Nikon 3500 - buying my first DSLR

[EugenX]

Hello,
I'm willing to buy my first DSLR camera, Nikon 3500. I'm not in a hurry so I would like to buy it at best price possible. I found a deal at $396.95 (bundle) but the Black Friday is coming soon, will the price drop, should I wait for a better price? Thank you.

 

[jaomul]

Is that with a lens included?

 

[EugenX]

Is that with a lens included?

This one:

 

[jaomul]

I think that's a good deal, 2 lenses, bag and memory card, what specific lenses are they?

 

[Designer]

That seems like a good deal, but you only need to wait a little while for the black Friday ads to come out.

 

[EugenX]

I think that's a good deal, 2 lenses, bag and memory card, what specific lenses are they?

AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens and AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED Lens

That seems like a good deal, but you only need to wait a little while for the black Friday ads to come out.

My budget is very limited, I really didn't thought of buying a DSLR camera, $400 is more that I can afford, but I'm willing to "stretch" my budget and own a good DSLR camera for a novice. I don't think I will upgrade it somewhere soon. As the Black Friday is near I think I will wait for a bigger discount I hope it will worth waiting. I'm not from US but I will buy the camera from a US store, where should I be looking for Black Friday discounts for this camera? Thank you.

 

[Designer]

I'm not from US but I will buy the camera from a US store, where should I be looking for Black Friday discounts for this camera? Thank you.

Shipping outside the continental U.S. might be very expensive. I don't know what stores will offer BF deals.

 

[EugenX]

Shipping outside the continental U.S. might be very expensive. I don't know what stores will offer BF deals.

I know, the ordered item will be shipped to US address.

 

[JoeW]

First of all, seems like a very good deal.

Second, you could wait until BF deals come out but they often have a lot of restrictions or limited numbers. And the way to look at it--for this price you'd be talking maybe (maybe) $50 cheaper.

If you do decide to get this kit, look at the Nikon 35mm DX f1.8 lens. Yeah, it's not a zoom. But it's light, small, very tough, and a superb DX lens. Tack sharp, auto focuses quickly. It will probably end up being your landscape, low-light, portrait lens.

 

[Jeff15]

Seems to be a good deal...............

 

[RVT1K]

I had both lenses with my first DSLR.
Both will allow you to explore and learn and potentially grow. That seems like a good price, too.

But since the budget is a concern, consider looking at used. I've had excellent luck buying used from both Ebay and Craigslist.

 

[EugenX]

But since the budget is a concern, consider looking at used. I've had excellent luck buying used from both Ebay and Craigslist.

Since my actual location is outside US, I will not be able to actually look and test a used camera, so that's not an option for me, but thanks for the tip.

 

[dunfly]

The price looks good, but the 70-300 does not have vibration reduction, so you will have problems at the upper end of the zoom range. I don't know why they even make that lens (although it does allow them to sell the kit cheap). At that price, though, you can just throw it away when you can afford a better one with VR.

 

[cgw]

Bundles, lens-wise, tend to include duds. I'd shop for a D5600 or D7200 body+35/1.8 DX AFS. The D7200 will likely be selling at a deep discount following discontinuation. Crap bags and low-end memory cards are a come-on. Think about buying informed by what/how you like to shoot rather than by packages containing stuff you don't need/want picked by a vendor interested only in pushing merch with the thickest profit.

 

[ac12]

The price looks good, but the 70-300 does not have vibration reduction, so you will have problems at the upper end of the zoom range. I don't know why they even make that lens (although it does allow them to sell the kit cheap). At that price, though, you can just throw it away when you can afford a better one with VR.

IMHO, kits like that are made to a price point. Not with the most usable/practical lenses.

Based on my experience, @dunfly is correct. I think you will be disappointed with the 70-300. Hand holding a 300mm lens without VR on a D3500 will be VERY hard. You will have to brace the camera/lens on something, to minimize camera shake. VR would make it so much easier to use. Of the two lenses, the 70-300 needs VR the most.
I have both older non-VR lenses, and current VR lenses. I would not willingly go back to a non-VR lens.
Today I would NOT buy a long lens without VR.