Budget ideas please!

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Hi! Long first post, sorry :)

I am an artist who has developed a technique of printing horse pics in B&W (often after simple work with curves etc in GIMP) and over-painting in an oil glaze. It works well and I'm trying to work it up commercially. Have realised that some clients have existing pics, others actually want me to shoot some.

I've never photographed seriously and have gotten by on my l'il s9600, which can give amazing results in the right conditions.

But I need something which can cope with some action shots and lower light conditions.

Have no intention of competing with actual event photographers. Most stuff will be portraits of a horse standing still, some will want dressage or jumping shots - or just standing around the field waiting for the horse to do something interesting!

Thoughts please on super-budget packages of camera and lenses which might work. Ideally £200to£400 range. Not much I know :(

Totally happy with stuff from a few years back if that will do the job, not a brand snob at all.

Thanks in advance.
 
Just thinking out loud.

A Canon 40D or 50D and the EF-S 17-85mm USM lens might serve you well.

IMO certainly ok for static shots.......and should be ok AF wise (I had a 40D and it's AF served me well shooting motor sports........plus it had the smoothest, noise free images for a camera in its class at the time) for capturing the jumping & dressage ones (though unless you are practiced at such action photography.......you will need to test yourself and practice!)

PS sorry manners, welcome to TP :)
 
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Thanks Box Brownie, much appreciated.

Must be said that internet wisdom says you ideally want in the 150 to 200mm range for horses, although the proper F2ish lenses obviously cost a bomb.

Any other views, or does the tiny budget flummox you big spenders? Or the fact that I admit to being a total novice?

Or am I after the impossible? Please, do comment :)
 
Would a D80 or even D50 be any good I wonder.

The bodies seem to sell for peanuts and I suspect lenses for those ( focus motor in camera body) are dirt cheap too.
 
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