$500 Night Photography Kit for Professional Outcomes

You’d like to buy a top quality digital camera, lens, and even a tripod. But pictures is pricey! Is it attainable to buy these for as little as $500? Let’s take a look!

To create this listing, you are nearly assuredly going to want to buy used gear. But the purpose is that it’s attainable. To make the selection of going used extra dependable, I’ve priced all the things utilizing respected firms resembling B&H Photo and Video. B&H completely checks their gear and gives warranties. You may buy these things used on eBay and elsewhere from non-public events, typically for decrease costs. However, until you belief the vendor, you won’t get as a lot consistency in high quality or as sturdy of a guaranty.

Cameras for $200 or Under

I seemed for an expert digital camera that might nonetheless be capable to take excellent evening pictures photographs. I knew I needed to discover one which was a bit of lengthy within the tooth to suit the invoice. The Nikon D700 is one such digital camera. The Nikon D700 full body DSLR gives a sturdy weather-sealed magnesium-alloy physique, a CF card slot, and rather more. I used to fulfill photojournalists who used this as a result of they mentioned that it might by no means fail them.

Yes, it is solely 12.1 MP. The upside of that is that it does properly in low mild. With 12.1 MP, you’ll be able to nonetheless have sufficient decision to create massive poster-sized prints. I’ve seen evening pictures prints taken with this digital camera at poster dimension, and so they seemed tremendous.

As of this writing, I used to be capable of finding Nikon D700s used for round $200 and up at respected firms. The costs for these have hovered beneath and above this value vary for the previous couple of years.

I’m largely acquainted with Nikon, however listed below are another high decisions for round $200 or beneath:

• Canon EOS 5D DSLR, 12.8 MP physique (full body)
• Canon EOS 70D 20 MP DSLR (APS-C sensor)
• Nikon D7000 16 MP DSLR (APS-C sensor) — I photographed with a D7000 for about eight years and may attest to its picture high quality, in addition to semi-pro options resembling respectable climate sealing and two SD card slots.
• Pentax Ok-5 16.3 MP DSLR (APS-C sensor, surprisingly good low-light capabilities for its age)

Lens

The Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC is cheap, though surprisingly sharp. It has a large f/2.8 aperture, excellent for those who want to do high-ISO Milky Way photographs. Many evening photographers like to seize an infinite a part of the evening sky, so this ultra-wide lens matches the invoice fairly properly.

The lens is handbook focus. However, this isn’t uncommon, as most evening photographers do not use autofocus. The stars are too dim for nearly all cameras to focus.

As of this writing, I used to be capable of simply discover a Rokinon 14mm lens between $99–$149 at respected firms, and decrease on websites resembling eBay.

Other lenses which might be price a glance:

Tripod

When you choose a high-quality evening pictures setup, you by no means overlook a top quality tripod. You are going to be fidgeting with a tripod nearly as a lot because the digital camera or lens.

A tripod should be rock stable, each to provide a pointy picture and to maintain your treasured tools protected.

A fantastic selection is the NEEWER LITETRIP LT38 Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod with ball head. It has:

• Load capability: 22 kilos
• Height vary: 18″ to 61″ (utilizing the middle column); 52″ without the center column
• Folded length: 19.7″

It’s a really sturdy tripod for its dimension, and the ball head is a top quality ball head. I couldn’t discover many of those used as a result of the LT38 is a really new mannequin. However, the legs and tripod collectively promote new for about $200. There are comparable NEEWER fashions, such because the LT32 62-inch mannequin, that promote for $149 new.

Another nice selection is the Manfrotto Befree Advanced Travel Aluminum Tripod with 494 Ball Head. This helps 19.8 kilos whereas nonetheless reaching a most top of 59.1 inches when extending the middle column. It additionally folds down to fifteen.7 inches.

An aluminum tripod is a bit of heavier than carbon fiber tripods. However, this could be a good factor, particularly in high-wind areas. And as a bonus, aluminum tripods are inexpensive.

As of this writing, I used to be capable of finding a Manfrotto Befree Advanced Travel Aluminum Tripod with 494 Ball Head for $137 used.

You can discover tripod and ball head mixtures for even much less cash than the NEEWER or the Manfrotto I discussed. Just ensure that it’s stable and sturdy.

More Thoughts About Our $500 Night Photography Kit

It’s simple to discover a high quality digital camera, lens, and tripod for beneath $500 that also supply the flexibility to make high-quality photographs. After all, some years in the past, many photographers have been utilizing this gear, and it did not cease them from making high-quality skilled photographs.

If you store round or fluctuate the gadgets a bit, it is fairly attainable to get this beneath $500. For occasion, if the D700 was $220, the Rokinon was $120, and the Manfrotto tripod and ball head are $137, that might be $477, plus no matter tax and delivery may be the place you reside.

In placing collectively this cheap evening pictures equipment, I assumed that you’d need to {photograph} something that the evening threw your means. You would be capable to use this to {photograph} the Milky Way in very darkish skies. But you’ll additionally be capable to use it for different eventualities, resembling mixed-light city pictures, mild portray throughout full moon pictures, and fairly a couple of different eventualities!

I additionally needed the whole equipment to be sturdy and supply skilled options.

You most likely would additionally need to buy a CF card and an affordable distant shutter launch. These weren’t included within the $500 restrict however wouldn’t price an excessive amount of extra. They are gadgets that you simply may already personal anyway. Unless you realize the individual promoting the tools, the most secure guess is to buy from locations that take a look at the tools and supply warranties, resembling B&H Photo and Video.

If you need to sharpen your evening pictures and post-processing expertise, Photographing the World: Landscape Photography and Post-Processing is a superb useful resource to pair with this equipment.