Camera Setup

I have been reading a lot of user feedbacks, article and video reviews about certain camera models that I’m eyeing to be my first personal DSLR. I have used a lot of camera model from my early days. From film SLRs of Fujifilm, and to the introduction of digital compact cameras, to bridge models, so it shouldn’t be an easy task and decision to make.

Technically, I can get any camera model since it will be my first, and it’s just a matter of choosing which brand to invest in. Most cameras perform almost identically the same with exception to color reproduction, speed and added features.

The logical decision to make is in which brand I should get one? Buying a camera is not just about picking which brand you prefer or what suits your needs, for me it is all about deciding on what system should I be heavily invested because when you buy a camera from a specific manufacturer, it is almost impossible to use other equipments, lenses and accessories from different manufacturers with the exception of third party suppliers. The other factor to consider is my budget, and how much I am willing to go beyond that budget for a better model with more features and the equipments that I might need.

Based on that, I made my decision last month and my soon to be gear will be a Nikon D7200 with a 50mm f/1.8G prime lens. I’m not taking the usual 18-55mm kit zoom lens. 50mm is the gold standard for street photography which I am currently interested to. But of course, I won’t be stuck with just one lens and not be able to shoot other subjects and try other fields of photography. So the other lens I’m planning to get by next year is a zoom and macro lens.

I’ve never owned a camera at all. This will be my first so I have studied and considered everything from choices of lens, equipments and the kind of photography that I am currently interested to.

I’m thinking of either going for the manufacturer models of lens from Nikkor or go third party with Tamron or Sigma. Initially, my current picks are 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G lens with vibration reduction and ED glass or the cheaper version without VR. This is for landscape and wildlife photography. Now for the macro lens, it could be a 85mm f/3.5G or the 40mm version which is probably cheaper, or not. I’m not really sure.

Some people said that the perfect focal length that meets the human eye is around 34mm to 50mm. 50mm lens are usually cheaper and fast. Faster in terms of the shutter speed because of its wide aperture range, and it is also versatile because it yields normal perspective and field of view similar to what the human eye see. I’ll stick and start with that.