New to dSLR - Lens kit recommendations?

[ralf_strandell]

Hi,

 

I need some help in selecting a lens kit for my first (d)SLR (probably

a D70). I want it to be good from the beginning.

 

Background

 

I have taken about four thousand pictures with a pocket sized Konica

Revio APS camera since 1996. Now (2005) I have finally decided to

upgrade to digital mostly because the scanned images look a lot better

(saturation, contrast, brightness, shadows etc) on a high quality CRT

than on paper. I'm also not very happy with the unpredictability of

prints. The camera left something to be desired, too: low-light

performance and wideangle beeing the biggest problems. I shoot for

fun, not professionally. I'm still prepared to pay for quality optics.

 

Previous camera

 

- APS 24-48mm f/4.0-7.6 lens (30-60mm equiv. for 35mm film)

 

- I used ISO 800 film almost allways

 

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First need: indoors, wide angle

 

1) I want a wider angle of view (+zoom) for indoors/close range

shooting: wider than 24mm (or 30mm equivalent) - without moving into a

barrel. I like to shoot in available light (in homes, for example) and

hence the lighting could be relatively dim. I don't want more noise,

though, than the average ISO 800 APS film gives and I just hate the

colourful noise that I have seen some cheap digicams add to images.

 

Problem: I have used nothing else than 24-48 previously. How wide

should I go? Is a 17mm- zoom a noticeable improvement over 24mm or

should I go wider? Would anything wider than 17mm be too distorted for

indoors shooting? What speed recommended? DX 17-70mm f/4 or DX 17-55mm

f/2.8 or DX 12-24mm f/4? Other than Nikkor lenses?

 

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Second need: night life, night landscapes

 

2) I need a fast prime lens for those really dark indoors scenes (like

nightclubs or similar and dark winter evenings outdoors). Maybe some

moderate wide angle at f/1.4 Which ones would you recommend? This

would be a special-occasion lens used only when needed.

 

These two above mentioned lenses would be my "evening outfit".

 

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Third need: travelling

 

3) Travelling: Landscapes and nature, cities and buildings, people.

The occasional strange bird. The usual stuff. I'm not going bird

watching, though (usually) so I don't want to carry a heavy super

tele. A maximum of three lenses. Maybe the two other lenses mentioned

above (wide angle zoom and fast lens) and a longer but light &

portable VR zoom?

 

Any ideas for a nice and portable kit? Any help would be greatly

appreciated. Thanks.

[bwcombs]

Ralf, you are going to get a plethora of recommendations. And

rightfully so, as what you intend your photography to do for you is

different from everyone else.

 

But you have defined a lot of parameters in your style that should

narrow the choices.

 

With the D70, the kit lens (18-70mm) is a great addition. It will

work in any general situation, including as a great travel lens.

 

I supplemented that lens with a 35mm f/2 to use as a fast

normal lens. I find it is on the D70 most of the time. Look at the

50mm f/1.8 as well, as it is fast, very sharp and very affordable.

 

And on the large zoom end, I love the 80-200mm f/2.8 AFED. It is

a monster, but the speed and sharpness of this lens make it

worthwhile.

 

I have found that any situation is covered by those lenses. I am

not a pro, but thoroughly enjoy the hobby, and know that

bottomless pockets would be nice, but not too realistic.

 

If you have the money, look at the faster wide to normal zooms

that Nikon offers. They are nice, but very pricey.

 

Enjoy the D70. You'll love it.

[scott_mcloughlin]

You're shooting needs are well thought out, and different than mine (I shoot primes: 24/35/45/50/85).

 

Consider: 12-24/f4 for wide needs, the nice kit zoom, and the 50/1.8 (cheap, light, fast, surgically sharp, a little reach on the D70).

 

Also consider the wonderful SB800 flash. I'm in love with this flash unit.

 

Good deals: D70, kit zoom, 50/1.8

Set you back a little: 12-24, SB800

[walterh]

I second scotts recommendation but it all depends on the money you want to spend. the wide F2.8 zooms are all great lenses including the DX ones but: very expensive. If not too expensive for you I would get any of these newer designs.

[klix]

Get a D70 with the 18-70mm kit lens. Shoot it. Shoot it a lot. When your needs outgrow the kit lens, THEN buy an additional lens.

[craig_bridge]

The 18-70 kit zoom isn't that great at the wide end (and about the same wide end FOV as your APS 24mm). The 17-55 is a great lens, expensive, but really isn't enough wider.

 

The 12-24 f/4 DX is a great lens but expensive!

 

For low light, a 50mm f/1.8 AFD is the price/performance leader but it is effectively a 75mm portrait range tele lens. A 35mm f/2 is another price/performance standout and is effectively a normal lens.

 

Excellent, longer, light, portable VR zoom don't co-exist. The 70-200 f/2.8 VR is heavy but it is excellent. The 80-400 f/4.5-5.6 VR is very capable lens that will get you into bird range, but it isn't small. The 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6 VR is a step down in length and quality, but a step up in portability.

 

I don't think you can do all you say you want to do with a 1.5x crop DSLR with 3 lenses that are very portable. A 12-24 f/4 DX, a 24-120 f/3.5-5.6 VR, and a 50 f/1.8 or 35 f/2 might come the closest, but there are compromises that you might discover you don't like.

 

If I were you, I'd buy the D70 with the 18-70 f/3.5-4.5 and use it for a while. See what you think about ISO 1600 and 3200 in low light. See what you think about the 35mm and 50mm zoom positions for FOV choice for a low light lens. Figure out how much wider you want by panning. Figure out how much longer you want by cropping the image. And figure out how much you are willing to pay in cost and size/weight to extend your capabilities.

[larry n.]

Ditch the 18-70mm kit lens. It's the only lens I have every used that I can see flaws with the naked eye. To be sure, it's a sharp lens, but the amount of light fall-off is huge unless stopped down, and the amount of wavy distortion (at all f-stops) is astonishing.