What equipment should I get with 400-500 dollars?

Calvin · Mar 5, 2010

Hey,
I've been practicing photography for nearly a year, and I need some help with deciding what I should get first.

Right now, I only have a D60 with the 18-55 lens it comes with and a tripod. I'm developing an interest in people photography.

Advice from experienced photographers will be greatly appreciated!

AUZambo · Mar 5, 2010

Get a good flash and make a diffuser. I use an old rubbing-alcohol container. Cut it in half and it fits perfectly over the flash.

You'll still have $200ish left for something else.

NateWagner · Mar 5, 2010

Well, you typically have a few options, if you're somewhat happy with the 18-55 and want a different range I would probably go with a sigma 70-200. Otherwise, maybe a 50mm prime. or perhaps an 85mm prime (not sure if Nikon has a 1.8 like Canon does in your price range.)

Calvin · Mar 5, 2010

Thanks for the help! I'm definitely getting a flash. I'm not sure which one is good, though. Can you give me some ideas?

I'm also considering getting a 50mm lens. I'll look into that, as well.

AUZambo · Mar 5, 2010

Calvin said:
Thanks for the help! I'm definitely getting a flash. I'm not sure which one is good, though. Can you give me some ideas?

I'm also considering getting a 50mm lens. I'll look into that, as well.

I have one for my camera, but other other than just knowing I need it I can't tell you much about what kind to get. I just know that a lot of times I am incredibly thankful that I have more than just the pop-up flash built onto the camera.

The one thing I know is that I wish my camera head swiveled left & right rather than just tilting up & down...so make sure whatever flash you have can also swivel.

You'll very soon wish you had some better, faster glass too. The kit lens will have you cussing under your breath eventually because you'll need a wider aperture than it offers.. I have a Tamron 17-50/2.8 that is fast enough for 95% of my photography - which is also mostly people photography.

gardy90 · Mar 5, 2010

Calvin said:
Thanks for the help! I'm definitely getting a flash. I'm not sure which one is good, though. Can you give me some ideas?

I'm also considering getting a 50mm lens. I'll look into that, as well.

i have been looking at the sb-600, but wallet still wont let me, and i know they make a 50mm in 1.8 for about 130$ and a 1.4 for around 300$? cant remember exactley on the prices

Rosshole · Mar 5, 2010

I have the sb-600 and I really like it, and it is fairly vesitile and solidly built. You may want to think about getting some cactus triggers and an umbrella/stand setup too. For people/portait swtuff, off camera light can be some pretty neat stuff.

burstintoflame81 · Mar 5, 2010

I would invest it in a CANON....... :lol:

Just kidding

I would get an f/1.4 50mm if you want to do portraits.

I've found that my Tokina 16-50mm f/2.8 is much more versatile as a walk around lens and fairly decent for shooting people. If I could only buy one of my lenses, that would be it. You could sell your kit lense for $75 bucks and put that towards the purchase as well.

Just my opinion.

Derrel · Mar 5, 2010

I would buy a starving student Strobist kit, with two light stands, two low-cost flashes, two umbrellas, and a remote triggering kit. Skip the high-tech, expensive SB 600 or SB 900 Nikon flash units, and get what will really elevate your game, which is off-camera flash units. Vivitar 285 HV flashes cost only $89 from big NYC web stores. Remote triggering systems are pretty afordable today. The Strobist blogspot run by David Hobby would be a great place to start doing some research into options. Do not rush out and spend your money without knowing what you can get for your money. For example--I just said Vivitar 285HV flashes--but did you realize you could go to Adorama.com and buy a FlashPoint monolight, with replaceable flashtube, for $129, with an umbrella and a lightstand, with free shipping???

People photography done within reach of AC current is one thing, and shots done far away from AC Current is another. $400 to $500 could up your game quite a bit if you got some off-camera lighting stuff and a few light modifier tools. Making the exact,right choice is something people could help you with if they knew exactly your plan. Location work? 4-5 times a year, or weekly shoots?

