New member/photographer questions

jinx703x · Jan 18, 2015

First off, I'm a total beginner. I took photography 14 years ago in highschool but most of that knowledge is lost. Im looking for advise (that's probably been given before) on where to start. I don't want to purchase a camera and out grow it in a year and missing some features that might be nice to have or overspend on a camera that's more than I'll ever need.

Initially I'll be doing the traditional portrait's, city/architecture stuff but primarily I'll be photographing local musicians in bars.

So, where to start? I've used nikons years so I'm looking at their line up. I've got a budget of about $1,000 to get going. Where would you start? What things do I need to know/what do I need for low light bar photography?

Thanks in advance
jinx

dennybeall · Jan 18, 2015

I'd consider a used Nikon with a couple of good lenses, a good strobe light, tripod, spare batteries and memory cards. Also you need to process the pictures so consider the Photoshop/Lightroom $9.99/month deal as a start.
All of that says the camera and lenses will the biggest cost ($600-700??)with the body and the lenses each being half that cost.
I haven't researched current used prices and availability but perhaps the D3200, D5200 with appropriate lenses?

Microbois · Jan 18, 2015

Photographing musicians in bars screams low light conditions, and in order to get good pictures, you'll need a very recent camera that performs well under low light conditions. I don't know how APS-C cameras can do under such conditions, but I do know that full frame cameras are far ahead of the game in this respect. Unfortunately, you won't find any FF cameras under 1000$, and this is without any lenses. Fast glass (f/1.8, f/2, f/2.8) would be nice for low light conditions too, but once again, those lenses ain't cheap, aside maybe the standard 50mm f/1.8.

If you stay in the Nikon's DX bodies, the choice of available lenses is not that great. Your main needs, portrait and city/architecture, will call for some different lenses, most likely a wide-angle zoom, and a short telephoto. If you go with an FX body, then you'll have plenty of choice for lenses, but it will be twice, if not 3 times, your budget.

Let's see what others will propose, but maybe a Nikon D610 with a 50mm f/1.8 (about 1700$) lens could be enough to get back into photography. You could add more lenses later on as needs arise or when you have some spare money.

Forkie · Jan 19, 2015

If you're shooting musicians in dark bars, I'd try your best to go full-frame right from the off. The low light performance alone will be worth it. You might not find one for 1000, but if you can wait a while and save another 500, I'd try to find a second hand D610/D750/D800 and a fast prime like a 50mm or 85mm f/1.8

jinx703x · Jan 19, 2015

If a FX body isn't in the budget what would be another option? $1,500 up front plus glass is a little rich for my blood. Maybe down the line as I get more into it/experienced/committed.

Forkie · Jan 20, 2015

I'm not sure now, and I'm a little behind on the latest cropped sensor DSLRs. At the weekend, my previous love for my cropped sensor D300s pretty much died. I was shooting a friend's band in a small dark basement of a pub and was using my Nikon D810 as my main camera and my D300s as a back up. The D300s's shots at ISO 6400 were unusable (it was a last minute favour and I had no flash with me, so exposed using the stage lights), yet at ISO 12,800 on the D810, they were more or less clean.

I was so close to just leaving the D300s on the bar for someone to pick up!