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General >> Buy and Sell >> WTB: DSLR Equipment (Kit) for Advance Beginner
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Message started by knaztech on 08/17/9 at 15:41:22

Title: WTB: DSLR Equipment (Kit) for Advance Beginner
Post by knaztech on 08/17/9 at 15:41:22

I'm looking to buy a entry-level Digital SLR camera kit, including a couple of lenses, an external flash and perhaps a battery grip. I would prefer Canon or Nikon but will also consider other brands.

My budget is up to $450 for used items listed above.

I don't want to buy brand new so I'm posting this here if someone is considering an upgrade and would like to sell their older equipment. Please let me know. Thanks,

Ken.

Title: Re: WTB: DSLR Equipment (Kit) for Advance Beginner
Post by Slowpoke on 08/17/9 at 19:46:35

More than you asked for, but a complete outfit.

http://spda-online.ca/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=4965&forum=29

Title: Re: WTB: DSLR Equipment (Kit) for Advance Beginner
Post by knaztech on 08/18/9 at 08:13:48

Thanks for the link. That's a lot of camera (20D) and equipment and out of budget. I'd be happy with a Canon XS or XTi body.

Title: Re: WTB: DSLR Equipment (Kit) for Advance Beginner
Post by Nikola on 08/18/9 at 09:28:33

You might not be able to fit all the items you need in that budget. I would say that you should take the battery grip out of the equation - you _really_ don't need it at ALL to "take better pictures" - something that should be your focus initially. First place to invest (time & money) should be yourself and your skills; 2nd is typically lenses, as if chosen wisely at the beginning, you'll be able to keep them for a very long time (unlike digital bodies etc, which go obsolete much more quickly).

I'd say on the Nikon side, a d40 with a kit 18-55 lens and SB-400 flash should get you started, will do EVERYthing you need to learn and improve for a long time, and you should _just_ about be able to squeeze it in that budget (and have it in reasonably good condition). A bit later, you can invest into a 55-200 lens and have the full range covered.

Later on, once you've gained experience, you can re-evaluate your path:
- do you switch your lenses to 18-200mm VR, a one-size-fits-all, if you're looking for casual/amateur photography - some travel, some family & events, a little bit of everything as a lens that stays on camera always?
- do you move to more dedicated lenses, maybe add a 50mm 1.8 prime, if you're a little more serious about quality/sharpness/results?
- do you go all out and get a 70-200mm f/2.8 combo with 24-70 or 17-55 (depending on if you're going full frame or DX/EF-S)?

I'd say keep your initial investment low until you know in detail what you want and when (i.e. until you have your plan mapped out for a few years ahead) - you don't want to get things that are useful for 6 months but then you outgrow them.

In those terms, battery grip is superfluous, and if you have a fixed budget, it'll take away from quality or flexibility of the important things, such as a) lens and b) body... plus it'll make your camera unwieldy and likely too heavy for a beginner body like d40/d60 or XS etc. You should easily be able to shoot all day on a single battery with those bodies, and if you are taking it on vacation and don't want to carry a charger, buy a few extra third-party batteries from DealExtreme.com or similar.

My $0.03

Title: Re: WTB: DSLR Equipment (Kit) for Advance Beginner
Post by Nikola on 08/18/9 at 09:31:13

PS I'd sell you my d40, but I can't seem to make myself get rid of it... when I want to build my portfolio I take the d90 or d200/d300 out, but if I'm just taking pictures of family and friends or going on a quick trip - d40 is amazingly light, flexible, durable, takes great pics and fits in hand very nicely... highly recommended :)

Title: Re: WTB: DSLR Equipment (Kit) for Advance Beginner
Post by knaztech on 08/19/9 at 09:37:23

Excellent info, Nikola. I'm looking very closely at the basic D40 and the SB-400 flash combo.

So if someone is interested in selling their D40, please let me know. Thanks.

Title: Re: WTB: DSLR Equipment (Kit) for Advance Beginner
Post by Nikola on 08/19/9 at 10:26:22

People are selling their d40's on Craigslist frequently (I see an ad 2-3 times a week), so keep an eye there:)

I would stick with original d40, as it has less noise and better sensitivity than d40x (the 10MP version), plus excellent flash-sync speed, and since it's recording 6MP files, it has basically unlimited JPG burst mode (comes in handy at rallycrosses etc:))

PS Funnily enough, I was told by a professional wedding shooter last night to leave my battery grip at home this Saturday (I'm helping them out as an assistant/second shooter). They don't find it very useful, while when prepping for 5-8hrs of shooting, every ounce of weight makes a difference, especially on the body itself! d40 is brilliant in this respect - super light, yet with all the practical features you're likely to need.

Title: Re: WTB: DSLR Equipment (Kit) for Advance Beginner
Post by Nikola on 08/21/9 at 05:48:28

d40x for $300:
http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/pho/1334317240.html

Title: Re: WTB: DSLR Equipment (Kit) for Advance Beginner
Post by knaztech on 08/21/9 at 10:41:53

Email sent to the D40X poster but I'm leaning more towards the D40.

Let us know how the wedding photo shot goes this weekend. Thanks for all your help.

Title: Re: WTB: DSLR Equipment (Kit) for Advance Beginner
Post by knaztech on 08/24/9 at 07:51:50

I ended up buying a Nikon D60! I blew my budget somewhat … actually … I annihilated it, but I figured I would end up buying the 2 VR lenses anyways. Now, I’m looking for a Nikon SB-600 flash. Happy Day!