Need adivise on which camera and lense i should buy (under $1000)

[Iris.HangDiep]

Hi guyz, Im new to photography. I want to buy a Nikon camera and lens which are good for landscape, people, and night photo for under $1000. So, which gear is good for my needs ? Any recommendation is appreciated.

[jml79]

JMHO - Look for a D90 on sale with a kit lens and also buy a 50mm f/1.8 Prime lens. This should come in right around your $1000. Save up for a longer lens later.

I am not a huge fan of the 3XXX and 5XXX series because they cannot autofocus lenses without internal motors. You may save on the body but you loose flexibility and availability of used/older lenses.

Are you sure Nikon is what you want. Have you read about the other options (just asking if you have done your research). Nothing is worse than buying something out of your budget because that's what everyone else has.

[Iris.HangDiep]

Originally Posted by jml79

JMHO - Look for a D90 on sale with a kit lens and also buy a 50mm f/1.8 Prime lens. This should come in right around your $1000. Save up for a longer lens later.

I am not a huge fan of the 3XXX and 5XXX series because they cannot autofocus lenses without internal motors. You may save on the body but you loose flexibility and availability of used/older lenses.

Are you sure Nikon is what you want. Have you read about the other options (just asking if you have done your research). Nothing is worse than buying something out of your budget because that's what everyone else has.

^_^ thanks so much for telling. I also consider Canon, but i heard canon lenses are more expensive and the entry camera bodies are not so great as Nikon ones. So which Canon gear would u recommend?

[jml79]

I honestly don't know the Canon line as well as the Nikon line so I will let someone else comment on their consumer grade stuff. My opinion for people looking to get into photography as a hobby and that have a budget is to look into Sony and Pentax. Both have in camera focus motors and in camera image stabilization which means you can save on the lenses over the long run and even used lenses benefit from IS. They are also both less expensive than Nikon and Canon. For your budget you could get a Camera, 18-55 zoom, 70-300 zoom and a fast prime (50mm). Add a little more and you have a flash all for just over $1000. As a bonus, everything is IS/VR already at no extra charge.

This is just my opinion. Olympus and Panasonic also make great budget options but with a smaller sensor. There is nothing wrong with Nikon (or Canon) I just feel that there are better values to be had for those of us with a budget.

[TheMoons678]

Nikon $1000(ish) budget (used equipment prices)
EDIT: You can find these at the following prices, but you must hunt for a while. After christmas I expect you should find these prices easily.

D90: $650
18-55mm VR + 55-200mm VR: $275
50mm f/1.8 AF: $100

or

D80: $375
18-55 $125
70-300mm VR: $400
50mm 1.8: $100

or

D80 $375
18-55, 55-200 $275
50mm 1.8 $100
sb600 $200

[Almond.Butterscotch]

Don't go for the D80. If you have $1000 to spend, spend it on the the D90. The D80 is two generations olds now, replaced by the D90 and again by the new D7000.

The D90 + 50mm f/1.8 set should do you well for a while; throw the other zooms in as you see fit, if you see fit.

[Aegea]

On the Nikon vs. Canon vs. Sony vs. Pentax issue - if you can, go into a camera store and play with the models you are interested in. Nikon and Canon have rather different approaches about menus, not to mention that one or another may just feel better in your hands. I don't have any experience of Sony and Pentax, but one caution is that the choice of lenses will be more limited; also it is not clear to me whether both of them will be making DSLRs long-term - tho' other people may well differ.

The D90 is certainly an excellent camera and is unlikely to limit your photography for the foreseeable future, and you can use a lot of very nice old Nikon glass on it.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by TheMoons678

Nikon $1000(ish) budget (used equipment prices)

D90: $650
18-55mm VR + 55-200mm VR: $275
50mm f/1.8 AF: $100

I'll give you the $100 50mm lens, but where are you able to get an 18-55 and 55-200 (both VR) for under $300? Even used thats really really low. Same with the D90 body at $650.

[firebox40dash5]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

I'll give you the $100 50mm lens, but where are you able to get an 18-55 and 55-200 (both VR) for under $300? Even used thats really really low. Same with the D90 body at $650.

Doesn't seem too out of line with what I've been seeing on fredmiranda lately. A couple D90s have been posted for under $650. I don't know about the 55-200mm VR, but the 18-55mm VR can be had for $100-125 if you wait for one to come up. Amazon has both of them for $190 new (each, not the pair).

Personally, I'd buy an 18-105mm VR instead, and save up for a 70-300mm VR if you need a tele lens.

[TheMoons678]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

I'll give you the $100 50mm lens, but where are you able to get an 18-55 and 55-200 (both VR) for under $300? Even used thats really really low. Same with the D90 body at $650.

Locally, the 18-55mm vr goes for $125 or less, and the 55-200mm VR goes for $150ish (but i've seen go for less).

Originally Posted by Almond.Butterscotch

Don't go for the D80. If you have $1000 to spend, spend it on the the D90. The D80 is two generations olds now, replaced by the D90 and again by the new D7000.

I upgraded from D60 to D80 for the internal motor and 11 pt AF, and later upgraded to the D90 mainly for the movie mode and higher ISO performance. I sold my setup in an attempt to focus on school, but recently found a mint D80 + 18-135mm for $475 nearby that was hard to pass up.

I loved my D90. However Live-View was disappointing and I never use it. I'd be interested in trying the D7000 moviemode with continuous AF though. I'm happy going back to the D80 because they're both great. I'm an amateur, but when buying used equip on a strict budget I'd rather have room in my budget for a speedlight and nicer lenses than to spend 2/3 of the budget on the body. The demands of your shooting may make the D90 worth it, but it hasnt made it worth it for me. Almond is a great photographer and produces better shots on his d40 than I have on my d90, so it isnt as much about the equipment as the photographer. I'll personally skip the D90 until the D7000 used prices are reasonable in a few yrs.

PS: For anybody looking to upgrade and don't mind buying used on craigslist or wherever, after christmas should be an ideal time for buyers.