Darren Crush
WDC Staff
Reged: 30/10/2007
Posts: 9
|
|
Dear Forum,
Here's something for you to ponder on. As much as we'd like to give you all £500 each to spend on photography equipment, the reality is we can't. But, just for the fun of it, what would you buy if you did get a handful of notes thrown your way? With such a plethora of equipment on the market it can often be hard knowing what to go for - even harder if you're limited to a certain amount.
Anyway, just for the sake of it, imagine you've got that amount, you're starting from scratch (no equipment) - how would you best fill a £500 budget, what would you go for?
Happy buying! 
|
IvorETower
Little Buttercup
Reged: 15/11/2006
Posts: 1759
Loc: Camberley, Surrey
|
|
First-off, if I suddenly had £500 I'd get the overdue cambelt change done on my car.
If it has to be on photo stuff, I'd use it as most of the cost of a Sigma 70-200 f2.8 HSM
--------------------
Too many cameras, too many lenses.......
|
Fen
BAD WOLF
Reged: 12/03/2002
Posts: 20929
Loc: Currently Unknown!
|
|
Quote:
If it has to be on photo stuff, I'd use it as most of the cost of a Sigma 70-200 f2.8 HSM
You'd need a camera to go with it...
Quote:
you're starting from scratch (no equipment)
--------------------
Fen .......... My Galleries - My Blog - My Flickr
|
NorthernNikon
Bulls Hitter
Reged: 16/12/2005
Posts: 6176
Loc: Harrogate, North Yorks
|
|
Quote:
If it has to be on photo stuff, I'd use it as most of the cost of a Sigma 70-200 f2.8 HSM
Seeing as you're supposed to be starting form scratch all you'd have is an expensive paperweight. 
--------------------
www.BarneyAllen.com the new home of ComicShots.
|
Hotblack
Dead Horse Flogger
Reged: 07/03/2006
Posts: 7352
Loc: Upstairs in the spare room.
|
|
For me? Probably something like the Nikon D40x body with the 18-70mm lens. I know it's more than the kit lens but it's better quality both optically and build and has a slightly longer reach. Add to that a 2Gb card and a carry case, that must be about £500.
Assuming I already have a computer I'd use something like Rawtherapee and/or the Gimp as software to learn on until such time as I needed to move on.
--------------------
Cheers
David
David J White Photography
|
IvorETower
Little Buttercup
Reged: 15/11/2006
Posts: 1759
Loc: Camberley, Surrey
|
|
Curses! Missed the bit about starting with no equipment.
If it had to be the sum total of all I could spend on photo stuff, the new Fuji film simulation bridge camera F100fs IIRC, as tested last week plus a decent tripod and head.
If more money can be spent at a later date, Nikon D60 with 18-55 and 55-200 lenses
--------------------
Too many cameras, too many lenses.......
|
FatherPie
journeyman
Reged: 18/04/2008
Posts: 91
Loc: West Yorkshire
|
|
Probably a Canon G9 to slip in my pocket for when I'm too idle to carry the 40D.
Unless someone had a S/H Fuji GX617 for 500 notes? 
--------------------
Dave
|
NorthernNikon
Bulls Hitter
Reged: 16/12/2005
Posts: 6176
Loc: Harrogate, North Yorks
|
|
£500's not a great deal. If I were starting form scratch I'd be looking to buy the following:
2nd hand Nikon D70s with 18-70mm lens - £300
Tripod - £150
Sandisk Extreme III CF cards - £20-£30
Crumpler bag - £20-£30
I see the D70s as better value that one of the new D40/D40x/D60 cameras and the 18-70mm lens is functional enough to start with. A decent tripod will last and this is one area where 'buy cheap, buy twice' comes in, then with the £50 left over would be divided between a bag, proably a Crumpler and CF cards.
Now, given my current kit, and to say that the £500 couldn't go towards amore expensive item (if it could it would be a down payment on a Nikkor 70-200 AF-S VR f/2.8) I'd spend the money on:
Tripod - £150 (I bought cheap, this would be me buying twice )
2 x Nikon SB-600 - £250
Lastolite Umbrella, stand & brackets - £100
So, who's got £500 for me then 
--------------------
www.BarneyAllen.com the new home of ComicShots.
|
Roger_Provins
Made-it Man
Reged: 22/10/2005
Posts: 3066
Loc: Gloucester, UK
|
|
Starting from scratch with no kit at all and only 500 quid I'd probably go for the Sony a200 + Tamron AF 18-250mm lens - which, with a bit of haggling, is just about possible - or if not then get a new a200 and a s/h Tamron and use any balance for CF cards.
