Knowing what you know now, what would you buy to start out?

[klynam]

Recently, someone asked me about moving up from PnS to D-SLR shooting. They asked the eternal question, "What should I buy to get started?" Of course I followed up with, well what are you wanting to shoot, how much money do you have to spend, etc., etc., etc.

Then I started thinking, what would I personally do in that situation; knowing what I know now? What if my equipment were stolen and I had to do a shot right away? What would be the most affordable, versatile, and best quality setup I could get my hands on virtually anywhere?

Boiled down to that, here was my answer...

$500 budget...


Canon 20D or XTi ($500-ish, w/ kit lens)


$1000 budget...


Canon 20D or XTi ($500-ish, w/ kit lens)
Canon 70-200mm f/4 L ($500-ish)


$1500 budget...

Canon 20D or XTi ($500-ish, w/ kit lens)
Canon 70-200mm f/4 L ($500-ish)
Canon 17-40mm f/4 L ($500-ish)


$2000 budget...

Canon 20D or XTi ($500-ish, w/ kit lens)
Canon 70-200mm f/4 L ($500-ish)
Canon 17-40mm f/4 L ($500-ish)
Canon Nifty-50mm ($75)
Canon 1.4x or 2x T/C ($200)
Good used flash ($100-$150)
Good tripod ($100)
Several cheap 256mb or 512mb memory cards ($50)


What would you have said ???

[klynam]

Re-reading the post, let me add a caveat on my lens recommendations which are admittedly biased...

Many people have excellent results w/ non-Canon lenses. That could cut the lens costs in half. But personally...personally...I've not shot any lens that can beat the 70-200 & 17-40 f/4 L's for absolute dollar-for-dollar image and build quality. (Which is of course why they're in my signature.)

Of course that doesn't make these recommendations right, it just makes them mine...

[klynam]

I called to follow up. They said even $500 was too much. Ok, that basically leaves you with a Digital Rebel 300D with kit lens for $300-ish.

Sort of anti-climatic, isn't it...lol

Still curious what others would have said...

[chauncey]

I would agree that the xti is a good start but your list is flawed because you keep adding extra gear which is kind of necessary from the getgo.

[JeffreyG]

I called to follow up. They said even $500 was too much. Ok, that basically leaves you with a Digital Rebel 300D with kit lens for $300-ish.

Sort of anti-climatic, isn't it...lol

Still curious what others would have said...

under $500 I would get a used Canon G series and something like a 420EX. This will do a lot more than an old dReb with just a kit lens and no flash unit.


As you moved up the budget range you were adding telephoto lenses and such but didn't add a flash until you got all the way up to $2000. IMO, anybody shooting your $1000 kit is going to struggle to get good shots from the kit lens (which will be 80% or more of their useful range) without a good flash unit.

My progression of incementally more or better gear as the money goes up would be:
G series + flash
Rebel series + flash + kit
Rebel, flash, kit + short tele prime
Rebel, flash, short tele prime, better wide/normal
Rebel, flash, short tele prime, better wide/normal, slow long tele

Beyond that I'd be moving into a better body and then next steps diverge depending on personal needs (get an ultrawide for lanscapes and fun stuff or a fast long telephoto for sports etc)

[John_B]

klynam,
Like you said, it depends on what you shoot and how much $$$$ you got.

If all my camera equipment was stolen/missing (which I hope never happens!) I would immediately get a 40D, 100mm f/2.8, 10-22 f/3.5-4.5, 28-105 f/3.5-4.5, 580ex, 2 - 2gb sandisk, a couple of bp511a batteries, Kenko extension tubes, and a 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L with a manfrotto 3021 tripod w/head. Basically replace what I lost except go only 1.6 DSLR (instead of my 5D) and go for a Ultra Wide angle EF-S lens and hope my insurance would cover it :)

However this is not what I would recommend to someone coming from a P&S. I might recommend to them a 40D (or less if they cant afford it) and a kit lens till they become familiar with it :)

If they only had $500, then maybe an old 10D and a 50mm f/1.8 or tell them to save more $$$

[PhotosGuy]

They asked the eternal question, "What should I buy to get started?" I've got a friend like that. Asked dozens of questions, then went out & bought a Nikon. Still asks questions but now I refer him to the N-forums.

The lists look good to me, except that I'd suggest that they look in the For Sale forum first. Lenses just don't wear out that much?

[Perry Ge]

It does depend largely on what you shoot. If I had to start my kit again for whatever reason, I'd pick up a 40D/400D depending on budget, a Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, a Canon 85 f/1.8, and a flash.

For under $500, definitely look to the used market. Even a used 300D/350D coupled with a used Tamron 17-50 wouldn't set you back too much. If you're lucky you could potentially find that combo for not much more than 500.

[Jon, The Elder]

Knowing what you know now, what would you buy to start out?

My current gear.

[MattMoore]

Is "Save more money and buy a 5D" an option?

[Mum2J&M]

XT or XTi, 28-135 and 50 1.8.

[DocFrankenstein]

2000 bucks: Hasselblad with 80 and 50mm... and maybe a kiev with 180 sonnar

one grand: a leica with a 50 and 35mm

500 bucks: A canon camera with a couple of FD lenses.

[klynam]

2000 bucks: Hasselblad with 80 and 50mm... and maybe a kiev with 180 sonnar

one grand: a leica with a 50 and 35mm

500 bucks: A canon camera with a couple of FD lenses.

LOL :-) Hassellblad w/ 80...that might be a bit too large of a step up from a digital point-n-shoot.

[DocFrankenstein]

LOL :-) Hassellblad w/ 80...that might be a bit too large of a step up from a digital point-n-shoot.
I mostly shoot as a hobby...

Oh... I forgot a TLR in there somewhere. Like the mamiya 220 or 330... the one with the interchangeable lenses.

[JeffreyG]

2000 bucks: Hasselblad with 80 and 50mm... and maybe a kiev with 180 sonnar

The film and processing would eat me alive though....

[PhotosGuy]

Oh... I forgot a TLR in there somewhere. What, no Deardorf?

[DocFrankenstein]

What, no Deardorf?
I don't know my LF cameras... they're a bit too much for me.

The film and processing would eat me alive though....
I roll my own... I have basically a free darkroom at university.

For me it's cheap.

[klynam]

Ok - made up my mind. If I were starting over, knowing what I know now I would buy the following and not look back...

1. Canon 40D
2. Canon 10-22 EF-S
3. Canon 24-105 L
4. Canon 100-400 L

That covers most everything a pro-sumer to semi-pro photographer would want to shoot w/ an excellent camera, excellent glass and no excessive gaps or overlaps.

In fact, I'm seriously considering liquidating my entire collection and replacing with the above...

[In2Photos]

I wouldn't change anything.

Using the gear that I could afford at the time makes me appreciate the better gear more. It allowed me to focus on technique rather than "keeping up with the Jones'". You could still consider my kit a starter kit as I ahve seen some people start with much more than I have. Heck, I know some people with a 5D/grip/24-105/580EX II that never use it. But I don't fret over it. Instead I keep using what I have.