As a hobbist, my choice of photographic equipment is more based on value rather than absolute quality. There is usually a big jump in price for high end products. As I shoot with a DX format dslr with no plans to upgrade to full frame in the near future, my preference is for DX specific lenses at a much lower price point whenever possible. While the sharpest and highest build quality lenses are normally reserved for full frame, the DX versions can retail for as low as half the price.
Nikon D7100
The Nikon D7100 has been around for a few years now but it is still a very capable body with most of the high end features one will need.
AF-S Nikkor 16-85mm G lens
My favourite walk around lens. Not the fastest but it has a good zoom range and sharp. A bit on the pricey side.
Nikkor 50mm 1.8D
For the price, everyone should have this in their camera bag.
AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm G
One of the best values around. It has an extended zoom range, is light, fast focusing and sharp.
AF-S Micro Nikkor 85mm G
A DX format of the full frame 105mm 1:2.8 Micro. If you don’t need full frame, this lens is a bit slower but comes in at almost half the price. At 85mm focal length, it allows shooting at farther distances.
Nikon Speedlight SB-600
Nikon’s least expensive flash that supports the Nikon Creative Lighting System.
Nikon Speedlight SB-700
A step up from the SB-600. Can be used in commander mode.
Tamron SP 10-24 DiII
An ultra wide angle lens. Sharp in the centre but a little soft around the edges.
Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary
A super zoom at a great price point. Unless you need the better build quality and weather sealing, this lens is mostly plastic with a weather gasket around the mount, this version is almost half the price, almost 2 lbs lighter with no loss of image quality.
Bower 8mm Fisheye
Just for fun an inexpensive manual fisheye lens. This lens is also sold under the Rokinon and Samyang brands among others.
Vanguard Altus 70 Series
A versatile aluminum tripod. A bit on the heavy side coming in at around 6 lbs.
Acratech Ballhead
A high quality ballhead that can be used as a gimbal and panoramic head.