--------------------
Rog
|
bench_ubbster
Bench Meister
Reged: 08/08/2006
Posts: 2656
Loc: Cambridgeshire, UK
|
|
Easily spent 
Ricoh GX100 - £300
Spare battery - £20
SD cards - £50
R72 infrared filter - £30
Crumpler Pretty Boy bag - £20
Velbon Ultra Maxi tripod - £80
--------------------
Master of the Bench and Global Ambassador of the Brotherhood of the Bench
Bench or No Bench
|
NorthernMonkey
enthusiast
Reged: 01/05/2007
Posts: 271
|
|
I'd be on ebay looking for film bargins.
£500 might stretch to a Hassy 500CM,
or
An Eos3, and some new glass, probably a 50mm 1.8, and an 85mm 1.8, and a tripod. Probably not the choice of many WDC readers tho
|
Nod
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 08/04/2006
Posts: 4334
Loc: Devon, UK.
|
|
Probably a Samsung GX-10 twin lens kit. That sort of assumes that I'm allowed to top up the budget a little to cover a few cards and a bag.
If I'm allowed to spend the £500 on more kit (rather than starting from scratch), I would probably bank it in wait for the D400 (which I'm hoping could be a D3 in a smaller box and with a lower price tag!).
--------------------
MATWSIJ.....
To avoid being offended, please insert apropriate smiley.
|
Darren Crush
WDC Staff
Reged: 30/10/2007
Posts: 9
|
|
This is good stuff guys! Keep the ideas coming!
Rather than giving an unlimited amount to play with, restricting it does concentrate the old mind.
|
NorthernNikon
Bulls Hitter
Reged: 16/12/2005
Posts: 6176
Loc: Harrogate, North Yorks
|
|
Quote:
Rather than giving an unlimited amount to play with, restricting it does concentrate the old mind.
Yeah but it doesn't stop most of 'em needing extra funds to top up for cards and bags etc! Now, I was a good boy and stuck to the budget. Just a shame I can't do that in real life.
--------------------
www.BarneyAllen.com the new home of ComicShots.
|
Fen
BAD WOLF
Reged: 12/03/2002
Posts: 20929
Loc: Currently Unknown!
|
|
Quote:
Now, I was a good boy and stuck to the budget.
Did you also bring an apple for the teacher?
--------------------
Fen .......... My Galleries - My Blog - My Flickr
|
Nod
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 08/04/2006
Posts: 4334
Loc: Devon, UK.
|
|
I'm sure that with a little shopping around I could find a GX-10 kit cheaper than the Warehouse Express price I based my choice on! Maybe not enough for cards AND a bag but I've goy pockets in my coat. A little digging throws up a £50 cashback - cheap bag and a card or 3!
--------------------
MATWSIJ.....
To avoid being offended, please insert apropriate smiley.
|
NorthernNikon
Bulls Hitter
Reged: 16/12/2005
Posts: 6176
Loc: Harrogate, North Yorks
|
|
Quote:
Quote:
Now, I was a good boy and stuck to the budget.
Did you also bring an apple for the teacher?
Yes, a nice shiney one, hand picked from the vicar's orchard in a dawn scrumping raid.
--------------------
www.BarneyAllen.com the new home of ComicShots.
|
Azzi
member
Reged: 08/05/2006
Posts: 195
|
|
OK first post off the SPI forum where I am learning stacks.. Having bought a digital SLR acouple of years ago I can`t afford to keep buying stuff I may not need so I have recently purchased....
Mamiya 67 pro sd (med format )plus 50,90 and 180mm lenses (all for £200!), light meter £20, darkroom developing stuff £20, stacks of films( fuji velvia, ilford hp5, sfx 200) under £30. Chemicals under £20. So that`s under £300. That still leaves £200 - I bet I could get a rock solid second hand tripot for well under £100. That leaves £100!
I figure that`s all I need to learn and experiment for now. A little bit more effort I agree, but so far my results are as good as if not better than my Canon20D.
What would the digital equivalents cost??
Chris
--------------------
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisnj2008/
|
sandyfyfe
newbie
Reged: 21/12/2006
Posts: 43
|
|
Canon powershot A720 (or whichever model is current)
decent book
case + SD card
The powershots offer full manual control as well as aperture and shutter priority.
Opportunity to learn about composition, and using manual settings without spending a fortune. Will have £300 left to put towards second hand (D)SLR in a years time having learnt some of the basics and worked out what kind of photgraphy excites most.
|
Dom_Rivers
addict
Reged: 03/04/2007
Posts: 417
|
|
Easy one, if I had no photography equipment at all, a Nikon D40X with kit lens and a Nikkor 55-200VR, leaves about 9p change too
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
