What would be the link to the Philip Greenspun article on how to assemble your DSLR gear?..

Like you, I did extensive research also..

Beings I am new to this, I decided on a Nikon DX40 with an 18-135mm lense. I wanted to be able to start off with just one lense that would cover most areas. The lense is great for starters, however I will want a 70-300 later. Right now I am just using the one lense until I get better at what I'm doing. Hope this helps...

BTW, when I bought this camera a month ago, I got the body with the lense for alittle over a $1000.00, which I am sure you can get it cheaper now...

Ericinho wrote:.

What would be the link to the Philip Greenspun article on how toassemble your DSLR gear?.

Http://philip.greenspun.com/photography/building-a-digital-slr-system..

Stags14 wrote:.

The toughest thing about trying to do research on what body andlenses to buy is that I have found TONS of info out there with a verywide range of opinions... Being a newbie, it is diffucult to sort outwhat is "right" and what is "wrong". I have read tons of stuff here,and at other places on the internet (The Philip Greenspun article onhow to assemble your DSLR gear I just read this morning). I havealso ready Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Book..

Greenspun and Kelby are influential and terribly opinionated. Being provocative is often good for business?.

My biggest dilemma is what lenses I should purchase..

Good. It's best to start with a lens...then find a body that it works on..

I know I willbe getting the relevant questions of "what is your budget?" and "whatkind of pics do you want to take?".... I can answer the budgetquestion. For starters I would like to keep things in the$1200-$1500 range..

Rule #1: Spend more on lens(es) than on the camera body..

I know that I will be spending more through theyears, but I would like to somewhat limit my budget up front as I getmy feet wet..

Yes. dSLRs are designed with future purchases in mind..

I am not exactly sure what kind of pictures I will betaking. At first I imagine I will be trying to take some nicerpictures while on vacations and local excursions. Once I get intoit, I am not exactly sure where things will take me.....

This is a KEY admission. I salute you for being honest with us and yourself. You need to get something BASIC to start with..

This iswhere the confusion comes in on what lens or lenses I should purchaseto start off with????.

I would suggest you NOT think about it any more. The confusion will just get worse! STOP!.

You should get a camera with a 2-lens "kit" set. I don't like the Canon "kit" lenses and the cheap bodies are too small for me. I would suggest the Nikon D40 or the Pentax K100D or the Olympus E510. All 3 are good systems. All 3 have good "kit" lenses. They are not perfect, but fine for you for many years until you develop a photo style and interest..

Charlie DavisNikon 5700 & Sony R1HomePage: http://www.1derful.infoBridge Blog: http://www.here-ugo.com/BridgeBlog/..

I'm not well versed in photography yet, but you don't have to be to immediately see how that article is overly opinionated..

Chuxter, between Nikon and Pentax, which would you say has the strongest (current & future) lens lineup. My gut says that Nikon will have better performing lens at the high end but they will cost. Were Pentax lens can be had much more affordable across the board although not performing quite as good. And in the middle range, were your average user will remain, the difference between the two being unnoticeable. And it doesn't look like there is a large discrepancy in the number of lenses available between the two. But the big difference to me seems to be Pentax being more "backwards compatible" friendly. But I'm completely new to this so my research so far is very limited, this why I'm asking someone who seems to know. ..

This depends on what you want to do. For small, high quality primes and shorter zooms, Pentax is great. Pentax is coming out with longer zooms and primes. Third party lenses work great on Pentax bodies, too...

To Chuxter:.

Thanks for the well thought out response. Very much appreciated...

JG30 wrote:.

Chuxter, between Nikon and Pentax, which would you say has thestrongest (current & future) lens lineup. My gut says that Nikon willhave better performing lens at the high end but they will cost..

Your "gut" is correct, I think. I'm an old Nikon guy, BTW. But I'm more interested in what it called a "bridge" camera than a dSLR. I have had MANY SLRs and believe that it's time for the mirror box to go away. I got crossways with Nikon when they stopped development that might have lead to something I wanted. I bought the Sony R1 and am very happy with it.

It has the big sensor and layout of a dSLR...but is an eSLR (a fully-electronic SLR) with things like live-preview through the EVF. It also has a short-back-focus lens..

WerePentax lens can be had much more affordable across the board althoughnot performing quite as good. And in the middle range, were youraverage user will remain, the difference between the two beingunnoticeable..

Many people believe that in general, most dSLRs have very similar IQ. As you say, most users can't tell the difference..

And it doesn't look like there is a large discrepancyin the number of lenses available between the two. But the bigdifference to me seems to be Pentax being more "backwards compatible"friendly..

I think that's a good characterization. Pentax seems to have not invested in lots of zooms...they have mostly primes. They are apparently very good primes..

But I'm completely new to this so my research so far isvery limited, this why I'm asking someone who seems to know. .

I think the biggest difference in most products, not just cameras, is the human factors/ergonomics. Find a camera that fits your hands, has controls in logical places (in YOUR opinion), and has intuitive menu structures. You will LOVE that camera! If it has a few quirks and is missing a few features, you WILL find workarounds. If the noise is a bit higher than brand C, you will discover that there is wonderful NR software. If it has more geometric distortion or CA, well...there are good programs that fix those with a click. If your camera captures less dynamic range, you'll like the various HDR software.

But if the camera is too small, too heavy, too big, awkward, or confusing, there is no solution to those, other than replacement..

Charlie DavisNikon 5700 & Sony R1HomePage: http://www.1derful.infoBridge Blog: http://www.here-ugo.com/BridgeBlog/..

This is well thought out, too. Just shorter..

Buy the 400D / XTi because the big monitor on the back and the dust-shakler are worth the difference..

Buy the cheap kit lens 18-55 to start with, because buying this will let you learn the body of the camera, and after a while you'll have a much better idea what other lenses would serve you well..

Buy a Canon 430EX flash and a Canon off camera shoe cord 2. This will let you take much better flash shots. Add a Gary Fong Lightsphere..

Buy Photoshop Elements for your computer..

Find a good local mass-market retailer with a digital photolabe where you take your home-edited file on a CD or memory card, put it in the computer at the shop, and get a great print in an hour or so..

With the basic lens, good software, and a decent but inexpensive lab, you are well on your way..

BAK..

BAK wrote:.

This is well thought out, too. Just shorter..

Buy the 400D / XTi because the big monitor on the back and thedust-shakler are worth the difference..

Buy the cheap kit lens 18-55 to start with, because buying thiswill let you learn the body of the camera, and after a while you'llhave a much better idea what other lenses would serve you well..

Buy a Canon 430EX flash and a Canon off camera shoe cord 2. This willlet you take much better flash shots. Add a Gary Fong Lightsphere..

Buy Photoshop Elements for your computer..

Find a good local mass-market retailer with a digital photolabe whereyou take your home-edited file on a CD or memory card, put it in thecomputer at the shop, and get a great print in an hour or so..

With the basic lens, good software, and a decent but inexpensive lab,you are well on your way..

BAK.

Thanks for the advice... This seems like a very sensible approach for my situation...

Stags' advice is good. If you don't know what you need, don't buy anything. Follow his suggestions, take lots of pictures, and wait until you KNOW what lens you need because you can't take the pictures with your present equipment that the new lens would allow..

Much money gets spent because a new, enthusiastic photographer took someone's advice about what that person thought was important. Wait until you know what you need for your photography. Then get the very best you can find (notice I didn't say "afford") When you know what you need, get the very best solution to your problem. You'll never regret it..

Nothing is enough for the man to whom nothing is enough...

ANSWER