Photography equipment

[Nigel]

If you had a budget of £2000 to but all new equipment what would be your choice of full kit be? Include everything from body to filters.

 

[Rasclart]

Is this hypothetical or do you have 2K to spend?

I would go for a D200, 50mm f/1.8 and a Nikon 80-200 AF-S (Second hand )

 

[Nigel]

Somehow I do have the money to spend.

How much would the above come too?

I was thinking of 40d. But could be persuaded by nikon if its better. I've got a list in mind but thought I'd find out others opinions first.

 

[Lagerlout]

40d. Everytime.

Amateur Photographer Enthusiast level SLR of the Year.

 

[Clart]

D300, dumps on the 40d from a great height

 

[Andy.]

It is also more cash though. I was also looking at getting a 40D as the resale prices on the 350D are going to take a hammering after the 450D is out.

Try them all and see which one feels best and you can get on with.

 

[Clart]

unless you are already a very good and experienced photographer, i don't see the point in spending £2k on kit. You could quite easily spend 1/2 that and take equally good photos.

It may be a case of all the gear, no idea?

 

[Nigel]

I've been taking photos with my DSLR for the last 2 years, I have taken some great photos (IMO). I wouldn't say I'm a pro but I'm quite experienced and understand most camera techniques.

This is to replace my existing gear which was taken when my house was broken into so it the money has to be spent replacing my kit.

 

[Clart]

fair enough, in that case, get a 5d lol

 

[jimmy_mac]

It may be a case of all the gear, no idea?

Exactly that!

Most of the pictures I've taken are with the kit lens you get, I didn't rush out and spend £££'s on lenses, I learnt to use the one I had first off. Now I've moved on from that and I'm learning to use another before buying more.

 

[Nigel]

Like I said I'm not a novice and can see what your saying, but this money has to be spent on photography equipment, so if I can get somethhing better than the kit lens I'd like to. I have a list in my mind, but wanted opinions first.

I think the d300 might be slightly out of my bracket. I need quite a short range lense, maybe 50mm and a telephoto lense, maybe ??-300mm. My camera case, bag, tripod, mem cards and flash all need to be included in the budget.

 

[jimmy_mac]

It wasn't aimed at you Nigel. I didn't realise the situtation

Trying to figure out how to spend 2k on a full setup is really hard work! I would leave the lenses and filters till and last. Choose the body first, followed by the cards, tripod, bag, case, flash etc and see what you've got left..

 

[Nigel]

The thing was before I had a good telephoto lens and an average body and got some decent results, so really wasn't sure how to break up my budget, guess thats what I was asking on here for.

Thanks for all the advice, nust admit I'm tempted by the d300 now I'm reading about it though! lol.

 

[Rasclart]

If you want to spend £2K. I would say the D300 or as Cletu said the 5d. Are you Canon or Nikon at the moment? Do you have lenses you want to keep?

The Nikon lens above is one of the sharpest money can buy, just see Ukaesw Motorsport piccys.

Links below to two people on Flickr that use a 5D

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikejonesphoto/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/knottyy/

There stuff is AMAZING. Handle both and see what you think IMO

 

[Rasclart]

http://www.flickr.com/groups/nikon_d300_users/

 

[Lagerlout]

unless you are already a very good and experienced photographer, i don't see the point in spending £2k on kit. You could quite easily spend 1/2 that and take equally good photos.

It may be a case of all the gear, no idea?

Depends if you have 2k to spare. I'm not a good photographer, but I do enjoy taking pictures, and if I had the cash wouldn't hesistate spending 2k on equipment lol

I wouldn't go all out on a body.... I'd like a few more lenses in my collection tbh.

 

[Jungle_Jim]

what about a 30D, you can pick them up relatively cheap these days, leaving you a fair bit left for lens, flashguns, tripods etc

 

[Nigel]

If you want to spend £2K. I would say the D300 or as Cletu said the 5d. Are you Canon or Nikon at the moment? Do you have lenses you want to keep?

The Nikon lens above is one of the sharpest money can buy, just see Ukaesw Motorsport piccys.

Links below to two people on Flickr that use a 5D

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikejonesphoto/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/knottyy/

There stuff is AMAZING. Handle both and see what you think IMO

Great links!!!

I did have canon, I have no lenses left but my Dad does have a 350d with the kit lense so it would be nice to lend him lenses but not essential.

Which nikon lense were you refering too?

 

[Nigel]

what about a 30D, you can pick them up relatively cheap these days, leaving you a fair bit left for lens, flashguns, tripods etc

This was kinda my thoughts except going for the 40d which can be had for less than £800 leaving me a decent budget for lenses, flash, tripod and bag.

 

[Rasclart]

If you want to spend £2K. I would say the D300 or as Cletu said the 5d. Are you Canon or Nikon at the moment? Do you have lenses you want to keep?

The Nikon lens above is one of the sharpest money can buy, just see Ukaesw Motorsport piccys.

Links below to two people on Flickr that use a 5D

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikejonesphoto/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/knottyy/

There stuff is AMAZING. Handle both and see what you think IMO

Great links!!!

I did have canon, I have no lenses left but my Dad does have a 350d with the kit lense so it would be nice to lend him lenses but not essential.

Which nikon lense were you refering too?

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/80200afs.htm

 

[Rasclart]

Another load out.

D80 + 18-70 Kit Lens, 80-200 AF-S f/2.8, 50mm f/1.8, Pair of SB-24 Flashes (£50 a piece on Ebay). Would leave you WELL under your £2K budget

Maybe add a Macro lens or the Sigma 10-20 Ultra wide angle, then a bag, tripod and some memory for your 2K budget

The photos below were taken with my D80, the Kit Lens and a SB-24 Flash on some of them. Also most are cropped and still look damn sharp at size

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2223888828&size=l

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2223944956&size=l

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2223129225&size=l

This one was the Sigma 10-20

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2166784711&size=l

 

[Nigel]

^^some great photos there!

