Over half way to that new camera!

I've been saving my pennies and I'm over halfway to my 2k mark! Tryin' to get rid of most of my credit cards at the same time, so it's been fun! Three kids in college. Ugh...

So I'm starting to solidify my list, and that's been a rough road.

I am stuck on a D7000 though, so you won't be able to change my mind on that. I've probably read way too much about this one. It seems to have enough stuff on it that I'll be able to learn for a long long long time to come! A full frame just seems overkill for me. I also have an eye on a 13" wide format printer in the future, so this camera should workout just fine. Not to mention the D7000 appears to be near it's end of life, and the price just keeps dropping. Bonus for me!

So, after much research, I've decided to forgo the kit lens and get two Sigma lenses. The 17-70 f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM and the 70-300 f/4-5.6 DG OS. This, I figure, is a wide enough range so I can figure out where I'm going to shoot the most at, which should help me plan out which primes to get in the future. I've been flipping back and forth between Sigma and Nikkor, Nikkor or Sigma, oh my brain hurts. I've finally decided lens reviews are just like wine reviews. It's all subjective. (Well, parts of a lens review is subjective anyway.) There's barely ever been a wine that's gotten rave reviews that my wife and I actually like. So I make my own wine. We drink what we like, when we like, with what we like, at the temperature we like. We totally ignore the wine reviews.

So, I'm going to totally ignore the lens reviews, because I read about vignetting, chromatic aberrations, distortions, and I start thinking that whatever lens I'm reading about, has to be the worst lens in the world! Then they show example pics, and all I can think is, "Seriously? That's a perfect picture!" I'm not a professional photographer, I'm never going to sell my pictures, I just want nice pictures. That is all. My eyes are not trained to see all that stuff anyway and I don't plan on taking pictures of too many brick walls, so I think I'm good.

I also have on my list a Vanguard Alta Pro 263AGH Tripod with a GH-100 head. Tripods are just insane. Everything from a $few to $WHOA BACK THE BUS UP!. So I just picked one with mostly good reviews. Not too cheap, not too expensive.

If there are any opinions on this stuff, feel free to jump in. I still have a little bit of time to change my mind!

Nice and gorgeous decision the D7000 !! with all those lenses. Can add on your list the 85mm lens

I believe you are on a nice track. I own mostly Nikkor lens, but have a few Sigma lens included. Overall, the Sigma lens are nice, but not quite as tough as the Nikkor lens. So as long as you don't abuse, should get years and years of service. You will have your range covered. have fun.

Ahhh yes, the 85mm! I keep looking at various versions and can't seem to make up my mind. I keep doing the same for 35 and 50mm lenses. Since I really don't know what I want, I just decided to get some telephotos to play with beforeI drop some more money on lenses.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

You are going to love the D7000, it's a wonderful camera. Your lens choices are good too. From there you will be able to determine what else you need ...or want. I also have the 50 and I love it. But I a considering adding the 35 or 28 I can't make up my mind between the two. Sometimes it's hard to decide as you too will soon find out.

Sigma is supposed to have a new lens that makes Nikon and Canon and everyone else look stupid.

I have two Sigma lens 17-50mm 2.8 and the 70-200 2.8. I'm very happy with both. I would have loved to bought the Nikon version of both, but I only budget so much each year on camera gear and at the time it was either two Sigma lens or one Nikon lens. I don't think in your situation you can't go wrong with Sigma for wanting "nice pictures"

As for the D7000, your right the price is dropping and this adds fuel to the fire that a new FX or D7000 upgrade release is just around the corner, which a lot of us FX guys are holding out for.

At the time I bought my D90 I could have picked up the D7000, but the price on the D90 was too appealing to me and there were some issues AT THE TIME with the D7000 so I steered away from it. Now I could just kick myself for not picking up the D7000 and one reason I hope a new FX camera is on the horizon.

Something you might want to think about since your still saving up for a new camera is to see if anything come out in early 2013.

Either way you thinking and your list looks good

stmv said:

I believe you are on a nice track. I own mostly Nikkor lens, but have a few Sigma lens included. Overall, the Sigma lens are nice, but not quite as tough as the Nikkor lens. So as long as you don't abuse, should get years and years of service. You will have your range covered. have fun.

