Where should I spend my cash

[leonhart83]

Hey guys,

I am wanting to spend some money on upgrading some of my gear and I was wanting some advice on where to spend it.

Gear
****
Camera: D90
Lenses: 18-55m, 55-200m, 18-200mm, 50mm
Filters: 2x UV filters
Tripod: Cheap $50 one from JBHIFI
Remote: Yongnuo Digital
Bag: Cheap bag that can fit just camera and one lens

Interests
*******
Astrophotography
Landscape
Potraits (Babies, Maternity)

Study
*****
- The teaching company "Fundamentals to Photography" lecture series
- Fundamentals to Modern Photography - Tom Ang

I have been looking a fair bit into picking up a Nikon 610+24-70mm lens for about 4k local or 3.2k grey. The only reason I haven't really jumped on this is that as you can see a lot of my gear is average (Tripod, Bag, Filters). so it might be worth spending it elsewhere.
I have also been looking at the 14-24mm lens to the point where I have even considered not upgrading the D90 and just picking up the 24-70mm+14-24mm lenses.

I don't know what "most" peoples thoughts on grey products are, but it seems like a common way of thinking is that people are more open to buy lenses then bodies on the grey market.

As you can probably tell I am all over the shop with my thinking, I mean I love the idea of getting a new camera but I know that the D90 can perform well so it seems obviously investing in glass would be the better option.

But I am torn....

Any advice would be great.

[beachhead]

Hi there I don't know much about your camera but I think you well find the lens upgrade to be the way to go.The 24-70 2.8 is a top lens and a good choice as far as the 14-24 I considered that myself but I went for the 16-35vr which is cheaper and takes filter,the other reason I went with the 24-70 is to use for panoramas I just mention that because these lenses cover some common focal length.Use the money you save not up grading your camera on a good tripod that's a must.If that camera is not full frame then there are are better options on the wide end and cheaper. I have bought lots on the gray market no worrys but now the dollar has slipped some local guys are now worth a look for more peace of mind.

[leonhart83]

Yeah the D90 isn't a full frame camera which is why I initially was going to buy the 610 alongside the 24-70mm.
The thing is I don't really want to buy anymore cropped lenses, I would rather invest in more long term lenses like the two I mentioned above and then eventually the 70-200mm.
When this type of money is at stake I find it hard to make the plunge. I am sure that there is no "right" road to take, but information can ease any regretful purchases.

[AVALANCHE]

Hi leonhart83,

You have given some great info, I will try to help answer your questions:



Hey guys,

I am wanting to spend some money on upgrading some of my gear and I was wanting some advice on where to spend it.

Why do you want to upgrade? The D90 is more than a very capable camera still.


Gear
****
Camera: D90
Lenses: 18-55m, 55-200m, 18-200mm, 50mm
Filters: 2x UV filters
Tripod: Cheap $50 one from JBHIFI
Remote: Yongnuo Digital
Bag: Cheap bag that can fit just camera and one lens

I'm confused why you have the 18-55, 55-200mm AND 18-200mm. The first two lenses cover the exact focal length as the 18-200mm with the same f/ stop I believe.

My advice would be to sell the 18-55mm and 55-200mm on ebay...you will make approx. $250 for both sold and just keep the 18-200mm on your camera until you decide to upgrade.


Interests
*******
Astrophotography
Landscape
Potraits (Babies, Maternity)

Your current set up will serve you well still.


Study
*****
- The teaching company "Fundamentals to Photography" lecture series
- Fundamentals to Modern Photography - Tom Ang

Hey! Where is the Aus Photography study? :) They have a pretty good section here for learning and the weekly competitions are a great way to get you out of your comfort zone and try new things....learning without evening knowing it! :)

I HIGHLY suggest you also...

1.) Do a short course at TAFE on Photography.
2.) Read Bryan Petersons books and YouTube videos...really helped me. Still does!


I have been looking a fair bit into picking up a Nikon 610+24-70mm lens for about 4k local or 3.2k grey. The only reason I haven't really jumped on this is that as you can see a lot of my gear is average (Tripod, Bag, Filters). so it might be worth spending it elsewhere.
I have also been looking at the 14-24mm lens to the point where I have even considered not upgrading the D90 and just picking up the 24-70mm+14-24mm lenses.

