Need Advice, Very Confused

[Jodster]

I have a Nikon D60 with 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses.

I love taking photo's of everything from my kids, to sunsets, landscapes, lightening, Weddings and Speedway.

I am looking at starting a business in photography. Taking photo's of many things and selling my shots, also I have friends that have seen some of my weddings shots and are very impressed with them. I am now looking at getting a new camera Nikon of course. I have read so much about the Nikon brands and what each do and I am really confused.

What I am looking at getting

Nikon body ???? To suit with what I like taking photo's of.
Tamron 18-270mm lens
I will need external flash either the SB600 or SB800 or SB900

I would prefer the Tamron lens as I do hate changing lenses as I always miss a really good shot.

I don't want to spend more than $3000

I have looked at the D90, D3000, D5000, D3001 and D7000

Any suggestions and thoughts would really help

[ricktas]

You will need two bodies, and considering your D60 is a consumer (entry) level camera, I would be looking at the D300 at a minimum. Also superzoom lesnes like the 18-270 are not what you need. You need lenses that are fast and good, pro level. Look at those that are F2.8 or larger.

I think you budget of $3000 is way to small. You need to save more, improve your skills and then get new gear. You need insurance.

Sorry, and with respect, if you think a tamron 18-270 is going to cut it as a pro lens, then you are not ready to move towards being a pro

[jim]

Sorry, and with respect, if you think a tamron 18-270 is going to cut it as a pro lens, then you are not ready to move towards being a pro

Unless you have a really strong and marketable individual vision, and terrific skills.

[Tommo1965]

OP

if your gonna have a shot at pro work..then you need two of everything, just in case problems arise with your gear....if your a part time pro...then rent a back up

as for changing lenses... ideally you shouldn't have to , as you'd have two bodies, one with a Nikon 70-200 VR1 or VR II, the other body would have a Nikon 24-70 F2.8 ..these two would cover the FL needed for a wedding...

as for bodies..in a ideal world Id have two D700.....other than that a D700 and a D300s..or I might consider the D7000..

the D700 would be used with the 70-200 for low light work in the church etc...and the D 300S for outside ..i might consider a 17-55 DX lens for the D300s/D7000 as the crop factor of the smaller sensor would give you more reach with that lens...plus the 17mm would be handy.

flashes...id have the SB 900...just for its coverage....

so if I were starting out in weddings with a minimum budget ...your gear list should have either a D7000/D300S/D700 with a 24-70 F2.8 or a 17-55F 2.8 with a SB 900..then rent the other gear ...for a weekend that would run to about $500

i would steer clear of a all in one consumer lens that has a variable aperture

[ameerat42]

From the forum The Business of Photography comes:
http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?73305-Becoming-a-Professional-Photographer
which contains much useful information that should be a starting point.
Am.

[Jodster]

Well I think it's going to be sometime before I become a pro photographer, but at this point with friends and family and friends of friends now starting to ask me more to take photo's, I feel I need to upgrade my camera and as I can't afford to have 2 camera's, plus I am happy to have just the one. I would like to start of small, but with a better camera.
I have a friend that wants to sponser if that is word to get me started. She is willing to do the finance side of my small business. I don't want to have a big business, just a small one. As I still have children at home and want to spend time with them still.
I love my Nikon D60, but I would love to upgrade. With a body upgrade, I would like a new lens, but I don't want too many. I know I need an external flash too.
Lately I have had some friends that are professional photographers give me advice on settings to get better shots of certain things, like with cars racing around the track at the speedway at night, but I feel in myself with what I have also researched, that my D60 is not enough.

Yes I am still an amatuar, but I feel this is the best way to learn with asking advice and I greatly appreciate and will take on everything that is said to me.

[smallfooties]

Somebody swore that the 28 - 105mm lens would be all that you need and wouldn't have to change lens then... which saves you getting a second body...
I don't know about this... i was just told... perhaps somebody could confirm this?
Good luck for your wanting to start up a photography business. I think take each advice given here by more experienced photographers and then make a decision that is right for you...
Tell us how you get on... Cheers!

[arthurking83]

I think a major factor in taking good photos is in choosing the correct lens for the job!

Forget the Tamron 18-270mm lens. I've used it briefly and even tho it's a good lens, it will eventually become the bottleneck that stops you from capturing images that you will be proud to display.
It's too much of a compromise lens for too much of the time.
Of course in saying that, it is a good lens, and will make it possible to capture some good images, but if I'm reading the thread correctly I'd hazard a guess that this is the wrong lens for what I think it is you want to use it for.

It's obvious that you want to improve your photography on some level, so you will get a lot of replies to the effect that the responder assumes that a major jump in photographic ability is your prime requirement.
These kinds of thread shouldn't always be centred on the topic of 'going pro', but the implication in this term can be translated directly as 'getting superb quality images' as well. So the term going pro may not be a literal description.

We can't see what gear you are currently using(other than the D60), and a jump to a 'better body' may in fact help in some ways, but don't simply assume that it will.

