Hello fellow DPP members, I need your help badly... :D I am thinking how to spend my 120k in photography gears from body to lenses to accessories wisely... I am reading a lot of thread about the best gear to use but I can't really decide... What should I buy with this budget... I want to do wedding photography so I don't know what lenses and accessories to buy...

Please help masters! :Grin:

Thanks!

Forgot to mention, Nikon user ako.. I had my D50 pero pinagbili ko na.. thanks!

If you could also tell me the price and where to buy it, ok din po! thanks thanks thanks!

Considering if you already have memory cards, at least one speedlight and a workstation... Get a D70s body and a 17-55DX f/2.8 for starters. :)

You could also share your wealth "wisely" as well =b

@ Earl..

Wala pa po ako lahat.. hehe :D

@ Tok

Kung magkakaroon, why not? hehe

@ Earl..

Wala pa po ako lahat.. hehe :D



:) Oh... mmmmmmm... 120K for gear plus peripherals is cutting it slim if you're looking at brandnew gear... However, going for "pre-owned" stuff might be able to help pull it off...

for 120k...id go for a d200 and a 18 to 200 vr

or another alternative
d70s with a 17 to 55 2.8, a tokina 12 to 24 and a 50mm 1.8 with sb800 flash

or a d80 with kit lens plus a 50mm 1.8 with sb800 flash

d200 + 18-200 + sb800 :)

for 120k for wedding - i'll go for the following:

D70s - 35k (approx)
17-55 - 50k (approx)
SB800 - 18k (approx)
50 f/1.8 - 5k (approx)
4Gb CF - 6k (approx)

* remaining 6k - get a good bag and cleaning kit.

hope the above helps:)

Jake, Marton... Guys, the problem is, he's starting from scratch and I think he'll use it for weddings... If he'd stretch his 120K, with pre-owned gear... I guess he can still bag... a 4GB card, SB600, laptop, D70s with a Kit lens and still have enough for a decent blower and some pocket money for operating expenses. :)

I do agree with sir earl, just get pre-owned gear first and one's you've got the motor going on your wedding business then its time to buy a higher end camara i.e. d200 and some 2.8 fast lens.... but real question here is; is this going to be your full time job and do you really want to shoot weddings? you need to have the "love" then the "for the money" follows...just a thought.... good luck!!!

Jake, Marton... Guys, the problem is, he's starting from scratch and I think he'll use it for weddings... If he'd stretch his 120K, with pre-owned gear... I guess he can still bag... a 4GB card, SB600, laptop, D70s with a Kit lens and still have enough for a decent blower and some pocket money for operating expenses. :)

Ah i see :) Reading Owns me haha :Grin:

@Jerry, do you have a computer system capable of uploading, editing, etc?
if the 120k is for everything it might be too tight for a wedding photog.

If its just for Photo gear, levi has it pegged. You can make it cheaper by getting a d70(non S) and sb600 :)

thanks to everyone who replied.. appreciate it!

@ Bejamine.. is this going to be your full time job and do you really want to shoot weddings? no and yes..

no..this will not be my full time job. my day job (pero actually night siya) is in a call center. :D and yes i want to do wedding photography. :D

@Marton do you have a computer system capable of uploading, editing, etc?

I have a separate budget for the laptop/desktop so i think what levi stated would do pero still waiting for others' suggestions.. :D

Thanks again!!

sulit na yung suggestion ni levi, at least you have two pieces of glass 4 GB CF and a strobe, i myself use a D70/s, although mas ok and D200 but were trying to squeeze your budget and the 17-55 is really an awesome lens and with the extra money bili ka ng Lowepro Nova 4 AW tska mga sensor swabs and PECPADS and eclipse solution :)

I have a separate budget for the laptop/desktop so i think what levi stated would do pero still waiting for others' suggestions.. :D

Thanks again!!

If this is the case, I suggest you go for Levi's suggestion as well... Not unless you restretch your budget and get a D200 body over the D70s.

You should also listent to what Benjamin Young III said... Do test the waters of this industry... It's no joke, mostly... it's Marketing that will take a heavy toll on your finances and not gear.

IMHO, if you're going for a NEW body, there is no reason to get D70s anymore now that the D80 is out. Th D70s is obsolete now and it's price will certainly drop or it will get discontinued.

