fave camera lens??

lizzyfizzy

lizzyfizzy

New member
ok, ladies. i'm calling on all of the powers of the camera universe for lens help. i did end up getting my d60. yay! i have no clue how to use it and i want to get a couple lenses to further confuse the situation. :blink:

a few questions...:) thank you in advance!

1. what is your fave lens?

2. why is it your fave?

3. what does it do...what kind of photos do you use it for?

4. how much did it cost approx.?

5. do you order lenses online? if so, where is the best place to shop.

please feel free to add any important info as i am about as smart as a baby elephant when it comes to SLR's. :D

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oooo. also. are any of these good? what do they do...i know i ask a lot from you. :)

Tamron Zoom Telephoto AF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 LD Macro Autofocus Lens $ 129.95

Normal AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D Autofocus Lens $ 109.95

Zoom Normal-Telephoto 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED AF-S DX $ 154.95

Tamron Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto AF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 $ 59.95
 
Last edited:
woot! The baby elephant comment cracked me up :)

1. what is your fave lens?
My 50mm f1.8 stays on my D80 95% of the time. If I really start pursuing photography I'll be wanting to get a 50mm f1.4 or f1.2. That's pro stuff right there, lol.

2. why is it your fave?
I love the clarity it gives, the depth of field it offers when wide open (f1.8). It's not a "snapshot" lens. Since it's a prime it's "always zoomed" so I have to move around to get the shot I want. But it's not a wide angle (like at 18mm) so I can focus on the details. I love using it for portrait shots.

3. what does it do...what kind of photos do you use it for?
I use it for just about everything. With it's wider aperature (f1.8) I can use it in low light situations inside, but it's also fantastic outside. I like using it for portraits and getting that "soft around the edges" feel from the shallow depth of field it offers.

4. how much did it cost approx.?
Erm....like $110 I think?

5. do you order lenses online? if so, where is the best place to shop.
I bought mine from Amazon. B&H is awesome too. I bought my camera kit at a Ritz store. Amazon, B&H, Ritz, and Adorama are your best bets. They have very competitive prices, great customer service. If you find a lens elsewhere for WAY cheaper, it's probably scam.

Personally, I would just play with what you've got for a bit. It's way too easy to get sucked into thinking "I need this to be a better photographer". I got a DSLR because my point and shoot was limiting me. When I did get it, I jumped straight into manual shooting and I've never looked back. Knowing what I was doing in manual mode was important, because when I couldn't "get" what I wanted out of a shot/lens I knew it was mostly because of the lens (just a kit lens) I was using when I first got it. I was trying to get shallow depth of field wtih my 18-55, which was really hard to do because when I was wide open, I was overexposed no matter how fast my shutter speed was, and when I stopped down to try again (or zoomed in) there wasn't enough light coming. That's why I live for my 50mm. There are so many more options available to me with that lens to get what I want out of it :) Just my 50 cents ;)
 
Congrats on your d60!!! I have a d50 and love it!

So far, I have the lens that came w/ my kit (18-55 mm; f/3.5-5.6), my 50 mm (f/1.4), and my 55-200 mm (f/4-5.6).

Okay, your questions:
1. what is your fave lens? I'm loving my 50; it's my newest, but I'm still most comfy on my 55-200.

2. why is it your fave? Probably because I've been using it longer, lol!

3. what does it do...what kind of photos do you use it for? I like it because I can get really great shots without being right on top of the action. However, it's not super fast or very good in low light. This is why I got my 50 - very fast, very good in low light.

4. how much did it cost approx.? I think around $300, not sure 'cause my dh bought it. My 50mm was just under $300 (more $$ for an f/1.4 vs. f/1.8).

5. do you order lenses online? if so, where is the best place to shop. I got my 50 from B&H online. I was very happy w/ their service and the product.
 
I have a Nikon D40, and I really like the Nikon Zoom Normal-Telephoto 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED AF-S DX with VR. I got a refurb for about $160 and it works great! I like to be able to shoot from a distance and fill the frame, so I love it.
 
1. what is your fave lens? This is a toss up for me. I love my 50mm for portrait stuff (like Col said, it's not a snapshot lense) and I love my Tamron 55-200mm for everything else

2. why is it your fave? I love the clarity of the 50 mm and the verstility of the Tamron

3. what does it do...what kind of photos do you use it for? Like I said, I like the 50mm for portrait type stuff... the Tamron I use more for candids.

4. how much did it cost approx.? My 50 cost me around $75 I think... my Tamron was over $300

5. do you order lenses online? if so, where is the best place to shop. B&H Photo... they are awesome!
 
