Developing a bag of lenses for my D80

[bmm]

I've just taken the step into the SLR world, and have ordered a D80 with the

18-200 VR as a general lens and also the 50mm f1.4D as my first prime. I have

also picked up the SB400 flash, a good tripod and some other accessories.

 

I chose the 50mm after looking carefully at the types of photos that I

preferred to take with my point and shoot cameras over the last few years.

Seemed like the 70-90mm focal length was a bit of a sweet spot.

 

Question that I'd like your thoughts on relates to going wider, which will

almost surely be my choice for next 1-2 lens purchases. Options:

 

1. 12-24mm f4.0 zoom (worried about speed) or 3rd party equivalents - and if

so which are really good?

 

2. Invest in a couple of wider, reasonably fast primes - if so which ones?

 

I have a slight bias towards primes rather than another zoom as my overall

philosophy - though I'm able to be persuaded otherwise - is to invest in good

primes with the 18-200 zoom becoming a backup after a couple of years of

sorting ut my preferred focal lengths.

 

Cheers!

[ronald_moravec1]

I would not buy lenses willy nilly. Use what you have until you figure it out.

 

Either that or rely on your previous film experience. If you liked something wider than

28mm, then you need something wider than 18 for your digi.

 

Wide shots can be stitched together and you get a better pic than with a wide lens.

[claude_batmanghelidj]

I would go a step further and say forget about the zooms altogether. They are big, slow and don't help you improve as a photographer.

 

I would get one prime, such as a 35, 50 or perhaps 20, 24 or 28 and just shoot with that alone for a while. Then, if you really need another lens get one more.

 

Seriously.

 

I was in Turkey last week, and look only a 20 and a 35. I ended up selling the 20 to one of our translators, and the 35 worked perfectly for the rest of the trip. In fact it was better than having a zoom.

[johnw63]

A lens is a tool, and each "job" has the right tool. Sometimes a prime lens is NOT the right tool. For instance. I was at the Grand Canyon, in January of this year. I brought a wide angle lens, a 24mm for my film camera, as I knew I wanted that to show as much of the scene as possible. But...I brought a zoom as well, and I'm glad I did. There are times when you want to single out a specific thing in a scene. With the zoom lens, you can do that without moving closer. Try moving closer with your feet, when your on the edge of the Grand Canyon !

 

The longer telephoto range zooms also do things with perspective you just CAN'T get with a short to midrange prime and don't weigh as much as a big fixed telephoto, which you may only use a few times in a day.

 

As many people have suggested to others, getting a zoom is not a bad idea, as long as it gets good ratings, and by montioring what range you use the most and learning where you NEED better optics, you can pick the lens or lenses you need with a lot more accuracy.

[Two23]

If you need a lens, you will know it. You won't be able to take the shots you want. I tend to only use single length lenses for night photos--I need the speed. They are harder to work with, increase the amount of dust getting into the sensor, and really don't seem to be better optically than a pro level zoom. I use the Sigma 10-20mm and recommend it highly. But then, I love ultrawide and use that lens more than any other. Don't get hung up on single length lenses unless you truly need the speed. They negate everything that is great about the D80--fast handling. Quality zooms allow you to get shots quickly, as they are happening. They can dramatically cut down on the load you carry with you, and the expense. I too use the D80.

 

--->let your photos tell you what lens you need, not guys on a message board.

 

 

Kent in SD

[bruce_margolis]

Bernard, I have the D80 and the 18-200 but I also have 6-7 other lenses. Each one has an intended purpose.

 

Will your 18-200 be wide enough/long enough? I don't know because everyone has a different style. My suggestion, spend some time working with your new gear before you run off and purchase something that may not suit your needs.

 

Oh, and I also have the Tokina 12-24. Losing a stop is a non-issue for me. If I need something faster, I have other lenses. I like it for landscape shots or when space is very tight or if I want to emphasize the foreground. Is it better than the Nikon 12-24? I have no idea but it works for me. YMMV. Try doing a search on PN and you will find lots of discussions about this and other lenses.

