Nikon SLR Cameras

Rugged Dslr for under $600-700 and $400 for lens/es?

Jera
Jera

I'm looking to buy a dslr (new or used) for about 600-700 or less that can stand up to the outdoors well since i go camping, hiking, fishing and just in general alot of outdoors activities. I'm looking more towards a pro-sumer or a sem-pro dslr if i'm able for my budget. I have been leaning more towards a pentax or a nikon since i always find alot of lenses for them when i go out (i make alot of my money from buying and selling old cameras). I also have another $400 or so to spend on a lens or two, i mostly do macro, still life or portrait photography so if anything i would like a 50mm macro or something close to that for now.

My camera before this was a Canon 30D with the EF-S 60mm 2.8 and a Canon 28mm 2.8. The 30D and the 60mm where unfortunately dropped and sold for parts.
The 28mm was sold to a friend of mine since he was needing one quick.

Pooky
Pooky

The rugged ones cost more than that. However, Popular Photography magazine ( http://www.popphoto.com ) stated that the higher end Pentax is weather-sealed and gave it very good review.

Jeroen Wijnands
Jeroen Wijnands

Tricky. Personally I don't know enough about pentax to say anything. On Nikon. D200 is already quite resistant, a D300 would be a lot better all around. Nikon has a nice 60mm macro. Any brand does a decent 50mm f1.8

A d300 is rugged enough that it survives a torrential downpour. If your main concern is bumps then a D90 with camera armour would also do.

Lens wise… I'd go for a short zoom with a rubber sealing ring on the mount side. My 16-85 has that, the 18-70 also does, not sure about the 18-105.