Income Tool Time

I am an amateur photographer, but ready to take the next step. I have previously owned a Canon Rebel XTi, followed by a Nikon D3000, but I couldn’t stand it, so I had to go back to Canon. I then purchased a Canon Rebel XSi.

I prefer Canon and am currently weighing my options with a budget of about $700 right now.

I am looking at the Canon 40D, a 50mm F1.8 (or 1.4 depending if I can find a good deal) and one other lens. That I am undecided on. I do primarily portrait photography, but also enjoy still life, street photography and landscapes.

Please help, thanks!
I do not OWN a camera right now. I had to sell it over a year ago along with my 50 1.8 and 28-135. I’m not planning on starting a huge business and charging excessive quantities of money. It’s really more of a ‘for fun’ and ‘money on the side’ type thing. I do have a degree/career path already. I know a lot more about photography than you guys are giving me credit for, and if I could, I would purchase a 5d as to not have a crop sensor. But, that is out of my budget, since again, this is NOT my primary focus of a career. I guess I should have worded everything differently. I just want to get away from consumer level cameras and get some advice on which lenses would suit my desires best as I have not had any experience with those other than the ones mentioned and a kit lens.
The Writer:

Firstly, I would rent lenses that I do not have personally. I was just curious as to what a couple must have lenses are, besides a 50mm, because I love that one.

Secondly, a wedding is far too important an occasion for me to even attempt at my level of experience and I can admit that. However, I feel adequately experienced in family photography, still-life, street and landscapes.
I don’t see how if I have the ‘must have’ lenses for portrait photography, or family photography that I could possibly have to cancel the booking. That is why I asked, for personal experience and opinions on certain lenses and a decent camera to begin that is not a Rebel. I am not going about charging ANYONE right now. I plan to do at least another 6 months to a year of practice and portfolio work free of charge before I ACTUALLY try to charge/start a side business. All I asked for was some advice/opinions, not all of this judgmental crap.

When did this section get so HOSTILE, I don’t remember it ever being like this in years past.
Thank you MixedMoj….

I appreciate your time and effort in your response. And I do agree with a lot of points you made. I am familiar with photography, but never paid much attention to the ‘gear’ because I never had the money to invest. The only reason I am budgeting myself at 700 right now, was because I was wanting to buy a camera to use for another 6 months to a year to gain more practice and experience before investing in a more permanent camera. That camera I will obviously spend more money on, because like you said, it IS an investment for the future. I guess you could say I’m trying to purchase a future back-up camera. Along with lenses that will help me now and in the future. I know Nikon and Canon’s quality and performance are both remarkable and very similar, it’s just the set up of the camera’s themselves that give me the preference. The way they feel in my hands and the controls. I am still open to other options aside from Canon. I really like the

Okay, so you want to start a small ‘money on the side’ type business for your photography. There’s nothing wrong with that. Right now, there’s no way you’re going to achieve your goal of being a semi-professional photographer (whether it’s for fun and a little money on the side or a serious career aspiration) while still relating to photography as an amateur. An amateur weighs their options in terms of budgeting a specific dollar amount because their finances are finite. But a professional, or one who uses photography as a means of generating income weighs options in terms of cameras being a tool of their profession and therefore makes determinations based on how that tool suits their purpose of generating income. So first of all, you can’t get away from consumer level cameras with a budget of $700 because consumer level cameras fall within that price point. It doesn’t matter what I, or anyone else suggests if that camera exists outside of your budget. So if you want to know what options are available, you have to think outside of the amateur concern of how much things cost. That said, if what you need costs more than you can afford to invest, save your money until you can invest. Because ‘investment’ is the key word here. You aren’t purchasing something that is consumable but rather, something that represents future financial success. Going into business requires accepting the risk of both success and failure while recognizing that investment carries inherent value not related to liquid assets. If you are not willing to make this a primary focus than you are not ready to be in business because what you do, regardless of whether it is important to you or not, will be important to whomever hires you. If you’re like me, or many others who contribute here, your primary source of income exists solely to fund your aspirations as a photographer. If it doesn’t, I suggest you stay an amateur because the world doesn’t need another camera wielding amateur for hire.

If you are willing to understand this, despite all that you have written….I’ve read it and I understand what you’re asking, than consider taking your budget of $700 and quadrupling it, then you can afford to buy what you need to do what you want. If this means you have to wait another 6 months to save up enough money before making the decision on what you need, so be it. People will still require photographers to capture important moments in their lives at that time.

Also, this business about crop vs. full frame is nonsense. You don’t need a 5D. If you want a 5D, by all means get one. But there are many crop-frame cameras out right now or coming out soon that represent the highest level of advancement in photographic technology. Don’t buy an older digital camera because you think it’s cheaper. Buy a digital camera new, when the technology is new, otherwise you only miss out on taking advantage of it because you wanted to save a few bucks. Saving isn’t as important as making a good financial decision.

The nikon D7100 will be available March 21. It is a 24mp, crop frame, 6fps, high ISO HD-SLR camera and it costs $1200. It will be nikon’s flagship crop-frame camera, and at that price, it’s worth every penny, it’s relatively small compared to what we’ve come to recognize as ‘professional’ cameras, yet it is weather sealed, has a magnesium frame, and handles as such, 100% viewfinder coverage, 3.2" LCD, dual card slots, does HD movies with full-time AF, has 51 AF points, built in AF motor so it works with all nikon AF lenses, not just the new and expensive ones. I wouldn’t have any problem recommending this camera, along with a nikkor 85mm f/1.4D, the combination would kick a$$ for a small business. That would be a $2200 investment not including accessories like a tripod, speedlight, memory cards, etc. I’ve shot both nikon and canon, both film and digital so I have had experience with both and I can tell you that they both DO the same things relatively well compared to each other.

I hope you can get past seeing things as an amateur so you can be the professional you are capable of being. It will require a lot of commitment from you, both of your time and consideration, and your finances. Good luck.