SrBiscuit · Mar 5, 2010

+1 ^^

2 vivs, a set of cactus V4s with an extra receiver, and a 50mm 1.8.
then have a nice dinner.

Calvin · Mar 5, 2010

So it seems that I should prioritize on lighting equipment before lens, right?

I'm not very experienced with lighting, so I'll need lots of help with it. I'm interested in outdoor and studio photography, but I don't think I have enough space to set up an indoor photography shoot. And can you please explain remote triggering systems and AC currents? Thanks a bunch!

burstintoflame81 · Mar 5, 2010

I just bought a transmitter and 2 receivers from Cowboy Studio. They have yet to arrive though ( my only gripe so far is their lack of tracking info/slow shipping ) It was $55 for those. And I have two Sunpak flashes. Have adapters to let them be placed on tripods. I may order some light stands. I have mini soft boxes for the flash heads, would umbrellas be better??

SrBiscuit · Mar 5, 2010

Calvin said:
So it seems that I should prioritize on lighting equipment before lens, right?

I'm not very experienced with lighting, so I'll need lots of help with it. I'm interested in outdoor and studio photography, but I don't think I have enough space to set up an indoor photography shoot. And can you please explain remote triggering systems and AC currents? Thanks a bunch!

lighting (especially the option of off cam lighting) will open your eyes to a whole new world of photographhy.
i would check out strobist.com and theres a strobist group on flickr as well. possibilities are endless with light.

i think what derrel means when refering to AC current, and derrel please correct me if i didnt pick up what you put down, is that shooting within range of an electrical outlet is one thing, but having the ability to take your lighting setup to any locale regardless of available outlets is a whole new ballgame. What's best for you? portability? or keeping everything in a studio environment?

with the $500, you could easily grab enough equipment to go of cam and trigger remotely AND grab a nifty-fifty. (if you want)

Jeremy Z · Mar 6, 2010

If you get a flash, get a good bounce flash. The camera body & lens are good. Also get a tripod. Get that before the flash. The bounce is absolutely essential if you don't want your flash pix to look like they came from a point & shoot. Distance from the lens helps, but bounce helps even more.

I was excited about the prime lens thing too, but I hardly ever use mine. Too much trouble and not very versatile compared to a zoom.

For portraiture, a 50mm f/1.8 would be good. That turns out to be 85 mm or so in Canon I believe. But it does precious little more than what you've already got.

I'd probably spend $50 on a tripod, $30 on a good book, then spend some money to travel, and get yourself into some situations that are more worth photographing. Take a road trip somewhere interesting, and bring back some good pix.

Calvin · Mar 8, 2010

Thanks for the help guys! So this is what I'm deciding to buy:

2 Vivitar 285HV Auto Professional Flashes ($85.17 x 2)
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004TVSP/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A2R3C9EKLQ57PZ&v=glance]Amazon.com: Vivitar 285HV Auto Professional Flash: DependableResource[/ame]

2 LumoPro LP604 5-Section 6ft Stands ($39.99 x 2)
http://www.mpex.com/browse.cfm/4,4729,1,0,0.html

2 Shoe Mount Multiclamps ($19.99 x 2)
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00009UT18/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A17MC6HOH9AVE6&v=glance]Amazon.com: Shoe Mount Multiclamp: Adorama Camera[/ame]

A Cactus Wireless Flash Trigger Set V4 ($39.95)
https://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.php?productid=17204&cat=3&bestseller=Y

A Cactus Wireless Flash Receiver V4 ($23.95)
https://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.php?productid=17205&cat=3&bestseller=Y
And the Nikon 50mm f/1.8D Nikkor Lens ($119.95)
2137 Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Standard Auto Focus Nikkor Lens - Gray Market

It all adds up to be $510.28 with tax and shipping. Does this plan seem alright?