Which DSLR for Me (Aspiring Professional Photographer)?


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schnurbart22

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Feb 21, 2007
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Hi,

A friend reminded me that I have good photography skills (creative part) and am planning to start taking some photos to build my portfolio. My focus are in interiors, architecture, commercial, product and some wedding/events.

My budget is about S$3000 and hopefully that can buy me some basic but credible equipment (body + lenses) to start with. Appreciate any advice rendered, and let me know if I need to up my budget (to max of S$4000).

Many thanks! :)
Schnurbart22
 

what you need to spend the money on is lenses, the camera itself will be changed, especially in the digital world.
 

Hi,

A friend reminded me that I have good photography skills (creative part) and am planning to start taking some photos to build my portfolio. My focus are in interiors, architecture, commercial, product and some wedding/events.

My budget is about S$3000 and hopefully that can buy me some basic but credible equipment (body + lenses) to start with. Appreciate any advice rendered, and let me know if I need to up my budget (to max of S$4000).

Many thanks! :)
Schnurbart22

Choice is easy. If you into Nikon, its D300. However its only out in Nov.
 

Hi,

A friend reminded me that I have good photography skills (creative part) and am planning to start taking some photos to build my portfolio. My focus are in interiors, architecture, commercial, product and some wedding/events.

My budget is about S$3000 and hopefully that can buy me some basic but credible equipment (body + lenses) to start with. Appreciate any advice rendered, and let me know if I need to up my budget (to max of S$4000).

Many thanks! :)
Schnurbart22

If you want to do it for a living, $4000 is hardly enough to get you the necessary tools to start out, expecially for interior and architecture.
 

With the limited budget, I recommend the below setup.
Body: Nikon D80
Lens: Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG ASPHERICAL HSM &
Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 EX DC MACRO
Flash: SB600
With more budget, you can choose to get better ones too.:)
 

For interior and product photography, you'd get best results with multiple sources of light, i.e several strobes, lamps, or the cheaper and more portable option- multiple flashes. Nikon is well known for their good flash systems, and they're good at the wide end (Canon's famous for high quality teles, while having subpar wide angle lenses), so I'd recommend a Nikon DSLR. Perhaps a D80 + Tokina 12-24 + 3 SB600s using the built-in commander + Nikon 28-70 f/2.8 (wedding photographers favourite)

Oh, that setup comes to less than 4k.
 

your $3000 can be used to buy really nice lenses...

buy lenses because its the lenses that do the job.

camera bodies are just tools...

there isnt a need to buy the latest greatest body unless you really need what it has to offer. chances is that you wun really need it.

buy lenses....
 

For interior and product photography, you'd get best results with multiple sources of light, i.e several strobes, lamps, or the cheaper and more portable option- multiple flashes. Nikon is well known for their good flash systems, and they're good at the wide end (Canon's famous for high quality teles, while having subpar wide angle lenses), so I'd recommend a Nikon DSLR. Perhaps a D80 + Tokina 12-24 + 3 SB600s using the built-in commander + Nikon 28-70 f/2.8 (wedding photographers favourite)

Oh, that setup comes to less than 4k.

Then you'll need a D3! ;p
 

Thanks jmmtn4aj! Your advice is really helpful.

I've read a lot about D80. Do you think it's ok to buy a used D80 and new lenses based on what you've prescribed?
 

Perhaps a D80 + Tokina 12-24 + 3 SB600s using the built-in commander + Nikon 28-70 f/2.8 (wedding photographers favourite)

Oh, that setup comes to less than 4k.

Err... i think the price for your mentioned setup is more than $4k.
 

Err... i think the price for your mentioned setup is more than $4k.

LOL yeah I don't know how I was calculating. It'll exceed 4k by about a thousand :p I was wondering how that setup could be so cheap too, heh.

schnurbart22, go for the 18-70mm instead. When you've made more money, upgrade to the 28-70. Used or not is really up to you. Used one probably won't have warranty anymore, so it won't have the peace of mind that a warranty provides. If you get used, just make sure the shutter count is below 10,000 and that everything functions properly. Test it on the spot. Used lenses should be fine so long as the elements are in good condition, and the lens is too old. There's less to go wrong in a lens than in a camera.
 

Hi,

A friend reminded me that I have good photography skills (creative part) and am planning to start taking some photos to build my portfolio. My focus are in interiors, architecture, commercial, product and some wedding/events.

My budget is about S$3000 and hopefully that can buy me some basic but credible equipment (body + lenses) to start with. Appreciate any advice rendered, and let me know if I need to up my budget (to max of S$4000).

Many thanks! :)
Schnurbart22

Hi,

I suggest that you might to consider assisting a professional photographer for a while before putting down good money for equipment. Unless you friend is a professional photographer (or full time designer, or in the advertising business), it might be better to seek some more opinion about your work. Perhaps you can:

1. Post some of your shots on clubsnap for critique
2. Show some of your work to a professional photographer for evaluation

I beg your pardon if I sound harsh but I have had friends who have spent serious money on equipment only to find out that the professional photography market is extremely competitive and drop out later.

Kind regards
Wesley
 

My advice would be to narrow down which field of professional photography you would like to go into. The equipment required for architecture and interiors are very very different from wedding photography. Knowing which field you want to go into would help to control your costs.
 

My advice would be to narrow down which field of professional photography you would like to go into. The equipment required for architecture and interiors are very very different from wedding photography. Knowing which field you want to go into would help to control your costs.

Hi,

I suggest that you might to consider assisting a professional photographer for a while before putting down good money for equipment. Unless you friend is a professional photographer (or full time designer, or in the advertising business), it might be better to seek some more opinion about your work. Perhaps you can:

1. Post some of your shots on clubsnap for critique
2. Show some of your work to a professional photographer for evaluation

I beg your pardon if I sound harsh but I have had friends who have spent serious money on equipment only to find out that the professional photography market is extremely competitive and drop out later.

Kind regards
Wesley

Hash as it may sound. But these are very sound and thoughtful comments too.
 

For interior and product photography, you'd get best results with multiple sources of light, i.e several strobes, lamps, or the cheaper and more portable option- multiple flashes. Nikon is well known for their good flash systems, and they're good at the wide end (Canon's famous for high quality teles, while having subpar wide angle lenses), so I'd recommend a Nikon DSLR. Perhaps a D80 + Tokina 12-24 + 3 SB600s using the built-in commander + Nikon 28-70 f/2.8 (wedding photographers favourite)

Oh, that setup comes to less than 4k.

haha thats a funny one... first you say Nikon got good wide angle lens, so you recommand Nikon, after that you say get the Tokina 12-24. :bsmilie:

anyway, I gree with wesley and chngpe.
 

haha thats a funny one... first you say Nikon got good wide angle lens, so you recommand Nikon, after that you say get the Tokina 12-24. :bsmilie:

anyway, I gree with wesley and chngpe.

Gotta plan for the future of course :D The Nikon 12-24 is definitely out of his price range right now..

Or not. The 12-24 Nikkor would actually fit into his 4k if he's going for the 18-70
 

i guess from the budget he would not be eyeing full frames?

Architecture is very demanding, you would need a different set of skills from event-based like weddings, and different from commercial...

Taking "good" photos with a PnS and then buying a DSLR will not make you a good photgrapher, when I just started I realised DSLR is not very forgiving... :confused:

Anyway, go for a budget body, you can always rent some lens or buy a general walkabout, shoot a variety... and then see which one you like, and go for specialised lens.

Last note ... PLEASE JIO !
 

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