I studied photography formally at university for several years and then life got in the way. For the past twelve years I've been an IT consultant. Several of those years I continued to enjoy working with antique MF cameras and dabbled in digital. In any case, life changes again and I'm moving to Haiti in August.
I enjoy all kinds of photographic subject matter, natural light portraiture, in particular, but I need a kit that will allow me to best document daily life Haiti.
I have about $2000 to spend. After this, I don't expect to be able to afford new gear for 2-3 years.
I'm thinking 20D w/ the kit lens, an 85/1.8, 1G Sandisk Ultra II, 2-3 extra batteries and a collapsible reflector.
I had seriously considered the Rebel XT(hoping to get more bang for my buck), but after holding one, I concluded its just too small and I admit to having reservations about its durability in a 3rd world/tropical climate etc.
I'm still shopping for a tripod too. Something lightweight and stable (these two qualities seem diametrically opposed) as well as reasonably priced.
If anyone has had to put together a barebones PJ kit, I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Hmmm.... 10D / Sigma 70-200 f2.8 (or canon f4) - Sigma 24-70mm Macro (or Tamron 28-75) - Tokina 19-35mm - Sigma DG 500 Super - Sandisk 1gb - This is assuming you get these items used.
Might run just a little more than $2000 depending on the zoom of your choice. You can work without the Tokina too depending on how wide - or you can get a modified kit lens.
Bare bones for PJ in hostile environments is a 1 series camera. You need durabilty and a weather sealed camera. Yes it will set you back more but it is vital. The last thing you want is to be shooting with your 20D (and yes they take equally great pics) and then you have to protect it because it starts to rain, or blowing sand happens.
I have shot as a PJ for the last few years and at first I had a 10D nice images fairly solid body this was fine for getting my feet wet. I was shooting local events nothing too taxing. If you want to shoot in the kind of places you mentioned in your post then step up a level and you will never regret it.
As for lenses the same thing a minimum of two lenses is required 16-35 2.8 and the 70-200 2.8 that will be enough to take you around the world and back. An extender would not hurst at all. These 2 lenses are rugged and produce execellent image quality.
If you are shooting for newspapers this list will serve you well. For magzines or books you will want the 1DMKII and maybe some primes instead of the zooms.
I'm a student PJ, and all of the professionals I have talked to recommended getting a wide zoom such as 17-40 (others work good too), and a 70-200. Of course you'll want the fastest you can afford. I have been carrying around at 50 f/1.8 with me, but rarely rarely used it. In fact I don't even have it with me when I'm at school working for the student paper here. But if you can swing it, go for it.
If I were you, I would get the 20D over the 10D so you can work at ISO 1600 and 3200. Doing PJ work, you'll be shooting high ISOs a lot. The money you spend on a 20D vs 10D will allow you to buy non f/2.8 lenses and get away with it for a few years.
If you look at my sig, you'll see I still deal with f/4 on my wide end, but I'm not rich either. I would also recommend to buy it all used if you can. I got my 1D at KEH.com and have been very happy. Don't get me wrong, the 10D is a very capable camera, just seriously take a look at the 20D's high ISO performance. When I upgraded from 10D to 1D, it was to gain the 8fps and 1.3x crop factor, knowing I was loosing out on the 20Ds stellar high ISOs.
I missed the Haiti part, in that case the above recommendation to get a 1 series body is something you really should consider. But if buying a 1D means you'll have to buy cheaper lenses that aren't sealed, I'm not sure how much you would really be gaining. For your info, the 17-40 f/4L is the cheapest sealed lenses that I know of.
Are you going to Haiti for PJ work or is the camera gear question for your own personal use?
If it's for personal use your list is a good start, except I would change the kit lens to Sigma 18-125. It offers as good a performance if not better than the kit lens, with greater range.
For ecomonical tripod look at Feisol CF for around $200.00.
I think that's just about $2000 if you buy new. If you can swing it, a 70-200ish zoom. The Canon 70-210/3.5-4.5 USM is the only non-L zoom in that range I would recommend, and it can be found used for around $150 - $200 depending on condition. Really this isn't critical as you're going to get to 200mm equivalent coverage with the Sigma 18-125 on the 20D.