Tamron Zoom Telephoto AF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 LD Macro Autofocus Lens $ 129.95
Normal AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D Autofocus Lens $ 109.95
Zoom Normal-Telephoto 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED AF-S DX $ 154.95
Tamron Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto AF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 $ 59.95

Ok. So a Tamron is considered an "after market lens" (I think). That just means it's not made BY Nikon or Canon or whoever.

That being said, I've heard really great things about Tamron's for the amatuer/semi-pro. They are less expensive because they aren't Nikon or Canon, and that makes it a great lens to learn with. Then, if you want to further your photography or go pro, you can save up the money to get the really good nikon or canon for your camera.

The 75-300, 55-200, and 28-80 are all zoom lenses. This is because they, you guessed it, can zoom. The 50mm is called a prime, because it's a fixed focal length - you're always shooting at 50mm.

A 75-300 or 55-200 are good for outdoors when you want to capture the moment without being RIGHT on top of it. I have a Quantaray 55-200 (free with my camera kit). It's ok, but once you get to 200mm you really need some sort of image stabilization (VR for Nikon lenses) to make sure you dont' get any blur. I used it at my brothers graduation and found myself wishing I could zoom more. In the future I'll get something that goes to 300mm.

The 28-80mm is a nice mid range lens. You can get semi-wide angle shots with the 28mm end, or get some nice close ups with the 80mm end. I'm renting a $1500 24-70mm f2.8 lens for my girlfriends wedding next weekend. It's the talk of ilovephotography.com so I'm excited to try it out. It'll be ages before I can afford to buy it myself, so I love that I could rent it :)
 
PS~Kresta, I'm jealous! I totally wish I had just gotten the f1.4 on my 50mm, lol. Now I'm lusting for it but I can't justify buying it yet!
 
I have the same lenses as Kresta, except that my 50mm is a f1.8, I think? I got it from b&h photo for like $90. My kit lens is still on my camera 90% of the time because I'm mainly taking shots of the kits. If I'm not using my kit lens I'm using the 50mm. I haven't had much occasion to use the zoom yet, although I really want to use it.
 
From my understanding, yes it does have more zoom. But as the number goes higher you are losing some of the wide angle.

I have the kit lens and 50mm 1.8. I am getting the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 (for Canon) around $350 soon.
 
1. what is your fave lens? nikon 18-200 vr

2. why is it your fave? because I don't have to change lenses :) I like both close up and entire scene photos, and I'd rather not be swapping lenses and missing shots.

3. what does it do...what kind of photos do you use it for? wide angle (at the 18mm end) for landscapes and getting the whole room. at the zoom end (200mm) I can get great close ups from across the room. What I do sacrafice a bit with this lens is the higher aperature (the lowest it goes is 3.5-5.6 compared to the popular 50mm's 1.8). But because I am not shooting in dark conditions much, I don't mind.

4. how much did it cost approx.? $680

5. do you order lenses online? if so, where is the best place to shop.
I've ordered from Amazon, B&H video & Adorama.
 
lizzyfizzy said:
oooo. also. are any of these good? what do they do...i know i ask a lot from you. :)

Zoom Normal-Telephoto 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED AF-S DX $ 154.95
Click to expand...

I used to have this lens but with the VR (vibration reduction) feature. I would highly suggest if you go with this lens to pay a bit more and get the one with VR. The VR turns off and on, and I did some samples with and without it, and the difference was really noticeable. The non-VR shots were quite blurry from camera shake.
 
1. what is your fave lens?
My 55-250mm

2. why is it your fave?
It is a freakin' awesome lens! Its perfect for everything especially since my main subject is a toddler that will not sit still lol. It is also very sharp and I love it.

3. what does it do...what kind of photos do you use it for?
Everything! Seriously, look at this detail
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anna3003/2863491362/
I also use it just for regular portraits although my 60mm macro is my fav for those. Here is the 55-250 taking pics of my girl
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anna3003/2862664853/

4. how much did it cost approx.?
Um, I think it was about $250?

5. do you order lenses online? if so, where is the best place to shop.
I have only ordered lenses online all from Amazon- they have great prices!
 
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/ - this is a TERRIFIC site for reviews of all kinds of camera equipment.

It was that site, and www.ilovephotography.com that convinced me to buy the Tamron 28/75 f/2.8 for my Canon.

It's my every day lens that I use for everything, except sports, for which I have a 100-300 lens.

I paid about $400 for it and got it from B&H.

The faster the lens, the more expensive it is going to be.
 
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