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New Lens?
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I just got the Nikon D70s with 18-70mm lens recently. Any advice/suggestions from more seasoned Nikon users regarding adding a new lens to this?
Which lens would you normally progress to from here? I would like to try some landscape photography….
My advice would be for you NOT to buy another lens for a while. The worst thing I did was rush out not long after I bought my D70 and bought a zoom lens. It’s the worst lens I have, I did very little research, didn’t REALLY need it.. complete waste of money. The kit lens is a pretty good lens all things considered and at 18mm it’s plenty wide enough for landscapes. I’d strongly suggest that you get used to your current lens and camera and only when you start noticing restrictions to you begin to start sniffing around new lenses. Apologies if this sounds condescending, I’d just hate for someone else to make the same mistakes I did.
Thanks for the advice Ciaran. Maybe I’ll hang onto the cash for a while, even though its burning a hole in my pocket!
I’ll see how long I can hold out. :roll:paperdoll wrote:
Thanks for the advice Ciaran. Maybe I’ll hang onto the cash for a while, even though its burning a hole in my pocket!
I’ll see how long I can hold out. :roll:If it’s really burning a hole in your pocket, you could always buy a new lens for me instead. I have a yen for the Zuiko ED 18-180 mm if you happen to be in an altruistic frame of mind…. 8)
Lol – I feel like a real meanie now, but NO Rob!
I am not allowed to purchase a new lens till I get to grips with the one I’ve already got!
You and me both!! I still have to get to grips with the packaging my camera came in :oops: Still, no harm in wishing….
I made the same mistake as Ciaran. I rushed out and bought a Sigma 170-500. It wasn’t what I needed at all. Luckilly I got good trade in on it 4 or 5 months later (on the second attempt) when I bought a much pricier replacement and an image tank.
joe_elway wrote:
I made the same mistake as Ciaran. I rushed out and bought a Sigma 170-500
I think a lot of new dslr owners make the same mistake. It’s so easy to want and hence think we need new equipment. Apart from the camera body itself, my initial purchases have all been the ones I have regretted most. For example..
Bought the camera, a 512 Meg card and a small camera bag (bag was a waste of money – reason to follow)
Rushed out and bought the 70-300mm. Knowing next to nothing about photography, let alone lenses – had to buy a new camera bag to fit it
Got TERRIBLE results with the lens and couldnt figure out why, but thought a monopod and head would help – bad purchase NO 3!!
With new accessories etc, the second camera bag I bought no longer held everything, so had to buy YET ANOTHER :shock:I could list other “duff” buys I’ve had to date, but it’s just way too embarassing. :oops:
With hind sight, I wish I hadnt have been in such a rush and had taken my time over a lot of the earlier purchases I made. I could have saved a lot of money as well as keeping the money back for better/higher quality equipment which I can now appreciate and use! So my advice again… slow down :) Wait until you really start feeling like your equipment is holding you back. Then start asking yourself “why”? And do your research before your hand over your hard earned cash.
Sensible advice Ciaran – I’m glad I asked the question now.
I have now calmed down and gone back to reading my latest purchase “Understanding Exposure” !
Incidentally, only yesterday afternoon I was lusting over Lowe-Pro camera bags! I guess I’ll hold off on that purchase also :lol:Oh look at that I’ve got a camera beside my name – looks like a kit lense on it too………..
ciaran wrote:
My advice would be for you NOT to buy another lens for a while. I’d strongly suggest that you get used to your current lens and camera and only when you start noticing restrictions to you begin to start sniffing around new lenses. I’d just hate for someone else to make the same mistakes I did.
I know you’re right in what you’re saying Ciaran, and it sounds like you made some pretty expensive mistakes along the way. Ouch! But it’s difficult as a beginner not to be overenthusiastic about having the best possible set up right away. So let me tug on your coat about my particular wants at the moment.
As mentioned earlier in this thread, I’m sorely tempted to rush out and buy the Zuiko ED 18-180mm/ f3.5-6.3 for myself. At present, I’m using the two kit lenses that came with the camera – 14-45mm and 40-150mm, but feel that the 18-180mm would be a good all round replacement lens for these two. As it is a fairly new addition to the range of four-thirds lenses available, there are not many reviews about, but those I have managed to find have placed it in the “excellent” range for its class. Any thoughts? I’d genuinely be interested in hearing your opinion on the matter because I could be swayed either way at the moment.
