looking at other manufacturers either. Sony, for example, is a strong contender these days as are mirrorless.
Remember that once you decide upon a manufacturer you are buying into a system (ie. camera, lenses, flash guns etc.). Make sure that your lenses can be used in the next incarnation of the model or across the range. Many 3rd party manufacturers cater for the big boys like Canon and Nikon, so this might be a consideration.
Hope this hasn't served to confuse you and happy buying.
Regards,
PBked

ohyeahar

I’ll preface this by saying I’m a Nikon shooter and am more familiar with the Nikon lineup.

Right off the bat, I’d say get the D5200 but only if you’re ok with it being a refurb. Note the store's return policy. Make sure it’s under warranty. I definitely wouldn’t get it if it was more expensive than the D3200 or D3300.

Between the D3200 and D3300, it’s a toss-up. I’d lean towards giving up the tele lens to go for the D3300. It depends on how much you want that tele lens. I’m indifferent to the 55-200mm because I shoot a lot indoors where its limitations are very apparent. In daylight it’s a good lens.

kdt7943

Thanks, I appreciate it. I have narrowed down my search to 3! I plan on going to a store today to get a feel for each.

Canon EOS Rebel T3i with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS and EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Lenses ($500 Best Buy)

Nikon D3300 with 18-55mm Lens ($500 Target)

Nikon D5200 refurbished with 18-55mm VR Kit Lens ($500)

kdt7943

I went to Best Buy and played around with the cameras to get a feel for each. I liked the D3300 but I found that my favorite to handle is the Sony A6000 mirrorless for its small size. Do you have experience with or advice on cameras similar to this?

ohyeahar

I personally really like the a5100 a bit more. Its spec'ed very similarly to the a6000 but smaller and cheaper. Anyway, one thing I'm wary of when it comes to mirrorless in general is that once you want to use fast glass, the price and size advantage compared to crop DSLR quickly evaporates.
If you think you're going to stick to the kit zoom or use prime lenses, then mirrorless is a good option.