I wouldn't be concerned about the quality of gear...a tripod is a must. I suggest with the $250 you earn from selling those lenses you don't need anymore that you get yourself a nice tripod. :)

As for the bag...eh, I use a $20 backpack that I got from Myer many years ago. :) I use it for all my events I shoot at...the point is, nobody (ie- clients) cares about your gear, nor the process when taking photos...just the end result! I'm jumping the gun there a bit but the point is focus on taking photos and not gear...

With that said, invest in a Rapidstrap....so comfortable. I can wear it over my shoulder all day...and I do!

As for the 24-70 on a D90...don't. Get the 17-55mm f/2.8 which is the equivalent to the 24-70 since the D90 is a cropped sensor. I can vouch for the 17-55mm also as it is on my D7000 99% of the time...I got it second hand also in mint condition for around $1500.


I don't know what "most" peoples thoughts on grey products are, but it seems like a common way of thinking is that people are more open to buy lenses then bodies on the grey market.

As you can probably tell I am all over the shop with my thinking, I mean I love the idea of getting a new camera but I know that the D90 can perform well so it seems obviously investing in glass would be the better option.

But I am torn....

Any advice would be great.

Good luck whatever you decide...just don't get so caught up in the gear side of things...focus on taking photos. :)

[leonhart83]

I'm confused why you have the 18-55, 55-200mm AND 18-200mm. The first two lenses cover the exact focal length as the 18-200mm with the same f/ stop I believe.



I have the 18-55 & 55-200mm from a previous camera the d40x. The 18-200mm was given to me when I bought the D90 second hand.

Thanks for the advice. I am a little hesitant to spend $1500 on a DX lens when, even if I do stay with the D90 my next body upgrade will be almost certainly a FF camera.

[ameerat42]

I have occasionally been afflicted with the not-sure-what-to-do-itis, most recently with power tools, actually.
If I can give you an oblique experience: the more I researched, the more I knew LESS. That resulted in NOT getting anything just yet.
(This was mainly because my old gear was still "quite good" and useful.)

From what I have read, you have got pretty good advice above. I'd say that if the symptom persists, explore it further here with more questions.

For temporary relief, may I suggest you look into getting lenses that will suit both your present gear AND any future full-frame camera. That is,
get a full-frame lens. In the Sigma series such lenses are specified "DG". The crop sensor ones are specified "DC".
Am.

[arthurking83]

A commonly repeated mistake in life is to seek an answer to the wrong question(s).

The question you should be asking yourself is what is it that your current gear is not allowing you to do?

If it's portraits you want, get a lens better suited to portraiture and teach yourself to take better portrait photos.

If your stumbling block is in getting good astro photos .. look to upgrade or acquire some stuff to fix it.

If you want better landscapes ... look for a good UWA lens(just for ease of capture .. and invest in more travel time for yourself.

if the question is just a simple .... I want new gear, what do you recommend that's good? .. and there's no shame in just wanting new gear .. I do it all the time myself, and think it's a normal and healthy attitude to have in life .. :D ...

D610 is a good camera. D600 is a good camera too, and they may be as cheap as chips nowadays .. cleaning a sensor is easier than cleaning a house too .. so I don't understand all the fuss actually.

D610(or D600 if cheap), 16-35VR, any brand 50 mm, Sigma 85/1.4 .. a telescope, and a good tracking mechanism .. and you have the basis for a good starting point for your requirements.

I've already got your budget up close to the $10K mark, but most of that is in the telescope and tracking mechanism ... so you probably don't have much left over for a tripod setup.


On a slightly more serious note tho, I can highly recommend the Tamron 24-70VC.
High quality lens with good rendering ability, with the added bonus of stabilization.

Makes sense not to invest in any more Dx lenses too .. so start by adding a 50mm to your kit, and losing some of the Dx lenses you already have.
Personally, I'd lose the 18-200mm. You already have this covered with the other two lenses and it would return the the most amount of money to assist you in your new Fx based path.

[leonhart83]

On a slightly more serious note tho, I can highly recommend the Tamron 24-70VC.
High quality lens with good rendering ability, with the added bonus of stabilization.


I have been read multiple post on the internet that have said Nikon users to steer clear of Tamron (although highly recommended to Canon users). I am not sure how much weight those statements carry though of course.

