Thanks for all the useful information.

If I can screw up the courage to spend so much, I think I will get the Nikon d800 and the Nikon 24-70 mm lens. That should get me started. I will also consider getting the 14-24 mm lens or a similar wide angle zoom. I was told that the 14-24 mm lens would not accomodate filters, but I don't usually use filters. I would also like a long lens, and a tilt shift lens, but of course, that will get deeper into my savings. I have to be a bit careful because I could easily live another 15 years and mt wife could easily live 20 or more.

So which long lenses should I consider, and, will the 24 mm tilt shift lens work with the d800?

Finally, anything else I should keep in mind?

Leonard Evens
Professor Emeritus, Department of Mathematics, Northwestern University