Camera Advice!

[LucyRose]

I recently sold my gear (Nikon d40x VR 18-55 and VR 70-300) and other then nikons ive only used a pentax slr and dslr
and I'm looking at upgrading and getting more serious,
just wanted advice on cameras etc. to be looking at.
Preferable that I could get a twin lens kit again and would probably only want to spend 1-1.5 K aus
I have been looking at the Nikon d5000??
But though since ive only ever worked on nikons therefore I guess ive been a bit bias looking around if anyone had experience working with one of these or any other suggestions about what to look at?
anything will help
thanks

 

[JustAnEngineer]

What prompted you to sell what you already had?

In the Canon world, you could start with an inexpensive 3-lens set for well under your budget:
Canon EOS Rebel XSi kit with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS kit lens + EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS + EF 50mm f/1.8. For a bit more, you could substitute the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 Di-II for the 18-55mm kit lens and 50mm prime lens.

In the Nikon world, the D90 is very appealing, but it won't leave you much left over after the Nikon D90 + AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR kit lens.

I haven't looked at Sony or Pentax options recently.

 

[LucyRose]

I sold what I had because I really wanted to upgrade. Id started to sell my photographs over in holland and the netherlands and most people I contacted bought them netherless but also frowned upon the equiptment i used which didnt feel so great. plus who doesnt love the novelty of a new camera anyway

 

[porkphoto]

If you're considering TLR that's MFand MF gear is really affordable right now. The equipment prices are just absolutely dirt cheap. You may want to look at Hassies, Mamiya, Rollei, Pentax, Contax...the list goes on. The move to MF will present you with a whole new set of photographic challenges. You'll be snapping with the pros. You'll love the challenge, good luck.

 

[PatrickHMS]

Lucy Rose,

As a professional, offering photos for sale, people might take you more seriously if you would turn your Avatar rightside up.

You are a cute young lady, wouldn't hurt to use that to your advantage.

Find what brand equipment feels best in your hands, after all, YOU are the one who will be using it, ANY quality camera gear will as high quality shots as the talent and expertise of the person using the equipment.

Canon vs. Nikon
Nikon vs. Canon

BOTH are good in the right photographers hands, even a "lowly D40" can take photographs that are beautiful to look at.

Sometimes this stuff reminds me of "Ford vs. Chevy". Both have engines, transmissions, steering wheels, accelerator and brake pedals.

A DSLR is essentially a computer with a lens, and it will only do what you tell it to do...

Good Luck!

 

[beni_hung]

Lucy Rose,

As a professional, offering photos for sale, people might take you more seriously if you would turn your Avatar rightside up.

You are a cute young lady, wouldn't hurt to use that to your advantage.

Find what brand equipment feels best in your hands, after all, YOU are the one who will be using it, ANY quality camera gear will as high quality shots as the talent and expertise of the person using the equipment.

Canon vs. Nikon
Nikon vs. Canon

BOTH are good in the right photographers hands, even a "lowly D40" can take photographs that are beautiful to look at.

Sometimes this stuff reminds me of "Ford vs. Chevy". Both have engines, transmissions, steering wheels, accelerator and brake pedals.

A DSLR is essentially a computer with a lens, and it will only do what you tell it to do...

Good Luck!

Great advice and very true! Comparing Nikon vs Canon to Ford vs Chevy is an excellent example. It all comes down to preference.

The feel of the camera is what made me stick with Canon over Nikon. I just feel that the shutter button is at a better spot on Canons. To me, it feels like Nikon puts their shutter button too high up (straight up and down) whereas Canon's is on a bit more of an angle. That's just me, though. Go to a camera store and try them all out!

 

[KmH]

I've always thought of the 'camera feel' argument as a canard.

Being human we're supremely adaptable to minor differences in ergonomics.

Consequently, I recommend comparing imge quality and features, before worrying about how a camera feels in your hands.

In the Nikon lineup, I think the minimum camera body someone selling images should own is a D90.

It has the image quality and the minimum feature set needed to begin approaching the professional level.

The D90 has an in-the-body focus motor so it can utilize any Nikon AF lens, has a minimal auto bracketing capability, CLS (Creative Lighting System) and Nikon makes a vertical grip for it, the MB-D80.

Better yet would be the metal bodied, weather sealed, D300/D300s. The AF module/system is far better than the AF module in the D90 and is, in and of itself, worth the extra $$$'s.

Of course, the other major consideration is lens quality. Having a good camera body can be thwarted by mounting mediocre glass on it.

 

[PhotoXopher]

The auto focus in the D300 vs D90 is worth $900 more?

Wow, what am I missing out on!?

People won't take you any more serious with a D5000 than they would a D40.

I've heard the minimum should be a D80/D200 series (no longer offered), todays equal would be the D90/D300 series. They offer more direct access to features you'll need often as well as a battery grip (optional) for portrait work.

 

[LucyRose]

Okay so I've been looking into the D90 and thought I would come back after a bit of a look
I know your going to hear bad about everything you look into (i'm sure some people just have no clue what to do and blame it on the camera etc.) but clarifying would really help, does anyone own one? hows it held up etc?
and if im looking into buying a D90 is it not worth the extra 300+ forking out for a D300?

 

[KmH]

A bunch of people here on the forums own a D90, and often recommend them to others.

I use several D90's in a sideline sports photography business I have. I carry a D90 with me daily. I also have a D300s I use for my other commercial work.

The D90 is an all plastic camera while the D300 has a metal body and weather sealing.

I think the D300/D300s is easily worth the higher cost, over the D90, because of the additional features it has. Others disagree.

 

[Dao]

I sold what I had because I really wanted to upgrade. Id started to sell my photographs over in holland and the netherlands and most people I contacted bought them netherless but also frowned upon the equiptment i used which didnt feel so great. plus who doesnt love the novelty of a new camera anyway

If that is your main reason for upgrade, I suggest starts with a minimum of D90 in Nikon, or 50D/40D in Canon.