Ducati Monster Forum

So I have decided to purchase a DSLR after my weekend in Indy with my roomie's D40.

After some exhaustive research, I have decided on a Pentax K2000 body.

I will also be needing some lenses. Right now, I will be going with a 18-55mm Pentax lens and a 55-300mm also a Pentax.

Anyone have any advice for an even greater zoom lens? I want to be able to see the hair on Vermulen's mole next year at Indy!

Don't shop where IZ does.

That is all I have.

Oh, and Stella's D90 really kicks ass.

here's a review of that one- http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentaxk2000/ (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentaxk2000/)

I am digging my Canon Rebel XS.
I have the Canon 18-55 IS and 55-250...will add the 50/1.8 soon
this article was very helpful in making my selection-
http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/10d300dlenses.html (http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/10d300dlenses.html) (its canon-specific..but the gernal recommendations are applicable)

I have played with a D90 and lovedit. Unfortunately, the D90 is way above my $500 for a body budget. Lenses are a little more free on budget as they make the majority of the picture.

Love the Rebels too but they are still unfortunately more than I want to spend. Been eyeballing the D40 as well...

i got it from amazon for $509 including the 18-55
(nikon d40 is only 469)

Check Sigma and Tamron lenses. They have good stuff for a fair price. But - the longer the lens more more $$$ it will be. Expect anything over 300mm to cost a couple hundred $$$ for a decent lens. A cheaper way to do it would be to get a teleconverter lens. It will slow down the lens but would be usable in daylight for action stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CD8BIS/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000CD8BGU&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=10W7ZBZ31V6BY4R9SQ0Q (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CD8BIS/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000CD8BGU&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=10W7ZBZ31V6BY4R9SQ0Q)

Here's my current want:
http://www.amazon.com/Tamron-200-500mm-5-0-6-3-Digital-Cameras/dp/B00021EED6/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1253302915&sr=1-23 (http://www.amazon.com/Tamron-200-500mm-5-0-6-3-Digital-Cameras/dp/B00021EED6/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1253302915&sr=1-23)

I doubt I'll get it unless I happen to win some money. I'm pretty sure you can get it in a mount for your camera.

Quality lenses over 300mm are pretty darn expensive.  I'd suggest just going with the two Pentax lenses you mentioned in  your first post for awhile.  After you've taken a lot of pictures with them you'll have a lot better idea of what you really want. 

I have a 200-400mm Canon zoom which I really like, but...there are some drawbacks.  It's a monster to drag around.   I don't like taking it on a bike due to possible vibration damage. 

And, with digital software you can sometimes crop and blow up a photo taken at lower magnification with very good results.

So, again I'd recommend sticking with your first two lens choices for awhile.  You have plenty of time to make decision on a longer lens.

Just because of size and awkwardness I usually end up appropriating my wife's Canon A540 and leaving the DSLR at home.

ditto. I have a bunch of lens, a couple f2.8's, and it's too much of a pain to drag them around. I've been looking into a smaller point and shoot with a good optical zoom and a hot shoe to carry with me.

i keep coveting the current generation of DSLR's, and my canon d30 (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/CanonD30/) is getting a little long in the tooth, but that sucker is indestructible!

stretching your budget a little...but this one has HD video capability.
plus youre a ducati sticker away from extra-pimpness
(http://a.img-dpreview.com/news/0909/Pentax/Red_cross_001.jpg)

buy into a lens system that you'll want to stay with log term.

do you see that with pentax?

i'd personally buy whichever canon or nikon was in my budget and upgrade bodies when i felt the need/want.

(nikon d90 shooter here, btw)

best advice yet [thumbsup]

And this isn't?

derby's advice is easier to follow than yours...

The Nikon 18-200mm VR is one of the very best zoom lenses in the DX format.  Get the D90 you liked and that one lens and you're set with a fine system for around $1,500 all in.

I have a Canon XSi with the 18-55mm lens as well as a 75-300mm lens that I got as a package from Target. It works pretty well, but anytime I'm at an event I find myself switching lenses constantly when taking pics of cars and things close up as opposed to long range action shots.

What would I look for in a "do-it-all" type lens? I'm just learning about all the esoteric parts of DSLR photography so I'm just learning what the specs mean.

I have a Nikon D200 and it does more than I know how to do. Awesome photos and tons of adjustibility. Just buy good lenses. even a great cameras cant fix bad glass.

unasked advise. what ever you buy, BUY THE EXPANDED USER MANUAL. inevitably you will set something by accident and not be able to reset it with the book. I have a whole file of vacation shots that are poop thanks to a miss set white balance

there's a reset to default command in the control menu. many photographers will advise you to reset to default before every shoot and then set for current conditions to avoid just the problem you had (forgetting what was set the last time you shot).

 >:(

your best bets for purchase of camera gear are BHPhoto or Adorama, both in NYC, don't go with any of the other NYC dealers as they are mostly crooks. I prefer Nikon gear myself, and have been looking at getting the D40. Still have my old F2/FE2 and a few lenses.

I love my D60!  Used it today for my sons lacrosse practice/police footchase/arrest on the field.....gotsta love Wheaton! 

Camera came with two lenses, a case and two 4 gig sd cards for $699 or thereabouts.  Purchased from Ritz camera.

Good luck!

Another vote for Nikon gear.  I took thousands of frames on my 35mm N65, and have taken probably 100,000 frames with my D70.  The D70 still works great and is just needing a good cleaning as there is dust on the CCD.  I have traveled with my N65 and D70 and they are very durable.  The D70 has spend many a hour in the tankbag on my M750 without complaint.

JM

I grew up on Nikons so I'm a bit biased. Regardless, Derby had good advice on getting into a lens system you like. If you get a good set of lens, you can use them with any grade body by that maker. So invest more money in your lens than your body when you're starting out.

3 reasons I ended up order a Pentax K2000
1. Price. It was $100 cheaper than just a Nikon D40 body.
2. Megapixels...I understand for the average user, this means little to nothing as you can get great large prints from substantially less. But I plan on blowing ALOT of what I shoot into life sized posters. As an example, 2 shots I took with my roomie's D40x (the 10.2mp version) have been blown up and when compared to a picture I took and blew up on an 8mp point and shoot, it is flawless whereas the point and shoot got grainy looking at the same DPI...
3. My cousin is a photography professor at NYU and is switching over to Canons from Pentax and is selling me 5 of his lenses dirt cheap. Including a 650-2600mm (yes you read that right lol) for under $500!!!

Thanks for the advice guys. I really do appreciate it. In the end, it was down to the K2000 and the D40. And most likely, if this hobby sucks me in as bad as motorcycles, and I can make some money off of it shooting my motorcycle hobby friends, then so much the better!