In the digital world:
If you are going to be an artist:
Go for the highest pixel count you can afford. The more pixels the larger the prints you can make and retain sharpness.
Get a camera body that can take “legacy lenses”…These are lenses made originally for film cameras and are available very cheaply in a dizzying variety on the used equipment market.
Get a lighting kit…start out with at least three lights and stands…with umbrellas.
Get a strobe set…again three with stands and umbrellas.
Go to a linen store and a cheap set of polyester white and pastel colored flat bed sheets…not for sleeping on but for backdrops…since they are not sleeping polyester is fine.
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This being said I have had to put my most of my photographic activities on the shelf for nearly 8-10 years because my mother’s assisted living and a layoff has nearly bankrupted me. I might lose the house I inherited from my parents because of this.
Except for the camera in my cell phone I have no digital cameras.
35mm;
I have two Pentaxs, one Nikon, two 50 mm lenses, one 100 mm lens, one 500 mm lens, one 1000 mm lens
2.25;
I have one Bronica with 75mm lens, 150 mm lens.
4x5 large format:
one Speed Graphic with a 150 Schneider lens in a shutter…two Crown Graphics each with a 150 Schneider lens in a shutter.
I have the large format camera because I always wanted to make photo murals and very large prints…before my mother’s health made my finances go south I never made a print smaller than 20x24 inches.
