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Time to Upgrade... Way Overdue!


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I have been somehow managing to grow my wedding & headshot business over 3 years while still shooting on my beginner camera, my Nikon D3200. I have 2 kit lenses, plus the following two lenses:

Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S NIKKOR FX Lens

Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR

 

 

Any recommendations for an upgraded body and my next lens? I hear to be considered professional equipment having a full-frame body is minimum.

 

Thanks!

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I can't recommend a camera, as I don't use the same cameras as you. However, the term 'full frame' is merely one of convenience, and further, a lot of professionals shoot with smaller sensors, which include Micro 4/3 and APS-C (which we otherwise call 'half-frame').

 

For weddings, I'd like to know if you do them regularly (e.g. three times a month) or intermittently. If you don't do weddings regularly, don't bother buying anything - just rent a couple of bodies, a standard zoom, and a tele zoom. If you get steady work later on, then you might consider buying a couple of bodies and lenses.

 

The good thing about renting is that you don't have to stick with a brand. You might try a different brand and find it better than the one you're using now. Or you might try a different body in the same brand and find that you prefer it.

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I've done quite a few weddings and have one scheduled for about six weeks from now. Honestly every one I've done digitally has been on DX format. I find the D200 and 300 to be quite capable even though they are a bit older. I still have the D1X and it requires a bit more care but can get the job done. I'm in the process of updating though and want to go full frame. It depends on budget. Full frame is probably going to set you back $1k minimum. I'm looking hard at the D800/810 or something like that. Glass, find some version of the 80-200/2.8 and if you go DX I think the 17-55/2.8 is one of the very best lenses Nikon makes. The Tamron 28-75/2.8 is also very good and works in both formats. You might consider a 105/2.5 Nikkor. Manual focus but one of the very best portrait lenses ever made. Just my opinion but it comes from an awful lot of time photographing all manner of things.

 

Rick H.

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Professional minimum would be:

  • Being backed up (anything can fail but doesn't really stop you)
  • Knowing your gear / what you are doing. - that might make renting unknown gear look less smart.

The D500 seems to be an amazing DX body, the D7200 maybe too.

If you want to stick with Nikon you could go D810 or D750 right now, but both are at the end of the product cycle and something new seems expected in late summer.

Lenses 70-200mm f2.8 VR, the new 3rd version?

Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 (for DX)?

A used 18-(dunno) f2.8?

 

I suppose mixing formats doesn't harm. If you got away with what you have your clients might not demand super huge prints? And if they do: Really of everything?

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Without an idea of your budget, it's hard to answer. To be honest, all recommendations above to get a body only, I'd dismiss; especially the D500 - it's very good, but for weddings, a D7200 would work equally well as you do not particularly need the strengths of the D500. However, while you'd be certainly better served with a more full-featured and sturdy body, I think your lenses are much more the weak point, and the fact you currently have only one body. So, you'll need to balance the budget somewhere.

 

Assuming the funds aren't limitless, a decent upgrade without breaking the bank completely: a Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, Nikon D7200, and long, fast lens, ideally a 70-200 f/2.8 but they do not come cheap. An alternative could be something like a 100mm f/2.8 macro lens, but the lack of zoom might be tricky. In any case, keep the D3200. You'd also need to consider something like a SB700 flash, in case you do not yet have a decent flash.

 

A jump to full frame would cost a lot, as your only full frame lens now is the 50mm. If the budget is ample enough, though, hard to go wrong with a D750 with 24-70 f/2.8 and a 70-200 f/2.8. And still keep the D3200 around, and get a flash if you don't have one.

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If you camera works while upgrade? If you upgrade you would have to determine how the new camera would earn you more money and how long it takes before you make even (payback)?

The point is if you don't see the weakness of the camera you have how can you pick the upgrade? If you only thing you see is that your camera is classified as beginner then simply buy the top of the line if that the case.

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