getting started

I have been looking at the forums here and trying to make a decision on buying a new DSLR set up of my own. I am considering the D90 and the EOS 50D although I see that most people are recomending the 7D. I am planning on shooting indoor sports mostly (hockey and volleyball) but also want to shoot scenery and wildlife. I don't know if I can afford the 7D because I will be wanting a lens or two for things other than hockey. If I get a Cannon I will be getting the 70-200mm f 2.8 for the sports. Obviously if I get the Nikon I will get a similar lens. Of the D90 or the 50D which one is the better option for me? I don't know if the video is that big of a deal for me.

I have another question as well. I was looking on ebay and my question is the package deals (kits) that are offered on ebay are they something that should be avoided? The prices just look to good to be true. I mean a 50D with 4 lenses plus a doubler, a wide angel and a whole slew of accessories for 2 grand, it just doesn't seem right.

You get what you pay for. Be wary of great deals that include multiple lenses. No one can sell really good lenses for cheap prices.

Remember the lens is a critical component in making a good photo. I shot Philadelphia Flyers Hockey for years (on film). I did basketball, football, soccer too. My advice is based upon experience, and digital is really no different than film when it comes to good shooting.

The 70-200/2.8 Nikkor is a dynamite lens. I used it regularly before semi-retiring a few years ago. I expect Canon has a lens of equal quality. But the lens is only part of the equation in digital. With film the camera body meant little because I used what ever film and processing I wanted. With digital the 'film' is built in the camera. Indoor sports requires high ISO settings, and that means high ISO results are important. Select your camera on the basis of high ISo results. This site and others offers test results on high ISO noise. Also shoot RAW files not jpegs to avoid automatic and uncontrollable noise correction. But the camera that provides the best high ISO results , then buy a high speed tele-zoom with low CA to use on it.

--
Richard Weisgrau
http://www.weisgrau.com
Author of
The Real Business of Photography
The Photographer's Guide to Negotiating
Selling Your Photography
Licensing Photography

EBay deals with lots of stuff tend to be a basic kit with lots of more or less useless junk. You don't get a reliable warranty either.

You strike me a not knowing a lot about this stuff precisely because you asked - a more experienced shooter would spot that stuff for what it is. For that reason I'd suggest you just get an entry level DSLR ( still great cameras ) and kit lenses.

I appreciate you want to shoot hockey, and the 70-220 f2.8's are put forward as the be-all and end-all of that, but they are also large and expensive lenses and without the right technique they are a waste. Assuming you are inexperienced then than 70-200 f2.8 would be a handful ( well, a both-arms full in fact ) which you might find puts you off learning.

--
StephenG

Pentax K100D
Fuji S3 Pro
Fuji S9600

muley said:

I have been looking at the forums here and trying to make a decision on buying a new DSLR set up of my own. I am considering the D90 and the EOS 50D although I see that most people are recomending the 7D. I am planning on shooting indoor sports mostly (hockey and volleyball) but also want to shoot scenery and wildlife. I don't know if I can afford the 7D because I will be wanting a lens or two for things other than hockey. If I get a Cannon I will be getting the 70-200mm f 2.8 for the sports. Obviously if I get the Nikon I will get a similar lens. Of the D90 or the 50D which one is the better option for me? I don't know if the video is that big of a deal for me.

I have another question as well. I was looking on ebay and my question is the package deals (kits) that are offered on ebay are they something that should be avoided? The prices just look to good to be true. I mean a 50D with 4 lenses plus a doubler, a wide angel and a whole slew of accessories for 2 grand, it just doesn't seem right.

Click to expand...

avoid the ebay "deals"!

it's better to use reputable online retailers like http://www.adorama.com or http://www.bhphotovideo.com or http://www.amazon.com etc.

The Canon 50D is good for sports because of the high FPS rate and large buffer but it doesn't have video and some of the more advanced features of the Canon 7D. If you know you are going to shoot a lot of sports it may be worth it to get the 7D but the 50D is also available at a good price, see the "market watch" and buy/sell section here:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum

http://www.popphoto.com/Reviews/Cameras/Camera-Test-Canon-EOS-7D