Yes, congratulations shutterbug, enjoy it. Unfortunately If you haven't already, now's the time you realise that your spending has only just started! Never mind, when it's time to make your next big purchase you know who to ask :-)

Congratulations, Shutterbug -- I hope you'll post some of your stuff.

Congrats & enjoy it shutterbug!

Update: Today I received my D5100 and 18-105mm lens. I would like to thank all of you guys for your invaluable suggestions. Hope to upload some pics soon !!!

shutterbug said:
Suggestions needed on (Brand Suggestions or particular products would really help):
Bag: Preferably a backpack variety.

ShutterBug

There is a whole thread on Bags

I use Lowepro

Proper back packs with waistband are very good if you have any distance to hike but they can not be accessed with out taking then off. Get one big enough for your jacket, sandwiches water bottle ect. You do not want to carry two bags

slings are OK if you do not have a lot of heavy gear and or are not Hiking any distance

I'll stick to the travel bundle You posted, the 18-55vr is a really decent lens, so is 55-200, considering the money. For wildlife I would get the 70-300vr later. As for 35 vs 50mm on dx... forget 50mm it sucks big IMHO, get 85mm instead for portrait.

Hi,

+1 TTJ,

I'd get the body and the lens refurbished from Nikon at B&H or Adorama. I have a carbon fiber tripod, but the sticker price isn't for the faint of heart - a really nice one can be over your entire budget.

Add to your kit over time. I'd suggest a tripod next, then a micro lens, the 40mm is the most economical, but if you can shop around, a 60mm or longer will also do double duty as a portrait lens with some nice stand off and good bokeh. While f2.8 isn't super fast, you'll find that most good portraits are shot at f1.8 or faster, either. That's too narrow a DOF (depth of field) for the subject to be in focus (and, yes, sometimes you want to throw everything _out of focus_, bother). Again, I'd look to the used market.

Keep in mind why you are doing this, to have fun and shoot pictures.

My best,

Mike

Refurb is typically manufacturer refurb and for lenses there is alot of posted info in this site and others that tells that you end up with a lens that is more tested than in the standard manufacturing process, frequently item pulled for minor item from the standard manufacturing flow. I think for lenses as well it is typically 90 days from the manufacturer, except for places like Cameta Camera (which I haven't used) that give their own extended warranty that extends that to 1 year.

I haven't bought refurb but I buy all of my lenses used from either KEH or eBay. On eBay so long as you are careful to get all the info on the lens condition from the seller, the eBay buyer's protection will protect you. For a cheaper lens like 18-105 I would not go with eBay.

For bags I like ones with the side access port. I have a bad back so I use backpack with a waist strap. Mine is a Lowepro. Friends with better backs like slings. I've been happy quality-wise with Tamrac, Lowepro and Kata, though Kata seems lighter but less padded (maybe I am comparing dissimilar products). I also have a Kata case that fits just my camera and a lens (everything but my portrait zoom or longer telephoto). I throw that and a couple Zing lens pouches into a regular backpack when I'm travelling light or more worried about theft. If I go on a long vacation, I may have 5+ lenses+Flash+laptop in my camera backpack and just transfer what I need into the backpack in Zing pouches for each outing.

For remote, I think ML-L3 works with cheap Nikons--> Check the product info for D5100 to confirm. There are cheap knock-offs of this from many 3rd parties (Zeikos and others) that if you search online at places like Amazon and Overstock you can find for $5 or less. All it is is an IR shutter release button (and the Nikon unit itself is cheaply constructed).

For tripods, I don't know if there is an inexpensive lightweight and sturdy one. I have an aluminum Bogen I've carried all over but rarely took out of the hotel. If you might get into video, there is a VERY good video monopod by Bogen that has feet and a fluid head that allows you to pan and move in and out smoothly. I think for video this is really the cheapest, lightest way to get reasonable camera support and introduce some motion into what you shoot.

