Moving To Nikon - what kit?

specialman

specialman

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Pat MacInnes
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Have been an EOS user on/off for about 12 years (but mainly used Cambo 5x4, Bronica ETRSi and Mamiya RB67 for a few years) and need to actually own some digital stufff now that i want to do some semi-pro stuff.

I use EOS digital kit for my work (as a photojournalist on a magazine) but I am being drawn towards Nikon for weatherproofing, build quality and just general niceness of lenses.

I currently use a EOS 30D, 100mm macro f2.8, 17-40mm f4, standard 70-300mm and 28-90mm for work. I want to buy a comparable Nikon model and my budget is about £1,500 for body, battery grip, flash, wide-angle zoom and standard zoom. Will buy batteries, tripod, backpack seperately.

I shoot a lot of landscape but also do a fair bit of indoor snowboarding photography, and I'm hoping to get out to the Alps a few times this winter to do some photography.

I can’t afford any of the single digit models (D2 etc) and can’t afford the new D300 either. I can however afford the D200 and D80, which look excellent, and the FUJI S5 Pro (at a stretch). I’ve done a bit of homework and I think the Fuji might be better suited to landscape work because of the SR SuperCCD sensor with the ability to pick out more highlight detail. The D200 does look good though.

I suppose I need decent frames-per-second (for the action stuff) so that puts the D80 at the back of the pack, but one of the most important things to me is what lenses I get with the camera.

The set-up I’m considering comprises the Sigma 10-20mm for all wide-angle stuff but I can’t settle on which standard zoom to get. The 18-70mm f3.5-4.5 has the better apertures but I also like the look of the 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 at the same price and with the extra reach. I’ll look at the Sigma EX range when it comes to choosing a long lens, although some comments on the Nikon superzooms (like the 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 VR DX) would be helpful. A lens like that would do away with the need for a standard zoom AND a telephoto zoom but I need to know you’re opinions on whether there are any major problems. I’m set on the Sigma 10-20mm, as I have seen the results and for the money it’s a steal.

Also, I’ll be buying a second flash head at some stage for the snowboarding shots. I currently use 550EX Speedlights from Canon, which have wireless slave capabilities - does the Nikon SB600 have the same options (or do I have to buy extra stuff?) or should I hold out for a SB800?

I want a kit that’ll see me good for a few years and that will still be valid if I happen to upgrade (when I have the dosh) to something like a D2 in a year or so. I can forsee lens changes in the distant future, but for now I need some quality lenses that won’t let me down image-wise but without paying the earth.
 
I'd drop Colin ( Hacker ) a message if you're interested in a D200 etc He has a D200, grip, sigma 10-20 all for sale at the minute.

For landscape work I think I'd go for the D200 over the Fuji. The Fuji cam is better at skin tones from what I've heard but that's probably not as much of an issue for the sort of work it sounds like you're doing.

The 10-20 is a great lens, I had one up until recently. The Sigma 24-70 is also a very good lens and probably almost as good as the Pro Nikon kit. I've never been one for super-zooms personally so can't really help there.

Pete
 
Firstly, congraulations on going with Nikon! :D I'd agree with Pete about the D200 over the Fuji but that is only what I have read and have not handled the Fuji. I've always found the D200 to be fine with skin tones (have a look at my site) and it's a great workhorse of a camera with the added bonus of being reasonably weatherproof, in my opinion it needs the grip for better balance and battery life.

With regards to lenses I would recommend the 17-55mm f/2.8, an absolute cracker of a lens which is rarely off my camera and would be good for your indoor snowboarding, you could probably pick up a good s/h one for about £500. The VR lenses you've mentioned are good but I am not sure if they would be suitable for your action stuff as I think you will need fast lenses as the VR is good for low light and reasonable still subjects.

The SB-600 and SB-800 flash guns are both compatible with Nikon's Creative Wireless System (CLS) and can be used wirelessly whilst retaining full iTTL. The SB-800 can be set as the master or slave whilst the 600 can only be the slave. The D200 can also act as the master/commander using the pop-up flash, it can be set so that just the pre-flash fires but the main flash does not fire when actually taking the shot leaving that to whatever flash you are connected to remotely using CLS (I hope this makes sense!!).

As Pete has said I have a few bits for sale which you might be interested in, including the D200 + grip and a Sigma 10-20mm, linky.
 
Oh and one other thing. Don't go and buy the D200+grip, use it for a week and then pick up a D2 body... I made that mistake and ended up selling the D200 and getting myself a D2x as it felt better in my hand. It was a slippery slope of bankrupcy from then on :D

Pete
 
Cheers all and thanks fo the link Hacker.. I'm pretty much made up on the fact that the D80 just won't offer everything I need, even though it's got so much praise heaped upon it. Unfortunately I need to buy on the 'never-never' so will have to gracefully decline your offer Hacker. :)

I'm mainly buying an accompanying grip for the larger handprint*–*I have BIG hands and find cameras like my 30D hard to hold without a battery grip. The second shutter button will come in handy too.

