buying a lens/es

[ae71]

i dont know WTF all this shit means.....

will be looking to buy a lens or lenses pending budget in the next week or so.

the one to get me started as below.. as far as i can tell this one will fit the camera i have (seller says it will too)

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180421748700&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

camera body is a nikon D40x

i figure i want a 18-55mm to start with, pref with a built in autofocus motor. then grab something like a 55-200mm as well.

Q's
1. what is "telephoto" "fish eye" and what do UV, polarising filters actually do??

2. "f3.5-5.6G VR " what does this mean?

3. nikon branded lenses seem to be the cheapest on the market, as with a lot of things you get what you pay for but i would have thought buying a genuine item would always be a good choice...?

4. what am i looking for to find compatible lenses for this model camera...? i figure i want a "nikon mount" and built in auto focus motor is i want that feature... but what else? will ALL nikon DSLR lens fit?

ta guys.

[n00bvak]

Missus has a d70s, she's looking around for lens' too. Not all nikkon lens' are ccompatable with all nikkon bodys, only the latest models have some sort of compatability. So you got to check before you buy.

- UV fiters do sweet FA on DSLR's (athough some people swear by them), they are good protection for the lens however.

-Polorising filter is good for taking outdoor shots, keeps the contrast nice, makes for less reflection from water or gloss paints, also good protection from flying rocks at the track. Not to be used indoors

- "f3.5-5.6G VR is the F-stop range, apparently the GF says that this is a standard kit lens you get with a camera, it basically says that this lens will show everything as sharp, from .28 metres to infinity. As you can proly tel, you will not be able to zoom much with this lens with a small focal length of 18-55mm. Other f-stops can be make the obect at the right distace be sharp and the fore and backgrounds be blured, making the object "pop". For more info you'll have to wiki f-stop, its really complicated. The AF at the start of that ebay lens name means that it is auto focus, the "s" is something to do with the shutter.

- Fish eye is a convex lens, like what is used on skate videos, as per below
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/1/2/9/28210.jpg

The genuine lenses are good, the more expensive ones have a larger finer ground lens, so the quality is a little better, but unless your a professional photographer, you really dont have to worry that much. Standard nikon ones will be fine.

Thats about the end of my knowledge. Good reference site http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/NikonD40/

[todd]

ahh i just started writing a long winded reply but i have to go out.
ill finish this for you later on.
but in the mean time, head to http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/camera-lenses.htm

thats a little bit of info if u can get your head around it, but ill update later with easier lamens terms haha cos i know alot of it can seem like BS.

:)

[ae71]

thanks for the noobvak. lots of answers that im looking for!

yeah i brought the body only, no lenses at all.

its actually this one http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/NikonD40X/

the update model of the D40... much the same i believe except 10mp instead of 6mp.

yeah was thinking that about the lenses, people say to buy "good ones" not chickenfeed spec but fark buying a billion dollar lens for what i want to do!


thanks toddy, long winded replays are great.

think my head is too clouded to absorb some of that, it does make some sense..

[todd]

i figure i want a 18-55mm to start with, pref with a built in autofocus motor. then grab something like a 55-200mm as well.

Q's
1. what is "telephoto" "fish eye" and what do UV, polarising filters actually do??

2. "f3.5-5.6G VR " what does this mean?

3. nikon branded lenses seem to be the cheapest on the market, as with a lot of things you get what you pay for but i would have thought buying a genuine item would always be a good choice...?

4. what am i looking for to find compatible lenses for this model camera...? i figure i want a "nikon mount" and built in auto focus motor is i want that feature... but what else? will ALL nikon DSLR lens fit?

okayyy :)

1.
Telephoto lens - basically a fancy name for a long zoom lens. the 'tele' bit basicly says it all, think of a telescope. allows you to get nice close up images whilst being a fair way away. and basically the higher the 'mm' length of the lens (100-500mm etc) the further the zoom will be. handy for things like motor sport/scenery/perving on shit really. and can be very expensive due to the number of glass elements within the lens.

Fish-eye or wide angle lens - (generally around 15mm) this is a common name for the opposite of a telephoto lens, whereby the lens itself is taking in light from a wide optical range (think instead of just focusing on something with our eyes in front of us, the angle of view increases to encompass things in our peripheral vision as well). these are often good for shooting things close up/not having much room to stand back from the subject, but will due to their convex nature, have a fair bit of distortion. just like noobvaks image above. some people like them, some people dont. and again, they can be very expensive.

