What to get for £50?

Ksanti

Ksanti

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Well I've won a £50 calumet voucher in a school photography competition, I figured I'd check out the site to decide what to use it on. I was thinking I may as well use it to make my planned lens purchases a bit easier, but Calumet's prices are so high it would be cheaper to just go elsewhere, so basically I've got to spend it on accessories.

I was thinking the Lowepro Fastpack 350, but I'm not particularly set on it :)

My current gear (my dad's gear):
Nikon D5000
Nikkor 18-55 VR
Tamron 70-300 f/4-f/5.6 Macro
Joby Gorillapod
Reflectors
Current bag: Tamrac shoulder (not sure of the model, but it was all bundled from Jessops if that helps)

While the Tamrac is enough for now, I plan to be buying more "proper" lenses in the future (either a Nikon 35 f/1.8 or Siggy 30 f/1.4, a Siggy 50 f/1.4 and hopefully the 50-150 f/2.8 OS when it comes out), so a bigger bag will eventually be a bit more necessary.

I don't have anything other than that current gear right now, I was thinking flashgun but I don't really see much point if it's not articulated. My shooting is very varied right now, I know how irritatingly useless that is.. My ultimate goal and interest is Fashion Photography but, being 15 (and having fallen out with the friends that would have modelled), I don't forsee any great amount of fashion shooting on my part for a while :(
 
I'd be inclined to save it to put towards one of those lenses you want.
 
But on Calumet their lens prices are, in general, around £50 more than other shops, so using it for lenses there would still end up with me spending more than I would otherwise.
 
I'd be inclined to go for something that opens up a new avenue to play around with. Maybe a cheap tripod, a cpl filter or grad filter. Maybe a remote release etc...

I also noticed that the 35mm Nikon is not too badly priced there, maybe put the voucher towards one of those and save/scrape the other £115 together....
 
Ksanti said:
Well I've won a £50 calumet voucher in a school photography competition, I figured I'd check out the site to decide what to use it on. I was thinking I may as well use it to make my planned lens purchases a bit easier, but Calumet's prices are so high it would be cheaper to just go elsewhere, so basically I've got to spend it on accessories.

I was thinking the Lowepro Fastpack 350, but I'm not particularly set on it :)

My current gear (my dad's gear):
Nikon D5000
Nikkor 18-55 VR
Tamron 70-300 f/4-f/5.6 Macro
Joby Gorillapod
Reflectors
Current bag: Tamrac shoulder (not sure of the model, but it was all bundled from Jessops if that helps)

While the Tamrac is enough for now, I plan to be buying more "proper" lenses in the future (either a Nikon 35 f/1.8 or Siggy 30 f/1.4, a Siggy 50 f/1.4 and hopefully the 50-150 f/2.8 OS when it comes out), so a bigger bag will eventually be a bit more necessary.

I don't have anything other than that current gear right now, I was thinking flashgun but I don't really see much point if it's not articulated. My shooting is very varied right now, I know how irritatingly useless that is.. My ultimate goal and interest is Fashion Photography but, being 15 (and having fallen out with the friends that would have modelled), I don't forsee any great amount of fashion shooting on my part for a while :(
Click to expand...

For £50 (and bearing in mind you want to spend what you have and not save it towards something more expensive) and on the basis you like taking landscapes 'd recomment a Cokin Filter system (ie adapter ring for whatever size of lens you have, filter holder and a grad filter, maybe an ND4).

That should open up some avenues on the landscape front.

£50 really isnt much if you are buying something in isolation (as I found out when I took up photography).

Of course it all depends on what you want/need so alternatives are maybe a bag for your gear, a memory card etc but I think Cokin would be the best for the money at this stage
 
I don't really fancy landscapes too much, at least not to the extent that I'd want a filter setup...

Considering the Giotto monopod as well now, though I'm leaning towards the bag to use on holiday given the faster glass will make the monopod a little less useful
 
Add few more quid and go for 50mm. It will only manually focus on d5000, but is very versatile and so much fun to use.
 
If you're a student, apply for a calumet student discount card (google it) and you get 20% off all their own brand stuff (which is pretty much all rebadged manfrotto stuff anyway...) :)
 
Fazi27 said:
Add few more quid and go for 50mm. It will only manually focus on d5000, but is very versatile and so much fun to use.
Click to expand...

I'd rather not. I'm saving up for a Sigma 50, the 1.8 50 might be fairly cheep but I don't fancy missing a load of shots due to a combination of manual focus and poor viewfinder.
 
I probably would use the money for a filter, possibly a rocket blower or decent lens cloth.
Do you have a good card reader? I know it isn't the most exciting thing but something like the Lexar pro card reader really does save me time and is so much easier than plugging your camera into the computer every time.
 
I have the fastpack 200 and love it. Great quality bag and comfortable to carry around all day full of my gear.
 
I might be tempted to flog the voucher to someone on here so that you can put the cash towards a purchase from elsewhere... Maybe even from the classifieds on here.
You've listed a bunch of lenses, why waste the money on stuff you don't want or need? Plus, you'll get better value for money buying second hand.

Failing that, what about some basic lighting kit? Stand, umbrella and triggers could be got from Calumet then pick up a second hand YongNuo 460 on here or ebay for £30 - you've got your dad's reflector already and that setup would sort you for basic portraiture and/or Strobist type stuff.
 
Why did you ask if you're ignoring everyone and going for the bag anyway? :D

Bloody students...

Only kidding. ;)
 
I think a decent bag is a good shout.

I've just upgraded to a flipside 300 and its nice being able to fit all my kit in one bag thats good quality.
 
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