To answer you questions honestly though, I feel like the area I would like to invest in out of interest sake would be the astro-photography. It is where I have the most fun currently (just long exposures, interesting foreground, clear sky, limited light pollution), and I know that there is a much more too it than that.

Although it takes quite a lot more effort scouting locations (travel time, finding time in general) and is more controlled by weather than most other parts of photography. Sometimes I just want to be able to take photos

Then comes the advice I get from people who have a lot of really good gear about what they recommend. Nearly all of them recommend the nikon 24-70mm and say that they use that lens 95percent of the time. It is this advice that I hear over and over again that has made me go down the 24-70mm lens as it can be used well in a lot of situations and is a HIGH quality lens.

Either way I could talk for hours about what I have read, and try an explain my internal thought patterns, but I don't want to waste peoples time.

Thanks for the advice so far.

[wmvaux]

I have the Tamron 24-70mm VC and 70-200mm VC and use it with my Nikon cameras and I'm very happy with them. I couldn't afford the Nikon equivalent and Tamron are the only ones who have VC on a 24-70mm lens.
Sure they might not be as good as the Nikon ones, but for the same price as one Nikon you can get both Tamrons and it's probably 95% quality for half the price.

[richardb]

I changed from DX to an FX with a 2nd-hand D700 from Tokio's Mapcamera and do not regret it. :tog:

[leonhart83]

Well I am thinking that I am getting closer to a decision.

I think I will buy grey, and go with 3 lenses just to cover off most focal lengths, and put off upgrading to a FX camera until my D90 stops doing what I need it to do.

What are peoples thoughts on the the following?

1. tamron-sp-24-70mm-f-2.8-di-vc-usd-lens $839
From a couple of reviews this lens seems to sit between the sigma and the nikkon. Even though the sigma (Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 IF EX DG HSM Lenses) is cheaper at $649 it seem inferior to the Tamron.

2. Sigma APO 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM Lenses $949 or Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD Lens $1179

3. Tokina AT-X 116 Pro DX AF 11-16mm f2.8 II Lens $486
Now I know that this lens isn't FF, but I have heard good things about it. If I do skip on this I will probably just use my 18-55mm kit lens until I can afford the Nikon version.

Edit: I also plan to pickup a Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 Carbon Fiber Tripod and a ball head for about $350.

[Tommo1965]

Id buy the 610 and the tamron 24-70 ..then a better tripod , then after time add lenses when I could afford them..the combo of the 610 DR and image stabilisation of the 24-70 will open a new world to your photography ..the ability to push and pull image files with the new sensors is quite amazing and will leave the d90 for dead ...

[ameerat42]

This is just a general comment, but there is a fair bit of arm-waving and opinionising in this thread. If people a have done some research, it
would surely be appreciated on a forum like this, especially as a guide to less-experienced users. References to reviews are easy to cite, even if new members
cannot cite the likes of E-Bay etc.

This is only my opinion.
Am.

[arthurking83]

Actually at the time, I could afford the Nikon equivalent to the 24-70/2.8 .. I just preferred the optical stabilization to start with .. plus the cheaper price, which then allowed me to get at least one other lens.

Whoever made that comment about avoiding Tamron lenses don't know nuthin!

I have heaps, and while I have a small issue with one of them, it's an abstract issue, that doesn't really cause problems in real world usage .. Tamron 70-200/2.8 and not focusing in Lv mode! :confused:

I very rarely use it in this manner, so like I said not really a problem .. even tho the problem exists.

I wouldn't hesitate to get the 70-200/2.8VC version of this lens either tho .. initial impressions were very high .. and focusing in Lv mode confirmed :p

Like Tommo said, one benefit of a newer generation sensor is the ability to capture a much wider dynamic range in one exposure.

I went from D300 to D800E and still made use of a couple of Dx lenses on the D800 .. simply because of the ability of that extra dynamic range from the D800.
A year later, I updated a couple of lenses tho.

So, if you take this into consideration as a possible pathway for future expansion .. you could easily just update the camera, still using your Dx lenses, and get some full frame lenses quite cheaply(50/1.8, etc) just to get by for certain situations ... and then cautiously think your way through an updated lens selection.

