What to get.....

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wscott45

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Will
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Looking for some help. I want to upgrade my kit but not really sure what to get (or the best place to look!). I have a budget of £5000, but I dont really want to spend it all as I need a new laptop. Im a nikon user so has to be nikon, but that is the only stipulation. Im more or less decided on the d700, so its more ideas about lenses. Ive got the sigma 10-20 already, but thats probably the only one ive currently got worth keeping. Ill be shooting all sorts, so flexibility is the most important thing. Could also do with some sort of lighting. Any suggestions? Cheers, Will.
 
I don't know if you're aware, the sigma 10-20 doesn't cover the whole of the sensor on the D700. It works but in DX crop mode, giving you pretty much what you have at the moment but with better high ISO performance.
What other lenses do you have?
Ideally you'll want a wide zoom 17-35 for example, a normal 50mm prime maybe and a long zoom 70-300 maybe, 70-200 plus teleconverter would be nice though.
 
I'd be happy with D700 + 14-24mm + 50mm AF-S + 70-200mm maybe for starters until you could add a few fast primes and a 1.4x/1.7x
 
Ah, ye I wasnt sure about that. Tamron 70-300 and the 18-55 kit lens my 50 came with. Not alot. The sigma has gone up in price by a fair whack since I bought mine so maybe id be better off selling it. Thinking about it I could also do with a new tripod too as mine is about the fall apart!
 
I think you'll be able to recycle the tamron and that's about it.
So you're looking at wide zoom £1100 Nikon or £300 Tamron and a normal prime £100-£300 depending on f/stop and maker, or maybe just a Nikon 24-70 f/2.8 £1200ish I think to get you going.
 
wscott45 said:
Ok, thanks for that, £5000 doesnt get much does it!!
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Astonishingly enough, if you want a versatile all-Nikon full frame outfit with a D700 then £5k doesn't go far at all. D700, 14-24, 24-70 and 70-200 is getting on for £6k, and that's without a macro, fast prime, flash, winder, tripod, filters, memory and batteries and a big bag. Add £1,000 for Elinchrom studio light kit. Plus the lappy :eek:

Based around a crop format, the basic outfit of D300, 10-24, 17-55 and 70-200 is £4,500, or at least £1,200-1,500 less if you buy well.

You're going to have to cut down on the lens range, or go for independent brands, or probably both. Or used of course. Personally, I would try to stay Nikon and look for a couple of used lenses.

But however you cut it, you're going to have to prioritise quite heavily and the first question, which you have already answered, has got to be readdressed. Full frame or crop?
 
Come over to Canon... 1D III with a few L lenses. Perfect.
 
HoppyUK - I do realise that! It was a oke. I shoot all sorts, but predominantly landscapes. Im freelance assisting at the moment, but am looking to upgrade my kit so I can start doing my own thing occasionally. I sell prints of my landscapes, im going to be doing some weddings (friends, so not paid, but I want to be able to make a fist of it) and I will also be doing quite afew headshots, as ive a mate whos an aspiring actor with plently of friends who need new ones (ive got access to lighting to borrow too so that isnt essential yet)!

Based on all this, which would you recommend?

p.s You may be thinking - if your assisting/looking to do the above then you should know enough to make your own mind up, which I probably should, but I dont, its a work in progress. Not that I feel like I have to ustify myself but from looking around here there seems to be plenty of people who offer nothing more than patronising and condescending replies to geniune questions such as mine. Not that yours was. Except the first line.

Cheers, Will.
 
Your 70-300 should be fine for the portrait type work you want to do, I think my Nikon version is great for head shots and if you're outside throws the background out of focus easily.

I'm not a landscape expert by any stretch, actually I just don't get it, some people seem to shoot at 10mm and others 400mm lol. I suppose you know your own shots best so have a look at what focal lengths you use the most, multiply by 1.5 and see if that helps you decide.
 
Ye, although I think I might get a 50mm, maybe ust the 1.8f, as an alternative for portrait work. Im at the 10mm end, although im trying to get out of the habit of constantly using it! Thanks anyway.
 
The 85mm f/1.4 or cheaper f/1.8 are classic portrait lenses and my next lens purchase (the f/1.8 for me).
And the 14-24mm is a superb bit of glass.
 
wscott45 said:
HoppyUK - I do realise that! It was a oke. I shoot all sorts, but predominantly landscapes. Im freelance assisting at the moment, but am looking to upgrade my kit so I can start doing my own thing occasionally. I sell prints of my landscapes, im going to be doing some weddings (friends, so not paid, but I want to be able to make a fist of it) and I will also be doing quite afew headshots, as ive a mate whos an aspiring actor with plently of friends who need new ones (ive got access to lighting to borrow too so that isnt essential yet)!