UV Filter - A uv filter does exactly that, blocks UltraViolet light from entering the lens but ultimately does not alter the final product alot. however it is worth getting one to protect your lens at most times.

Positives # If the lens is dropped, the filter may well suffer scratches or breakage instead of the front lens element.
# One can clean the filter frequently without having to worry about damaging the lens coatings; a filter scratched by cleaning is much less expensive to replace than a lens.
# If there is blowing sand the filter may protect the lens from abrasion from sand.
Negatives
# Adding another element degrades image quality due to aberration and flare.

Polarising Filters - A polarizing filter, used both in color and black and white photography, filters out light polarized perpendicularly to the axis of the filter. This has two applications in photography: it reduces reflections from non-metallic surfaces, and can darken the sky. Essentially it works the same as if u had a pair of polarising sunglasses.

[todd]

2.
the 'F3.5-5.6G VR' that you will be seeing on the lenses you are looking at buying, is the Aperture range of the lens. Aperture itself is basically another way of controlling the amount of light coming through the lens along with the shutter speed.
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/graphics/tut_lenses_aperture.png
that picture describes what happens with each 'F stop'. the light being allowed to enter the camera and project onto the film is dictated by the size of the hole allowing it to enter. it can do a few things, but most of the time is reffered to as the higher the number, the more in the image that is in focus, when in comparison to a lower number, which means a larger hole, but less in focus (a short depth of field) works in just the same way as our eye does, in the dark our pupils get bigger letting in more light, and in the sun, they get small to combat the abundance of light.
When looking to buy a lens, the aperture value is pretty much what indicates if it is a good lense or not. the lower the number, the better the 'faster' lense. meaning for instance a 1.4f lens, it needs less light to produce the same picture as a lense that is rated at 5.6 for instance.
and the faster the lens, the more desirable, the more expensive.
and the VR indicated on that particular lense you are asking about, is used by Nikon only to indicate that it is an electronic 'Vibration Reduction' feature that allows you to shoot one or two stops down in shutter speed and reduce handshake or wobble.

edit: and the AF-S that was mentioned is nikons way of saying 'AutoFocus - Silent wave drive'.
it is good, but manual focus generally tends to get you better results if u have a keen eye.

[todd]

3.
nikon branded lenses (or sometimes Nikkor) are great value for money.
however i would try and steer away from the 'stock standard' lenses that come from factory on the cameras, as generally, they are inferior than the later 'aftermarket' nikon lenses. and always remember, it is the LENS THAT FORMS THE IMAGE, not the camera. so it is not always necessary to have a bigwad camera (although yes, it does help), but money is best spent on lenses.

for a slightly cheaper alternative to the nikkor lenses though, have a look at sigma.
they are making some 'on par' lenses to fit nikon's new range of dslr, and are slightly cheaper with good results/reviews from most.

[todd]

4.
yep u seem to have a grasp here :)
the d40 and the d40x dont have a provision for an internal auto focus drive, and therefore need the af-s or af-i branded nikon lenses with inbuilt autofocus drives if you want that feature.

and nikon dslr lens will mount to your d40/x.
even the older series of manual film lenses will mount to the Nikon DSLR's which is a good feature, as there are alot of good quality nikkor lenses to suit the manual slr's out there, however doing this will affect the focal length of the lens, and *may* cause aberration and vignetting or image fall off, but dont really need to get into that.


in summary (i have been doing too many uni assignments recently lol), figure out what type of images you will be shooting, and tailor your lens choice to that. if its alot of all around stuff, then go for an all around lense, or perhaps a couple if your budget allows, that will encompass basically all you would need.

Actually, check out the Nikon 18-200mm VR lens. its a winner, and has great reviews. probably the only lens you would need :)

[n00bvak]

Lens compatability details
------------------------------
Lens compatibility Type G or D AF Nikkor
• AF-S, AF-I
- All functions supported
• Other Type G or D AF Nikkor
- All functions supported except autofocus
• PC Micro-Nikkor 85mm f/2.8D
- Can only be used in mode M; all other functions supported except autofocus

• Other AF Nikkor*2/AI-P Nikkor
- All functions supported except autofocus and 3D Color Matrix Metering II
• Non-CPU
- Can be used in mode M, but exposure meter does not function; electronic range finder can be used if maximum aperture is f/5.6 or faster


• IX Nikkor

- Can not be used

[ae71]

1.

so any lens that has a zoom of more then 1x is telephoto.....?