@shawnino: Thanks for making me think "What will I be shooting ?", since in the process of buying lenses one can lose track of the original objective. Great suggestion that.

Since the price difference between a new and a refurbished one is only $50- $80 I think I would go for a new one (for peace of mind).

As for the lens,I am going with an 18-105mm for the start. Couple of questions here:
What is the difference between used and refurbished and which one should be preferred ?
Also are refurbed lenses refurbed by Nikon or by the 3rd party sellers?
Also the warranty on the refurbed ones is covered by whom ? Nikon/3rd Party Seller?

Till now I have been only suggested Amazon, B&H and Adorama as reputed sellers of cameras and related equipment. Any others I can add to the list ?

Decided:
D5100: New
18-105mm: Used/Refurbed
Memory Card: SanDisk Extreme 16 GB SDHC Class 10 Memory Card

Suggestions needed on (Brand Suggestions or particular products would really help):
Bag: Preferably a backpack variety.
Tripod: Light weight and sturdy
Remote

ShutterBug

OK from what you've written I think you can leave out the 55-200mm at this point as you won't need the long end. So never mind that from me.

On principle, though, I think it's always best to first ask oneself "What will I be shooting?" before deciding on lenses, whether for purchase or for an hour in the field.

I think you need to resign yourself to fact that if you get into this hobby you will ultimately end up buying more stuff over time.
In Nikon I do think that D5100 is the lowest camera you should get because of the pixel density of the LCD screen. If you look at places like Cameta you seem to get a refurb unit for around $550 (body only) or $600 w/ 18-55 lens (vs 650 new with rebate at B&H I think unless it ended. With shipping and tax, not sure how much each shows up for where you live. I'd check warranty period from different places if you are looking at refurbs since the manufacturers warranty is typically 90 days if I'm not wrong and while you shouldn't expect a problem you can't spot early, it's always a nice thing if they throw in more warranty.

I think you should buy slowly and expect to exceed your initial budget over time if you really get nto it.
I do think for your needs it's good to have a bounce flash (SB600 is nice) with a diffuser (I like Sto-Fen's Omnibouce) for indoor pictures which is not to say go out and buy that first.
If you haven't got a good idea what lenses you need, there's nothing wrong with the 18-55 and 55-200. I've used the 18-55 and was not unhappy with the images at all, though the build quality (look down the barrel from the mount side and you can see soldered wires) reflects the pricing. I personally think these lenses are cheap enough that you won't worry about losing money when you upgrade, especially if you got a better price on a refurb (so you're already buying at the used price). I think the other suggestion of the 18-105 is good since it spares you the lens changes. I don't think it's any more rugged of a lens and all of these have plastic mounts. Personally I like wide aperture lenses for subject isolation and buy lenses purely for the bokeh. The 35/1.8 is not great in this respect though I like to use mine as a single lens at dinner parties since I can get sharp images, control subject isolation, move in or out easier to capture more than one or a few people. The 50 AFS G should be way better in this respect and is a better focal length for portraits but again, you can figure out after you've played with the camera what you want to sell, what you want to buy next. Personally 18-200 is a very good range to have, though I'd probably go with 18-70+70-300ED VR ($200 used +$450 (I think) refurb'd) if I was looking at just living my life with 2 lenses and a $1200 budget (and buy the flash later).

By the way, another cool thing to buy that is cheap is a remote control. There are absurdly cheap ones from 3rd parties. Personally rather than tripod, I'd bring a bean back on trips and find something (table, stone wall) to place the camera on when hiking and use a timer or (better still) a remote to capture night time shots.

spraynpray said:
That bundle is good value but not ideally suited to your needs according to what you have said.

+1

That bundle is good value but not ideally suited to your needs according to what you have said. You will still need a low light lens (one with a maximum aperture of around f1.8). That is the 35mm I spoke of in my first post. That bundle includes a lens of the length that you will not use according to your last post (55-200) and that one also does not have VR so it is even less useful.

