Want List

Now that I'm an award-winning photo-journalist, I've decided to start looking into the possibility of getting myself my own camera. With the knowledge that it takes a minimum of $1000 to get a good SLR, I'm not thinking it'll happen any time soon. However, I figured I would start learning about cameras so when I start saving up for it, I'll know what I'm saving for.

At the moment, the most likely candidate would be the Nikon D5100. Now, I may not need all the bells and whistles of that camera, but it's the same cost or cheaper than the slightly lower-end D3200, and I'd rather get the better package, all-told. I'm only inclined to get Nikon because that's the camera brand I'm familiar with. I'd rather not learn a new system if I can help it. I'm currently working with a Nikon D50.

If you check out the D5100 on Amazon, you'll see it's roughly $600-700 with a basic lens. I'm told the basic lens on this one is pretty good, so I won't need to get a different basic to go with it. I will, however, need to get a lens for taking pictures of sports. And that's where the study become necessary.

I've been burned by using a slow-focusing lens the last few volleyball and soccer games I've taken pictures at. It will be absolutely crucial when I get a new camera to get a lens that works for sports. Both indoor and outdoor, low-light and daylight. And that's where I'm running into difficulties. Because I need to find a good all-around sports lens that won't cost me a mortgage payment. And apparently such things don't really exist. Lenses are REALLY expensive.

So I'm working on learning a lot more about focusing speed, f-stops, ISO and other terminology I haven't quite mastered so I can know what sort of camera to get when I actually have a little money to get one. Because no one is going to buy me something that expensive off my wishlist.