$2500 on new camera...

barefoot · Sep 30, 2007

I have plans to buy a camera, my first that isn't a P&S and have approx. $2500 allotted for the purchase. I have been researching and reading reviews and I have a few ideas BUT I am wondering what some of you might choose with the same amount of money, based on your experience and knowledge.

I plan on opening a studio, probably in 2009. I will be doing portraiture, senior pics, maybe a few weddings and a lot of outdoors/nature.

I understand the reasoning for starting out small, but depending, my budget may not allow for more than one camera ATM and I would prefer getting something more professional and learning it as well as I can. I don't see any point in starting small, getting familiar with that body and then moving to something better, more pro, and having to learn it as well.

Thanks in advance.

kundalini · Sep 30, 2007

As a potential business venture, with your $2500, make sure that you figure in those "other" things you will need. Top quality lens(es), external flash(s), tripod, extra memory & batteries (camera and flashes), quality CPL & ND filters (outdoors), insurance, business cards, the list goes on and on. It's not just about the camera body and kit lens for $2500.

TLTownsend · Sep 30, 2007

If your budget is $2500. I wouldn't spend it all on the camera I would be looking for a good camera and great lenses. If your also planning on opening a studio you are going to want to have more than one camera body. As far as what it is the best camera I can't say as I don't do people pics. But in business a backup camera is a must in my opinion.

Sorry not much help I know.

RyanLilly · Sep 30, 2007

So, you have no problem spending all that dough on maybe a body and some good glass right now, then you will allocate funds as needed as the need for more equipment arises?

For that amount of money you can probably get a great body, ($1000-1500), a good(well better than good) standard zoom lens($600-1000) and a flash ($300-400) Depending on your choices probably a light tripod, some ND and CP filters, and a few bits and pieces like camera bag and such.

These prices are very rough, but should be in the ballpark for any brand you choose.

ga_shooter · Sep 30, 2007

I was in this exact position a couple of months ago and found solid advice from this forum, so i will tell you what they told me:

1. get good glass, get good glass, get good glass .... i heard this over and over
2. the body most likely will be a canon or a nikon the entry level pro bodies are a good place to start (get good glass)
3. Don't buy anything till you've held it, if you are ordering from B&H or Cameta then go to a camera store and hold the one you are thinking of before you order online. (get good glass)
4. assuming that you will be in a position to buy incidentals for a business as we approach 2009 and this is a camera budget not a business budget...get good glass.

Hope that helps.
Oh, and if you get a canon, spring for the 50mm 1.4 lens, its CHEAP and a wonderful lens. Worth having.

chris_arnet · Sep 30, 2007

Here is what i would do:

Canon 40D: 1,300 (EXCELLENT Camera)
Buy A 50mm Prime, A Macro, And a Telephoto.

There goes MOST of your buget. With The Remaining: Tripod, Memory Card, Remote Shutter Release, And A filter or two. with a little internet hunting, you should be able to fit all of this in your budget.

Richard · Sep 30, 2007

If I were you this is what I would get, I'm not a Canon person so I'll give you a Nikon version.

1. D80 body only 900.00 NEW
2. Sigma f2.8 70-200 HSM Macro Lens 900.00 NEW
3. Tamron 17-50 f2.8 Lens 500.00 NEW

That brings you to 2300 dollars, so the rest will be on the other things like memory, extra batteries, cheap tripod, etc.

That is what I would get with what I know now. I say skip the D40 if you already are sure this will be more than a small hobby. Those lens aren't Nikon brand but they have got great reviews and they have a 2.8 aperture all through the lens.

Oh and if you get some more cash you might want to get the SB-600 flash, skip the SB-400.

chris_arnet · Sep 30, 2007

Ignore the above post. Did you know all nikon users smoke crack? go with canon and stay out of jail.

jstuedle · Sep 30, 2007

chris_arnet said:
Ignore the above post. Did you know all nikon users smoke crack? go with canon and stay out of jail.

Funny, and I thought it was the canon AKA white lens crowd that had a substance abuse problem. :lol:

If I were to buy a DSLR and had that budget, I would look seriously at the Nikon D300 and start with maybe the nifty-fifty 1.8 or even the f/1.4. Then with a couple of years to get your act together start working on a couple killer lenses, lights and tripod/mono-stand. For portraits I find myself using a 35-70mm f/2.8 more and more. The 24-70 would be a better choice as it is a little wider. The 50mm makes a good and sharp short tele for head and shoulder shots. A good pro or semi-pro body from either Nikon or that other brand will serve you well. Just remember it's the photographer and not the box holding the lens that really makes the shot. Top grade gear just makes it a little easier.

