Advice on Camera Purchase

baydogphotog

Hello,

This is my first post on the forum. I am looking at getting out of phone/point and shoot photography and in to the DSLR world.

This will be used for kids sports, family vacations, and dog events.

After some practice I plan to turn this hobby in to a paying hobby by taking pictures at kids sports and the dog events and setting up a smugmug site to sell those pictures. Not trying to get rich, just maybe offset the costs of attending the dog events and maybe a little extra cash in the pocket.

The dog events are typically all weekend and 95% is sitting around while others run their dogs so I would like to turn that in to productive time and provide a service to other participants. Same goes with the kids sports, i'd rather take pictures than just sit on my duff for an hour.

I am planning to purchase a Nikon D5300 with the 18-140 lens that comes in the "package" deal. Additionally I am going to purchase a 50mm 1.8 lens plus the standard accessories (bag, filters, batteries, sd card, own a tripod but may upgrade).

I like that the wifi and gps are built in on the 5300 and the upgraded processor.

I wish it was weather sealed, but from what I read nothing truly is and you need to cover any camera anyway in the wet weather.

For kids sports I will be shooting soccer, softball, and karate.

For family outings we do lots of ocean and mountain scenic hikes around OR, CA, and WA. Skiing, snowboarding and hunting.

For the dog events, the are retriever trials, the action is anywhere from 50 - 150yds away that would be of interest, with potential for wide angle shots and close ups for the "winner's circle" shots.

I understand there is no limit to the amount of gear I could get to cover the situations above. What I am looking for is if this is enough to get started with and will adequately keep me going for a good while? Or are there better lens choices to make initially? Is there a must have accessory that I am forgetting?

Pricing everything out I am looking at about a $1500 initial investment. Some more once I need a portable hard drive.

Thanks in advance for any comments,

Dan

jmphotocraft

baydogphotog wrote: »

After some practice I plan to turn this hobby in to a paying hobby by taking pictures at kids sports and the dog events and setting up a smugmug site to sell those pictures. Not trying to get rich, just maybe offset the costs of attending the dog events and maybe a little extra cash in the pocket.

I've done exactly this and then some. But I suspect once you price out my advice, you're not going to take it. So I'll keep this brief.

If you want really crisp youth sports shots that stand apart from the cell phones, point-n-shoots, superzooms, and other parents with entry level DSLRs, with an APS-C body you at least need a 70-200mm f/4 lens. So I would say get a body with an 18-55mm kit lens, and a 70-200/4.

Nikon is great, but right now for youth sports I'd steer you towards Canon.

Edit - Actually a Canon 70-200/4 without IS and a 70D with kit 18-55 might meet your budget. Nikon doesn't have an affordable 70-200/4.

baydogphotog

Thanks I will look at that. My budget is somewhat flexible.

Everything I've read about the 18-55s is that they are pretty much paperweights not worth getting. Is that not the case?

I am actually supposed to be in your neck of the woods next week for work at the Otis test range.

jmphotocraft

I suggested an 18-55 kit lens because you're going to need something to stick on the camera besides a 70-200. A canon 18-55 IS STM is decent in good light, and only costs $150 with body. Any other worthwhile lens upgrade is going to cost you hundreds more. So if you're buying a 70-200/4 at the same time, the 18-55 can easily sneak into the budget to get you started. So for a 70D + 18-55 + 70-200/4, you're looking at $1860. You could save $300 by going with a Rebel T5i, but you'll be making a compromise on AF and FPS.

baydogphotog

Thanks again. I have until the beginning of December to decide. I am going revisit my trade study of the 70D vs the D5300. Being an engineer, I like data and its hard to decipher what is "fanboy" data and what are true pros and cons. Though I may go with my original lens configuration to get started and take the lens you suggested as my first upgrade during tax time.

T. Bombadil

baydogphotog wrote: »

I am planning to purchase a Nikon D5300 with the 18-140 lens that comes in the "package" deal. Additionally I am going to purchase a 50mm 1.8 lens plus . . .

I understand there is no limit to the amount of gear I could get to cover the situations above. What I am looking for is if this is enough to get started with and will adequately keep me going for a good while? Or are there better lens choices to make initially? Is there a must have accessory that I am forgetting?

You got excellent advice from Jack.

I think you are correct not to spend a lot to get weather-sealed body at this point, but you will want more "reach" than the lens you are contemplating. Definitely follow Jack's advice and go for the 70-200.

Nikon makes a 70-300 variable aperture lens that is very affordable and capable of very nice images (and, i think, there is a Canon lens that is similar). If the cost of a 70-200 f/4 is too steep, consider the 70-300.

Getting a good lens is what is going to "keep {you} going for a good while".

NikonsandVstroms

baydogphotog wrote: »

Thanks again. I have until the beginning of December to decide. I am going revisit my trade study of the 70D vs the D5300. Being an engineer, I like data and its hard to decipher what is "fanboy" data and what are true pros and cons. Though I may go with my original lens configuration to get started and take the lens you suggested as my first upgrade during tax time.

You're going to need to try em out then, a big thing for you will be AF tracking performance though recreating the conditions you're going to use it in will be a bit of a challenge.

I like the advice of the 70-200 though you might want to check out a used 2.8 or the Sigma 50-150 if you can get by with the shorter long end, it's about the same size as the 70-200 F4 but the 2.8 aperture will let you isolate your subject even more. It's also only ~500 VS the 1,000+ 70-200 F4.

Speaking of used lenses if you were to skip the 18-55 there's the 17-50 Tamron for about 300-350 IIRC just make sure you have one with the built in motor or a D5300. It's a nice sharp lens with the only real downside being it's slow in focusing.