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Posted by John Boyd on 13:20:42 09/23/07
In Reply to: Cameras: posted by Chorle:
I'm guessing you are thinking in terms of taking photos while birding. In that case, a relatively light kit is appropriate and you need not consider the 500mm & 600mm f/4 lens, nor the 1-series Canons (or equivalent Nikons). It also means that image stabilization is a real plus (a monopod is a cumbersome alternative).
With that in mind, I'll make three suggestions. They are based on Canon equipment because I am most familiar with it, and because I think it is the best choice for birding.
The low-end choice is a Canon Digital Rebel XTi (aka 400D) together with the 70-300mm IS USM lens (don't confuse this with the markedly inferior 75-300 or the specialty 70-300mm DO IS USM). The lens is long enough for decent results on a crop camera (e.g. 400D). The advantages are that the kit is very light and costs a bit under $1200. The downside is that if you get serious about bird photography you will eventually want a longer lens.
The higher-priced choice is the Canon 40D together with the 100-400mm IS L lens. This combination runs about $2800 and weighs a bit over 5 lbs. (that's heavier than you think if you carry around all day, but doable). This combination is hard to beat. It gives you more reach and a camera you won't grow out of for a long time.
My guess is that you won't grow out of the Rebel for a couple of years, in which case there is an intermediate option. The Rebel XTi + 100-400 lens is a reasonable choice (about $2000).
I personally am not fond of the look of flash with nature photos (sometimes a little fill flash is ok). As a result I rarely use it. The on-camera flash is ok for snapshots but inadequate for bird photos. Adding a flash unit plus extender could be done later if you feel it's useful.
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