Thinking about buying the Nikon d7000 for my first dlsr

[amg]

Hello Everyone

I am new to photography and thinking about buying my first dlsr I love taking pictures of my kids and I am getting tire of all the blurry pictures I get cause they wont stop moving or the shots I miss because my camera is not fast enough!!!!
I have been looking at dlsrs for awhile and the Nikon d7000 seems to get pretty good reviews although the kits lenses I hear are garbage. Honestly I dont know alot about camera settings and functions but I am assuming this is something you figure out as you learn and grow into your camera.
So do you guys think the d7000 is a good begginer camera and could you suggest a good lense to start I admire all of yor guys beautiful photos and cant wait to make some of my own!!!!!
Thanks

 

[480sparky]

A D7k might be too intimidating. Try looking for a used D60 or D90 to cut your teeth on. Get some good glass for it, then when you're comfortable, upgrade the body.

 

[amg]

They have a ton of those on craigslist in my area.......I was told to be very careful about buying used cameras anything I should be looking for when looking at them as I said I know nothing about photography and dont want to get ripped off. Any suggestions for lenses???

 

[Kerbouchard]

The kit lens is not garbage. It's just not as good as the lenses that cost $2400. You have to figure out your priorities.

Now, I will say that if you throw a kit lens on just about any DSLR, and then try to take photos in your average, poorly lit home, then yes, you will get bad results, but that's more a function of the photographer not knowing what they are doing.

Irregardless, you look like you are about to go through the same thing I did when I started getting serious about photography. I had the exact same reasons as you. I got tired of blurry photos of my daughter.

So, here is what I did:
Bought a high end P&S. Got crappy photos.
Bought a bunch of books and figured out I needed a DSLR.
Bought a DSLR with kit lens. Still got crappy photos.
Did some research, and found out that everybody said I should buy a fast prime lens. So, I bought a 50mm 1.8. Still got crappy photos.
Now a bit annoyed, I went and bought some more books, and I found out I would continue to get crappy photos until I learned how to control the lighting in my images.
Bought a flash.

Haven't looked back, since. Yes, I still buy books, I've bought more lenses, I've upgraded camera bodies, I've even shot quite a few weddings and took on an apprenticeship.

The biggest difference I have ever made to the results in my photos was when I learned how to use an external flash(or bounce my flash) effectively.

So, no, the kit lens doesn't suck. Heck, P&S's don't suck. The lighting sucks, and no matter what kind of camera you buy, if your lighting sucks, your photos will suck.

Whatever you decide to purchase, and the D7000 isn't a bad choice, just make sure you factor in some money for a flash.

Just my .02.

 

[analog.universe]

What's intimidating exactly?

It is a great camera. I would suggest going to a shop and playing with one to see if you like the feel of it, and to see if you can find your way around the interface. If you like it, I see no reason why it can't be a beginner's camera. I personally don't like the idea of buying gear with the intent to replace it. If the D7000 is within your budget and feels right in your hands, it would be a better long term investment than an entry level body.

Do try to alot the majority of your budget to lenses however. If you need to get a less expensive body to be able to afford better glass, that's almost always a worthwhile trade. Kit lenses aren't garbage exactly, but they usually have a lot of limitations, most importantly low light performance. Lens recommendations would depend greatly on your budget...

 

[amg]

I probably wouldnt want to spend more than 1500 on lenses because I am wanting to do photography as a hobby and not a job. I just want good pictures of my kids in there natural everyday life. If I could grab a couple for that price that would be even

 

[Kerbouchard]

I probably wouldnt want to spend more than 1500 on lenses because I am wanting to do photography as a hobby and not a job. I just want good pictures of my kids in there natural everyday life. If I could grab a couple for that price that would be even

A D90 with a kit lens and an SB600 will do everything you need it to do, and it would come in under your lens budget.

What is your total budget?

 

[amg]

3000 and not a penny more or my husband will kill me This is my Christmas gift everyone needs a hobby right!!!

 

[Kerbouchard]

3000 and not a penny more or my husband will kill me This is my Christmas gift everyone needs a hobby right!!!

You don't need to spend $3000 to get good pics of your kids. You need to spend a few bucks on a libary card, maybe a few bucks at half-priced books, a decent DSLR, a lens, and a flash. Throw in a reflector, light stand, umbrella, memory cards, extra batteries, and you can still be under $1500.

