What does it mean when an SLR camera being sold says "Body Only"?

Question

I am in the market to get a good SLR camera and I was looking around on Amazon and Ebay and noticed some saying "Body Only". First thought was just like the camera housing with no internals or "guts", but the prices did not reflect a plastic outer housing. So I was wondering what exactly that meant. The only other thing I came up with was that it meant no lens and no flash, basically a bare SLR camera. Is that correct? I have never really dealt with these cameras, but now I am afraid to purchase anything because I do not know what the "body only" thing means... Anyways, I put up some links from some online sources that show the camera and that say it's only a body.. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-10-2MP-Digital-Camera-Body/dp/B000HGMX5M
http://cameras.pricegrabber.com/digital/Nikon-D3-Digital-SLR-Body-Only/m47716168.html#
http://digitalcameras.bizrate.com/nikon-d90-digital-slr-camera-body--pid879273515/compareprices.html

Answer 1

You guessed right it means you would have to buy a lens and flash for it. As long as they fit you could buy several different ones for different shots.

Answer 2

SLRs and Digital-SLRs are just part of a camera system that includes a body and interchangeable lenses. The ability to use the best lens for the shot is really the whole point of SLRs and DSLRs. If you need a really wide angle lens to get really close to a subject while still getting the background, you can't do that with a 200mm lens. Likewise, you can't shoot a football game from the sidelines with a 14mm lens.



So to answer your question; it simply means a lens is not included. Many SLRs, especially pro-level SLRs, are sold without a lens or "body only" because pros and people who have been shooting for a while often have an existing collection of lenses and have no need or desire to own the "kit" lens that might otherwise be offered with the camera. When it's time for me to upgrade from my current Canon 40D, I will more than likely buy the next camera, body only because I currently own all the lenses I need and don't need to spend the extra couple hundred dollars it might cost to get a "kit" lens with my next camera.

Answer 3

it means that the SLR wont come with a kit lense so you should be the one to buy a LENSE FOR IT. youre right.