Just Got a Quote From B&H - Equipment Change Suggestions?

[Robin Usagani]

B&H is a good place to buy it from. I am just suggesting not to go all out and buy everything all at once. Take it easy.

 

[Derrel]

"Nikon will be way backordered".

"Buy what we have on hand."

"Forget what you wanted to get--we need to sell product TODAY, and what we have is this."

Now THAT is sales help!

 

[kilerb]

Thanks for all the suggestions and observations... I guess my big question really is this.... I don't mind spending the money, I am on a budget, but would like something that REALLY looks great. The salesperson said that was the cheapest I'd want to go on a lens. He said I need the flash for outdoor shots to get rid of shadows under the eye and that I shouldn't have the flash on my cam. Also said I should have the 3 lights for the indoor shots. I realize everyone has a different opinion, and that I should hold them in my hands first... But what would YOU suggest as a great start package for indoor and outdoor headshots... What do I need and not really need?

(I had my headshots done, and the girl didn't have any lighting or flashes going. They seemed to look good, but I'm not a trained pro with an eye for these things...) Thanks in advance...

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

Dont ever listen to a sales person. I bet he wanted to sell you a bunch of filters too? Research on here and elsewhere online to find out what camera has the best features that will be most useful to what you intend on shooting. As for holding the camera, while this can be a good way to pick between two fairly equal cameras that you are torn between, this should NOT be a main deciding factor in buying a camera. Most cameras that may not be quite as comfortable, can easily and cheaply have a battery grip added that will bulk up the feel in your hand so its an easy remedy. However, you can't slap on a faster shutter speed, extra AF points, a full-framed sensor or better ISO performance.

 

[Vinny]

Do you want equipment that looks great or want equipment that has the potential to take great photos?

For great looking equipment probably a Canon with one of those huge white lenses. For equipment that takes great photos - a full frame sensor DSLR and great prime lenses. Either way - throw in a flash or two!

Thanks for all the suggestions and observations... I guess my big question really is this.... I don't mind spending the money, I am on a budget, but would like something that REALLY looks great. The salesperson said that was the cheapest I'd want to go on a lens. He said I need the flash for outdoor shots to get rid of shadows under the eye and that I shouldn't have the flash on my cam. Also said I should have the 3 lights for the indoor shots. I realize everyone has a different opinion, and that I should hold them in my hands first... But what would YOU suggest as a great start package for indoor and outdoor headshots... What do I need and not really need?

(I had my headshots done, and the girl didn't have any lighting or flashes going. They seemed to look good, but I'm not a trained pro with an eye for these things...) Thanks in advance...

 

[GeorgieGirl]

kilerb - My 2 cents today is take your time. I think you do need lights to shoot portraits, but what kinds of lights will you really want. You were given some suggestions for a possible set up kit. There are so many options and so many results that it pays to take the time to really evaluate what you will want to work with. If you are anxious to get started, that is one thing and I am an anxious person when I get really excited about something so at times it is hard to throttle back with all the juices flowing.

Focus on your camera and your lens. Start there. You want a camera you are going to enjoy growing with and the best lens you can afford, which is usually more than we are planning but its never with regret. Look for low light and tack sharp with good color. Kit lenses do a good job overall but they are more all purpose than a tack sharp portrait lens.

If you want a light, a speedlite is good since its easy to maneuver with, but you want to have good light and that does not come without modifiers even if its a diffuser made specifically for that speedlight. A stand will not go to waste for sure.

Other types of lighting are options and I don't disagree with the notion of 3 or 4 lights at the end of the day, but you don't need all of them to get started and if it were my money, and it was at one time, I took my time and built my equipment list over time.

Started with the camera and the best lens I could buy. Get to know it like the back of your hand. I don't own a speedlight, I think for my photos that a speedlight is more expensive than what I want to use it for and I waited and bought my strobes and modifiers at times at auction on ebay and built it up that way and I don't own cheap either. But none of the ancillary items were acquired before I bought three lenses over time that were 'good' lenses. A good lens will give you so much confidence that its priceless.

Take your time, research each and every piece of equipment you wish to acquire, even including a lens rag. That's my advice. Camera and Lens(s). Start there.

