About to pull the trigger on a Nikon D90.. right choice?

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cyr0n_k0r

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I am looking at this ebay auction.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-D90-Digit...796917?pt=Digital_Cameras&hash=item588bc0e635

Seems to include a lot of extras that are nice. Everything I have read says the D90 is a great camera and I will be happy.

I am looking for a DSLR camera to replace my crappy Circuit City $300 no name digital camera. I want something that is good quality, will take amazing photos and will hold it's value and image quality for a good number of years because I am tired of replacing my digital cameras every 2-3 years.

I am figuring I need to stop buying the stuff on sale at Best Buy and just spend the money and get a nice Nikon like the above that I'll be happy with for a few years. I need an all purpose camera for family events, vacations, and to document stuff at work. (data centers, server closets, IDF's, MDF's, etc)
 
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The big question to ask yourself is if you will be willing to drop big money on good glass? The 18-55 that camera comes with is very basic, okay-ish image quality. But you will feel wanting for either a better wide angle or a lens capable of better distance zooming, and those can get pricey (more than the cost of a pocket cam). The image quality and ease of use does it for me though, which is why I only use SLRs.
 
I figure even a mid range lens for a nice camera like that will be way better than my shitty Fujifilm pocket camera.
 
cyr0n_k0r said:
I figure even a mid range lens for a nice camera like that will be way better than my shitty Fujifilm pocket camera.
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Great glass is the key to great photos. I used a Rebel XTi for 2 years, but the lens I was using was a 24-70mm 2.8L. The body is less important than the glass you use... of course if you can afford both than it will increase the quality further.

Also, I wouldn't make fun of P&S's. They have their place. Even pros miss a million photos everyday of their life because it's not practical to carry around 6lbs+ of camera (that is if they aren't carrying multiple lenses and other gear) everywhere they go.

Back on your original question, the D90 is a great camera and it will give you a platform you could use for several years while you learn about photography.
 
cyr0n_k0r said:
What would everyone recommend then as a great everyday walkaround lens for the D90?

I'd want to make sure it has the VR.

EDIT: Looks like this lens would be the best option for everyday walk-around.
http://www.nikonusa.com/Nikon-Produ...-S-DX-NIKKOR-18-105mm-f%2F3.5-5.6G-ED-VR.html
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Not a bad lens, at the 18 mm end there's vignetting, but overall it's a pretty decent lens.

I like the 18-200 VRII as well ($650-750), but the problem of late is that Nikon (and probably Canon) glass just costs more, perhaps due to the weak USD and import prices/strong yen/whatever. Or at least, that's the only reason I can come up to explain why the lenses I have bought/are interested in are $100-400 more than when I looked at them/bought them.
 
I shoot a D90 and like it quite a bit. I'm more of a prime-lens guy, so I'd recommend the 35mm f/1.8 AFS as a first lens for it with great image-quality to cost ratio, but you might want to go w/ a cheap zoom lens for ease of use 'till you decide to move up to better glass. The 35mm focal length on the D90's crop sensor is equivalent to a classic 50mm on a full-frame camera, and the f/1.8 will give you good low-light performance (as opposed to the smaller aperture on cheap zooms), so imo this lens would be a great choice for starting out. BTW, VR isn't needed on lenses w/ faster aperture, so don't worry about that if you decide to look into this.

If you want to jump straight into the pro glass for any reason, the ones to look at are:
Prime lenses w/ the fastest f/1.4 aperture, zoom lenses with f/2.8 aperture, and the Micro lenses for specialty close-up shots of bugs and flowers etc; just make sure you get the newest AF-S versions. :)

Edit: btw, since I also prefer my focal length a little on the wide side, the lens I use more often than not as my standard walk-around is an older 24mm f/2.8 AF. Has superb image quality for a fraction of the cost of a pro zoom - you just have to move your feet a lot more. ;)
 
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Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 and call it a day...

or the 18-200. Depends if you want good glass that you will use forever or okay glass that you might sell if you get addicted to photography...

When I started out a few years ago, I went cheap but I realized that cheap was well cheap. It wasn't until I bought my first "L" glass that I realized, wow. So now I wont settle for the cheaper alternative.
 
The 18-105 is not bad at all. Sure, larger apertures would be nice, but it's cheap, light, sharp enough, has a convenient zoom range, and does very little wrong. It's downright fun to walk around with. :)

I do like my 35mm/f1.8 as well, mind you - but it's only the second-most used.
 
I have a D40 and my most used lens is the 55-200mm AF-S lens. Its cheap and actually pretty good.

My next purchase is going to be a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 lens which can be had for around $300-400 if you look around. It gets a lot of very good reviews.
 
Love my D40X. Two years old now and is fine. I need to get one of those 55-200mm lenses though.

darkhunter139 what kind is yours?
 
The real advice I give anyone shopping for a DSLR camera is to know what brands their friends own, all my friends shoot with Nikons, so we can trade glass and tips and stuff; we have one friend with a Rebel and he hates not being able to try out new stuff.

I'm not saying either brand is better in fact it's really up to you which one fits you better, they're both amazing companies with great cameras.

I actually just sold my D90 a little over an hour ago, picking up my D7000 body tomorrow.

I loved my D90, it was an amazing camera, there were some limitations (video related) that the D7000 has overcome; like 1080p, stereo mic input, autofocus during video, etc..

I'm stoked to upgrade, I've only got two lenses but friends have more and we trade often.

As a beginner camera the D90 is perfect, you'd quickly outgrow something like a D40 or even a D5000 wanting the features of the D90/D7000; the screen up top really matters, and so do the secondary dials and such, it really adds to the usability.

I'd say go for it; with a lens like an 18-105 or 18-135 or even the 18-200 if you wanna spring for it, you'd be set for a long time with a very versatile lens. I say the 18-105 and 18-135 because they're kit lenses for the D90 and D80 and are very common; the 18-200 is quite a bit pricier but I'm upgrading to that soon from my 18-105 kit lens too.
 
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