Reasons to get the D80 over the D70s:
- Much larger viewfinder (same as D200)
- 2.5" LCD (same as the D200, D2Xs)
- Better AUTO-ISO function (same as the D200, D2Xs)
- High ISO performance (2 stops better than the D200)

I also agree with the others that an external flash is a must (SB800/SB600)

I am not sure how much are pricess locally but here's what I recommend:
D80 body
SB800
18-200mm VR
a couple of 2GB high-speed memory cards

Regards.

D70s (Body Only) 38,000
17-55 AFS DX 74,000
SB-800 18,000
130,000

or

D200 80,000
Sigma 18-50 EX 24,000
SB-800 18,000
122,000

id pick number one anyday

Does anybody know if the tamron 17-50 is available locally already? and how much it is? thanks

@earl

levi's would be a good idea...but a pre-owned one is a good alternative...had i known, he should have bought my d70 kit i sold 4 weeks ago, it came with 2 lenses the kit a 55-200 nikor plus a battery grip an extra battery, hodman hood and a lot of filters...

@earl

levi's would be a good idea...but a pre-owned one is a good alternative...had i known, he should have bought my d70 kit i sold 4 weeks ago, it came with 2 lenses the kit a 55-200 nikor plus a battery grip an extra battery, hodman hood and a lot of filters...

Hi Jake, let's see what Jerry will come up with... looks like, he may also be interested in the D80 as well... :Grin: It's good though that he has a separate budget for a workstation...

@Earl

I suggest he gets a macbook for his workstation more practical but that depends on him if he's on the budget...

Regarding the body, I think he needs to get the feel of what camera body best suits his needs such as if he has big hands (go for the d70s or d200) ...or else he may get bitten the NAS bug...got bitten once myself...and just got over...dindin lagdameo gave me the prescription...bought a d200 and a whole lot of lenses :Grin:

d70s body or kit (18-70mm) and 10-20mm sigma or tokina 12-24mm, nikon 50mm/80mm 1.8, 80-200 2.8, sb800. pag may sobra pwde mo i deposit sa account ko :) good luck

How about a

D80+Grip
Sigma 18-50 f2.8
SB800
4GB SD Card
Nikon 80-200 f2.8 (maybe 2nd hand)

Roy

Guys, I have several options listed here. I also have increased my budget to 150k. If you have other suggestions, please add it up! Thanks!

I

D70s 30,000.00
SB800 18,000.00
2pc. 2gb CF Card 5,000.00
Extra Battery 1,500.00
Vertical Grip 5,000.00
Neck Strap 1,100.00
Tripod 4,000.00
Light Meter 8,000.00
Nikon 80-200 2.8 45,000.00
Nikon 50mm 1.8 4,000.00
Sigma 18-50 2.8 28,000.00
TOTAL 149,600.00

II

D200 75,000.00
SB800 18,000.00
2pc. 2gb CF Card 5,000.00
Extra Battery 1,500.00
Vertical Grip 5,000.00
Neck Strap 1,100.00
Tripod 4,000.00
Light Meter 8,000.00
Nikon 50mm 1.8 4,000.00
Sigma 18-50 2.8 28,000.00
TOTAL 149,600.00

III

D70s Body 30,000.00
SB800 18,000.00
2pc. 2gb CF Card 5,000.00
Extra Battery 1,500.00
Neck Strap 1,100.00
Tripod 4,000.00
Vertical Grip 5,000.00
Nikon 80-200 2.8 45,000.00
Nikon 50mm 1.8 4,000.00
Nikon 28-105mm Micro 10,000.00
Tokina 12-24 4 25,000.00
TOTAL 148,600.00

IV

D200 Body 75,000.00
2pc. 2gb CF Card 5,000.00
Extra Battery 1,500.00
Light Meter 8,000.00
Neck Strap 1,100.00
Tripod 4,000.00
Vertical Grip 5,000.00
Nikon 50mm 1.8 4,000.00
Nikon 18-200 VR 45,000.00
TOTAL 148,600.00

V

D200 Body 75,000.00
SB800 18,000.00
2pc. 2gb CF Card 5,000.00
Extra Battery 1,500.00
Vertical Grip 5,000.00
Sigma 18-50 2.8 28,500.00
Nikon 50mm 1.8 4,000.00
Nikon 28-105mm Micro 10,000.00
TOTAL 147,000.00

I am not sure with the prices. It's just mere estimates. Thanks!

Jerry, I'd go for option III there but drop the vertical grip... It sucks... :) Just replace it with a utility belt.

Hi Jerry,

What type of shooting are you planning to do? The reason why I ask is because it might be something to consider to minimize your expenditure like the light meter, tripod, neck strap.

