What to buy for £130?

macs

macs

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Name
Rich
Edit My Images
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For Christmas I was given £130 by various members of family but I have no idea what to spend it on so any ideas would go down well. I like landscape and architecture photography but already have filters and lenses that I feel my basic level of photography requires.

My kit consists of:
  • D3000 camera
  • 18-55 kit lens
  • 55-200 lens
  • 35mm f1.8 lens
  • flashgun
  • ND filters
  • ND grad filters
  • 10 stop filter
  • CPL filter
Anything else people would add to that list?

In addition, my birthday is only a couple of months away and i'll more than likely get the same money again so do I wait and add the 2 lots together and use this amount (~£250) to go towards an upgrade on the camera to a used D7000 which would be about £300 to trade mine in?

I've already been on a couple of courses which I found useful but not life-changingly brilliant.

Any suggestions would be great.
 
Hi Rich

Presumably, (as you've got a 10 stop filter) you own a tripod? If not, one of them ;)

Your listed kit is pretty much all you need for landscape/architectural photography and in reality any significant upgrade from your current kit is going to be expensive. Very expensive.

However, if I had your gear and budget I might be tempted to have a look at a Sigma 10-20mm. You'll easily get a nice used one for £250. I've had one for years and its a cracking lens (although doesn't get much use since going FF). Looking at you're flickr stream you've clearly got a good eye for an image so I reckon the little Siggy will add an extra dimension to your gear and photography.

Cheers

Mark
 
A Nikon F80 film camera with 50mm lens... one for sale in the forum!!! Plus you still have £40 left :naughty:

Seriously though, a red snapper tripod? Or maybe a wider lens if you shoot landscapes like the Sigma 10-20
 
Yeah, forgot the manfrotto tripod from the list so I don't need another. I have thought about the sigma 10-20 lens before but not sure how much use it would get. Will consider it again though. Any other suggestions?
 
With your interests I would recommend a sharp wide prime, something like the Samyang 14mm. Amazing image quality and 2nd hand should be able to pick one up for not too much more than you mentioned (think I sold my canon mount one for around £200 a while back). You won't want to shoot with anything else for landscapes when you start getting used to it.
 
Fuel to get you to places to photograph. All the kit in the world can't take photos of where you aren't!
 
I'd agree with either the sigma zoom or a good wide prime. The advice about a better body is also good, though even doubling that much money might not be enough for a jump in image quality from a used body.
 
macs said:
Yeah, forgot the manfrotto tripod from the list so I don't need another. I have thought about the sigma 10-20 lens before but not sure how much use it would get. Will consider it again though. Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...

I've the Sigma 10-20mm lens and it's a good lens, if you have a look at the pictures below in the flickr account, these were taken with it ...

Certainly gives you opportunities and if you've got £130 off it, then why not ? Would work well with your lenses focal range you initially listed...

Alternatively, as you've suggested, clump this with any birthday money and look to upgrade your body
 
Does your tripod have a ball head? I upgraded to one and it was a vast improvement over the 3 way head it came with.

And / or an upgraded strap? Something like the black rapid.

And / or some software? I find Lightroom excellent.

If there was any spare cash books are always good for learning and inspiration?
 
I would second an UWA lens - either sigma 10-20 or tamron 10-24
 
hiphopopotamus said:
With your interests I would recommend a sharp wide prime, something like the Samyang 14mm. Amazing image quality and 2nd hand should be able to pick one up for not too much more than you mentioned (think I sold my canon mount one for around £200 a while back). You won't want to shoot with anything else for landscapes when you start getting used to it.
Click to expand...
On a crop body the money is much better spent on a sigma 10-20mm or if speed is needed a tamron 11-16mm the samyang only really makes sense to me on full frame.
 
My choice would have been to put the money towards a trip to france or something.
 
Let us know what wex will offer in part-ex :)

Next body after D7000 - full frame one. Its a fact.
 
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