Its not really a mistake to want to rush out and but another lens after you get your dSLR. Its easy to get really enthusiastic and really quickly and thats a good thing. But Ciaran is essentially right and his posts are spot on, if you’re keen to improve, it might not be the best way forward just yet. We all get impatient and want to improve quickly. If you’re keen to part with your money, I’d recommend you get a tripod, buy a couple of books and a do few trips around the country.
EnjoyRob wrote:
ciaran wrote:
My advice would be for you NOT to buy another lens for a while. I’d strongly suggest that you get used to your current lens and camera and only when you start noticing restrictions to you begin to start sniffing around new lenses. I’d just hate for someone else to make the same mistakes I did.
I know you’re right in what you’re saying Ciaran, and it sounds like you made some pretty expensive mistakes along the way. Ouch! But it’s difficult as a beginner not to be overenthusiastic about having the best possible set up right away. So let me tug on your coat about my particular wants at the moment.
As mentioned earlier in this thread, I’m sorely tempted to rush out and buy the Zuiko ED 18-180mm/ f3.5-6.3 for myself. At present, I’m using the two kit lenses that came with the camera – 14-45mm and 40-150mm, but feel that the 18-180mm would be a good all round replacement lens for these two. As it is a fairly new addition to the range of four-thirds lenses available, there are not many reviews about, but those I have managed to find have placed it in the “excellent” range for its class. Any thoughts? I’d genuinely be interested in hearing your opinion on the matter because I could be swayed either way at the moment.
Rob, technically I don’t know anything about any of the lenses you mention, so I’m speaking more generically. Initially my advice would have to be NOT to buy the lens (I’m single handidly putting camera shops out of business :) ). The reason being is that apart from an extra 30mm on the telephoto end, it doesn’t buy you anything else apart from perhaps convenience. The joy of SLR’s is that lenses are interchangeable, so personally I’d be reluctant to buy a lens just because it combines the focal length ranges of other lenses in my bag at the moment. Now, if there are other advantages (speed, sharpness, better colour/contrast) that the lens offers, I may be tempted, but from the initial description it doesn’t sound like it. Think about it this way.. if you buy that lens, the other two are pretty much useless/wasted and would need to be sold to recoup some of the losses.
You’re right though. There is nothing wrong with enthusiasm (in fact it is to be encouraged) and I can understand perfectly the desire to have the best equipment possible. The problem is, when people are starting out, their enthusiasm usually leads them to making purchases where with hind sight they shouldn’t have done.
Fintan wrote:
If you’re keen to part with your money, I’d recommend you get a tripod, buy a couple of books and a do few trips around the country.
EnjoyI’d go with that. A good set of legs (tripod) will last you a lifetime, or so a veteran pro friend of mine says. Books are great for teaching you the basics (as are sites like this) and for ideas. An annual magazine subscription isn’t a bad idea either. Trips are fantastic. I’ll take a day trip every now and then and love getting out early on a Saturday morning. You go from getting one keeper shot a trip to a few and find your self understanding more and more. You’ll discover what you like to shoot and then you’ll understand what your future purchases should be.
You’re close to lots of interesting places (I’ve spent hours in Glasnevin Cemetry) so you’ve lots of places to shoot.
I’m suprised nobody’s mentioned the 50mm f1.8 prime. It’s often recommended as a second lens buy, because:
a) it’s cheap as chips (both Nikkor and Canon versions)
b) it’s fast, sharp as a razor, light and handy, great for low light (which the kit lens isn’t), portraiture with background blur (which the kit lens isn’t), and great discipline for composition (which the kit…. I think you get my drift ;) )Everybody should have a 50mm f1.8, even if it’s more of a 75mm on a Nikon digital. It’s still a lens that can do wonders where the kit lens can’t. And any lens that gets one off one’s fat arse and walking about to compose is A Good Thing ;)
I saw the phrase “many truly terrible shots are taken with 50s, but of all the good photos ever taken, surprisingly many of the truly great ones are also taken with 50s” (very heavily paraphrased). It’s because a 50 gives a very natural angle of view, similar to the human eye (which is why they were standard issue with 35mm cameras back in the day), and virtually every 50 ever made is a simple (5 or 6 element) yet optically very sharp and distortion-free lens.
I own two 50s, the Canon f1.8 mkII plastic fantastic, and the far better built Zuiko f1.4 (used full manual on the Canon via an adaptor). I love them both.
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