Don't be afraid of ISO 1600. It's remarkably good on the 20D, and is the primary reason I recommended the 20D over other possible choices.
I won't touch the dollar amounts but here is my suggestion and it makes up the meat and potatos of what I need and use every day-
I won't give specific brands/lenses as you will have to choose them based on your financial situation.
Digital Body, spare battery, and at least one quality CF card of decent size
wide angle zoom (preferably something that covers the 16-35mm range)
50(1.4 or 1.8- doesn't matter much)
tele zoom in the 70-200 range.
flash, or two
off camera shoe cord or TTL remote trigger (getting the flash off-camera is important and worth every penny)
Domke Bag
All the lenses should be as fast as you can afford as it will give you more options in more situations. All the lenses in my arsenal are 2.8 or faster. Asides from sports the above would be used about 99% of the time for most of my assignments.
Additionally if you will be shooting a lot of sports you will either want to add a TC to the 70-200 or get a longer lens in the 300-400mm focal range again depending on your financial concerns.
Lastly a computer for transmitting your photos is a must unless you are going to be on staff somewhere.
Edited by DCphotog on May 02, 2005 at 08:36 PM GMT
Ack... you'll need a memory card as well, and maybe a reflector. Forget the 70-200 zoom. Get a Kingston Elite 1GB memory card, which is nearly as fast as a Sandisk Ultra II or Lexar 80X for less money. And a reflector.
Buying used can help bring costs under control, but I think most of the folks above are overly optimistic about used pricing. You might be able to get one of the items on their lists for the prices they list, but the chances of getting them all at those prices is about nil.
It really depends what kind of photography you're into..
Don't forget, in the 70's great photographers like Don McCullin did a great amount of their photojournalism work with 50mm lenses (i know this because my mother bought one from him which he used in Vietnam ). These days the word "photojournalism" seems to scream 70-200mm.
I would suggest the 10d because i use one, and there are plenty of photojournalists who still rely on them. Plus you can pick them up for a bargain price... However. For around $1300 you can pick up a 1D. It's weather sealed, has a larger and brighter viewfinder, and can shoot 8fps (if that floats your boat..).
It's easy to get carried away thinking about how much money you have to spend, and just getting everything you can. But at then end of the day, the camera is a tool which you'll use your own way. I'm sure it's something you already know and have considered, but it might be worth starting small, and working out what lenses would best suit you as you go along? It's what i'm doing at the moment, slowly covering my bases as i realise where my skill level is taking me.
Seriously...tropical conditions are miserable for gear...mold, condensation, insurrections...if you go DSLR, 1D would be best, and a small lens: 50 1.4.
Didn't we ALL shoot with the 50 a million years ago? I was taught that if you make a good exposure (braced any and all which ways) you can zoom later, in the negative.
Why not go film? Seriously...1N + 2 lenses, and you have money for PSCS2. IF there is no cheap way to develop-onto-CD, then, you can get into it youself with a scanner. Everywhere I've been outside the US, there is an expat- center of some kind, get known as "the scanner guy" make some money on the side and it leads to other things.
I really appreciate the variety of responses. There are lens combinations here that I hadn't considered, much less a 1-series body, figured even used they'd be completely out of my range(and may be).
Film is out as I'll be a considerable distance from processing or truly regular post service. Though B&W was and always will be my first love.
None of this is actually for my job. I'm going to Port-de-Paix on the northwest coast, near Tortuga. My wife and I will be teaching school while our daughters attend 1st and 2nd grade.
I've always enjoyed capturing life as it happens, people on the streets, in towns and villages, etc. In Haiti, it will all have a humanitarian aid aspect to it.
Perhaps I'll get a 10d and a wide zoom for now and be able to better judge my needs when I return to the states for a week or so at Christmas. I've got a nice laptop, a Tamrac 608 (from the days of lugging around F1 equipment), decent monopod and light meter. If I avoid EF-S lenses I should be able to upgrade to a different body without any issues.
?
). These days the word "photojournalism" seems to scream 70-200mm.