Nikon advice needed
- This topic has 11 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated Apr 15, 2009 at 3:39 pm by
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It’s worth $700 more if you want to be able to meter with older manual focus lenses and think you need the weather sealing… Otherwise probably not. There’s some other differences those are the biggest.
I don’t think you’ll be very happy being limited to 24mm at the wide end of things if you get that as your only lens on a DX format camera.
I have the same setup as Buzz.
Brett, if you want to wait you can test out my gear when we go fishing in July. I will be bringing it all along. Knowing a bit about your needs, you couldn’t go wrong with the D90 and the 18-200 as a great starting point. The D90 is “kinda” like a D300-light-version. If you aren’t going to publish your pictures and just want great fishing and family shots the aforementioned setup would be great and the money you save on the D90 will allow for the purchase of the 18-200 lens. BTW, my wife uses the D50 with the 18-200 all the time and she gets fantastic travel photographs. Also, the D90 has video capability.
Where all this gets tricky is either 1)you “might” want to sell your photographs, or 2)you “might” see getting more advanced, or 3)you might just want the D300 – kind of like rod and reel purchases really, know thyself and thy means and then make the purchase and don’t look back. The issue of FX/fullframe probably doesn’t apply to your needs but that is a whole nother can of worms to chew on.
Again, I will be bringing all this gear on our trip if you want to wait and try before you buy.
BTW, here is a link for the D90/18-200 package http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?ci=0&shs=nikon+d90&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=jsp%2FRootPage.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=submit.
I’m not Nikon so I won’t comment on the D90/D300 pros and cons. What I can comment on are two things that I try to live by for myself and I tell everyone whos starting out.
1) Spend where you have to, save where you can
2) You lenses are an investment, unlike your body they may be wih you for life.Unless *you* have reasons for wanting the d300 over the d90, or if at this point its a toss up and you just dont know which way to go.
Id give some extra thought to #s 1 and 2. Theres nothing wrong with saving some money buying the D90. The $$ can either stay in the bank or go towards a nice lens and get your lenses started. A body is only half the equation.
you use the d90 for 1,2,3,4 years (whatever). In the meantime your learning, not only photography but where *your* main interest lie and acquiring appropriate glass and accessories to further that interest.
Then when your ready you replace the D90 with the D400, 500 or whatever it is at that point down the road.Is there a danger you migth feel the D90 is holding you back?
Yes, but the same holds true with the D300 t an extent and either way somewhere down the oad you will replace which ever you buy now.
lastly nothing will make you feel like your being held back than not having a lens for the kind of images you really wat to do.Getting the itch to do macro?????
You could have a D3 but w/o a macro lens………..That is a great point by Carter. The D300 is a technical jungle and complex to learn. I thinks that is a great teaching point because we often read camera reviews about what a camera can do but not how easy it is to make those things happen. I am a user manual junkie but admittedly most people won’t spend the time to learn the minutia. As others have said, the lenses are the real gems. The 24-70 is a great lens but possibly not the right match for what you are needing right now.
As an aside, here is a slideshow of pictures that I shot with a D50 camera body and the 18-200VR lens (1st generation). Brett, I chose these pictures because I know you will be interested in saltwater shots. The D90 is magnitudes better than the D50. You can get great pictures with any camera you decide to buy.
I am Nikon, and shoot the D300 on a daily basis, but I was surprised to see no one mentioned the D90’s video capabilities. Given my druthers, I would love to have a D90 to back up my D300 and dabble more in video with my good glass. All this said, the real break point between pro and consumer is going from D90 to D300, and the D90 has been top dog in the consumer / prosumer line for quite awhile.
Camera body weight considerations should be taken with a grain of rock salt. I can not think of any examples, in any brand of camera, where a heavier camera is less durable than its lightweight cousins. Realistically, weight probably isn’t a “Top Five” consideration. shannon
Weight is a huge factor for me, assuming quality of the items are similiar. I passed up on a Sigma 300-800 at consible savings (read a couple grand) in favor of the 500 f4 because it’s gasp 4 pounds heavier. Theres simply no bloody Im bushwhacking for Deer/wildlife for a few hours (more) with 18 pounds ( lens + body) vs 13pounds.
Im strongly considering either the Canon 5DmkII or 50D as my second body over a 1DMKIII or MKIV due to the weight differential.
A 1D with its frame and battery and a spare batery is considerably heavier than either of the above.It boils down to what you do, how you plan to use them
After two years of lugging 20 to 40 pounds of camera gear while wearing boots/waders/fannypack/water bottles/terminal tackle to rivers. It is very likeky the #1 consideration for any future purchases……*now*.
My ideal light purpose pack.
Body (1D or 5D)
24-70 f2.8
70-200 f4 IS
400 f5.6
Carbon Fibre Tripod.Add flash, flash bracket, batteries, heads and even that is going to weigh on you heavily if your walking a river for a day, or hiking into a marsh on a shoot.
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