Mike Jordan · Sep 30, 2007

If you are planning on opening a studio a little over a year from now, spending what you have now on what that amount will buy, won't do you a lot of good if you hope that studio will be a money producing one. And if your thoughts are that what you buy now will help you make the money for a studio, then you might want to rethink that. While it's possible and some people have started on a shoestring, the success rate doing it this way is not very high.

Of course you didn't say what you were going to use your camera for and what kind of studio you were planning on opening, so I can only assume what I think you mean. I could be 180 degrees off.

With that kind of budget, you might be better off with a Nikon kit. The Canon is the better choice, but you also pay a bit more for the quality, reliability and expandability of the Canon systems. But keep in mind that after spending $2500 or so on a camera system, that is probably the brand you are going to be stuck with for a very long time. And it will cost a lot more to switch to Canon later than it would to start out that way.

Mike

JIP · Sep 30, 2007

Mike Jordan said:
With that kind of budget, you might be better off with a Nikon kit. The Canon is the better choice, but you also pay a bit more for the quality, reliability and expandability of the Canon systems. But keep in mind that after spending $2500 or so on a camera system, that is probably the brand you are going to be stuck with for a very long time. And it will cost a lot more to switch to Canon later than it would to start out that way.

Mike

I knoow this had to have been said to get soeone riled up because to say this you would have to be dumb or just kidding. I agree with the guy that said the Canon 40D if you want to go the Canon way, if you decide on Nikon I would say a good way to go would be...

Nikon D200 body $1500.00
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/407284-REG/Nikon_25235_D200_Digital_Camera_Camera.html

SB-800 Flash $320.00
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/407284-REG/Nikon_25235_D200_Digital_Camera_Camera.html

35 MM f/2.0 $320.00
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/92011-USA/Nikon_1923_Wide_Angle_AF_Nikkor.html

This is an excellent starter package for anyone wanting to get into portrait photography. it pretty much covers your budget but you migh have a few extra bucks to get into mabye a bag and some memory. When you get the rest of your gear the D200 would make an excellent backup body for whatever you end up with. Personally I think if you don't even have a brand prefrence of cameras you have a lot lot lot to learn and you need to hit the brakes a little. But the best way to make this kind of decision (brand prefrence) is to go to a camera store that handles cameras like theseand handle them and see by feel wich one suits your needs. Wether you go with Nikon or Canonit does not matter either one of these are going togive you a good start in on a professional kit. It looks like you live near Portland so you should have no problem finding a store with a good selection of professional gear.

JIP · Sep 30, 2007

BTW if you plan on shooting professionally I would not start with anything less than a D200.

DSLR noob · Sep 30, 2007

I'd go

-1 Canon 30D
-2 2Gig Sandisk ultra II cards
-1 Canon 17-40 F/4 L lens
-1 Canon 50 1.4 USM lens
-1 Canon 70-200 F/4L lens
-1 Canon EX 480 Flash

But that's me, I'm not saying any other brand is good. I'm a Canon guy and I'll be the first to say I take offense in all this Nikon bashing by my fellow Canon users. no matter what you do: Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Fujifilm, Olympus, Sigma, et.c, You'll love it. just go down to a local DSLR carrier, and hold a few, then come back with a list of what you liked and ask us about the tech stuff on those cameras (i wouldn't trust some of the people at certain stores). Try and hold a few of the popular players:

*Canon 40D
*Canon 30D
*Nikon D200
*Nikon D300
Nikon D80
Sony Aplha 1
Olympus E-510
Sigma S14
Pentax K10D

*consider these the most for professional support

Mike Jordan · Sep 30, 2007

JIP said:
I knoow this had to have been said to get soeone riled up because to say this you would have to be dumb or just kidding. I agree with the guy that said the Canon 40D if you want to go the Canon way, if you decide on Nikon I would say a good way to go would be...

Why do you say I'd have to be dumb, JIP? While I might be making fun at all the people that like to make fun at those that perfer Canon, at least I don't call them dumb because they like their brand. I just happen to think that Canon is the best choice for a lot of reasons, and "cheap" is not one of them. Brand loyalty is well know amoung a lot of things, not just cameras. Do you consider those people dumb also?

Now had you just said I must be kidding and left that I would have to be dumb, it would have been different. And calling people dumb is not going to stop anyone from kidding the other groups about their choice of brand. While it doesn't "rile" me a bit for someone to say that their Nikon is better than my Canon, it does rile me up when I'm called dumb just because someone doesn't like what they here.

And I'll stand by my comment that Canon is the best choice for the long term, based on the information that has been provided.

Mike

JIP · Sep 30, 2007

If you were making that statement slightly tounge-in-cheek that's fine but if you really believe that Canon is that much better than Nikon you have to be dumb. I am a Nikon die-hard but i am not afraid to admit that Canon is every bit as good as Nikon. This statemoent "quality, reliability and expandability of the Canon systems" is what I was referring to because I would say that in this measure Nikon and Canon are equal.