Ive been shooting with a Nikon D90 for ages, like literally since it came out, but the shutter finally gave out on me last Tuesday and Im honestly lost. I thought I could just hop online and find a quick replacement bundle with an 18-55mm and maybe a 70-300mm kit lens like people used to do all the time. But man everything is mirrorless now and the prices are absolutely insane for what you actually get. I know the tech has moved on but I just want a solid DSLR for my niece who is starting her first photography class in two weeks and Im on a pretty tight budget of about $550 or $600 max. Best Buy and Amazon are showing these weird third-party bundles that look like total scams with crappy tripods and plastic lenses. Ive checked B&H and Adorama too but theyre mostly pushing the Z series or the Sony mirrorless stuff which is way out of what I want to spend right now. Its so frustrating because it feels like the entry-level DSLR market just evaporated overnight while I wasnt looking. Is there anywhere left that has actual legitimate sales on something like a Canon T7 or a Nikon D3500 bundle that isnt overpriced or refurbished by some random guy in a basement?
Honestly, you are spot on about the entry-level DSLR market. It basically vanished because the big brands want everyone on mirrorless mounts now. In my experience, those massive bundles on Amazon with 20 extra accessories are just ways to offload junk glass. I have tried many different setups over the years, and for a 600 dollar budget, your best bet is actually looking at the manufacturer's own refurbished stores rather than third-party scams. For example, you can often find the Canon EOS Rebel T7 EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Kit directly on the Canon USA website for way under your budget, sometimes as low as 350. That leaves you plenty of room to grab a separate Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens, which is miles better than the old 75-300mm they used to bundle. If you are set on Nikon, the Nikon D3500 AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR is becoming a bit of a unicorn new-in-box, but checking sites like MPB or KEH is the way to go for legitimate, graded gear. Avoid the random third-party sellers on Walmart or Amazon like the plague tho. They usually strip the original warranty and replace it with their own useless one. If she needs it for a class in two weeks, sticking to a reputable kit like the Canon EOS Rebel T8i EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM might be a stretch for the budget, but its a much better long-term investment than the T7 if you can find a sale. Its getting harder to find these things brand new, so sticking with the big photography-specific retailers is the only way to not get scammed.