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Great advise, I too am in the market for a high speed zoom lens to use on my D300s and I was going to ask about Sigma's quality & durability. I too have many nikkor lenses & a couple of series E lenses but none of the zooms are below f3.5 so your post has sold me on Sigma instead of Tamron.!!

jcottone45 said:

Great advise, I too am in the market for a high speed zoom lens to use on my D300s and I was going to ask about Sigma's quality & durability. I too have many nikkor lenses & a couple of series E lenses but none of the zooms are below f3.5 so your post has sold me on Sigma instead of Tamron.!!

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If you look at general reviews between Sigma and Tamron, you will find most people lean toward Sigma. Not saying Tamron makes bad lens, just saying is seams to be the most favorite of the two.

People have good and bad to say about both. Do your research. I never read the positive reviews, I always read the negative reviews and look for comments that have the same thing in common. This way I'll know the worst to expect. Your going to see something wrong more than you're going to see something right once you buy something.

The Tamron 70-300mm VC is an outstanding lens. I owned both the Tamron and the Nikon 70-300mm VR at the same time.
I still have the Tamron.

Well, it's certainly pleasant that no one has had any serious objections to my decisions. I guess I'll stick with this list then. The Nikkor/Tamron/Sigma/et al debate has always been, and always will be. I have no plans to beat up my gear, and no plans to recoup any money from the gear, so a budget I'm comfortable with has to be set. If that wasn't the case, I'd be all over the multi-thousand dollar glass.

I haven't touched an SLR for 30 years, so I have a lot of learning to do! My Grandpa was a professional photographer for GM, so he taught me a lot. Hardly any of it I remember though. HA! I was 10(ish) years old, so all that composition, rule of thirds, aperture, Fstops, etc, etc, etc, it's all in my brain somewhere. The more I read on photography, the more I suddenly find myself saying, "Ohhh!! That's what Grandpa was talking about!" Like somebody just flipped the big light switch on in my brain!

We spent many days in his darkroom. I always thought it was magical when you could slip a piece of paper into that liquid and a picture would appear. Dark Magic! However, film photography is definitely an expensive hobby. Besides, I eventually found girls interesting. Joined the Navy. Got married. Had Kids. You know... life got in the way. But I'm back and ready to start again!

I realized not too long ago that I've spent over $1600 on various point and shoots over the years. They all eventually break and aren't worth it to get it fixed, and the last one I owned, I left in Kentucky somewhere, I think... So I've decided to get a camera that if it breaks, it will probably be worth it to get fixed.

At the moment, the only camera I have is the one that comes on Samsung's Galaxy Nexus phone. Along with the 4 dollar app called Camera FV5. This app tries to give you as much DSLR like control as possible, the limitation being the hardware of course. It's fun to run around and try and get good pictures with it. I also have had Lightroom 4 for the past couple of months and absolutely love it. Though I have much to learn in there too. I guess you can do so much more with raw files, so I'll have to wait to see that. I've watched a lot of videos about LR and am always impressed with the before/after picture. Sometimes just stunning!

So I'll leave this post with a picture from said phone, that I personally like, with slightly modified clouds and whitewalls with LR. If I had thought about it some more, I would've had them move that pickup truck out of the way, and then waited for a train. The tracks are immediately behind that pickup truck. But I'm sure with just a camera phone, the train would look like crap anyway...

Ya know... I just realized I have enough saved for the body and either one of those lenses!

No, I must wait! That's the plan. It's always been the plan.


I can't wait.

Yes I can!

Oh the agony!! :hopelessness:

Patience good things come to those who wait!

Kias said:

Ahhh yes, the 85mm! I keep looking at various versions and can't seem to make up my mind. I keep doing the same for 35 and 50mm lenses. Since I really don't know what I want, I just decided to get some telephotos to play with beforeI drop some more money on lenses.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

Click to expand...

Ok, I am going to advise you to switch from the 85 1.8 to the 60 mm 2.8 AF ED lens, for 3 reasons,

1. The 60 mm translates to 90 nm full frame which is nice for portraits

2. You gain MACRO,, which is a ton of fun

3. the build quality is the same

I am recommending the ED version over the G, since almost 100 dollar cheaper, smaller, and beautiful build quality.

you won't go wrong with the 85 1.8 ED, on sell right now, for a really nice price of 469 (about the same price as the 60).