2.

more expensive=bigger hole... (should be the other way around.... hahahaha)


3.

the nikon lenses from what i can find are actually cheaper then other brands including sigma. except for the 18-200mm, the sigma is quite a bit cheaper according to ebay.

yeah thats what i read, the quality of the photo is in the lens, not the body. hence why i went for a cheaper/older body...

4.

yes i have done some research at least. i did before buying the camera and i liked the reviews on it.

ill prob be doing a bit of all round with it. things like scenery/general outdoor, maybe some motorsport, few family snaps.

ebay says that the nikon 18-200mm is a little expensive ($950) while the sigma alternative is considerably cheaper at $600...

while buying a 18-55 and 55-200 equates to $440.. in the nikon brand.


thanks again noob-o

[todd]

1.

So any lens that has a zoom of more then 1x is telephoto.....?
Well nikon classify anything above a focal length of 85mm as a telephoto

2.

More expensive=bigger hole... (should be the other way around.... Hahahaha)
just lol

3.

The nikon lenses from what i can find are actually cheaper then other brands including sigma. Except for the 18-200mm, the sigma is quite a bit cheaper according to ebay.

Yeah thats what i read, the quality of the photo is in the lens, not the body. Hence why i went for a cheaper/older body...

:d :d

4.

Ebay says that the nikon 18-200mm is a little expensive ($950) while the sigma alternative is considerably cheaper at $600...

While buying a 18-55 and 55-200 equates to $440.. In the nikon brand.

Read some of the reviews on both those lenses and then make your choice. 18-200 should be good for just about anything you need to do :)


gangstaaa

[skizzamods]

Grr im stuck!

do i want sigma 70-200 2.8
or the nikkor 18-200

both have good reviews and all

anyone here used both lenses?

[todd]

depends if u have a decent shorter length lens.

id go the sigma if u did. 2.8 would be sick nuts.
or get a fixed length short lens ftw.

[skizzamods]

yea ill probs be going the 2.8, been saving for it for a while now

i need a short length lens too but can also upgrade that at a later date.

55-200 kit lens is so soft at 200.. so i need something decent in that range ay

[todd]

yeah those kit lenses suck. my 18-55 has gone to shit only after a little while. doesnt zoom nicely, and the focus is sticky.
when i can get some funds that i havnt spent on my car, going to get a fixed 50mm and possibly that same sigma. if u get it, let me know how it goes :)

[ae71]

why are the short length fixed lenses like 400~500...?? got a big light hole in them perhaps?

[todd]

i think because they are the easiest the make, they have the least number of glass elements, and the glass in them is easier to make than the stuff in some of the larger/more intricate lenses.
and the less elements, the faster the lens can be. nikkor make a 50mm 1.8 which is pretty friggen quick. also make a 2.4 or something close which isnt as good, but still pretty awesome.

and of course they dont have any zoom mechanism :D

[ae71]

Sigma Lens 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC Macro HSM (built-in motor for Nikon)

what about one of em for $200? rrp is about $520

[todd]

yeah at 200 bucks new you cant really complain.
just be careful that buying 'grey imports' through ebay, usually will result in no warranty unless the seller is decent and offers their own. as grey imports aren't covered by sigma australia. but you probably already know that etc... just something to keep in mind.

i cant find many reviews for the HSM model, although there are plenty around for the older version without the HSM, and it seems to be on par with what i am using on my d200 at the moment (nikkor 18-70mm 3.5-4.5 DX).

[ae71]

looks like that fell threw because the dodgy kent wanted a deposit before he would do COD and it had a rather strong smell of rat about the whole thing lol.

oh,

SD card, they all seem much the same quality? nothing wrong with the cheap ones?

[todd]

sometimes the cheaper ones can be a little slower than the more expensive ones, but its really just the same shit.better off spending more to get more cards, than alot on one good one with half the memory.

[AwesumaPowa]

yea ill probs be going the 2.8, been saving for it for a while now

i need a short length lens too but can also upgrade that at a later date.

55-200 kit lens is so soft at 200.. so i need something decent in that range ay

Don't bother with Sigma. Save your dosh and buy genuine Nikon.