With your budget, I would do the following:

D90 with kit lens. New $900 but I would consider used.
SB600 flash. Around $250
5 in 1 reflector. Around $40
Memory Cards. 2 16 gigs should run you around $60
Battery. Another $40
Books. At least one by Rick Sammon(doesn't matter which as he tends to repeat himself), Understanding Exposure, and a book specific to whatever DSLR you buy. Another $70
Software. Photoshop Elements is under $100

Then, I would shoot for a while, figure out where my limitations are, and invest the rest of your money where you actually need it.

Just my .02

 

[amg]

Then what would you suggest lol I am open to getting a second hand camera but I have no clue what to look for. I have read and read and read but I dont think I am actually going to figure out what anyone is talking about until I actually have the camera and good lense to start so I can start playing around with the functions and see what they do. I was looking into renting one to play with but I could find anywhere in my area that rents nikons out. I learn best hands on there is a local photographer that does basic photographer course which I want to do but I still need a camera and a lense. What I need is a good starting point......I am not saying I have to spend a full 3000 dollars on the equipment becasue I could go out and by the best of the best and spend thousands but probably still wouldnt be able to take a decent picture......I want to learn and I want to grow into what I buy.

 

[Ballistics]

3000 and not a penny more or my husband will kill me This is my Christmas gift everyone needs a hobby right!!!

Technically the D7k is not my first DSLR. The D5100 was, but 2 weeks after owning it I returned it and bought a D7k(which took 30 days to get due to backorder). After owning this camera for about 2 full months I am able to take some (what I think are) decent pictures. Learning the camera itself won't take long at all and if you have some time and patience, you can do well with it. For your budget, I would buy the D7k body, and buy a nice used lens. Maybe 2. the 80-200mm f/2.8 is a great lens and can be had for around $5-700 used. There is the 50mm 1.8 lens which is great that you can pick up for a little over $100. The kit lens is good, I use it often but it's $350-$400.

As for a flash, you can get 3rd party lenses that can be had for around $75. I own the YN467 YungNuo and I really like it. I've never used a D90 so I can't comment, but I doubt you will find an unhappy D7000 owner. I love my camera.

 

[Kerbouchard]

Then what would you suggest lol

I would suggest the itemized list that I posted right before your last post. It gives you tons of options, room to grow, and leaves you money to expand into what really interests you.

A D90, 18-105 VR, and an SB600/700 would be a good start for anybody. If you can afford it, get the D7000 instead. To me, not enough of a difference to justify the price, but the D7000 is a better camera.

 

[Ballistics]

You don't need to spend $3000 to get good pics of your kids.

Completely true.

Nikon Store - D90 (Refurbished Body)
the D90 refurbished straight from Nikon with a warranty for $719 plus shipping/tax.
They also sell refurbished lenses. I bought my 55-200mm refurbished through Nikon and it comes as if it were brand new. You can save hundreds on refurbished gear.

 

[Ballistics]

Then what would you suggest lol I am open to getting a second hand camera but I have no clue what to look for. I have read and read and read but I dont think I am actually going to figure out what anyone is talking about until I actually have the camera and good lense to start so I can start playing around with the functions and see what they do. I was looking into renting one to play with but I could find anywhere in my area that rents nikons out. I learn best hands on there is a local photographer that does basic photographer course which I want to do but I still need a camera and a lense. What I need is a good starting point......I am not saying I have to spend a full 3000 dollars on the equipment becasue I could go out and by the best of the best and spend thousands but probably still wouldnt be able to take a decent picture......I want to learn and I want to grow into what I buy.

I would suggest taking an intro course at your local college. This way, you can learn about your camera, have assignments which give you ideas for pictures and have complete amenities for printing and editing, and can get you on the fast track to figuring out what kind of photographer you want to be.

 

[amg]

Could anyone tell me what i should be looking for when looking at used lenses cameras etc????? What are the warning signs what are good signs????
I should also mention I am a first aid attendent where I work and spend most of my day waiting for something to happen which most days thank god it doesnt I work at on of the most beautiful places and would love to take pics of all the ships and cranes etc with all my spare time! I have the vancouver mountains, sea, and canada place, amazing veiws of the city etc would love to be able to capture this as well!!!! I work mostly days but we get alot of grey rainy days around here!!!!