$2500, what to do?

[SunnySideUp]

Okay here is something a little different. Here's the senerio:

Person X has:
$2500
not one piece of photography gear now
likes to shoot outdoor cycling competitions (XC, DH, road and cross)
dry and wet weather
wants DSLR

What would you buy for a complete setup?

[Photo-John]

The body is the first thing. Your current choices are the Nikon D70, the Canon EOS 10D, the Canon Digital Rebel, and the Pentax *ist D. Consider body price as well as the system you'll be buying into. Do you like the lenses, flash, and the high-end equipment that a particular manufacturer makes? Because you should be investing in future equipment as well as whatever you're buying right now.

To start, I'd recommend the digital SLR body, a pro 70-200mm lens, a wide pro zoom lens, and if you have enough money left, a flash. That will probably put you somewhere between $2500 and $3000US, with memory cards, filters, etc.

Do you have any manufacturer preferences? Did you have a particular body in mind? Most people do. The only recommendation I'll make right now is for autofocus. Canon and Nikon currently make the best digital SLRs when it comes to AF speed and accuracy. The Pentax is the smallest and lightest so it has its own niche. Konica Minolta is supposed to have a new digital SLR body with built-in image stabiliziation, in the fall. Their camera bodies and AF are excellent, so that's going to be interesting. That camera might change the landscape considerably.

[Ouvinen]

Okay, being a Canon user, I would spend it on:

- EOS 10d body 1400$
- Sigma 70-200/2.8 EX HSM, find a second hand one, 500$ (if you're lucky)
- Sigma 17-35mm/2.8-4 EX HSM, 450$
- Sigma EF500 DG Super flash, around 200$

[SunnySideUp]

Let's say for the experiment that it is your preference... If you found yourself without any equipment and you only had $2500. What would you spend it on to get yourself back up and running?

[Old Timer]

Let's say for the experiment that it is your preference... If you found yourself without any equipment and you only had $2500. What would you spend it on to get yourself back up and running?

I just did it a month ago. Decided to go DSLR, I was already a Nikon man so here is what I purchased:

D70 w/17-80 kit lens. $1300
Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 D $800
2 Sandisk Extreme 512mb cards $250

That came to $2350.

And since I like Macro I threw in a used Nikkor 105mm f2.8 for $400. So I am a little over your budget but not much. I might add that I already had a Nikkor 35-70 f2.8 and an SB28DX that work well with the D70. The one accessory that hasn't been named that I find very helpful with sport photograph, especially for an aging and out of shape photographer, is a decent mono pod for the 80-200mm. That sucker can get heavy after a few hours in the field. Decent pod and ball head will go for about $100 to $150. Next purchase for sports would be a good teleconverter, just can't afford the longer pro lens yet and am spoiled after getting the Nikkor 80-200 f2.8.

[paulnj]

TOO EASY ;)............

10D, TOKINA 28-70 F2.8, a 70-200F4L , 550ex, 512 card and an extra battery ;)

that should bring you to $2700 ish with EVERYTHING though leave out the flash and BINGO!!!!!!

from there... save for a WIDE lens(Sigma 12-24, canon 16-35/17-40 or PRIMES) and trade the 70-200F4 for a 70-200F2.8IS

[Photo-John]

One major benefit of the Nikon D70 is the 1/500th sec flash sync. If you shoot sports and use flash, that rules. To get that flash sync with a Canon you have to buy an EOS 1D or the new EOS 1D Mark II. That would more than double your budget. With the D70 you get pro flash capability in a $1000 body.

[SunnySideUp]

One major benefit of the Nikon D70 is the 1/500th sec flash sync. If you shoot sports and use flash, that rules. To get that flash sync with a Canon you have to buy an EOS 1D or the new EOS 1D Mark II. That would more than double your budget. With the D70 you get pro flash capability in a $1000 body.

How does this differ from rear sync (rear curtain) flash? I don't know if I am using the terms right, but I do belive that one thing that I would like in a camera is control over the flash.

[Sebastian]

How does this differ from rear sync (rear curtain) flash? I don't know if I am using the terms right, but I do belive that one thing that I would like in a camera is control over the flash.

Front and rear curtain sync are WHEN the flash fires, 1/500 of a second sync is the MAXIMUM shutter speed one can use with flash, regardless of front or rear sync settings.

It can be really useful for fill-flash outdoors on bright days, especially with the crippling 200 ISO. It'll let you use wider apertures and still pop the flash.

[Sebastian]

One major benefit of the Nikon D70 is the 1/500th sec flash sync. If you shoot sports and use flash, that rules. To get that flash sync with a Canon you have to buy an EOS 1D or the new EOS 1D Mark II. That would more than double your budget. With the D70 you get pro flash capability in a $1000 body.

PJ,

Unfortunately, the Mark II only syncs at 1/250.

http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/con...9&modelid=9808

[FREELANCE2004]

i would try to find a kit deal with normally 2 lenses,memory card,batteries,strap,tripod,bag,and manuals.
d70 with lense is 1300.00.you need a telephoto.a 2.8 is around 1500.00, or a econo model is 129.00.its a funny thing though,on a sunny day the 129.00 lense will make you money all day long.use a good filter,and keep the dust out.hold camera upside down when you change lenses.this helps with dust alot.the nikon is the camera for the buck right now.i use mine commercially and it performs well.also with the software available today,you can rework the whole thing with the touch of a button.
freelance1031@aol.com