which camera and lens to buy?

[hikerheather]

My first post as a new member after introducing myself...and looking forward to hearing back form you all.

I have just sold my entry level Pentax DSLR (and lenses) which was three years old and much used and loved and am looking at replacing it. I will be carrying it on bushwalks, mostly only day walks but also the occassional multi day walk so want to travel reasonably lightly. Also, I want to avoid having to change lenses outdoors. I also want a camera which will record HD video.

Have been doing a lot of looking and reading and have almost decided on a Nikon D7000 body and a Tamron 10-270mm lens. Will this combination be suitable for photographing landscape, also birds and wildflowers and not too bulky or heavy?

If I do need a second lens, what would you suggest?

Regards,

hikerheather

[kiwi]

I'd prefer the Nikon 18-200 Vrii myself

[LJG]

OK, nobody is answering so I will pitch in with a bit of info. Do yourself a favour and go to a shop and try the D7000 with the lens.

The reason I say this is because my son has just purchased one with the Nikon 18-200 VRII lens. Let me tell you, while it is quite compact size wise - it is surprisingly heavy. It weighs the same as my 50D + grip +Canon 10-22 or 15-85 lens.

This will give you an indication of the size difference

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac352/LJG_photo/Nikon20Canon20120of201.jpg

I cannot speak for the Tamron lens, but the D7000 with the18-200 lens is a great bit of kit. I would put it a rung or 2 above my 50D, but not as good as my 5DII, but that is to be expected. If the weight is not too much an issue you would certainly love it because it is fun to use.

[hikerheather]

Ok thanks for that information...will see if I can find one not too far from home and have a look.

Since I placed this thread, I have discovered all kinds of information and advice in many previous threads. What a great place for anything to do with photography.

Much appreciated.

heather

[Mark L]

Since I placed this thread, I have discovered all kinds of information and advice in many previous threads. What a great place for anything to do with photography.

Yep, threads come and go, but there's plenty of times I've searched before asking and found what I wanted.
Re your choice, I think Lloyd's advice to go to a shop somewhere and feel things in your hand is good. I researched on the www, decided what I wanted, went and had a feel and instantly changed my mind.:confused013

[Dwarak]

Personally I would not go for one lens that does it all. As with zooms the quality of shots is not as good as conventional wide angle lens for landscape work. I would prob get the sigma 10-20 great lens used it for a while on a canon 7d. The other sigma lens for wildlife or bird is the sigma 50-500. I am suggesting sigma as you want to buy a Nikon and I am not familiar with Nikons or it's lens. I use only canon and the L lens which go with them and have never failed to perform.

[Cage]

Shame you sold your Pentax lens without trying them on the Pentax K5.

I'm about to buy the K5. which I believe is the best performing, and best value, APS-C format camera on the market.

At $1159 local, with full Pentax warranty, it's a stand-out.

Don't take my word for it, check the reviews, and see how it compares with your above mentioned choice.

[Colin Mountford]

Hi Heather, like you I am new here as well, but the choice of camera is a very personal one, but maybe if you are bush walking a lighter camera may help, feel the weight of it and make sure it fits snug in your hand when in store, I have a Tamron 18 200mm attached to a Pentax k20d as I do a lot of hiking as well and is quite suitable for the job.

[Bennymiata]

How serioulsy do you want to take your photography?

I also had a Pentax DSLR, but I was frustrated by a lack of certain lenses and accessories that I wanted, for the type of photography I wanted to do.

If you are going to get more serious, it is not just the camera you need to decide on, but the system in its entirety that is just as important.
Just about all of the DSLR's available today are very good cameras, and each has its good points and bad points.

Look at the lenses that are available for each system, their quality and cost, as well as the same for the accessories you can get for them to suit the type of photography that you want to do.
After having the Pentax for a while, I realised that there were certain lenses and accessories that I either couldn't get for it, or were difficult and/or expensive compared to other systems.

That is why Nikon and Canon are far more popular for serious photographers than Pentax, Sony, Olympus etc., because both Nikon and Canon have very wide ranging systems of lenses, flashes and so many other accessories.

I really wanted a good zoom lens that would go to 400mm or so, and in that area, the Canon 100-400L lens really fitted the bill for me, whereas the Nikon equivalent is very much more expensive, so I went for the Canon system.
I bought a mid-range 60D with a few other Canon and non-Canon lenses and accessories, and I couldn't be happier, but I'm sure that I would have also been happy with a Nikon system as well.
I now want to buy a full-frame Canon body, and I'm waiting for the new version of the 5DMkII, or maybe stretch to the new 1Dx, and I will still be able to use most of my lenses and accessories, and still keep the 60D for the EF-S lenses and as a back-up.
If you keep going with your photography, you can update the camera bodies as your finances allow, knowing that all your lenses and accessories will work with the new bodies for many years to come, and you can keep your old bodies as back-ups.

Once you have a number of lenses etc., it can be very expensive to change systems later on, so the real question is not what camera to buy, but what system to join up with.