Nobody is saying keep away from the 18-55 VR, they are saying that the 18-105 will cover your needs better at this time. Your explanation of you needs makes that clear too.

Yes, I haven't really said what I will be shooting and I guess the main reason behind that is I did not give much thought to it initially. Having said this, I think the reason for me to pick up photography is to capture what I see in the way I see it. So I believe I can safely say that things I would like to capture would be:

a)People: Friends and Family, in our living rooms, out in the open, with structures etc
b)Places: Buildings, Bridges and the urban landscape

Things which do not interest me as of now are:

a) Wildlife, Woods etc
b) Parties and related events
c) Sports events

Is the above sufficient information to people to suggest me lenses ? I haven't decided on anything yet.

I have one question: Why are people suggested to stay away from the 18-55mm kit lens ?

What is the issue of buying this bundle: http://shop.nikonusa.com/store/nikonusa/en_US/list/ThemeID.18145600/D5100_Travel_Bundle/categoryID.58623800 for my needs ?

So much learning in one day, feels great.

ShutterBug

@Shutterbug: Just a quick, dissenting opinionfrom me...

You haven't really said what you're going to be shooting (there is some mention of portraits). Have a think about whether you're going to need to go beyond 105mm in the medium term. The 18-105 is perfectly fine but if you think you're going to want to go past 105 in the short-to-medium term you may be better served by coupling a 35mm with the 55-200mm (Grey market $149 at B&H). More range off the bat and there will be a good option to go wider for less than $500 (20mm f/2.8) or you can spend twice as much and get a 16-35mm zoom or some such. If, conversely, you buy 18-105 first and you find you need 200mm later, that might see you buying overlap.

I guess what I'm saying is, what do you need straight away? The 18mm end or the 200mm end?

I agree wholeheartedly with the suggestions of looking for a refurbished kit. These are checked and warranted by Nikon and should give you more bang for your buck. If you can find a refurb "twin lens kit" all the better, but I don't know if they ever do these? With regards to the 35 v 50mm question, unless you plan on doing a lot of portrait work, I'd definitely go for the 35 ( if you can't get the above kit).

shutterbug said:
@TaoTeJared: Thanks for the detailed post on how to fit things into my budget. It kind of felt silly when I saw your post as soon as posted mine. :)

no prob and no worries - not often we ppl are posting at the same time.

One thing that will help you decide on a prime is to look at the focal lengths that you shoot the most on your 18-105. (on pics exif data) Like Tcole said, he likes the 50mm over the 35 - I bounce weekly from the 35, 50, 85, and 105. I actually shoot my 85mm more than anything then down the line my 70-300/70-200 is next, then 35mm followed by 105, followed by 50, followed by my 12-24... and so on. You may find you hate primes though as well. I have friends who own maybe one and never use it.

I would buy refurbished if you can find it. I think the D5100 refurbished is going for around $550 right now. I have 5800 pics on my refurbished D5000 and not a single problem ever and it came like new.

Hard to say between the 35 and 50. I think the 50 would work better as a portrait lens...it is easier to get subject isolation because it is a longer focal length, but either lens is pretty good and would work. You don't have to order it all in one swoop though and you might want to get the body and 18-105 first and then decide later which focal lengths you want more. I got the 35 and don't care for it much, but others here love it. I use my 105 F2.8 ten times more than I use my 35 f1.8.

+1 on the tripod, bag, flash and other things, but they aren't essential from the start and you will get those over time (although I would maybe get some sort of bag to start with).

@TaoTeJared: Thanks for the detailed post on how to fit things into my budget. It kind of felt silly when I saw your post as soon as posted mine. :)

First of all thanks to each one of you. It has been a grand welcome for me to NR.

One of the questions which remained unanswered till now is: Should I go for a new body or buy a second hand one in order fit everything (body + 18-105 and 35mm/50mm) into my budget of $1,000 to $1,200 ? If I need to choose one between 35/50mm and 18-105mm which one should I choose to begin with.

