then i figured that i’ll just post it up here for all to reference. one of my favorite photographers, nick onken, had a similar post.  so i have to give him credit.

let me start by saying three things-
1. i’m only going to talk about Digital SLRs (DSLR). there are quite a number of  good point and shoot cameras. but they are not DSLRs.
2. i’m no expert. i’m still learning (and will probably continue to learn). before i *invest* in anything, i do my research. not only online, but in person at the store. when i was purchasing a camera, i wanted to see the cameras’ settings, feel the weight, etc. so just reading online reviews wasn’t going to cut it for me. so i settled for canon.
3. that being said. i don’t care for arguing about nikon vs canon vs sony vs the world. canon is a personal choice. some say nikon is much better. and it may be true…i’ve never shot with a nikon extensively. so because i focus on canon in this email doesn’t mean that they’re the better brand. buy a camera brand, and stick to it. you will find that you don’t have a choice anyway, once you start buying lenses and flashes (however, i will continue to make fun of all my friends that shoot with a nikon. just because).

now…here are two important questions you should ask yourself-

A:  how serious are you about taking photos? do you want to just have fun, and take better memory photos, or do you want to eventually shoot on a pro level? B: how much money can you spend? 
Scenario 1:
if your answer to A is just wanting to have fun and taking better memory (like most of my friends), then you won’t need to spend as much to jump into an DSLR. 

without hesitating, i would go with the canon rebel. they have a great series (e.g., XS, XSi, T2i, etc) for this scenario for someone who doesn’t need or want to invest in a photography career.  not to mention the fact that you can take fancy videos with the newer models.
A: less than $1000: canon rebel series (approx $600) + a 50mm f1.4(approx $350)
B: less than $2000: canon rebel series (approx $600) + 24-70mm f2.8L (approx $1300)

Scenario 2:
if your answer to A is wanting to try out photography with the potential of doing it as a career then you’ll want to step it up a little. i would recommend saving up your money to invest more in the beginning than having to rebuy a prosumer body down the road.

the canon 7D, 60D and 5D series cameras are great for this scenario. Purchasing the right one will depend on your budget. Obviously the 5DMKII (my main camera) will be the best choice, but it is going to be more expensive (that’s what i’ll reference below. but the 5D is an excellent choice, if you can find it). The 60D or 7D  have a cropped sensor so your focal lengths will be multiplied by 1.6. that is the trade off for not spending as much on the body. the crop is something you just have to get used to and work with if you don’t want to spend the money to jump to the 5D series.  but i’ll tell you that those 2 cameras are great!! i’m going to buy the 7D when i get a little cash.

A: less than $1500: canon 60D(approx $1000) + 50mm f1.4 (approx $350)
B: less than $2000: canon 7D (approx $1600) + 50mm f1.4 (approx $350)
C: less than $3000: canon 7D (approx $1600) + 24-70mm f2.8L (Approx $1300) **i can shoot any event with this combo**
D: less than $3500: Canon 7D (approx $1600) + 24-70mm f2.8L (Approx $1300) + 70-200mm F2.8L IS (approx $1700) **these two lenses cover a great range. and i’m more than comfortable shooting any event with this.**
E: less than $5000: canon 7D (approx $1600) + 24-70mm f2.8L (Approx $1300) + 70-200mm F2.8L IS + 16-35mm F2.8L(approx $1500) even fuller range.
F: less than $3000: Canon 5DMKII (approx $2400) + 50mm f1.4(approx $350)
G: less than $4000: Canon 5DMKII (approx $2400) + 24-70mm f2.8L (Approx $1300)
H: less than $5500: Canon 5DMKII (approx $2400) + 24-70mm f2.8L (Approx $1300) + 70-200mm F2.8L IS(approx $1700) these two lenses cover a great range.
I: less than $5500 (my fav. combo): Canon 5DMKII (approx $2400) + 35mm f1.4L (approx $1400) + 70-200mm f2.8L IS (approx $1700)
J: less than $7000: Canon 5DMKII (approx $2400) + 24-70mm f2.8L (Approx $1300) + 70-200mm F2.8L IS(approx $1700) + 16-35mm F2.8L(approx $1500) **can shoot anything for the next 40 years without buying anything else**

also keep in  mind that you don’t have to buy all of it at once. but if i could, i’d just go for what i want sooner than later.

there are still several things to consider spending money on as well- flash, computer, software (photoshop), etc.- so keep that in mind.  buy the best quality lens.  some lenses may be cheap, and function okay. but you’ll be throwing out curse words when images are randomly out of focus, distorted, etc.

and the most important thing (particularly for those going pro or semi-pro), it’s more than just your camera. like onken said on his site, “the biggest thing to remember is that good equipment is just the entry to good photography. it’s all about your eye and your vision. just because you have a Mont Blanc $10,000 pen doesn’t mean you’re a writer. in the same respect, having good gear doesn’t make you a photographer.”

holla with questions.

peace and blessings.

p.s., i’ll try and find the nikon equavilent to these. if i have time.

i took it for a final usage last week at a very dark concert with celia of les nubians at the bohemian caverns, and i’m amazed at how incredible the camera really is. {photo-geek alert!!!} these are some of the images shot at 1600 ISO, with a 50 1.4 lens. all available light

thanks for the memories canon 5d…i’ll be using your your sister very well. promise.