Building a camera system

I often get asked about what sort of photographic gear serious amateurs should buy. Normally, I direct them towards this excellent primer on building a digital SLR system, written by Philip Greenspun. It is, however, a bit on the long side. Here is a briefer encapsulation.

Brand

I would go with Canon or Nikon. This is mainly due to compatibility, both across a wide range of accessories (lenses, flashes, etc) and across long spans of time. Both companies make excellent gear that will be usable for decades. I happened to go with Canon and have always been happy with them.

There are other brands that have advantages (both in terms of price and features), but the market for Canon and Nikon related gear is broad and deep.

Sequence

This really depends on what sort of photography interests you most. Someone seriously into nature photography would skew their purchases towards telephoto gear, while someone looking to take informal shots in casual settings might go for fast primes. The basic sequence, however, looks something like this:

1. Get a crop-sensor dSLR. These cost about $600-700 and are very capable cameras. One thing to remember, though, is that they will multiply the effective focal length of all your lenses by 1.6. As such, a 50mm lens on a crop sensor is akin to an 80mm lens on a film body or full-frame dSLR.
2. Get a memory card, but don’t worry about filters and things unless you are going to be working in very wet or dusty places.
3. Get a couple of batteries. You don’t want to find yourself in the middle of an excellent and unexpected photo session, but unable to snap any more shots.
4. Buy the kit lens. It won’t be of great quality, but they are usually very cheap when bought with the camera body. They are also often the only way to get cheap wide angle capability for a dSLR.
5. Buy a 50mm f/1.8 lens. These have great optical quality, can allow fast shutter speeds in dark circumstances, and can often be purchased for about $100. A 28mm or 35mm lens would more closely approximate a 50mm ‘normal’ lens on a film camera, but these tend to cost a lot more.
6. Get a tripod. It’s not necessary for absolutely every kind of photography, but it is useful for most. It is also a good way to keep your camera stored in an accessible and highly visible place (which prompts me, at least, to go out shooting more often).
7. Get a camera bag that works for you. This is a tricky process that usually takes some experimentation. You want something big enough to carry what you need, but not so big you can never take it anywhere. You also need to decide whether you prefer a shoulder bag (much more accessible), a backpack (more comfortable), or something else. When carrying around just one camera and lens, don’t bother with a camera bag. Just bring a plastic bag in case of rain. Having your camera stuffed a way in a bag when walking around will make you miss photos. Bags are for carrying extra gear, and providing protection in transit.

Beyond this, the sequence really depends on what you plan to shoot. Some people might start with flash(es), some people might save their pennies for professional grade zoom lenses. Others might improve on their kit lens with consumer grade zooms (such as the reasonably high quality lenses that zoom from around 30mm to around 100mm and are available for under $500). Some people might assemble a collection of primes. Some people might save up to go straight to a full-frame body.

As someone who has tried a fair sampling of different kinds of photography, I would suggest that the following is a reasonable sequence:

1. Consumer grade zoom (about 30mm to 100mm)
2. Portable reflector (for portraits in sun)
3. External flash and method for triggering it off-camera (either a cable or radio triggers)
4. Light stand for flash and umbrella
5. Second flash with triggering system
6. Light stand for flash and umbrella
7. Professional grade telephoto zoom (i.e 70-200mm)
8. Professional grade wide angle zoom (i.e. 24-70mm)
9. Wide angle prime lens (28mm or 35mm)
10. Macro lens (85mm or 100mm)
11. Full-frame dSLR body

You may want to sell the consumer zoom once you have professional grade ones, though it can be useful in situations where you need a wide range of focal lengths but can only bring one lens. If you never plan to get a full-frame dSLR, a professional grade wide angle zoom specific to crop sensor bodies might be a good idea.

Other options beyond this:

• More flashes
• Flash accessories (grids, snoots, softboxes, beauty dishes, gobos, etc)
• Crazy nature lenses (i.e. 100-400mm)
• Teleconverters (make any lens act like a longer one)
• Fisheye lenses
• A second body, so you can use two lenses without having to swap.

If you’ve worked your way through all of that, probably know a lot more about photography than I do. If you are in need of more distant horizons, there are two words to consider: medium format.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here. View all posts by Milan