$5000 = what can I get?? - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

09/13/2005 09:26:07 AM · #1

I am working for a new company that is expanding the graphics department to include a photographic studio to shoot product
photography and also location shooting will be involved. I am looking for some good advice as to what we can get for $5000.
This is what we will need:

1. Digital Camera
2. Lenses
3. Lighting
4. Reflectors, Tripod, other goodies?

We will probably be buying from B&H if that makes any difference.

Message edited by author 2005-09-13 09:26:27.

Flash

Nikon D700

09/13/2005 09:40:24 AM · #2

$5000 dollars.

Nikon D-70 $1000
Nikkor 17-35 f/2.8 $1600
Nikkor 50 f/1.8 $100
Nikon SB600 (2) $400
Manfroto 3021 pro $160
Manfrotto 486/8 RC2 $85
Sandisk 256 CF cards (2) $75
Spare Battery $35.00
Spare AA's w/ charger $50

$3505.00

Sunniee

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

09/13/2005 10:17:48 AM · #3

I dont shoot product photos, but have seen people use a light tent with good results...

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

09/13/2005 10:31:24 AM · #4

Ooooh... nice budget! My picks (having used all of them)...

Canon 20D body $1299
2- Kingston Elite Pro 1GB Compactflash cards $100 (NewEgg.com)
Canon 17-40 f/4L $699
Canon 50mm f/1.8 $80
Canon 70-200 f/4L $590
Kenko 25mm extension tube (for macro) $79
Hoya 77mm circular polarizer $172
67mm to 77mm step ring $20
32" Gold/silver reflector $20
A decent light meter $150
Bogen Manfrotto 3021pro tripod and 322RC2 grip ballhead $255
AlienBees B800, 13' stand and large softbox $450 (direct)
AlienBees B800, 10' stand and 48" shoot through umbrella $340 (direct)
Total: $4254

Whoops- missed the "on location" part. Depending upon your location needs, you can add a Canon 580ex flash and Sto-fen omnibounce for $410 and/or power packs for the AlienBees strobes (better).

You can adjust components/lenses to meet your particular needs, but this is a great start that covers most situations. One interesting alternative would be to substitute a Canon EOS 5D body and Tamron 28-75 lens for the 20D and lenses I listed above. That'll give you 12+ megapixels and a much better camera body for about the same price, and you can add other lenses as needed later.

Message edited by author 2005-09-13 10:36:53.

Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX Diagonal Fisheye for Nikon

09/13/2005 10:32:14 AM · #5

wow! thanks!

muckpond

Nikon D200

09/13/2005 10:36:52 AM · #6

i'm not familiar with canon equipment and software, but i would DEFINITELY invest in something that allows you to bypass the CF card as a means of storing images. i know some canons have wireless transmitters (right? maybe not...) that will write the image directly to a PC.

i saw go with something like that and save yourself the pain of downloading.

also, you might want to set up a computer that is specifically for the photo studio. when we did a model shoot last spring we shot tethered (i.e. stored all of the images directly to the computer, just not wirelessly), but also had a flat screen tv set up so that the client could review the images immediately while the model was still on the stage setup. if he needed something else or wanted to fix hair or makeup, we could do it right there instead of trying to fix it in photoshop. it saved countless hours of post-processing and client whining. :)

09/13/2005 10:42:54 AM · #7

We already have a pc set up just for the photo studio and I will also have a laptop that I will take with me on location. : ))

rich

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

09/13/2005 10:56:16 AM · #8

Originally posted by muckpond:

i'm not familiar with canon equipment and software, but i would DEFINITELY invest in something that allows you to bypass the CF card as a means of storing images.

The bundled Image Capture software that was included with the 20D definitely has this capability; I have used it and it works fine. I used it to take an image every minute for an hour to make a stop action sequence, but it would work equally well for shooting on demand.

Edit - it was every 20 seconds it turns out - I took a sequence of me assembling a desk back when i was doing the PaD thing :-)

Rich building a desk from Target

Message edited by author 2005-09-13 10:59:03.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

09/13/2005 11:31:05 AM · #9

awesome!

Canon EOS-20D

09/13/2005 11:35:29 AM · #10

Originally posted by rich:

Rich building a desk from Target

I find those things so fascinating, I don't know why. Someone here had one a couple of years ago of decorating the Christmas tree and it was really neat.

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

09/13/2005 11:37:22 AM · #11

Originally posted by rich:

...it was every 20 seconds it turns out - I took a sequence of me assembling a desk back when i was doing the PaD thing :-)

Rich building a desk from Target

It appears that you edited out all the cursing and throwing of objects...where's the fun in that!?!?!?!?! ;)

Flash

Nikon D700

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

09/13/2005 11:39:50 AM · #12

You might want to give Brent Ward a shout (MeThoS) as he does product shoots for a living.

rich

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

09/13/2005 11:42:31 AM · #13

As a little follow up - if you have a good sized CF card and do not need to immediately dump to the laptop, I would highly recommend using the Canon Remote Switch TC-80N3 instead of hooking the camera directly to the laptop for this kind of stop-action shooting. It is much more portable, and the cost of the remote at only $129 is really well worth it for the kind of flexibiility it provides.

Gordon did a good mini-review of this remote switch earlier this year.

Canon Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3

jbsmithana

Nikon D300

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4.0G IF-ED

09/13/2005 11:46:06 AM · #14

Roseann - I guess the first question wouold be does the company already have any kind of photo gear? That would be a starting place. If they do not have any significant investment in gear then I would look at a D70 / 20D with an eye on upgrading if it takes off. Both of these cameras can be run directly from a laptop.

