Bought my first DSLR yesterday! (but I'm feeling a little buyer's remorse)

I'm both excited and scared right now: excited about how much I'm going to learn with this camera, scared because I spent what was, for me, a lot of money, and I sincerely hope I made a good investment.

After a lot of research, and an hour in a store trying out different cameras, I chose a Nikon D70s. I liked the bright viewfinder on the Nikon, the easy-to-read "second" LCD screen, and its overall feel. The salesman quoted me a price of $859 for the D70s with the AF 18-55 DX lens. That was pretty much within my budget, so I went for it (though I felt a drop in my stomach--the only single item I've spent that much money on is my computer). Then, I added a couple of filters, a 1 GB CF card, a case, and an extended warranty, and that brought me a little over my $1K limit. I definitely want to buy a tripod and a good tripod head, but I'll have to wait a couple of months until I can afford them.

I know that the D70s has no MLU, and that the lens is not top of the line. Still, I think this will be a good camera for me to grow with. Many years ago, in college, I took a photography and darkroom class. I had a Canon AE-1 that I only used in manual mode. I remember the quiet joy of walking around with that camera, looking for subjects to shoot for assignments, or just for my own pleasure. That was a long time ago; right now I remember almost nothing about f-stops, but I'm hoping that knowledge comes back to me very quickly. I have no illusions about making any money from photography (though what a lovely pipedream). It's more that I feel the need for a creative outlet: my office job certainly doesn't provide it, but I think photography might. (That's it -- I just wanted to share. If you got this far, thanks for reading!)

Rina: You made a good choice and you now have the opportunity to experiment to your hearts delight. The old memories will return quickly. I just bought a new Sony because I have a small forturne invested in Minolta lenses. I'm shooting every day and trying all sorts of stuff. If it doesn't work I get a good laugh before I hit the delete button. Hope the new rig rekindles your passion for photography in a big way and we start seeing some of your work. >=))>

Rina--

It's more important what you DO with it than what you bought. Believe it or not, I've sold and published two photos I took with a $3 disposable camera. You were wise to not dump all your money on just a camera body but stayed within your budget and got a good lens, too.


Kent in SD

That's great Rina. Once you start using it, I think the buyer's remorse will disappear. I convinced my mom and my aunt to buy a Rebel XT with a $450 lens and neither of them love it despite having little to no technical photography knowledge.

I went 5 years of photography with two cheap lenses, and I learned everything I know with them. Once I figured out what I wanted to achieve, it finally made sense to invest in better equipment.

You sure did choose a fine camera! The D70s offers a lot of functionality, and you'll have to become quite good to "outgrow" it. I don't want to spoil it all, but, you being both on a limited budget and a beginner with DSLR's, why didn't you get a D50, which can be had as a kit with the 18-55 AF-S DX?

Basil

Rina, you made a good choice and you live in the rightt place to put it to good use. This is also a great time of year to head out to the Sierra and capture the changing of the seasons. I suggest taking a long weekend, drive into Yosemite and over Tioga Pass while it's still open, then up 395 and back over Sonora. That 1GB card will fill up pretty quickly.

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." -- John Muir

Guy

Congratulations Rina. The pleasure you will derive from the purchase will last many years longer than your buyer's remorse. I think you went about the process of buying in a very smart way, asked for opinions, but also played with and held each camera. A great camera that doesn't work for you ergonomically will cause long term buyer's remorse because you will be irritated every time you pick it up. Can't wait to see some of your posts!

You'll love it. My first DSLR was a D70, your camera's ancestor. I still enjoy it especially when light weight is a priority. BTW, one of the three finalists in Popular Photography Magazines annual Photographer of the Year uses a D70.

Good for you! Buyers remorse should dissolve instantly when you discover how quickly you will relearn your skills with a DSLR. It's a good camera to "grow into." I bet it won't be long before you want to add more lenses!
BTW, good on you for your work with the Trust for Public Land.

Thanks, all, for your words of reassurance! Basil, this may seem silly, but I didn't choose the D50 because it doesn't use CF cards. It's not that I have a lot invested in cards; my reason is that everything else about a DSLR is very different from the camera I've been using for years, even the battery! I wanted the storage medium, at least, to be familiar.

Guy, I know that there are acres of beautiful scenery for me to explore within a day's drive of San Francisco. I'm still fairly new to the Bay area, and only recently have I felt settled here with secure employment. I've been meaning to get out and about more, and this camera will definitely help spur me to do that.

Now, a disclaimer of sorts. I don't know if anyone has noticed that several of my gallery posts have come from far-flung locations. I thought that might not jibe with my expression of buyer's remorse over the price of this camera. It's really not that I *can't* afford the D70s, it's that I'm not in the habit of using my money in this way. My main focus (okay, obsession) for the last 15 years has been overseas travel (but the budget variety). Depending on the length of the trip, it's taken me a few months or several years of savings, but I've definitely spent much more on each trip than I spent on this camera, without flinching. It even seems a little odd to me that I almost broke out in a cold sweat when I signed the credit card slip for the camera, but that's what happened! (Obviously, I've purchased neither a house nor a car -- and if you think I'm odd, join the club!)

Oh, and Catherine, thanks for your acknowledgement of TPL. I'm a peon here, only an accounting assistant (over the years, I've put a lot more energy into travel than into "growing my career"). However, though my day-to-day job isn't the most exciting, it sure feels great to do it for an outfit whose work I believe in, and for a cause that is near and dear to my heart.

Rina,

I have the D70 and have had it for almost 2 years....I love it....and a tripod is a must....

You chose very well and once you figure out the settings and buttons...you will be well on your way to taking beautiful photographs... Your camera has lots of versitility that will allow you to use it in all different kinds of lighting situations....

Now....go shoot that GGB in some early morning or late evening light and get your creativity flowing!!!

Cheers
Darren

I think you made a good decision.

Another option is to consider resale if that is a concern. Limited body features will lose a bit of value over more feature laden bodies. Also the used market is a good option. The next level up body might cost the same as a new lower-tiered body.

You did great and should have fun for a long time. Its always nice to have a few bodies to play with anywat should you decide to upgrade later.

Good luck!!!