[Peter_in_PA]

Learn the two lenses you ordered first.

 

BUT... I'd think seriously about cancelling the 400 (if you still can) and getting an SB600. the

ability to bounce flash with a vertical shot is huge... Plus you can use a Sto-Fen diffuser and

stuff like that.

[kari v]

"1. 12-24mm f4.0 zoom (worried about speed)"

 

Sigma 10-20 is well liked and it's wider, with your crop that's 15mm vs. 18mm, see if you want it. I shoot my 17mm/3.5 (full frame) at f8 almost all the time. There are different shooting styles but I haven't heard people complaining that their ultra-wide is too slow. You can handhold 10mm at 1/15sec without IS.

[nickwhite]

Peter is right - forget the SB400 and get the SB600 instead!

 

Personally I would go further and dump the 18-200 in favour of the 18-70 in the Kit with the D80, which you are far more likely to use as a general carry round lens (even after updating your lens arsenal) and get better optics to cover the long end, as and when necessary! (that would also pay for the SB600 initially?).

 

I also agree with the others to hold off buying extra lenses till you know exactly what you need; when you do need to go wider I would highly recommend the Sigma 10-20mm which takes a great deal of beating!

[simon_hickie1]

My 18-200 has been on the front of my D80 since June & has not been off except for some testing. It meets 95% of my needs and allows me to travel light. For the other 5%, I've found the Sigma 10-20mm a fun lens to use. Other legacy film era lenses in my armoury include the 28-105mm (being kept for when Nikon bring out an affordable FX body + surprisingly good macro capability), a 50mm 1.8 (terrible at f1.8 to f2.8 on my copy), a 28-200G (which with the Sigma was my combo of choice before I got the 18-200) and finally the 18-70DX nikkor (which never really convinced me on the saturation and contrast front, although sharpness was OK).

 

I'd stick with the 18-200 for a few months & then see what you are missing that it cannot do. For me that would be macro and ultra wide-stuff. A bag full of primes means too much weight and lens changing from my tastes!

[studor13]

I use the Nikkor 18-35mm f3.5-4.5 for film and find that it is seriously wide. In fact too wide for what I want to do. I sometimes shot it side by side with the 18-70DX on my D70 which I find just right. If I really need wider I put the lens in the portrait position and take 5 frames and stitch them in CS3.

 

Notwithstanding distortion of interior shots at 18mm, the 18-70DX has plenty of everything. And if saturation is not enough, well, I mean just pump it up.

 

In the shot below I increased the reds a bit (hope it's not too much) and as for sharpness and contrast, it's all there.<div></div>

[bmm]

Guys, many many thanks for this. I've only been on this forum for a couple of weeks and to get so much advice for my first post - and in just a few days - is awesome.

 

In terms of my questions, looks like I will need to have a serious look at the Sigma 10-20 as a second wide zoom then, given the emerging consensus around that lens.

 

Still torn in terms of the long-term balance between focussing (excuse the pun) on the utility of a couple of good zooms versus building up to a set of great primes.

 

But as many of you have suggested, I'm going to learn what I've bought first and perhaps put a moratorium on further purchases for a year or so and once I've really looked at what sorts of photos I tend to take. I have the ideal opportunity as cousins competing at Beijing Olympics will mean some shopping time in China next August!

[alvin_lim5]

Bernard, got to agree with many of the posts. It really depends on the kind of photography that you are intending to do. If you can, rather than buying many zooms, save up and buy a few primes. It may cost more, but the quality is generally better.

 

Also, primes tend to make you think more about your composition. At times, I feel that my zooms just make me lazy.

 

Since yours is the D80, you might want to get a 35mm first (closest to a 50mm on a film equivalent you can get on a DSLR). From there, you might get a better idea on whether you need a wider or more telefocal lens.