But I like option 1. Invest on the glass :)

@ jerry

i'll go for option I anyday.

you are all setup with the 2.8 mid-zoom and tele.:)

not sure though if you'll really need the light meter... if you can spare not to buy one, just get a good bag or utility belt system as Earl suggested :)

Thanks Earl! :) I'll take note of your suggestion! :)

@ Roy

I'll do mostly wedding and studio with the gears i have listed. Note sure whta's best package. :D

option 1 looks good. some comments. i would do away with the d70s vert grip. it's not as useful as the grip for the d200, you can't half press these things and you don't have your command dials. next, is your budget for the tripod inclusive of the head already? finally, while i feel that a light meter is very useful, maybe in this case you can skip it first and focus on glass or a carrying system/bag.

HTH :)

@Earl, sorry but didn't seen a utility belt yet. :D Nakakita na siguro ako but i dont know na yun pala yun! hehe how much po ba yung utility belt? :)

@ Nolan

i just saw 1 tripod in hidalgo. sturdy siya na 3 way.. i am not familiar with tripods pero mukhang ok yung nakita ko.. :D

@ Nolan

i just saw 1 tripod in hidalgo. sturdy siya na 3 way.. i am not familiar with tripods pero mukhang ok yung nakita ko.. :D

i see :) my only concern kasi is option 1 has an 80-200 2.8 and that paired with a d70s is not exactly light. just make sure that the tripod can support the weight. it would be a shame if you mounted all that expensive gear on the tripod and it came crashing down.

it would be a shame if you mounted all that expensive gear on the tripod and it came crashing down.

this is one of my recurring nightmares, or that a strong wind knocks down the tripod. OUCH!!!

Ever seen and heard a cam with big lens fall ........ I was with some photogs in Mt. Banahaw before and this guy was using a mamiya rb67 with a 300 mm lens and he tripped the tripod which was set up in a very precarious position and wow the camera tumbled down w/ the tripod hit several rocks and rested about 30 feet down .....I can't even look I closed my eyes it was terrible .... blang, crash, bing, boom, prak it's dead...

I always make sure the tripod is a steady one and the legs are spread out to the max, start adjusting height with the bigger legs first and in windy days tie something heavy like bag or anything. You can bore a hole in the lower portion of the center column. Also, don't ever carry the tripod over one's shoulder with the cam attached to it.

Does anybody know if the tamron 17-50 is available locally already? and how much it is? thanks

yup, available already at henry's (quiapo). gray market though. they have the nikon mounts available. still waiting for my canon mount and it's been 3 weeks already since i ordered.:RedEye:

Ever seen and heard a cam with big lens fall ........ I was with some photogs in Mt. Banahaw before and this guy was using a mamiya rb67 with a 300 mm lens and he tripped the tripod which was set up in a very precarious position and wow the camera tumbled down w/ the tripod hit several rocks and rested about 30 feet down .....I can't even look I closed my eyes it was terrible .... blang, crash, bing, boom, prak it's dead...

.

i always carry my cam like a newborn baby. you wouldnt drop a baby would you?:) well accidents do happen......

yup, available already at henry's (quiapo). gray market though. they have the nikon mounts available. still waiting for my canon mount and it's been 3 weeks already since i ordered.:RedEye:

oops, sorry about this. henry's selling it at 25K. doon na ako tatawad pag-face to face na kami ni henry/nick.:Grin:

tnx 4 d info bryan. is there a local distributor for tamron lenses? I actually thought they were all grey hehe

@Earl, sorry but didn't seen a utility belt yet. :D Nakakita na siguro ako but i dont know na yun pala yun! hehe how much po ba yung utility belt? :)

Tamrac's modular accessory belt would set you back around 1.2K-1.5K depending on the store... Just buy the SAS (Strap Accessory System) Kits/Bags/Lens Cases as needed... Prices vary according to size and utility type.

Lowepro's one is also a very good alternative but a bit on the pricey side...

Choose which ever would fit your taste/budget... I use both brands... They're good investments.:)

tnx 4 d info bryan. is there a local distributor for tamron lenses? I actually thought they were all grey hehe

yup, photokina marketing's the local distributor (+6323711388). sadly, they don't sell tamron lenses designed exclusively for digital cameras with small sensors. :(

Jerry,

I'll be in the philippines in the next 2 weeks, I'll be selling my lens and even a brandnew D80. Just let me know if you are interested. PM me for details.