gary_halmich Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 i have $3500.00 to spend i would like to get a good camera and a good all around lens wide angle lene for mountains and a tele photo lens what would you buy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommyinca Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 I would wait couple of months or so and see what Sony-Minolta has to offer. $3500 would be a good start for a Nikon D200 system. A bit more would work for a Canon 5D System. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2yellowdogs Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 Being a Nikon guy, I'd suggest the D200 ($1,700), the 12-24 f4 ($890) and the 18-200 VR ($750). That will leave you some money for an extra battery, and a couple of CF cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbq Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 How much camera experience do you have? How wide and how long do you need the lenses to be? Which of wide or tele is going to be the most important for you? How much weight are you willing to carry? How large do you want to print? Are you willing to carry several lenses? Some advice: don't try to buy as much camera as your budget will allow. Do not fall for the megapixel trap if that prevents you from buying good glass. Do not spend everything right away, you'll need some accessories as time goes. A D50 with a 18-200VR might do just fine for you. Higher in the budget, I'd consider a 30D with a 17-40, 50/1.8, 70-200/4 or 70-300IS. A 5D is definitely way out of your budget. Higher, D200 with a 18-70 and Sigma 70-200/2.8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 Personally, I bought a B&J press camera with three lenses, film holders, light meter, tripod, film, and some books on how to use it all. Then you book a gorgeous model for a very very long photo session, she's for free so I still have $3000 left........ Alternatively, you could buy a Mamiya DTL1000 35mm slr with three primes, a tripod, film, and still have $3300 left. Or if you must then blow it all on the camera and two fast primes. It's your money, if you have it. What camera you buy makes no difference whatsoever. I prefer people to cameras, so I see the person first, the light second, the lens next, and the camera comes last. The bottom line is, what do you want to photograph, and what camera and lenses can help you do that? Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_gentile Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 <em>"... what do you want to photograph, and what camera and lenses can help you do that...?"</em> <p>One other thing is the size of the enlargements you want to make. Other than that, I think Ben said it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel_taylor Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 Though I like Jean's advice and choices, if you are going to blow it all in one place and need another Canon configuration... Canon 20D + EF 17-85 f/4-5.6 USM IS $1580: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=372827&is=REG&addedTroughType=search Canon EF-S 10-22 f/3.5-4.5 USM $690: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=351542&is=USA&addedTroughType=search Canon EF 70-200 f/4L USM $545: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=183198&is=USA&addedTroughType=search Leaves you with about $600 left over for tripod and accessories. Pros: good beginner kit covers (35mm equiv) 16mm - 320mm with three lenses, all decent glass. (70-200 f/4L is excellent.) 17-85 is a perfect vacation/walk around lens. Cons: two EF-S lenses that will not work on future full frame. All zooms which are slower than primes and not always optically as good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 The excellent list Daniel provided should be more than enough for most situations. Although, I'd also be tempted to get some if not all of that gear used on ebay, save some $$$. Lenses are a great buy used and perhaps a good dslr can also be got that way. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed_nicholson4 Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 The photographer is more important than the equipment, so I'd take my present equipment to New Zealand for as long as the money held out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolefan32 Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Since you're wanting to do wide-angle shooting, I'd try to get a Canon 5D, possibly used or grey market since a new one is $2,800 at best. Of course the price might come down in the next few months, so if you aren't in a hurry, you might be able to afford one by waiting a bit. The reason for the 5D is it has a full-frame CCD, which means it won't be multiplying the focal length of your lenses the way cheaper DSLRs with 3/4-frame CCDs do. On most DSLRs, a 35mm functions closer to a 50mm, for example, because of the multiplication factor, which limits your ability to shoot wide angle. Of course that becomes a bonus when shooting telephoto, because your long lenses act as if they're even longer. Unless you want to shoot film, and then $3,500 will get you a very sweet outfit. Quite nearly the pick of the litter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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