Help with my set up?

[ShutterbugSarah]

Hello everyone! This is my first post so I hope I'm posting this in the right place.

Currently I have a Canon SX30 IS. I got it a little less than a year ago and quickly out grew it. So by the end of the month I will be getting a Nikon D5100.

You know of course I went through the whole D90 vs D5100 thing. But I wanted a bit better quality so I chose the D5100.

At the moment I'm pretty set on the D5100 and a 50mm 1.4/G for portraiture. Eventually I will be getting a Telephoto...I was looking at the 55-300mm by Nikon. And eventually an older Macro lens. Well at least one without a auto focus motor.

At the moment I have about $850 to spend, about 480 of it will be spent on the lens. Leaving about 370.
I was looking into getting a Flash and Tripod. Whats your opinions on what I should get?

 

[SCraig]

Well, if you want my opinion, $370 would get me a tripod OR a flash, but not both. A lot of people would argue that $370 won't even get a tripod HEAD but I'm a bit more lenient than that. I like Manfrotto tripods because the are middle of the quality road. Not the best such as Kirk, RRS, or some Gitzos, but better than many others. For flashes I stick with the manufacturer's units. A lot of people recommend low-cost flashes, and they may be great. I personally stick with Nikon.

I use a Manfrotto 190XB tripod with a Giottos MH-1001-652 or Manfrotto 410 head depending on need. My flashes are a Nikon SB-600 and Nikon SB-700.

 

[ShutterbugSarah]

Well, if you want my opinion, $370 would get me a tripod OR a flash, but not both. A lot of people would argue that $370 won't even get a tripod HEAD but I'm a bit more lenient than that. I like Manfrotto tripods because the are middle of the quality road. Not the best such as Kirk, RRS, or some Gitzos, but better than many others. For flashes I stick with the manufacturer's units. A lot of people recommend low-cost flashes, and they may be great. I personally stick with Nikon.

I use a Manfrotto 190XB tripod with a Giottos MH-1001-652 or Manfrotto 410 head depending on need. My flashes are a Nikon SB-600 and Nikon SB-700.

I was thinking with going with the SB 600, since the D5100 isn't very capable with flash.

Maybe I'll go with a used tripod...

 

[SCraig]

I was thinking with going with the SB 600, since the D5100 isn't very capable with flash.

Maybe I'll go with a used tripod...

That is a drawback to the D5100. However using inexpensive radio triggers (~$40 a set) will provide you with off-camera flash capabilities albeit in manual flash mode only (no TTL flash metering).

The SB-600 is a good flash and can be had used relatively inexpensively. It actually has a higher guide number than the SB-700 but lacks some of the convenience features that the SB-700 has. They are primarily convenience features however. Built-in diffuser, built-in bounce card, automatic filter recognition, a better menu system, details like that. Electronically either one is a perfectly capable unit.

Tripods are a good item to look for used. Scratches don't affect the usability of a tripod, and as long as everything locks properly a used one is as good as a new one. Pretty much the same thing for tripod heads. As long as everything on them works properly there is no reason not to buy a used one.

 

[Mach0]

For off camera flash with portraiture, I'd pick up some manual Nikon speedlights. For a lens? The 50 1.4 is good but are you shooting indoors or outdoors? If outdoors maybe the new 85 1.8g will suit you better.