Buying A Dslr Camera

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

One point on image stabilisation if you're planning on doing motorsports type photography, (or anything involving slow shutter speed pan shots); make sure any system you but has either a manual two mode stabilisation system, or an automatic system that can cope with deliberate side to side panning motion in the camera.

(Manual modes like the Canon system allow full IS where the lens will compensate for vertical and horizontal movement ( - it's really effective too, some of the latest lenses will let you shoot considerably slower shutter speeds than were previously possible - four stops effectively), or you can switch off horizontal IS, so the lens wont try and compensate for deliberate panning action, but will still reduce vertical movement. Or you can of course turn it off completely)

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

reading with interest folks

nice piccies Adam

[JustCallMeMac]

I have a Nikon D5100 with 18-105 and 55-300 Nikkor lenses, with stabilisation. Nice bit of kit, takes fantastic pics and HD video and is easy to use after a bit of research and playing around. The new Nikon 'entry-level' D3200 has also been very well received and my son just picked one up for his college course. Has a great spec. Canon or Nikon, you can't really go wrong.

[Andy Banks]

Not quite in the DSLR league yet so I went for a half way house Nikon Coolpix P510 Bridge. Took some really good shots close-up, portrait and zoom when on safari. Pics came out excellent (no RAW mode though on this one if that floats yer boat). It's around to £300 mark tops I think. Only downside is it drains the battery rapidly when doing HD video but extra batteries and chargers kits on eBay for £12 or so. It also does 3D pics which is quite a laugh and has enough manual tweakery to keep me on my learning curve.

I find a half decent monopod really helps to improve the images too.

[Ragged Racing]

Hi

I think you will struggle to get both for 1K

I've only used Canon but for motorsport you need some thing quick like a 7D. Lens wise Id'e go for a Canon f4 70-200mm IS but you are talking more than 1K. All I can say is with SLR's is if you buy cheap you will end up buying twice, trust me! You could always look at second hand stuff. MPB Photographic is a fantastic place to buy from. Have a look on there site.

Chris

[AdamR]

nice piccies Adam

Ah - cheers! Hopefully gives an idea of how flexible they are...

I dunno if you'd plan to get someone in to do product shots, but if not and you'd like any pointers / tips / help just give me a shout

[peterg]

Cleggy, this package (for under £700) will do everything you want with two IS zooms that'll take you from 18 - 250mm which is plenty for motorsport unless you're trying to ape the professionals... I had the 55-250 before I upgraded to an L and it took some very good shots - all you need to add to this package is a couple of spare batteries and some memory cards (several smallish ones (say 4-8GB) are better than 1 huge one) and probably a bag to carry it in

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005HGQ5I8/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=103612307&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B004MPQXZ0&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=0DASCK3Y7VTRTKR5A0WG

These bags are great, very lightweight but durable as they have solid bottoms and that package will easily fit in it

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001TZWNF0/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00

Hi I think you will struggle to get both for 1K I've only used Canon but for motorsport you need some thing quick like a 7D. Lens wise Id'e go for a Canon f4 70-200mm IS but you are talking more than 1K. All I can say is with SLR's is if you buy cheap you will end up buying twice, trust me! You could always look at second hand stuff. MPB Photographic is a fantastic place to buy from. Have a look on there site. Chris

Sorry, but suggesting to someone with a budget of 'about a grand' that he goes out and spends £3k on semi-pro kit when he's likely to leave it permanently set to 'Auto' is a bit barmy IMHO - he can always sell it on 'if' he wants to upgrade in the future...

[XTR2Turbo]

Just one thought- don't dismiss some of the new generation of mini format cameras with removeable lenses from Nikon, Canon and Sony.

I have a Nikon DLSR that I bought a few years ago but ended buying one the Nikon V1s mainly because the DLSR is so big and heavy that it is only with me if I set out to mainly take photos which is not that often.

It is very very fast, tiny to carry and I'm pleased with the results.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-V1-Compact-10-30mm-30-110mm/dp/B005NFVYKW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349873932&sr=8-1

David

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Hi

I think you will struggle to get both for 1K

I've only used Canon but for motorsport you need some thing quick like a 7D. Lens wise Id'e go for a Canon f4 70-200mm IS but you are talking more than 1K. All I can say is with SLR's is if you buy cheap you will end up buying twice, trust me! You could always look at second hand stuff. MPB Photographic is a fantastic place to buy from. Have a look on there site.

Chris

Those are cracking pieces of kit, but I'm with Peter on that one. Yes, you may end up replacing in time, if you really get into it. If you do, Canon/Nikon gear tends to have excellent second hand demand and prices. - I could sell two or three of my lenses now for more than I paid for them!

[FILFAN]

be careful when buying stuff on the net. i found that alot ot the lenses & camera's that seem to be for good money are actualy from china.

they set up .co.uk websites and have fantastic prices but when you dig into the site they are actualy located in china and there is a good chance of getting stung with the import duty

[Davep1]

This is the deal I just bought from the Canon ebay (refurbished) store - however I am sure it was new...!

Leaves plenty of money for a long lens....

Good luck, but beware, its an addictive hobby!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Canon-EOS-Rebel-T2i-550D-18-0-MP-DSLR-Camera-Kit-18-55mm-IS-Lens-Refurbished-/290784815623?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_DigitalCameras_DigitalCameras_JN&hash=item43b4202a07

[Mark (smokey mow)]

Cleggy, i can't add much to the advice you've already received but to say that ideally for motorsports i would reccomend looking at a 300mm lens rather than 200mm which is more commonly packaged with cameras. 200 is fine however if you can get close enough to the action but for certain circuits (Brands, Silverstone) with large run off areas you'll have a fair bit of cropping of photos to do after.

FWIW all the pictures in this thread were taken with a £500 nikon D500 with the standard suppied 55-200mm lens, and indeed most of the others i've posted over the last couple of years on the forum.

http://forum.wscc.co.uk/forum/index.php?/topic/96884-my-month-of-motorsports-pic-heavy/page__view__findpost__p__983165

[FILFAN]

Group buy on camera equipment anyone? I know I would like a flash and maybe a tripod ( I dread what response that will bring )

[BLiNK Motorsport]

Cleggy,

if this is still for sale then I'd buy it - the body was 'cutting edge' only a few years ago and lensses don't date.

http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=105985&hl=nikon

[Ragged Racing]

I agree, that's why I said buy second hand! 7D and 70-200mm = £1500

Knowing what I know now I would go for your maximum every time. I'm doing it for a living! It's a bit like cars, you buy a westie with a standard engine, in a year or two yo want to buy a quicker engine and put loads of bits on. By the time you have done all that you may as well have bought a quick engine in the first place. Just my opinion though!