As for lighting if you want to stay mobile I would go with a Nikon SB800 and two SB600's. That will keep you comletely wireless and light weight. A few umbrellas and you have it. In studio you could get a light box for product shots.

Lenses for this typ of shooting I will leave for someone else.

Good luck and have fun shopping!

Message edited by author 2005-09-13 11:48:19.

nemesise1977

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO Macro Super for Canon

09/13/2005 11:46:07 AM · #15

Originally posted by fotoshootme:

We already have a pc set up just for the photo studio and I will also have a laptop that I will take with me on location. : ))

Better than laptop get a portable foto storage device, they are smaller to take with you on location and cheaper. A good example Creative labs is releasing an MP3 player that has a 16 bit color screen and a CF card slot. Cost about $400 but is small and very portable with a 30gig drive. Just plug in your cf card dl the pics and keep going :)

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

09/13/2005 01:12:51 PM · #16

Originally posted by nemesise1977:

Originally posted by fotoshootme:
We already have a pc set up just for the photo studio and I will also have a laptop that I will take with me on location. : ))

Better than laptop get a portable foto storage device, they are smaller to take with you on location and cheaper. A good example Creative labs is releasing an MP3 player that has a 16 bit color screen and a CF card slot. Cost about $400 but is small and very portable with a 30gig drive. Just plug in your cf card dl the pics and keep going :)

The advantage of shooting "tethered" directly to a computer is that you can review your images full-size as you go. Invaluable for serious work.

R.

mariomel

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

09/13/2005 01:31:35 PM · #17

Originally posted by fotoshootme:

Nobody asked...what kind of things will you be shooting? Large things or small tiny things? What will be done with the images? Web? Internal sales material? Magazines and brochures? Billboards?

You might want to look at specific lenses (macro) if it's small thingies or a larger camera (5D) if it's to be blown up very large.

I shoot products for my company //www.mcauslan.com and do so with a 20D, 17-40 f/4L, 28-75 f/2.8, 70-200 f/4 L, 50 f/1.8 along with a small studio light set up (4x100W monolights), umbrellas, softboxes, reflectors, and lighting tent (mostly). I also have a 420ex (with omnibounce). I recently got the Manfrotto 055pro tripod (3021 in USA) with a good fully adjustable 3-way head (forget the number). This ran about $6000 canadian. The stuff mostly gets used on the web, sales brochures, in store posters, and on packaging. I have yet to have anything made into a billboard. :(

Here are some samples of my work: //mariomelillo.com/gallery/Products

It's alot of fun, and it mostly pays for my gear. It's not a full time thing. I have a career with the company (marketing). I do this stuff on my own time.

Good luck.

Message edited by author 2005-09-13 13:44:57.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

09/13/2005 01:49:28 PM · #18

You can get me a new camera and some lenses.

09/13/2005 03:43:10 PM · #19

Originally posted by mariomel:

When you go to the store and buy a stock frame, the frame has an insert with a fabulous image that entices you buy the frame...well that's what I will be creating. : ))) Everything from macro to landscape...1"x1" to poster sized prints...so I need something versatile...

Message edited by author 2005-09-13 15:44:15.

mariomel

Canon EOS-5D

09/13/2005 03:53:20 PM · #20

Originally posted by fotoshootme:

What an awesome job! Do they tell you what to go shoot, or do you just get to wander around taking photos of what pleases you?

Do you need any additional photographers? I'm willing to commute. LOL

Given this, the only thing missing in scalvert's suggested setup is a macro option. I'd suggest adding the Sigma 105mm macro, or if budgets don't allow for it, a Canon 500D macro lens (filter actually) to add to your 70-200 f/4 L. Allows you to get down to 1.5 feet (or so) working distance with the power of a 200mm lens. Works pretty well.

Enjoy your new job.

Message edited by author 2005-09-13 15:58:46.

GoldBerry

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

09/13/2005 04:02:35 PM · #21

For $5000 you can buy my love. I even do windows.

:-)

09/13/2005 05:02:33 PM · #22

Originally posted by mariomel:

Originally posted by fotoshootme:
When you go to the store and buy a stock frame, the frame has an insert with a fabulous image that entices you buy the frame...well that's what I will be creating. : ))) Everything from macro to landscape...1"x1" to poster sized prints...so I need something versatile...

What an awesome job! Do they tell you what to go shoot, or do you just get to wander around taking photos of what pleases you?

Do you need any additional photographers? I'm willing to commute. LOL

Given this, the only thing missing in scalvert's suggested setup is a macro option. I'd suggest adding the Sigma 105mm macro, or if budgets don't allow for it, a Canon 500D macro lens (filter actually) to add to your 70-200 f/4 L. Allows you to get down to 1.5 feet (or so) working distance with the power of a 200mm lens. Works pretty well.

Enjoy your new job.

Thanks! It literally is the job of my dreams...and I have had 5 of the worst jobs of my life in the last 6 months..so to say that I am due is an understatement! : )

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

09/13/2005 05:15:33 PM · #23

Originally posted by mariomel:

the only thing missing in scalvert's suggested setup is a macro option.

Nuh-uh... I had that covered with the Kenko extension tube. It works great for macro.

09/13/2005 05:44:07 PM · #24

Originally posted by jbsmithana:

They have a "studio" basically a room with 4 black walls, black/white paper backdrops, some chimera lighting and a cheapo digital...SO I have lots of room to play. : )

mariomel

Canon EOS-5D