Based on all this, which would you recommend?

p.s You may be thinking - if your assisting/looking to do the above then you should know enough to make your own mind up, which I probably should, but I dont, its a work in progress. Not that I feel like I have to ustify myself but from looking around here there seems to be plenty of people who offer nothing more than patronising and condescending replies to geniune questions such as mine. Not that yours was. Except the first line.

Cheers, Will.
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I was honestly amazed that £5k would not buy a good full frame camera and three quality lenses. I think prices over the last few months have added at least a grand :eek:

With weddings, portraits and landscapes there is a good case for full frame but it has to be said the D700's forte is action with its high ISO performance, brilliant AF and fast frame speed (with winder). So with that in mind, you should also consider the Canon 5D2 which has all the attributes you need, plus a super-sharp sensor. In fact, unless you have a really good reason to go Nikon, I think a used Canon 5D would be a very good starting point. It will save you a grand, and allow you to invest in some really good lenses that will stand you in very good stead for many years. Then upgrade the body as and when.

There is so much choice in lenses and they do tend to be quite a personal thing. What do you think about primes vs zooms for example? But assuming you're being practical and going for zooms, your starting point should be a top quality workhorse like a 24-70 2.8. You might find that wide enough for landscapes on full frame, in which case you could skip the super-wide for now, and just supplement that with a 70-200 2.8 which will do a fine job of candids at weddings, and portraits generally. The Canon lens range offers more choice here, with a classy 24-105 4 option which also has image stabilisation, and there is also a 70-200 4 which is substantially cheaper and a lot less bulky. In addition, Canon does a cheaper 17-40 4. Basically, Canon offers two premium lens lines (all top quality L) with either f/2.8 or f/4 maximum apertures, the latter saving a lot of cash/size/weight, whereas Nikon mainly just does the f/2.8 versions.

Hope this helps. It's just a personal suggestion primarily centred on quality zoom optics. It you want to work some primes in there, or are tempted to save a bit with Sigma or Tamron, there are lots of options.

Don't forget a big flash for weddings :)
 
MJ Stebbings said:
Simple:
D700 - £1729 - Mifsuds ( http://camerapricebuster.co.uk/prod658.html )
14-24 - £1252.87 - Jacobs ( http://camerapricebuster.co.uk/prod602.html )
24-70 - £1169.99 - Jacobs ( http://camerapricebuster.co.uk/prod603.html )

Keep the 70-300 for now, its probably crap but usable.

Total of £4151.86

You would be alot better off going second hand, but its just a case of finding the stuff :LOL:
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agree with that tbh, there was a 14-24 in the FS section for 1k aswell, if you can find things reasonaly second hand then go for those, as for lighting at present go for a couple of SB-900's and then invest in lighting later when you will sue it more.
 
wscott45 said:
Looking for some help. I want to upgrade my kit but not really sure what to get (or the best place to look!). I have a budget of £5000, but I dont really want to spend it all as I need a new laptop. Im a nikon user so has to be nikon, but that is the only stipulation. Im more or less decided on the d700, so its more ideas about lenses. Ive got the sigma 10-20 already, but thats probably the only one ive currently got worth keeping. Ill be shooting all sorts, so flexibility is the most important thing. Could also do with some sort of lighting. Any suggestions? Cheers, Will.
Click to expand...

What about this http://www.carmarthencameras.co.uk/product.php/2311/73/nikon1735mmf28ed £695.

A 50mm for around £90 and a 70-200 F2.8 new at £1400, that should leave enough for some lighting, and if you want more reach then the 70-200 will take a x1.7 TC. On a D700 that should get you from 17mm through to 340mm on or near budget.

Kev
 
The 70-300 is pretty crap. Cheers for the links, despite the fact prices are going up im a bit relutant to spank it all in one sitting. I think ill just go for the 24-70. That plus a couple of sb-900s should get me busy for a while. I also just picked up a nikkor 135mm f/2.8 AI-s for £75 online to have a play with. I think ill have to try and bargain hunt for anything else so that I have something left over for a laptop!
 
IMO you're wise to look at 2nd hand and try to bargain hunt, which is why I've not gone for the 24-70, it's too damn expensive at the moment.

What 70-300mm is crap and why do you bring that up? :thinking:

Kev
 
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