Nikon SLR help: Need recommendations

[SNAG]

Originally posted by Kho King
Wryer,
IMO, 2nd hand F80 at S$550 or even S$500 is not worth it. With just S$100+- extra, u get a brand new one with one year Nikon warranty. This camera can serve u well, most probably u will keep it for quite some times...thus buying new is worth it. If 2nd hand at S$400~450, then worth considering.

If u intended to get a zoom lens, there is none Nikkor at below S$200 (don't get the 28-80mm G!!!). Recently there are a few AFS G lens at around S$500, but that's still out of your budget. Try looking/hunting in the 2nd hand market...

I can't agree more with Kho King.
The F80 has all the functions that you need to take photos.
In fact, there's little differences between a F100 & a F80 (except for the faster focus speed, build quality, and some little minor stuff).

I am using one now, and it's great.
Get a decent body, and you can start slowly by buying lenses + flashes and stuff.

If you don't mind, take a look at the other manufacturers' lens as well, ie. Tamron/Tokina/Sigma.... Some of them are quite decent as well.

 

[xdivider]

Originally posted by Wryer
Hmm..thanks Kho King!
I will be looking at 2nd hand F80 if i do get one. And will spend the rest on a zoom lens.

F80 2nd hand: $550?
Zoom Lens: ?

Regards

if u can stretch ur budget a bit, try for a 24-85 AFS G. Nice, compact and gives u a usable zoom for normal stuff.

 

[Wryer]

i have this offer..f80 + Nikkor AF 28-80mm lens for $560

Hows this?

 

[marcwang]

850 bucks is too little.

as suggested by Clive is plain silly. I started last year with that budget too... considered the EOS300V and F80. In the end I got the F80 + battery grip and a Nikkor 50mm F1.8 . You dont have to get the battery grip, but I didnt like dangling my last finger. Its much more comfy with the battery grip and you save on batteries in the long run. WIth this setup, u can start taking pretty alright pictures.
Then came an offer for a Sigma 28-105 F2.8-4 used, I snapped it immediately. I added a Sigma 70-300mm DL macro next, and shortly a Sigma ST-500 flash. You can see that my lenses arent very high end, but for a hobbyist, thats enough. I have a tight budget, and I want to enjoy photography. No point spending several thousands if YOU HAVE NO MEANS to. Live within your MEANS and you'll enjoy the hobby. I'll perhaps replace the 28-105mm Sigma, which is fast and surprisingly sharp with an AFS 24-85mm but only maybe.
WIth the F80 and 50mm F1.8, its a fantastic start. F80 is a good camera and the 50mm F1.8 is a sharp lense. Maybe u can get a AFS 24-85mm Nikkor if u can spare the extra cash over the 50mm F1.8. Then.... you'll have a good range with a relatively good camera for the purpose of your hobby. If you're rich, have no other life other then photography, have no gf to feed, or take photography as a profession, ignore my post. :devil: :devil:

 

[Wryer]

Haha...good one Marc.

But now i have renewed my budget. Decide to do away with my canon digital system.

Now my budget is $900 for my kit.
But what is the cheap flash i should get with F80? Prefereably somewhere around $150?

Thanks

 

[xdivider]

Recently saw a sb24 going for less than 200 in buy and sell. U might wanna wait for something like that.

 

[Avatar]

Originally posted by Wryer
i have this offer..f80 + Nikkor AF 28-80mm lens for $560

Hows this?

If you are not particular about image quality/distortions and the such, this is in fact not a bad offer. Perhaps you can throw in another $200+ for a AF-D 70-210 to cover your tele range if you need it or alternatively, spend the rest on a decent flash (eg. 2nd hand SB-26/27/28)

 

[Wryer]

Ermz..think if i go the Nikon way
I'll get the set plus a grip and a flash.

Any reasonably priced flash for f80? Thanks..

 

[ericp]

I also think you should pair the F80 with a decent lens, either the 50mm f/1.8 if you don't mind zooming with your feet, or the 24-85 AF-S, plus a decent Nikon speedlight (to use their term ).

3D metering on my F80/SB27/D-lenses combo produces excellent results ... no worries about exposure problems.

IMHO the F80 is really worth it ... have used the F70, F100, FM2, S2Pro.

 

[Wryer]

i see..i am currently looking at lens of something like 28-105 or thereabouts. Any recommendations? Budget..around..$300?

Still, need recommendations for flash, under $150, dun mind 3rd party!
Thanks

 

[ericp]

The 28-105mm works great, and the macro function is good for closeups. If you have to buy it new, perhaps the 24-85mm will be cheaper, don't worry about the loss of the aperture ring, on the F80 you won't even notice it.

