New member / First camera

[robertwsimpson]

what kind of pictures do you want to take?

 

[bigtwinky]

Depends on what you want to shoot.

Portraits / People = that is usually in the 50mm - 80mm range
Landscapes / Cityscapes = usually in the wide end around <30mm
Sports / wildlife = you are looking at 300mm and more

If you are unsure, then getting a 17-50 and a 70-200 might be a good start.
It all depends on your budget. Usually, the more you pay, the better quality (both build and image) you get. But there are compromises you can make, depending on what you want

 

[jpticar]

I know for a fact I will be shooting a ton of building, landscapes, and cityscapes without a doubt. People will probably pull up in second, and I may dabble with sports/wildlife, but not enough to justify any major purchases.

 

[itznfb]

What's your budget?
You could do something like get a D5000 or D3000 and get a Sigma 10-20mm and Sigma 18-50mm.

 

[robertwsimpson]

lol so pretty much everything.

like bigtwinky said, a 17-50 and a 70-200 will be enough for you to get "decent" pictures of all the stuff you're talking about. once you figure out exactly what you want to do, you can start getting specialty lenses for it.

take me for example... I started with the 18-55 kit lens from canon, then I decided that I wanted to give wildlife a go, so I got my 55-250. then I decided I wanted to have a low light/portrait lens, so I got my 50 f1.8. I think the 18-55 zoom range is a great place to start. the lens is cheap, and while it's not fantastic at anything, it's pretty good at everything. it's a great lens to learn about exposure and composition on.

just my 2 cents.

 

[jpticar]

I was hoping to keep my budget right around 1000, but not sure how possible that is lol. What are some of the common, "less harshly" priced 17-50 and 17-200 lenses out there? Sorry for all the questions guys lol

 

[robertwsimpson]

I was hoping to keep my budget right around 1000, but not sure how possible that is lol. What are some of the common, "less harshly" priced 17-50 and 17-200 lenses out there? Sorry for all the questions guys lol

25448 Nikon D90 12.3 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera Kit with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Lens

 

[jpticar]

I actually saw that and was thinking that could be a good package for me to start with. I saw this as well Nikon | D5000 Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm & | 9700. How do you feel about the D5000?

 

[robertwsimpson]

Nikon D90, 12.3 Megapixel, Digital SLR Camera w/ Nikon 18-55mm AF-S DX ED II & 55-200mm f/4.0-5.6 AF-S DX Lens Kit|Need4Digital

here is the D90 with those two lenses for the same price.

I don't know anything about nikons.

 

[robertwsimpson]

actually, it looks like they might not have the VR feature.

 

[itznfb]

You're over $1000 with just the D90 and 1 kit lens. You'd be better off getting a D5000 kit like the one posted earlier Nikon | D5000 Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm & | 9700

 

[robertwsimpson]

You're over $1000 with just the D90 and 1 kit lens. You'd be better off getting a D5000 kit like the one posted earlier Nikon | D5000 Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm & | 9700

I beg to differ.

 

[itznfb]

You're over $1000 with just the D90 and 1 kit lens. You'd be better off getting a D5000 kit like the one posted earlier Nikon | D5000 Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm & | 9700

I beg to differ.

I don't buy from stores that sell under 20 different storefronts, have less than a 9 at reseller ratings and refuse to participate in resellerratings membership.

 

[robertwsimpson]

how come? it's a good deal.

 

[PhotoXopher]

Not necessarily, the kit you link to comes with an 18-55 lens that isn't even the new VR version. The standard 18-55 can be had for about $100.

You can get a Nikon D90 (body only) for $890 on B&H, a very reputable authorized dealer.

That said, the D90 is an awesome camera - I love mine and definitely don't regret the purchase.