Also in one of the conversations I was having with a person whose work I really like, he said that with cameras like D5100 ( which have a crop factor of 1.5) the 50 mm is really well suited to take portraits etc as opposed to the 35mm lens which is the "effective 50 mm normal lens"

I looked up the prices on Amazon for all the equipments(body, lenses etc) and it seems like it would be a challenge in itself to squeeze everything in this budget. Any other places I can hunt for a deal? I do know Adorama and B&H.

As for the discussion regarding LR4, the good news is since I am student(the most important reason behind my shoestring budget) I can get it for half the price.

Looking forward to hearing from you all.
Once again thank you everyone for all the advice.

No one seems to take the time to do math on here and generally ignores what people's budgets are. As they say "It's easier to spend someone else's money." :)

For your budget:
D5100 & 18-105Vr is a good choice. $750 + $350
Get a decent UV filter for the lens. $25
Pick up a 8gb Sandisk (class 10)30mb/s SD card. $15 (dirt cheap on amazon right now)
A couple of microfiber lens cloths $10
With tax there is your kit. Approx $1,242

Don't skimp on the lens and stick with Nikon. Other brands will be tempting but there are very few who are ever happy with them. Just save up for the rest, or look for Nikon refurbished items which are really, really good.

To look at adding later: (In order I would consider.)
-Bag 1
35mm 1.8G
-Bag 2
Tripod (Get a cheap-o starting off that reaches at least to 5'. Just stay away from cheap plastic ball heads or camera mounts.)
-Bag 3
50mm 1.8G or 40mm macro or 85mm macro
SB-700 (or SB-600 if you can find one)
-Bag 4
Tele: 55-300vr or 70-300vr
-Bag 5
Wide: Tokina 12-24mm f/4 or Sigma 10-20mm
-And another bag for shits and giggles. (You maybe wondering why you need 6 bags - everyone else is just laughing. It'll happen.)

Software - if you have a mac iPhoto is good enough. PC google's picasa is free and easy to use. I live in Lightroom ($200) but I also have well over 100k photos to keep track of.

The best way to know what you need is to shoot with what you have. If you are always needing more zoom, Tele is next for you. If you are shooting in low light more, a 1.8 prime. If you are doing more portraits, flash and a 50. If you like macro, pick up one of those. Everyone is different so you will have to find your personal path.

shutterbug....I agree with everyone on Lightroom but there's nothing wrong with using ViewNX2 (Nikon's free software) to get started. You can edit in raw or jpeg and it does a great job.

kenadams said:
I respectfully disagree with the conclusion you draw from the above statement.

I dont think we are disagreeing

I think you agree a good filing system is important

which one is "best" is allways going to be a matter for debate

shutterbug

You dont have to go out and buy LR4 to see if you like it , you can down load a free 30 day trail and see how you get on

sevencrossing said:
It is essential to have a good filing and editing system from the start

I respectfully disagree with the conclusion you draw from the above statement. I've been using the Gimp w/ iPhoto, both of which are free (the latter if you're on a Mac, obviously, but I'm positive there are M$ equivalents) and do everything you need as a beginner. If someone wants to learn how to use a computer and is on a budget, you don't sell him a 50$ mousepad as being essential to the process IMO.

Nothing against LR (4), I'll get it in the near future. I just think there are cheaper and easier to learn alternatives for getting started.

Good luck and have fun!

Hello shutterbug,

The D51000 and 18-105 is a very good start

I would add Lightroom 4 as my next priority. It is essential to have a good filing and editing system from the start and LR4 is one of the best

Then a subscription to Kelby training, to learn how to use the above

That will get you started

There are lots and lots of other lenses and accessories to spend your money on, but only you can prioritise them

I would add a super wide angle, before the 50mm, but that just me, you might find a super zoom more useful