I'm just reading the link about the 18-200 af-s. Sounds like a good lense.

Do you think 200mm would be too short for track work? Would it best to aim for that lense and an extender? My previous lense was 300mm and seemed about right to me.

 

[Clart]

oi rasclart, you ignoring my pm's?

 

[Rasclart]

^^some great photos there!

I'm just reading the link about the 18-200 af-s. Sounds like a good lense.

Do you think 200mm would be too short for track work? Would it best to aim for that lense and an extender? My previous lense was 300mm and seemed about right to me.

I am afriad I cannot comment on that I havent taken any with it yet.

However Ukaesw has taken a SHED loads off here with the 200MM and not had any problems but yeah you could use an extender but obviously quality will marginally decrease.

Ian I sent a reply back

 

[ukaskew]

I've spent £1200 so far, so if I can keep that...

Nikon D50 (£300)
Sigma 10-20 (£300)
Nikon 50mm 1.8 (£100)
Nikon 80-200 2.8 AF-S (£500)

and with my £800 left...

Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8G ED DX (£400)
Nikon TC-20E II Converter (£280)
£120 worth of filters.


I wouldn't change my 80-200 for the world. I would put lens / body priority at about 90% lens, 10% body, all DSLRs are good enough with regards to autofocus, metering etc now, so a good lens is waaaay more important. They also last a lifetime, unlike a body which will struggle past 120k shutter actuations.

 

[Rasclart]

I would like a fish eye lens. But for the the amount of times I would use it. Just isnt worth it

 

[Lagerlout]

I've spent £1200 so far, so if I can keep that...

Nikon D50 (£300)
Sigma 10-20 (£300)
Nikon 50mm 1.8 (£100)
Nikon 80-200 2.8 AF-S (£500)

and with my £800 left...

Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8G ED DX (£400)
Nikon TC-20E II Converter (£280)
£120 worth of filters.


I wouldn't change my 80-200 for the world. I would put lens / body priority at about 90% lens, 10% body, all DSLRs are good enough with regards to autofocus, metering etc now, so a good lens is waaaay more important. They also last a lifetime, unlike a body which will struggle past 120k shutter actuations.

Exactly. I'd take a load of quality glass over an upgrade in body everytime.

 

[Nigel]

I've spent £1200 so far, so if I can keep that...

Nikon D50 (£300)
Sigma 10-20 (£300)
Nikon 50mm 1.8 (£100)
Nikon 80-200 2.8 AF-S (£500)

and with my £800 left...

Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8G ED DX (£400)
Nikon TC-20E II Converter (£280)
£120 worth of filters.


I wouldn't change my 80-200 for the world. I would put lens / body priority at about 90% lens, 10% body, all DSLRs are good enough with regards to autofocus, metering etc now, so a good lens is waaaay more important. They also last a lifetime, unlike a body which will struggle past 120k shutter actuations.

Is this the 18-200 your talking about?

http://www.jessops.com/Store/s32829...kuOfferingPriceASC&IsInStockOnly=False&comp=n

Thats listed as f3.5, this is the 80-200 i'd been thinking about:

http://www.jessops.com/Store/s24123...kuOfferingPriceASC&IsInStockOnly=False&comp=n

 

[Rasclart]

Yep thats the bottom one. Pick one up second hand on Ebay though mate

 

[Jungle_Jim]

dont be affraid of ebay shops too mate, you can have massive savings. i picked up a canon 28-135mm IS lens with warrenty for about £220 including postage, jessops on the other hand have it instore for £550

 

[dick]

if i could afford it, d300, then got about 1k to spend on glass. dont rly know about nikon lenses, sorry. but id do nikon for the weather sealing.

or 40d, (650) 17-55 f2.8 IS (550ish iirc) 10-20 (250ish) 70-200 f2.8. (650)
slightly over.
or wait coz rumour has it a 5d replacement soon... dunno how tru that is. but has been out a while.

 

[MaLicE]

personally a d3fx or a 70-200 f2.8 and some studio flashes...

 

[Rasclart]

Yeah because you can buy a Nikon D3 for 2K

 

[MaLicE]

near enough trade i can get it for 2k... in actual fact i can get it for £3 under 2k... so blow me zulu warrior!

 

[Rasclart]

Yeah but he isnt buying trade is he dumb ass So there is no way he could one under 2K AND buy a lens

Plus for what he would be doing a D3 is MASSIVE overkill

 

[MaLicE]

thats why i said PERSONALLY!!!

god your like my mum... selective hearing/reading lol i dont care what he gets for 2k i was saying what i would get lol...

 

[Nigel]

On my last camera I only had a skylight b and polarizing (sp?) filter on my kit lense. Would you fit them to a telephoto and/or 50mm prime?

 

[Rasclart]

No reason why not a filter is a filter mate

 

[Rasclart]

thats why i said PERSONALLY!!!

god your like my mum... selective hearing/reading lol i dont care what he gets for 2k i was saying what i would get lol...

Chew me corn row.

What do you propose to use as a lense? For 3 pounds you could buy a bog roll tube and use a pringles lid

 

[Nigel]

The main reason I asked is that the polarizing filter for 80-200 is about £60 on it's own. The 3 lenses I've narrowed it down to all have different filter sizes.

Nikon 80-200 f2.8 AFD - 77mm filter
Nikon 50mm f1.8 - 52mm filter
Nikon 18-70 f3.5 - 67mm filter

I think these lenses should cover most bases to begin with.