What lens(es) do you currently have, and why the need for a superzoom like the Tammy? :confused013
This is definitely the wrong way to go about improving your photography.
Getting great images is more than point the camera at a subject and press the button!
As I said earlier, to get images a notch above the rest involves choosing the correct lens for the job, and using the camera effectively enough to get a good exposure.
Only in a few rare instances can the camera actually help you to get better images(which no doubt it does!) but you need to fully understand what and why and how.

The last thing you really want to do is spend $3K on gear and continue to capture the same quality images as you do now.

For speedway at night, the D60 may still be quite capable if you have the correct lenses to use with it!

You said it will be quite some time before you could go pro, but then you said you have a friend willing to help finance some new camera gear for the purpose of starting a business!
Starting a business is 'going pro', so to ensure you can capture a series of images at a consistent level of proficiency and quality, you really need to be able to drop this fear of changing lenses.

if you have up to $3K to spend, and I seriously doubt you will get a lot of money on trading the D60!!.. look to get either a cheap secondhand D300s(or a D7000) as your new body, and keep the D60 as a second body for specific purposes.
you probably want to keep the lens you currently have and use, and look to get a few more, like:

Nikon 35mm f/1.8(specifically for the D60)
Nikon 50mm f/1.8(AF-S) note this lens is new and upcoming , not yet available for purchase.
Nikon 17-55mm/2.8 for both a new body and for use on the D60.
Any brand of 70-200mm f/2.8(ie. Sigma Nikon or Tamron), preferably the Nikon, but I have a Tamron version and find that it's more than adequate for professional use.

If you really have a need for super ultra wide angle field of view, then the Tokina 11-16/2.8(for Dx) would suffice, but would need to be mated to the D7000 for AF ability.

I'm curious as to why you think the D60 is not up to the task of shooting speedway at night?? :confused013

[abitfishy]

Agreed. The 18-270 is very versatile as a walkaround lens at the zoo or on holidays if you aren't looking for 'pro' photos and don't want to carry a lot of gear, past that, you do need better gear.

[Jodster]

I have the 18-55mm lens and the 55-200mm
I am just getting a feel of what I would need and I heard good things about the Tamron lens mentioned.
I will talk more with my friend and I guess my main aim is to get an external flash and a better sd card.

[Mary Anne]

I will talk more with my friend and I guess my main aim is to get an external flash and a better sd card.


Sorry though I cannot see how an External Flash and a better SD card can better a good camera and prime lenses.

[Jodster]

This is one reason I feel an external flash would help and also a better sd card.
I am linking a photo I took on Sunday night.. This was the first ime I had a go at the speedway and there was pro photographer there that had been taking photo's of the speedway for many many years.

The setting on the camera were: manual mode, f 5.6 1/125, ISO 1600 and focal length 175.omm

[ricktas]

Onto the speedway. Have you asked them if they have contractual arrangements with the Pro? You mention in your first post about wanting to do speedway photos, and I assume as part of your new business. You may just find that the Pro you saw and mentioned has a contract with the speedway and therefore you may not be able to sell etc any you take in future. Welcome to the world of professional photography

[Tommo1965]

couple of points about your image and how it would have been better with a constant aperture lens and a camera that has better low light ISO...also its under exposed by at least two stops

if you where shooting at F2.8....you could have had a bit more choice regarding ISO and shutter speed......a panning image, shot at 1/60 could have bought the ISO down one stop to ISO 800 for less noise...even with the body that you have ...plus it would have been exposed correctly

with a D7000 you could have dropped the ISO down to 400 and dragged the exposure back in PP as that sensor has a beter ability to create files that can be corrected for underexposure.


how far was the car away from you...would a flash have given a better exposure...could it have reached that far ?

[Jodster]

The pro photographer dosen't have a contract with the speedway, she is the only one that is always there to take the shots. She dosen't get paid by the speedway. Taking photo's of the speedway will be more of a fun thing, not sure if I will sell them.

[ElectricImages]

This is one reason I feel an external flash would help and also a better sd card.
I am linking a photo I took on Sunday night.. This was the first ime I had a go at the speedway and there was pro photographer there that had been taking photo's of the speedway for many many years.

The setting on the camera were: manual mode, f 5.6 1/125, ISO 1600 and focal length 175.omm

You're pushing every aspect of your gear to get this shot, and it's still very underexposed. A flash and "better" SD card are not going to help you get better images at long ranges in low light. Without faster lenses, you won't be able to get properly exposed, professional quality images.

What is even more important: if you don't have the technical skills to be able to critique your own images as to their level of quality (ESPECIALLY with a fundamental skill like exposure), I would be hesitant about recommending that you start a business in this field. Professional photography is NOT all about the gear, per se, but about having the technical ability to reliably create good images. Having good gear comes FROM that knowledge, as it allows a pro to "get the shot" even in difficult conditions (e.g. action photography in low light).

Be careful with your money (and your friend's). Would you start a car garage because you had a nice box of tools? Professional photography is no less technical, and customers have no lower expectations...