On the fence here!

[belial]

What do you mean?

Kit lenses aren't known to fully resolve high megapixel levels. That's why everyone recommends using only the best glass for the d800 and the d3200 has a grater pixel density than even the d800

 

[EDL]

Well, guess I need to do even more homework then. At this point I don't know which lenses I would want. I definitely want to do macro and HDR...actually, I guess I want to be able to do more or less a broad spectrum, but macro is my main interest, followed by HDR and landscapes, buildings.

I'm thinking a set up to do macro and probably a zoom of some sort and a wider angle for landscapes or buildings, etc is where I would be looking in the lens department. I did look at KEH at the used lenses they have and some are, as you mentioned still pricey, but there were quite a few that were a third or even less than what a new, similar lens would be.

I don't have a problem spending $100-$150 on a lens and find it isn't quite what I expected...I can live with that, but $1000+ per lens and oh boy...I'd be lucky to get a new lens every year or two.

 

[Infinite_Day]

Have you considered used? A used D90 would be a very good place to start as an alternative. They run slightly more than what you listed in good condition but it might be worth it to consider.

 

[EDL]

Well, after further consideration I have to temper myself here a little. This is, after all just going to be a hobby. I have no intentions or desire to do this professionally (I've already fallen into the "turn your hobby into a job" trap before and don't want to do that again).

So, in that line of thought AEB isn't a big deal. If I'm too lazy to manually make three exposures and set the EV then I'm just too lazy. As I found after more reading last night there are any number of tethered or even a wireless option to do AEB later on if I so choose.

The availability of older (i.e. cheaper) lenses has grabbed my attention. I had already "assumed" that any new lens was going to be a major $$$ investment and that to some degree was partially responsible for my desire to have an MP-E65 (and subsequently another pricey device in a decent flash set up, such as the MT-24).

I think I can probably assemble a nice macro set up that will satisfy me and not break the bank either. It's pretty clear that I'm not going to achieve some of the results I see without a pretty hefty investment (and assuming I can develop the skills to go with it), so for now I'm willing to accept less for less. Then there's always hope Nikon might come out with their own 5:1 lens one day...

Either way, I think for my budget (and future budget) Nikon is the way to go and the D3200 will do me quite nicely. It'll certainly be capable of far more than I am at this point.

If for some reason later I find myself in a financial situation where the cost of cameras and gear are less of an issue, I can always trade up to something bigger and better, or maybe even just buy a Canon and that MP-E65. At this point I either go entry level and work with it, or I don't get a camera at all. I'd rather have the entry level camera and less than uber, stellar lenses and at least be taking photos than not to have one at all.