I ummed and ahhed incessantly for ages as to which wide angle to go with, asking a few members for sample images if possible with various lenses ... tried a few at the recent Melb photo show,and then eventually settled(Sigma 12-24 in the end).


One thing you will find with some of the gear you've listed as possible future considerations.

If you go with the Tammy 24-70 lens on Fx .. this will give you a pretty good landscape lens to start with.
24mm on Fx has a wider FOV than 18mm on Dx so if you're the type that likes single exposure wide vistas, this lens could provide satisfaction until you crave for more FOV.
My only issue with the Tammy 24-70 is the 82mm front filter threads .. makes filter options a lot more, and needlessly expensive(Sigma 24-70 is the same tho).


Stangely tho, being considerably fatter in barrel dimension makes it feel more comfy for me to use too tho(everyone feels differently about the bulk of their gear).
I also have the Nikon 24m f/2 Ais, which is diminutive by comparison, with only a ~ 52mm diameter, and in general use I prefer the bulk of the Tammy for ease of use.
The Nikon is nice to use too, just different, and more of a challenge than anything else(manual).
As a landscape lens, I prefer the Tammy over the Nikon(in 99.9% of situations).

At 70-200 and f/2.8, I'd stick my neck out and say the Tammy is the better lens to choose, either as good as the Nikon and (mainly due to price) .. even better!
$1000 saved is a lot of money to spend on other things! ;)

[leonhart83]

Hey guys,

Sorry I haven't been back to the thread to update on what I finally purchased, but I have been busy being a father :D.

I guess the end to the thread is probably not the most exciting, but I had almost 4k worth of gear in my shopping cart.

Nikon 610
Tamron 24-70
Manfroto 055 with ball head
Low Pro Bag
Filters N.D & C.P.L

I basically just had to get permission from my wife to purchase it (she was currently in hospital getting prepared for having a baby). She actually was ok with it, so I just had to wait until I got home to finalise the purchase.
As it happens though my son Corben had a different idea and was born on 17/12 at 15:16. It was such an awesome feeling. SO AWESOME in fact that I couldn't press the checkout button and make the purchase.
My priorities had changed almost instantly and I thought, 4k upfront for camera gear was a little too much, and it could be spent better on my new son.

So I guess long story short, I have bookmarked this post and I am still going to aim to acquire the gear, just over a more reasonable time. Thanks heaps for all the feedback.

I will leave you with a picture I took on Christmas without any gear purchases that I am quite happy with.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54084334@N06/11833974633/

[arthurking83]

congrats on the new bubs :th3:

Be a dad first ...
.... play time can wait!

(oh! But don't wait too long, the new bubs is reason enough to get a good camera to capture moments with him as they unfold ;))

[Sdison]

Congrats on the offspring mate. If you're interested in Astro and landscapes, go with the Tokina 11-16 and good tripod to start with. It's wide, and I understand f.2.8 is pretty crucial for Astro stuff (happy to be proven wrong by someone who knows what they're talking about).
That will set you back around a grand grey. You've got most portraits covered with the 50 and it doesn't sound you want telephoto too much. You can zoom with your feet with the 50 to cover most of the 24-70 range until you want to actually drop the cash on it.

The only other suggestion I have is a bit left field, but here goes. With the new bub running around I expect you'll want to have done snaps of him. Many people find the 50 1.8 too long indoors on a DX camera and go for the 35mm 1.8 instead (I did). If you want the low light stuff for inside and the focal length that allows those shots to be taken more comfortably this might be something to consider.

[leonhart83]

Quite a few guys have recommended getting a good tripod. Is there a standard great "bang for your buck" tripod? I have been looking around for one that can go as tall as I am (185cm) + ball head + quick release. Basically they skyrocket very quickly

[pfft]

I have a friend who is 6'6" whats that in metric lol, cheap manfrotto tripod from hardly normal about 85 if you ask nicely over the counter http://www.harveynorman.com.au/manfrotto-tripod-kit-compact-pistol-grip.html

[nimrodisease]

Quite a few guys have recommended getting a good tripod. Is there a standard great "bang for your buck" tripod? I have been looking around for one that can go as tall as I am (185cm) + ball head + quick release. Basically they skyrocket very quickly
I would highly recommend a Benro Travel Angel, but also just Benro tripods in general. Great quality and great price!