 

[Tee]

.....Get to a store and hold each camera in your hands. Then decide.

This would be about item 66 on the check list of camera features that actually matter.

I guess what I was trying to convey was not to buy something that was described over the phone before physically handling it.

 

[kilerb]

kilerb - My 2 cents today is take your time. I think you do need lights to shoot portraits, but what kinds of lights will you really want. You were given some suggestions for a possible set up kit. There are so many options and so many results that it pays to take the time to really evaluate what you will want to work with. If you are anxious to get started, that is one thing and I am an anxious person when I get really excited about something so at times it is hard to throttle back with all the juices flowing.

Focus on your camera and your lens. Start there. You want a camera you are going to enjoy growing with and the best lens you can afford, which is usually more than we are planning but its never with regret. Look for low light and tack sharp with good color. Kit lenses do a good job overall but they are more all purpose than a tack sharp portrait lens.

If you want a light, a speedlite is good since its easy to maneuver with, but you want to have good light and that does not come without modifiers even if its a diffuser made specifically for that speedlight. A stand will not go to waste for sure.

Other types of lighting are options and I don't disagree with the notion of 3 or 4 lights at the end of the day, but you don't need all of them to get started and if it were my money, and it was at one time, I took my time and built my equipment list over time.

Started with the camera and the best lens I could buy. Get to know it like the back of your hand. I don't own a speedlight, I think for my photos that a speedlight is more expensive than what I want to use it for and I waited and bought my strobes and modifiers at times at auction on ebay and built it up that way and I don't own cheap either. But none of the ancillary items were acquired before I bought three lenses over time that were 'good' lenses. A good lens will give you so much confidence that its priceless.

Take your time, research each and every piece of equipment you wish to acquire, even including a lens rag. That's my advice. Camera and Lens(s). Start there.

Thanks! Which camera/lens do you have/suggest? I keep hearing really good things about Nikon. It seems that everyone is so opinionated, I'm surprised someone hasn't said "Go with this model and this lens for a great start with great quality and great looking photos." I guess it's hard to do when there are so many.

To answer the other question above... I don't care what the camera looks like, I care what the photos look like. Hahah... Thanks!

 

[GeorgieGirl]

Well I have a Canon Rebel XTI and have had it for quite a few years now. I have the 17-55 which was the 1st lens I bought to go with the body. From there I bought the 70-200L with IS and then I bought the Sigma 10-22. Its just n the past 6 months that I started with lighting gear.

I plan to go to a full frame camera in the next two years and the 17-55 will not be able to convert over to use on full frame cameras however I am also not giving up the XTI, so all is not lost.

BUT, I am not adverse to a Nikon. Look at the fireworks shots from Disney that are being discussed as an Active Topic and its easy to see the quality of the sharpness of the shots and the colors that came through that lens and makes it hard to not notice that as a great example of something to seriously look at. I personally don't know anything about Nikon, but many do who can give you their insight. I'll be learning from it too. :thumbup:

 

[ghache]

How experienced are you?

If you're just starting out you need to learn photography without all the extra stuff getting in the way with the exception of a flash.

If you're shooting portraits you don't need a class 10 SD card -portrait shooting is usually not highly active, you take a shot, recompose, take a shot ... . I bought a PNY class 4 8Gb for $20 I have used my DSLR on 3 frames per second shooting RAW + JPEG fine and had the camera go for about 3 seconds before the buffer filled up and it stopped shooting.

For portraits I would get a prime lens in the 85mm to 105mm area. That is the traditional focal length for portrait work.

If you want a setup for portrait work my suggestion is to pick a camera, doesn't matter what brand and add 2 or 3 flash units with bounce, diffusers or umbrellas and there's a complete setup. Learn how to use lighting ratios to have a main light with a fill light (2 flash setup) and add a background light if need be (3 flash setup).

i got some class 10 4 gig cards for 15 bucks.

LOL @ the nikon will be way back ordered

 

[Robin Usagani]

i got some class 10 4 gig cards for 15 bucks. i dont get the "you dont need class 10" you NEED the fastest card you can afford imo.

Why? So he can burst his shot gazzilion shot in a row? How often do you do that? All I have is a CF card from costco and I just tested it on my 5D and i shot it 12 in a row and it was still going. T1i isnt that fast either, I am sure the slower card will do just fine.