[skizzamods]

Don't bother with Sigma. Save your dosh and buy genuine Nikon.

sooooo expensive! like $3,000 vs $800

probably makes up in quality, but still!!

whats the difference between the

Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED and Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II Lens

[todd]

yeh but skizza, 3000 is top of the line nikon. best lenses available.
an 800 sigma will no where near compare in quality. its like comparing d2 to cusco. u get what u pay for.

not sure on the differences, but research the 'ED' and 'IF-ED' acronyms and that will be able to tell you.
also the VR II is the newer version of the vibration reduction. it works better.

[skizzamods]

on the topic of comparing things its like comparing Passion Pop to Moët

hmm.. yeah the 'IF-ED' is about $400-$500 cheaper.. probably just the older version, may look into it.. see if thats worth the moooneys

EDIT: Been reading reviews on this 'IF-ED' version, and it seems to be the way to go over the sigma any day. I also read that there is a large gap in quality between the sigma and these two lenses

[todd]

skizza on da money!

[skizzamods]

time to start saving!

[puzzle man]

http://d40xd60.wikidot.com/second-lens

[ae71]

btw, those crappy ebay chinese POS SD cards are junk. used one i brought for the first time, formatted started shooting, got back home took more pics of something... then fail, PLEASE FORMAT MEMORY CARD!!!!!!!!

fucking pissed i jumped on ebay and got my money back, id say a lot dont work. bloody chinese dodgy bastards.

[skizzamods]

damn that sucks man. hows the camera going though?

my latest news: i found a canon super 8 video camera for $10, whether it works or not im not fussed because it looks cool haha. would love to shoot some 8mm film though!

and on my way to the nikon 70-200 2.8!!

[todd]

sucks about the card man, must be a bit hit and miss with the chinese cards.
if you want a no fuss and fast card, check out the SanDisk Ultra stuff.
thats all i have ever used, and probably ever will as i have never had an issue with them.
also always recommended at good photography shops.
can be pricey through a dealer, so use ebay :) half rrp ftw

skizza let me know how the 70-200 2.8 goes.

[45KIDS]

if you want a no fuss and fast card, check out the SanDisk Ultra stuff.
thats all i have ever used, and probably ever will as i have never had an issue with them.

same here. never had any problems.

been thinking pritty hard about a fisheye lately. i shoot 90% bmx/skate stuff so it would be handy. but im kind of sick of seeing fisheye shots in every second page of a skate mag!

[todd]

yeah, they are expensive, but i find it would be like a fun thing to be using at first, but would get old very very quickly.
you can only shoot so many fish eye shots before u get sick and tired of them.

better off getting something wide without too much distortion. and quick of course :)

[45KIDS]

yeah i have a mate who shoots for bmx press, 2020 etc. didnt shoot with a fisheye for 4 years then he bought one and now its almost all he uses. it ruined his style i reckon.

basically with a fisheye there will never be style. as theres a limit of angles etc you can use it for.

what wide angle lense would you recomend, is for a canon aswell.

post some of your med format work todd :)

[todd]

yeah fisheye is so 'this way or nothing' if that makes sense.
very limiting, and for the outlay i don't think it's worth it.

i dont have a scanner to do my medium format work justice lol. when i go back to uni in march ill try get it happening, they have a neg scanner there that suits 120 film.

ill get back to you on the canon lens in a bit.

[skizzamods]

will do about the 2.8 todd

yeah I have the sigma 8mm fisheye, jeez it hasnt been used in a while!

I found it cool at the time I first got it, shot with it for aaages, and now slowly stopped. In saying that, I'm going to whip it out again soon.

Can you straighten a fisheye shot? Could make for some cool panoramic shots

[ae71]

ah well serves me right for being a tight arse with the card. im still using my 1gb mirco card that used to be in my phone lol. have to go to den den town and check a few prices. should be able to pick up a decent card or two cheaply but i dont shoot that much.

camera is going well thanks oscar, really surprised of the battery life. i have only had to charge it twice so far and thats with a few flicks and playing around. i still dont really have that much idea what im doing with it but oh well.

really frustrating with this lens though, its great for shooting at shit like cars etc but its no good at all for buildings/scenery etc. i did try tking a series of photos to join together in photoshop but i dont have photoshop at the moment to try mashing them together.

[skizzamods]

I tested the nikon 70-200 out today and fuuuuuck yeah its good!
Halfway there $$ wise, but after today I have the inspiration to save some more haha

[ae71]

i wants one too!

a standard 18~55mm would be ace

[skizzamods]

when im almost ready for the 70-200 ill sell my 55-200 standard lens