Camera Help - Nikon D3100

masonsmum

Hubby bought me my first quality camera for my birthday in June and I love it however I am a total novice at the moment.

The camera only came with the standard lens though and we are off to Florida on holiday next year and I am considering a better lens with a better zoom and wondered if anyone is up on these things and could give me some recommendations?

Strider590

"Better zoom" ?

Zoom is for wildlife, you'll get your best shots by getting in close, more real and less long distance voyeuristic.

If you want to zoom in without tasking time to compose your shots then a DSLR is not for you.

I've got a Nikon D90, I normally use a 50mm lens, no zoom, just lovely crisp images with a great depth of field. The standard zoom lens stays at home, the "nifty fifty" forces me to get in close to my subject. Anyone who looks at my images FEELS like they were right there next to me when it was taken.

Distance screws up perspective.

18-55mm is ideal for anyone new to DSLRs.

A better investment than a lens would be a good tripod and remote shutter timer, long exposure photography is one of the best ways to get fantastic images and teaches you how to get the best out if a DSLR.

ukcarper

The kit lens if it's the 16-55mm VR is not a bad lens a good upgrade is the 16-85mm VR which is a sharper lens with a little more reach. The bigger the zoom range the more compromises have to be made with image quality although some of the more expensive lens can give good results they are also quite bulky and not really needed for general photography. If you need the longer zoom for nature or sport photography you would be better off getting a telephoto zoom.

neilwoods

The stock lens that comes with most new cameras do not tend to be very good.

As for better zoom. Be far better of getting a prime lens, 50mm f/1.8.

So unless you intend to go into the everglades, the only zoom you really need will the stock lens you have and the prime lens for everyday shots

InsideInsurance

Strider590 wrote: »

"Better zoom" ?

Zoom is for wildlife, you'll get your best shots by getting in close, more real and less long distance voyeuristic.

Zoom isnt just for wildlife, its for any time where you cannot control the distance to your subject or in real life situations where you are going to be taking a variety of pictures where you dont want to be changing lenses every 10 minutes.

Also get away from the compact terminology and remember what the proper meaning of terms are. Zoom is simply a lens of variable focal length. A 10-24mm is a zoom lens but would be useless for any wildlife outside of the wildebeest migrations.

Indeed for most wildlife photographers they will use a prime (aka non-zoom) lens like a 400mm or 500mm telephoto lenses.


To the OP - in the ideal world a fixed focal length/ prime lens is best and gives you the most bang for your buck. Unfortunately most of us dont live in an ideal world and would rather sacrifice some picture quality in most photos -v- getting some better pictures and simply not being able to take some other pictures.

I'm afraid I am a canon person rather than Nikkon but my walkabout lens is a 24-105mm lens which when you factor in the 1.6 crop factor gives a reasonable range for most photos. I have a 70-200mm 2.8F for other purposes and indeed 500mm 4F non-zoom for wildlife, though it is a beast of a lens at over 3kg so only comes out for special occasions.:D

A._Badger

I completely disagree with the prime lens recommendation.

Unless you are making gigantic prints from your images - and I doubt a novice will be - then the level of sharpness you will get from a modern zoom lens is perfectly good enough.

You might also find a prime lens useful if you shoot wide open a lot - for example in very low light situations, but for general photography of the type I imagine you do, it simply isn't necessary.

For a beginner, something like an 18-200 could be very handy. Prices range from third party brands like Tamron and Sigma up to Nikon, in the region of £150-£600. Get the best you can possibly afford and make sure it has vibration reduction if at all possible - at longer focal lengths you will need it.

Try before you buy, though as a longer zoom will be a lot bulkier to carry around.

daveyjp

I have two Nikon zoom lenses. An 18-105 cheapy stock lens and a 70-300mm. Its a good crossover and the larger lens is still a manageable size. You can also pick up a used older generation 70-300 for about £90.

Strider590

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Zoom isnt just for wildlife, its for any time where you cannot control the distance to your subject or in real life situations where you are going to be taking a variety of pictures where you dont want to be changing lenses every 10 minutes.

The OP is s looking at spending over the value of the camera body is on a single lens, there are other things that offer bigger bang for buck, especially as OP is still new to DSLRs.

Strider590

Double post

Gloomendoom

A._Badger wrote: »

I completely disagree with the prime lens recommendation.

Unless you are making gigantic prints from your images - and I doubt a novice will be - then the level of sharpness you will get from a modern zoom lens is perfectly good enough.

You might also find a prime lens useful if you shoot wide open a lot - for example in very low light situations, but for general photography of the type I imagine you do, it simply isn't necessary.

For a beginner, something like an 18-200 could be very handy. Prices range from third party brands like Tamron and Sigma up to Nikon, in the region of £150-£600. Get the best you can possibly afford and make sure it has vibration reduction if at all possible - at longer focal lengths you will need it.

Try before you buy, though as a longer zoom will be a lot bulkier to carry around.

I agree, especially for travelling. In addition, not having to swap lenses means less chance of getting dust on the sensor.

ukcarper

Strider590 wrote: »

The OP is s looking at spending over the value of the camera body is on a single lens, there are other things that offer bigger bang for buck, especially as OP is still new to DSLRs.

I've used SLRs and DSLRs for many years and have not felt the need for a prime lens it all depends on what your interests are and I find the ability to frame a picture as I want very useful. Many people spend more on the lens than the body and as lenses don't change that much if you have a good lens you will probably keep it if you change bodies.