Good news causes stress - Some advice please

dcook22 · Nov 23, 2012

Just realized this thread was moved. Sorry I posted in the wrong area.

Hi all,

Well, I got some good news tonight. My uncle is willing to give me up to $1500 toward photography equipment. I am starting to ramp things up toward starting a legitimate side business, which will hopefully blossom into a full time business. But, we're starting small.

Anyway, I am hoping you folks can help me spend the money. I currently have a Nikon D5000. It gets me by. I take some newborn and infant pics in natural light. I take some outdoor senior stuff. I do some portraits here and there. I have no plans at present to do weddings. I figure I will focus on children, seniors, and some niche things like muscle cars and even do some real estate photography. I have a Nikkor 18-105mm 3.5 - 5.6 and a Nikkor 35mm 1.8. Again, I get by. To go to the next step I know I need at least a 70-200mm 2.8 and I want to upgrade my camera. I just got some portable studio gear. (lightstands, a couple of Yongnuo 560 II speedlights, some Yongnuo radio triggers, etc.) I have a decent job right now, and will invest slowly, but I want the photography to pay for itself.

So when I got this call today, I started to think about how to use the cash. Before the call, my plan had been to make a slight upgrade in camera to a D7000 which would allow me to use lenses that didn't have built in auto-focus, and would be a 30% bump in megapixels, as well as increasing max shutter speed from 1/4000 to 1/8000. I would also get more frmes per second as well as dual SD card slots, increased sync speed to 1/250th and commander mode. But it is a DX lens. I was also looking to get a Tamron 70-200mm 2.8 for about $800 because the Nikon version was three times as much, and just out of my league for now.

But now I am wondering if I should use the money toward a D600. I can lay out the other $600 or so and make the jump to full-frame. I hesitate for two reasons: I have been told it is more important to spend money on good glass than the camera itself. And I have read a bunch of things about the D600 having issues with oil and dust.

The Nikon 70-200mm is still out of reach. I can't justify spending $900 plus the $1500 right now. (or can I?)

I am having trouble here. Are there other lenses I am not thinking of?

What would you folks do with the extra $1500?

Thanks in advance.

Dan

2WheelPhoto · Nov 23, 2012

I am starting to ramp things up toward starting a legitimate side business, which will hopefully blossom into a full time business. But, we're starting small.

What would you folks do with the extra $1500?

Perhaps a business license and a little insurance?

dcook22 · Nov 23, 2012

Thanks two wheel, but that's already taken care of. Like I said. The business is legit. It's just not in full swing yet. My current job is in the insurance business. Got any advice about the stuff I actually mentioned? Unless you're saying YOU would get a business license and insurance. Then I see your point.

2WheelPhoto · Nov 23, 2012

dcook22 said:
Thanks two wheel, but that's already taken care of. Like I said. The business is legit. It's just not in full swing yet. My current job is in the insurance business. Got any advice about the stuff I actually mentioned? Unless you're saying YOU would get a business license and insurance. Then I see your point.

I'm covered, and I don't do except top shelf glass I'd save a bit longer but thats just me.

Actually I got non-top shelf and ended up selling it, perhaps learn from my mistakes

TCampbell · Nov 23, 2012

You mention a lot of gear options but you don't really mention why you'd need it.

When I worked professionally the "camera" was a medium format (Hasselblad 500CM) body with an 80mm lens. That's it. Sure there was a back-up camera... but it was another 500CM with another 80mm lens. We had 120mm lenses for studio use. (on a medium format, an 80mm lens is considered a "normal" lens and a 120mm lens is the "portrait" lens.) My reason for mentioning this is that you don't necessarily "need" a lot of lenses as long as you have the right lenses for the tasks.

Lighting, on the other hand, could be very useful. Mono-lights and various modifiers were used heavily in the studio. In the field, remote flash (side-light) and simple shoot-through umbrella were very handy.

dcook22 · Nov 23, 2012

A vote for the glass. Makes sense. I wish I could save longer on this one. He wants to get me a Christmas gift, so I fear if I don't pull the trigger on something he might sober up. :lmao:

dcook22 · Nov 23, 2012

Good point Tim, and thanks for the reply. I don't need a lot of lenses, just the right one. I would say my current clientele seems to be coming from the moms in my wife's church group. So I'd say I'll be taking more pics of kids and families than anything else in the immediate future. Maybe an 85mm would be a good investment.

How big a deal is full frame vs. cropped sensor?

And yes, maybe some Alien Bees would be a nice addition. There is an Apollo softbox I've had my eye on.

TheFantasticG · Nov 24, 2012

Why not a refurb'd D700 & 85mm 1.8G with some more lighting gear (as suggested) above? I assume you won't be making ultra gigantic prints where 24mp would really make a difference.

KmH · Nov 24, 2012

dcook22 said:
I currently have a Nikon D5000. It gets me by. I have a Nikkor 18-105mm 3.5 - 5.6 and a Nikkor 35mm 1.8. Again, I get by. To go to the next step I know I need at least a 70-200mm 2.8 and I want to upgrade my camera.

