First camera choice - watersports photography

vectorpixel

New Member

« on: April 20, 2011, 11:45 »

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Hello !

I hope somebody can give me some advise on my first camera choice. I am a vector contributor on Istock and I would like to also start going into photography. I dont have much technical knowledge so I need some advise to make the right choice.

I would like to get a camera that will be a good start up/intro camera to hopefully in a year or so upgrade to a Nikon D700 or D3X. Theese are my dream cameras but I think it is to much for me to begin with when my technical knowledge first have to be build up, but this is what I am aiming for in the future.

My main criteria is a good allround quality camera and a camera that is good for landscape and watersports photography. But it should also perform good for still photography and in studio.

I see this as my introduction to stock photography and second what I would like to specialize in: watersports (surfing) photography

I have been thinking on getting the Nikon D90 as a good beginner camera for this purpose and then advance later when I learn more.

Will this be a good choice? Or are there some of the other Nikon models more obvious, newer, better to start out with?

Can you recommend a good lens to start out surf photography?

I would really apreciate if you can give me some help and advice. Excuse my english, I am from scandinavia and not so used to write in english :-)

Thank you for helping!


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Pixart

« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2011, 12:09 »

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Nikon has a new camera out next week the D5100 also. I really know nothing about it other than it's 16 mp, with stereo video - the D90 is 12mp. Does it shoot video?

I am still getting accustomed to a new D7000 body and am impressed with the colour, dynamic range and a wicked response time. Holy crap, it's fast. I didn't think it could make such a difference but this body locks and fires instantly. Same lenses I used on my D200, totally different (improved) results. I thought I would rave about the response time because you used the word water "sports". It's pulling a lot more detail out of dark regions than my last body. I even got some decent photos from a hockey arena with the ugliest light on the planet.

I can see a problem for you with surfing photography though. I'm not familiar with this sport - but if you are shooting from shore, aren't you going to need a lens with a very long range, likely a 400-500?


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ShadySue

Premium Member

« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2011, 16:22 »

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Quote from: Pixart on April 20, 2011, 12:09

I can see a problem for you with surfing photography though. I'm not familiar with this sport - but if you are shooting from shore, aren't you going to need a lens with a very long range, likely a 400-500?

i was imagining shooting from the back of the pulling speedboat, so perhaps water resistance should be a bigger consideration.


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bravajulia

« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2011, 00:37 »

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I have a D700 as main body, but use a D200 for water sports, think at the sensor size DX, so the focal lenght is about 1,5; I use a nikkor 70-210 2.8 VR (absolutely usefull VR) and I think that longer lenght for surfer is better, like 300-400 mm on the FX sensor size. But it is a range of expensive lenses.
Look at mine work in www.fotoregata.it.
P.S.: very difficult to shot with the boat on movement, consider stopping and waiting for the surfer.....


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basti

« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2011, 01:12 »

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I would go for D7000 - its pretty advanced camera, solidly build and weather sealed. D3100/D5100 are plastic crappy things with (silently) omitted basic things. For snapshooters it doesnt matter but you might discover within few weeks that there is some very important functions missing. Other thing is that they are not build for serious use and using them on every day basis will destroy them pretty soon - I mean traveling, walking etc. with camera, studio shooting is of course ok.

There will be problem with proper lens though. Up to 300mm (eq.) you are fine but then you are in trouble asap unless you are willing to spent very serious cash.


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vectorpixel

New Member

« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2011, 16:51 »

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Thank you for the advise on the Nikon models...
I have researched some more and now I am actually considering the Canon 60D or the 7D.
The lens choice is also hard but I will take that one to the Canon lense forum.

Thank you for taking the time to help :-)


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