jason_hankin wrote:i knew that question would be next ok i am a beginner if you like but dont want entry level body as i want an outfit i can grow into as i get more experience i dont want to keep upgrading as i progress.
i shoot landscape/ night photography also want to try portrait work and i also do some action sports work about a dozen times a year.
i will also try and search covered threads on pbase.
thanks
I would highly suggest you walk before you can run. You may want to start with an entry (ish) level camera and concentrate on the lenses that give you what you need. There's no point spending almost $2000 on a camera if you're going to put cheap lenses on it. The question at this point is "what is your overall budget?" as a starter? Bear in mind a quality lens will cost anywhere from $500 upwards, with some of what you want to cover being nearer the $1000-$1500 mark, assuming you want quality lenses to meet the capabilities of the camera.
I would suggest you allow yourself a year to get to understand the full capabilities of your equipment, by which time you may want to upgrade (camera, not lenses) anyway so you may as well start at a point that's within your capabilities and accept that you'll want to upgrade later. A reduced investment now will be less painful later if you decide you want to go in a different direction.
Personally I recommend starting with something like a Nikon D80 or a Canon 40D - not entry level but not bank breaking. For landscapes I'd suggest the kit lens (18mm - 55mm upwards) will do to start, as you'll be using it at F8 or higher. For portraits, night shots and price I always recommend the 50mm F1.8. Again for the money you are getting a superb lens and you'll learn the benefits of a good lens without spending much to do so.
I use Nikon, not because I'm biased, just because that's where I started, so my recommendation is based on experience, but you should be able to find the same option in the Canon world. I'd recommend the D80 kit with the 18-55VR and 55-200VR, then add a 50mm F1.8. The kit lenses will get you by while you learn and the 50mm will help you learn the benefits of a good lens. If you really want to break the bank the go for the D300 with the 18-200VR option. It's a solid lens to give you scope in a lot of directions and get you going with a single lens option. Again I'd add the 50mm as a good lens to learn the benefits of a fast lens, with great depth of field control that's also extremely useful in bad light.
Again, how much can you spend?