So when I got this call today, I started to think about how to use the cash. Before the call, my plan had been to make a slight upgrade in camera to a D7000 which would allow me to use lenses that didn't have built in auto-focus, and would be a 30% bump in megapixels, as well as increasing max shutter speed from 1/4000 to 1/8000. I would also get more frmes per second as well as dual SD card slots, increased sync speed to 1/250th and commander mode. But it is a DX lens. I was also looking to get a Tamron 70-200mm 2.8 for about $800 because the Nikon version was three times as much, and just out of my league for now.

But now I am wondering if I should use the money toward a D600. I can lay out the other $600 or so and make the jump to full-frame. I hesitate for two reasons: I have been told it is more important to spend money on good glass than the camera itself. And I have read a bunch of things about the D600 having issues with oil and dust.

The Nikon 70-200mm is still out of reach. I can't justify spending $900 plus the $1500 right now. (or can I?)

Start thinking about buying used gear instead of new gear.

For $1500 you can have both a D7000 and a Nikon 80-200 f/2.8 lens.

I recommend upgrading to a D90 or the D7000 now. Upgrade to FF at a later date. Let the D600 early adopters work out any bugs, but don't believe everything you read about problems with any camera either. Many people can't tell the difference between a dirty rear lens element, and spots of whatever on an image sensor.

Used and still in good condition D7000's can be had for under $700 - Nikon Digital D7000 16.2 MEGAPIXEL WITH CABLES, CD, BATTERY & CHARGER (SD CARD ), DIGITAL SLR INTERCHANGEABLE LENS CAMERA - KEH.com

There are material reasons the Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 costs $1600 less than the 2nd generation Nikon AF-S 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII.

Nikon also makes an $1100 (new) and good used examples of the 2-ring version can be gotten for about $800 Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras.

Nikon Autofocus 80-200 F2.8 D MACRO ED WITH TRIPOD MOUNT (77) WITH CAPS 35MM SLR AUTO FOCUS ZOOM TELEPHOTO LENS - KEH.com

There is also the first generation Nikon 70-200 - Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

There are 2 older 80-200 versions, just as good optically, that have a push-pull zoom instead of a ring to turn. Here is one for under $500 - Nikon Autofocus 80-200 F2.8 D MACRO ED (77) WITH CAPS 35MM SLR AUTO FOCUS ZOOM TELEPHOTO LENS - KEH.com

KEH has a great reputation, a customer friendly returns policy, and IIRC give a 6 month warranty on the used camera gear they sell.

fjrabon · Nov 24, 2012

Yeah, for what you've stated I'd say a used D90 and used push pull 80-200 would serve you best. The ONLY con to the push pull 80-200 is its a little slow to focus (though about the same speed as the tamron) but that really only matters if you're doing live sports. As an outdoor portrait lens, it's an absurdly good value at the $400-$500 range.

D90s are just as good as D7000s if you don't plan on shooting low light and need the better high ISO performance.

Then I'd spend the leftover on the tamron 60mm f/2 which is easily my favorite dx portrait lens.

MLeeK · Nov 24, 2012

This is such a hard question to answer because every one of us shoots differently.
First the Tamron 70-200. I have one. I LOVE the lens. It's sharp as hell-far beyond what I expected for the price. The focus motor is the slowest of the 70-200's. For what you are shooting you'd never know it's "slow." Slow is relative. If you are shooting fast action sports you might feel it, although I did shoot sports with it for 2 years successfully. I missed some shots, but slow when it comes to focus now days is slow as in nano-seconds. If you are a zoom shooter you would not regret the purchase.

Camera body-Personal preference here too. For what you are doing I'd aim for a full frame. I don't know where prices are falling in the Nikon line, but I know you can pick up one of the recent bodies under your budget.

You didn't mention any of the amazing prime lenses on the market. For portrait work they are SWEEEEEET. Sharpest of sharp lenses. The 85mm being one of the very favorite lenses in both Nikon and Canon. It's pretty tight on a crop sensor and the 50mm and 35mm are really popular on the crop body cameras. Derrel is the guy to ask on Nikon lenses and he has a post here for what lenses a Nikon shooter needs. Good information.

dcook22 · Nov 24, 2012

TheFantasticG said:
Why not a refurb'd D700 & 85mm 1.8G with some more lighting gear (as suggested) above? I assume you won't be making ultra gigantic prints where 24mp would really make a difference.

Thanks for the reply. KEH has some D700's that would eat up the whole $1500, but I'll look around. I might end up making some poster-sized prints of my kids. Is 12MP enoug to get nice resolution on, say, a 24x36 print? I've never had anything printed before.

TheFantasticG · Nov 24, 2012

Sure. I don't see why not. How often do you plan on printing that big or bigger? The most I print a books, so.

dcook22 · Nov 24, 2012

Thanks for the great reply KmH. I had heard of KEH but forgotten about it. I will call about that d7000. And all the lens recommendations are greatly appreciated.