I need a DSLR and lenses ($1600!). Recommend some!

I'm not as familiar with Nikon's products as I am Canon's so I'll throw in some suggestions for the Canon side. If I were you, I would grab a T3i, a 15-85, and a 55-250 II. This covers all your ranges and you don't have to deal with juggling lenses all that often. The 15-85 is a sharp lens, albeit a bit slow. The 55-250, of which I have the v1, is really a great value. Yes, it is a bit slow and the AF hunts in the dark but for $200 you can't go wrong. If you do some Googling around you can pick up three things for about $1350 which leaves money for a SD card, a bag, a grip if you want it, or some lighting equipment. If you're really serious about closeups you'll want a macro lens. The Canon 50mm f2.5 is decent macro lens and it's $250 so you could buy that additional lens if needed. Other than that the 15-85 and the 55-250 should cover everything you want to do.
Edited by TH3_H4NGMAN - 11/4/12 at 12:41pm

Ken Rockwell's advice is sound.

QFT...

I lol'd.

QFT ...

What is your experience with cameras and photography in general? How much of real interest you have in photography?

I ask this because a lot of people jump into this hobby with a unrealistic mindset (eg. better expensive gear = great photographs) and it ends up being a short term hobby. I have a few friends who have bought a nice DSLR/lenses and are great dust collectors now.

When I was starting out I got a 550D with a 50mm f1.8 and loved the combo. Now I collect old fully manual vintage lenses (some which equal highend $1000 lenses in picture and build quality, actually every old lens I bought has metal construction and great build quality.) and get alot of satisfaction shooting with it.

To drop $1600 on a new hobby without dipping the waters first.....I wouldn't recommend it., but in saying that, what you want to shoot the most should be your first lens.

For $1700, not too familiar but with Canon you can get quite a decent kit if you buy used.

Canon 5D (MKI/Classic) - $700
17-40mm f/4L- $600
Sigma 50mm f/1.4- $400

You can get the first two for 650 and 550, respectively, if you look hard.
The above focal ranges should suffice unless you take pictures of things far away.
In that case, you could get the 70-200mm f/4L in place of one of the above. An used one should be about 500 bucks.

I'd get this instead of a new Rebel body for a similar price. Full-frame is addicting and the 5D bodies feel more sturdy than the Rebels. The 5D series pump out some gorgeous images. Only complaint (of mine) is that the 5D, being from 2008, has an interface that feels a bit "old" in comparison ... but it's a full-frame body and feels better in my hands than a Rebel
Edited by Winwin - 11/5/12 at 8:18pm

If you want to shoot product photography I'd invest atleast $70 into a decent flash.....one YN-560 II will serve that well at first until you want to achieve professional results photographing products (in which ase the YN-560II will still serve your purpose you will just need about 3 of them) that take a decent amount of knowledge regarding light to photograph correctly. I'd suggest a good book on lighting too, the book is called lighting, science, and magic.

As for gear, I'd go with a Rebel T4i body or 7D if you can find one cheap enough used. A Tamron 17-50 2.8 non VC lens which can be obtained for $390 and is excellent for any type for portraiture, indoor work, low light work, and even product photography.....it's a very versatile non variable aperture lens.

I wouldn't get any more gear until you feel comfortable and KNOW that your gear is holding you back.....but a T4i, Tamron 17-50 Non VC (sharper than the Sigma 17-50 and the Tamron VC 17-50 while being much, much cheaper and cheaper than the Canon 17-55 2.8 by about $600), and a powerful manual speed lite should be the perfect combination as it's extremely versatile.

I would use the rest of the money to build a small wooden stand and white diffuse material a long with other colors to shoot your product photography on and light stands a long with a cowboy studio trigger/receiver for your speed lite.
The last bit (stand, diffuse material, and light stands) is optional and I would only get it if I was serious about product photography.

All together if you go my route it will cost you $1,300 and if you get the additional speed lights, stands, and triggers you will be looking at about $1,500 total.
Edited by Mwarren - 11/8/12 at 7:00pm