About to start out, recommend me a pro grade camera, lens, and advice! thanks

[lawlstud]

I am a Pipeliner by trade and during my travels around the US I see many wonderful sights, spectacular views, amazing night skies and so forth and so I want a camera that can capture what I see. see the moon as I see it. Capture the landscape as I see it. I make good money so I don't want some cheap one I cam afford a good one thank you

I'm looking to spend $ 600-1200 total for camera and lens

 

[cgipson1]

Nikon D4 with the 70-200 2.8 VRII lens, and the 24-70 2.8 lens! That would be a good start!

 

[fjrabon]

Phase One | IQ180 Digital Back with 645DF Body & 80mm Lens | 71640

 

[cgipson1]

Phase One | IQ180 Digital Back with 645DF Body & 80mm Lens | 71640

Wow.. even Better!!!!

 

[tirediron]

Okay, now that Heckle and Jeckle up there have spent all your money... Seriously though, you really need to provide a dollar figure. Your definition of a good one and mine might not be the same, but if you tell us how much you want to spend, we can definitely give you the best suggestions in that range.

 

[texkam]

The cheapest Canon or Nikon full frame. Frames per second performance is not your main concern.

 

[laynea24]

If you can afford it, go for a Leica! If I could just hold one, I'd die happy.

 

[fjrabon]

If you can afford it, go for a Leica! If I could just hold one, I'd die happy.

Film Leicas aren't all that expensive.

 

[laynea24]

If you can afford it, go for a Leica! If I could just hold one, I'd die happy.

Film Leicas aren't all that expensive.

I'm talking about the Leica M9 and the 50mm f/.95! I should have been more specific in my original post.

 

[KmH]

1. Cameras don't work like your eyes do, can only record 2 dimensions - not the 3 dimensions that we see, so "as I see it" won't happen regardless the cost.

2. The more expensive DSLR cameras get, the more photographer knowledge and skill (both technical and artistic) is required to make good photos. Even using a basic $500 entry-level DSLR camera and kit lens, the more knowledge and skill the photographer adds to the equation, the better the photos the camera will produce.

 

[cgipson1]

If you can afford it, go for a Leica! If I could just hold one, I'd die happy.

Surely you jest?

 

[lawlstud]

Kmh- I found out in my engineering class that actually eyes see everything upside down and in 2d, then your mind interprets angles, shading, and various other elements to create a 3d world. Optical illusions take advantage of the eyes go to interpretation skills. But yeah I get what your saying. I'm just saying if I see a nice full moon on a starry night and snap a picture I want to see the same thing or as close to possible.I have a garbage digital camera and if I snap a picture of said scene I would see just a small white dot against a black canvas.

Sorry for not going into more detail in post I was pressed for time but on my lunch now.

So I want to start doing this has a hobby and learning the trade as I go. I figured I would spend 600-1200 on my first camera and use it to practice and learn with. And that amount I mean for everything I need including lenses.

 

[laynea24]

Surely you jest?

You're right. I wouldn't be happy just holding one. It would make me want one even more.

 

[Derrel]

You know what? The MOON at night is one of the hardest subjects to record "as the eye sees it"...the moon is lighted by the sun. By the SUN. The things we see on Earth, like trees, mountains at night, and so on, are all DIMLY-lighted...by very faint, weak moonlight...white, puffy clouds that are blown by the moon at night and which look so,so lovely at night to the human eye??? turn out like crap when you point a camera at the scene and try and capture the huge dynamic range between the distant SUN-lighted moon and the dim MOON-lighted scene here on planet Earth...yeah...just wanted to let you down easy...

Camera? Nikon. Lens? $1,699 or so. Advice? RTFM (read The Fine Manual) on whatever it is you buy!!!

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

I make good money so I don't want some cheap one I cam afford a good one thank you

I figured I would spend 600-1200 on my first camera and use it to practice and learn with. And that amount I mean for everything I need including lenses.

These two statements don't seem to fit together so well.