Selecting Photography Equipment
by Robert H. Jacobvitz

This section is not intended to cover the wide variety of good equipment choices, but only to give some examples.

The basic equipment that is needed for serious photography is a digital SLR camera, a lens, and a memory card. For those on a budget, good choices include kits such as the Canon Rebel XTi with Canon 18-55mm EF-S Lens and 2GB CF Card ( $717) or the Nikon D40x with Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Lens and 2GB SD Card ($710).

Budget permitting, a lens upgrade provides good value. Substituting the Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS ($410) with the Canon Rebel XTi ($590), or Nikon 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF ($250) with the Nikon D40X ($643), would result in a cost of about $1,000 for the camera and lens.

For those with a serious long term interest in photography, and a higher but still limited budget, a good strategy is to spend less on the camera body and more on the lenses. For example, a Canon Rebel XTi ($590) with Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS ($1,060) would cost $1,650. A Nikon D40X ($643) with Nikon 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D ($1,125) would cost $1,768. Both of these combinations are excellent choices, and will produce better quality images than use of a more expensive camera body and less expensive lens. An expensive lens is an investment that will last a lifetime. Expensive lenses also tend to retain good resale value.

The next step up for Camera bodies are the Canon 40D ($1,300), Canon 5D FF (about $2,500), Nikon D80 ($875), and soon to be released Canon D300 (est $1,900).

To get low f stops, buying a prime lens is the way to go. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 ($290) and Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 ($315) are particularly good choices. The f stop rating of a lens designates the widest available aperture.

Most DSLRs do not have full frame sensors. The smaller than full frame sensor crops the image and thereby magnifies it. A focal length multiplier (FLM), also known as a field of view crop factor (FOVCF), needs to be applied to determine the focal length equivalent that the lens yields when attached to a camera that does not have a full frame sensor. The Canon XTi and 40D each has a cropped FOV for which a FLM of 1.6 needs to be applied. The Nikon 40DX and D80 each has a cropped FOV for which a FLM of 1.5 needs to be applied. With a FLM of 1.6, for example, a 50mm lens will yield a focal length equivalent of 80mm (1.6 x 50 = 80).

Other items of high priority equipment, budget permitting, are an external flash, a tripod, a backup battery, and a camera case.

Note. The above prices and equipment choices are as of 10/07. We highly recommend B&H Photo for all of your photography needs. Simply click the banner below to see why!

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