 

[ghache]

The only thing i have to tell you, since you seems like you really wanna get into it and seems like you wanna dump all that money into gear, go with at least a D90 or something similar in canon. you will get all the feature you need to get you going with lightning and primes with this body.

If you really wanna get into it and have the money. just get the stuff you need but dont listen to any sales guys. just get someone knowlegable you know to shop around with you. Dont just buy everything a sales guy told you to buy because you might be buying some stuff you dont need.

Start with a one light setup not 3. For the lens get the sharpest / fastest lens you can get for your money. Since you wanna step into portrait, I would get a 50mm 1.8 or the 85mm 1.8. its fast, sharp and its cheap and its something you will never regret buying since its among the fastest lens around

oh and i would get a nikon body. they are so much better:lmao::lmao:

 

[o hey tyler]

The only thing i have to tell you, since you seems like you really wanna get into it and seems like you wanna dump all that money into gear, go with at least a D90 or something similar in canon. you will get all the feature you need to get you going with lightning and primes with this body.

If you really wanna get into it and have the money. just get the stuff you need but dont listen to any sales guys. just get someone knowlegable you know to shop around with you. Dont just buy everything a sales guy told you to buy because you might be buying some stuff you dont need.

Start with a one light setup not 3. For the lens get the sharpest / fastest lens you can get for your money. Since you wanna step into portrait, I would get a 50mm 1.8 or the 85mm 1.8. its fast, sharp and its cheap and its something you will never regret buying since its among the fastest lens around

oh and i would get a nikon body. they are so much better:lmao::lmao:

Don't start a Nikon/Canon war. Unless you want to look like a ****ing idiot.

I'd suggest the 35mm f/2 over the 50, or the 85 if they're going to have lighting and do portraits (especially if they want to do them inside). 35mm will give them a fairly large maximum aperture, and the FoV of a 50mm on a cropped frame body, which is great for indoor portrait work as well as outdoor. I originally got the 50mm 1.4 for my T1i and I quickly found out it was too tight indoors for me to get the variety of shots I wanted. So after I tried out the 35mm f/2 I was much happier. Since I recently upgraded to a 5D, I get the same FoV that I had on my t1i with the 35mm, which is great.

 

[henryp]

Now THAT is sales help!

Depending on circumstances it sure is!

If someone says he or she has an immediate need and we know one brand is currently better about stocking retailers' warehouses IMO it's legitimate to tell the customer this is a consideration, particularly when the choices have boiled down to Nikon and Canon, for which the "which is better" debate is never ending and ultimately unanswerable.

The question, "Can I readily get accessories?" is as legit as the question (For example), "Which has better auto-focus or more accurate metering with on-camera flash?" Both deserve replies and it's the informed sales associate working without consideration for commissions or "spiffs" who's most likely to provide accurate and reliable information.

Dont ever listen to a sales person. I bet he wanted to sell you a bunch of filters too?

Don't ever? You must have been abused badly in some store or other once. Fact is we hire pros with experience so they can draw on that experience when offering suggestions or advice and we expend considerable resources on continual product training to ensure that advice is current and informed. I certainly think a sales person's advice deserves scrutiny, but this wholesale condemnation is simply undeserved and IMO worse, it's bad advice for the OP. YMMV of course.

BTW, I've been a Nikon shooter since the mid-1970s and have no trouble at all with the Canon suggestions posted by the OP. I appreciate brand loyalty but I think we can either debate Coke vs Pepsi until the end of time or we can pick up our cameras and take some pictures.

When I eat in a restaurant I don't care what brand stove they use as long as the food's good.

 

[Tulsa]

The salesperson said that was the cheapest I'd want to go on a lens.

Please do not spend $450 on that lens new. Find a 18-55mm used for about $80-100, use it for awhile and figure out what you need. Believe it or not, it is still my favorite lens, and other than my 50mm 1.8, I use it all the time.
I recommend going Canon. I buy all used, but if you have the money, buy the body new, and rest used. Save some money. Remember you can easily resale everything once you are ready to upgrade or try something else. I have found, if you buy used, the value holds.