I have both lens, and love them both, but USE the 60mm more.

ok,, and.... don't forget to consider say a 200 F4 old manual lens, I just saw one close on ebay for 50 dollars!,, unbelievable, this lens is a GEM!!!! TRUST ME. sharp sharp, small, and just a joy to throw into a pocket for when you need a nice tele.

ok, one more,, holy cow!,, 75-150 series E for 45 dollars,, wow, love that lens. small, beautiful range, and works great on the D7000.

I have the pro zooms, love them, but when I am out and about traveling light, nothing beats these old classic Nikkors that work 100% on your future D7000.

See the fun you get when you buy a D7000, the len world is your toy box.

Oh geez! Here I was just mindin' my own business lookin' at speedlights and studio lights, when you come along with all these other things to spend money on!

Glad my wife never asks how much I spend on stuff!


Is this the 200 f4 beast you speak of?

The 75-150 Series E is one of the best Nikon lenses ever made for the money...not exactly the most versatile lens but it is an extremely good performer.

See http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=series+e+75-150&w=54882604@N05#page=0

Look at the baseball shots. Fantastic lens.

You are on the right track on the 200, but they updated it, that one is pretty old.

This is the updated version

Congrats Klas!
Sometimes you just have to make a decision and jump in the market at a price and level of acceptable needs. Glass is more important than the body in reality. If you keep waiting for the next greatest from Nikon the price point will slide further away from your goal. Best of Luck!
Kathleen

Ok, I need someone to smack me up side the head and tell me what to do. I just realized during my way too long commute home that I'm running out of time.

All the children will be home for Christmas this year. I don't know if this will happen again for a while since it seems they're all gearing up to move to the four corners of the world. This is actually sweet sorrow. A lot of you have probably been there already though...

Anyway, I want to get some nice pictures of them and us while I have their full attention. (Poor suckers!)

I'm going to order from B&H and originally I was looking at the body with the deluxe accessory kit which includes a vello battery grip, a couple of pearstone batteries, bag, 32gb sandisk extreme card, some cleaning fluid and a cloth. I did some manual math, and all this kit would save me is 89 bucks.

On the other hand, I just have this aching feeling in the back of my mind that I should probably stick with the OEM batteries. They're only 25 extra bucks and they do have a tad bit more power in them. If I do get the Vello grip, I'll probably be happy with it as I've never had the OEM grip in my hands to be able to compare. It's that whole battery thing I'm having second thoughts about.

I know B&H ships fast, and UPS/Fedex (I don't know who they ship through) are both 2 days to my house from NYC. Now taking into consideration the ungodly amount of time it takes to get funds from one bank to another (Which is what I do) here are my options.

1. Forget the accessory kit and order the Body (which does come with a bag, and 16gb sd card) and the 17-70mm f/2.8-4 previously mentioned right now, and have it my hands by this weekend.

2. Wait two more days and order the lens, and the body with the accessory kit, and maybe have it by this weekend, but probably next Monday for sure.

3. Wait until next Wednesday and order everything originally planned, and hope UPS doesn't lose it in the holiday rush, and it may or may not be here for Christmas. Which would suck if it wasn't.

What do y'all think about the OEM vs. third party battery thing?

I'm almost tempted to go with option one, and then next Wednesday order the rest of the stuff I was originally planning to get, tripod, other lens, etc... and let that show up whenever it shows up. This would give me the most time to learn with the new camera!

Those poor kids are in for a ride when I start saying, "Hold on, I have to look this up. Wait. Ok, smile... No wait! Ok, now smile! Now lets do it again, but first I have to figure out how to change something..." I can hear the groans already. It's going to be fun to torture the kids! I don't get to do that too often anymore, at least not as a group torture.

I guess option 4 would be to let the father in law take pictures with his Canon EOS 6D that NEVER leaves the auto mode. It has to be the worlds most expensive point and shoot. Which is why I laugh sooooo hard when I see those new Sony commercials that are running right now.