I don't know how well 3rd party flashes work with Nikon's 3D flash metering ... I'd guess you can only try if you buy new, if you buy 2nd hand you're on your own.

Having said that, I'd be reluctant to buy a flash 2nd hand ... no scientific evidence to back it up, but I'd guess there is a finite life to the thyristor circuitry (which undergoes massive charge/discharge cycles), and the lamp itself. I'd buy new unless it's a real bargain.

$900 budget ? You may have to stretch it a bit ... I think the SB50DX, new, is $300 or thereabouts, that leaves $600, and if the 2nd hand F80 is $400 (where can you get that ? I paid $700+ for mine, new, a year ago ) that leaves you $200, just enough for a 2nd hand 50mm f/1.8.

If budget is really tight and you want functionality, I'd suggest the F70 ... I have one, it's cheap, but yet fully functional, though the menu system is quirky. I thought they are about $350 second hand off the forums, or maybe $400 at the shops. I use my F70 as the backup body to my F80 ... sometimes I need to load 2 different types of film, or I know I have no time to rewind and reload.

Now both film bodies are backups to my S2Pro

 

[marcwang]

I have a SIgma ST500 Super flash. Very powerful, perhaps more so than SB28. Has cordless slave function, strobes, multi burst etc. Full featured flash with swivel head and tilt. Got it used at $250. The flash can buy next time, when taking indoor stuff lah. COncentrate on body and lense first. The on camera flash is adequate for the moment.

 

[Wryer]

yahz..holding tt off for a while.

 

[Kho King]

Originally posted by Wryer
i see..i am currently looking at lens of something like 28-105 or thereabouts. Any recommendations? Budget..around..$300?

Still, need recommendations for flash, under $150, dun mind 3rd party!
Thanks

U can get the Sigma 28-105mm lens that MARC has. A pretty sharp and contrasty lens, I have seen photos taken by it and is very good. Didn't do any comparison with others though...

Flash ~ still...I think u should live with your built in flash of F80 at the moment, until u can afford the SB28 at around S$300 now 2nd hand. Buy once...buy only the SB28 type of flash.

As for the S$560 deal that u have...still...I suggest u go for new F80 or get the F80 body without lens. How much do u think u can get from that lens if u sell it off? S$100? Hmm...pretty hard. I have seen people selling it for S$50~80...really not a good lens. 28-80mm is a popular and very commonly used focal length, so u might wanna get a better lens to cover that range, and if u do...that means u are over lapping your focal length, and the 28-80mm that u are going to buy together with your F80 will be useless.

My principal, buy slowly...buy the best u can afford and don't compromise on quality by buying MORE...

 

[Wryer]

Thanks Koh King.

These are the possible bundles i might get.

1) Nikon F80 Body only + 50mm + AF Nikkor 70-300mm F4-5.6D ED lens + vertical grip = $910

2) Nikon F80 body + 28-80G + vertical grip = $660

My beloved combination will be
Nikon F80 body + 28-105 ( is there such a lens?) + grip.

Comments?

 

[Kho King]

There is a Nikkor 28-105mm lens, which can go 1:2 macro. Price is around S$500 new, 2nd hand is around S$350+-.

 

[Wryer]

ahhh..great. Thinking of going macros.

 

[ziploc]

Originally posted by Wryer
Thanks Koh King.

These are the possible bundles i might get.

1) Nikon F80 Body only + 50mm + AF Nikkor 70-300mm F4-5.6D ED lens + vertical grip = $910

2) Nikon F80 body + 28-80G + vertical grip = $660

My beloved combination will be
Nikon F80 body + 28-105 ( is there such a lens?) + grip.

Comments?

Yes there is an AFD28-105/3.5-4.5, and I'll take this lens any time over the AFS24-85G. The optical performance is better, the range is more versatile with slightly faster aperture and it can double as an acceptable macro lens, and you don't really need the focusing speed of the AFS24-85G. The only draw back is this lens is around $400 used, and on some rare occasion you'll see it slightly below $400.

As for your budget, I would probably get a decent camera body (F80) and a lens first. You can probably get by for a short period with the F80's built in flash, and get a better (and new) flash later when you have more budget. Remeber you don't upgrade your flash as often.

 

[Wryer]

Yesw, actually i don't mind if its a little expensive. IT may be my only lens for quite a while. So...if its good and versatile, i'll take it. The flash is temporary put on hold..

 

[Wryer]

any comments on this telezoom? AF Nikkor 70-300mm F4-5.6D ED