Don't think I'd see the week out If I bought a D2 - the missus would literally skin me alive!! :)

That 17-55mm lens sounds good but I'm struggling with the price and the fact that I'd still need a 100mm+ telephoto lens for outdoor shots.

My Canon Speedlights just 'plug and play' as it were - do I need to buy this 'creative wireless system' to make sure two SB600/800s work wirelessly?

Right, now to persuade the missus that we'll have to go 'Tesco Value' for the next 36 months!! :)
 
Have you considered the Olympus E-3 and 12-60SWD

Comes in at slightly over budget, but the E-3 is one of the best when it comes to weather-proofing (I have put mine under a running tap as a test!), the 12-60 is a good range (24-120 Equiv) and is also weatherproof

See this link for weatherproof-ness :D http://www.e-fotografija.si/templates/?a=1248&z=1

Oly are also giving a free battery-grip if purchased before 31st December.
 
Hav to say that the E3 looks like a right badass piece of kit, but you know when you have something in your head (and your heart), it's hard to change your mind!!!
 
May take a trip to Brum on the weekend (with the rest of the xmas hoards) to see what the big photographic stores have in.
 
I shoot a lot of landscape but also do a fair bit of indoor snowboarding photography, and I'm hoping to get out to the Alps a few times this winter to do some photography.
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but I am being drawn towards Nikon for weatherproofing, build quality and just general niceness of lenses.
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so buy what you need
it sounds like you need a robust camera within buget so by a pro quality Nikon - just buy a good used one - i did the same with canon - i ditched a prosumer brand new 20d for a second hand 1d - best thing i ever did. Any camera with an add-on vertical grip is never going to be a waterproof as one with a built in vertical shutter release.:canon:
 
specialman said:
I shoot a lot of landscape but also do a fair bit of indoor snowboarding photography, and I'm hoping to get out to the Alps a few times this winter to do some photography.

I can’t afford any of the single digit models (D2 etc) and can’t afford the new D300 either. I can however afford the D200 and D80, which look excellent, and the FUJI S5 Pro (at a stretch). I’ve done a bit of homework and I think the Fuji might be better suited to landscape work because of the SR SuperCCD sensor with the ability to pick out more highlight detail. The D200 does look good though.
Click to expand...

I bought the Fuji S5 Pro specificaly to do landscape work with 'challenging' lighting. I like sunsets and occasionaly point the camera directly at the sun. This is normally a disaster for most CCD's as the highlights will be blown and the shadow detail non-existant but the extra two stops latitude on the Fuji helps here. I haven't tested it yet myself but the Fuji CCD should cope better than most in snow too. It certainly okay on bright white sandy beaches. I compiled a gallery of hi-res S5 Pro only images here- many taken in more 'challenging' lighting:

http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/laser_jock99/Fuji S5 Pro/

I was also tempted by the D200's extra pixels but the need for additional dynamic range won me over.
 
Sportysnaps, would love something like a D2 (and the used option is a good shout) but as I'm aiming to do a 'buy now, pay next year', so used won't figure. Understand where you're coming from with the comment regarding grips and weatherproofing though.

LJ99, for some reason the Fuji really does appeal, even if with the funky dual sensor setting the frames-per-second drops when it's turned on. For most of the year i'll be doing landcspe stuff so that's the main dictating factor - the sports stuff will just be a acs eof me making do until that money tree I've planted blossoms and gives me enough for a high-speed camera!! :) Your shots (especially the mist ones) look ace byt he way - is that thanks to he Fuji do you think?
 
specialman said:
Sportysnaps, would love something like a D2 (and the used option is a good shout) but as I'm aiming to do a 'buy now, pay next year', so used won't figure. Understand where you're coming from with the comment regarding grips and weatherproofing though.
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How about getting a new credit card with 0% for a year on it? You could probably use that through paypal to pay someone and you get it on buy now pay next year :D
 
**UPDATE**

Right, went to Jessops yesterday to have a butchers at what was on offer. They had a few Nikons in but as kits with different lenses. Most were D40s or D40Xs. Had a quick play vwith the D80 and the D200 and for the money, the D80 seems great.

Seen a few good deals at www.cameraworld.co.uk*–*D80, 18-135mm lens and MD-D80 battery grip for £749 (with £50 cashback). And there's the the D200 with a the MD-D200 battery grip for £899 but that means I have to spend £200+ on a lens (taking lens/grip/body set to going on £1100).

I'm thinking that the £400 difference between the two will get me (or get me most of) a quality 70-200 zoom like the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 APO EX DG MACRO in addition to the 10-20mm Sigma I want for landscape stuff. Is there £400 difference bewteen the two cameras do you reckon?
 
As much as i love my D80, The D200 is miles above it, for one, you get a proper metal body, alot more focussing points and most importantly, MORE BUTTONS!!!

If you have the option to go D200 over D80, do it, you will not regret it!
 
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