weslake wrote:
I have $1000 to 1200 to spend on a camera and lense which is not a bunch. Open to all options new, used, refurbished. I would rate myself as an amateur who just knows enough to be dangerous. Just to give you an idea of what I have found on my own is a Nikon D7200 with a 28-140 lense.
I would like to have some input on a top 10 list in order of importance of what people look for in a camera and lense on a budget
Rather than consider camera features, you should consider what you want to shoot. I consider the following categories:
Landscape - generally a wide lens, but also telephoto. The 18-140 is good, but will not give you shallow depth of field when you want it to isolate foreground elements.
Architecture - ultra-wide lens. Usually wider than the 18mm of your 18-140; preferably at least 12-14mm.
Portrait - generally a short telephoto, range of 60-100mm. The 18-140 is good, but will not give you shallow depth of field.
Sports - generally a mid-telephoto, range of 50-150mm. The 18-140 is good, but not fast enough to get high shutter speeds in low light.
Wildlife - generally a long telephoto, range of 70-300mm. The 18-140 is not long enough, and not fast enough to get high shutter speeds in low light.
The conclusion is that the D7200 with 18-140 is a good combination, but it is a compromise for many of the things you might want to shoot.
I always recommend a fast prime lens for low light conditions; the 35mm f/1.8 DX is a good choice as a normal lens. The 50mm f/1.8 FX is a good choice for portraits (not quite long enough, but very affordable and the D7200 has enough mp to crop. Beyond that, the lenses get expensive.
There are a number of affordable options for ultra wide and long telephoto that are also affordable. But you can hold off on those until you decide you need them.