Can't afford fast lens, should I overexpose for now??

[randall_pukalo]

These questions, though they are good to ask, are scary...I hope the upcomming shoots are "Pro Bono" and the clinets sre not expecting Pro results....I admire your eagerness for advice, but you have a lot of learning to do.

[mt4x4]

<blockquote>

<p>great book is Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I have this book. Although I'm not sure which edition because it is from back in the film days. Either way, all of the concepts are essentially the same. Yes, it is highly reccomended. I beleive I got my copy for $7 used...a very good investment.<br /> <br /> It is always worthwhile to check Amazon.</p>

[robert_delaurentis1]

<p>Here are some thoughts, loosely joined....</p>

<p><br /> I share your wish to have a faster lens, but budget makes it tough. It would be easier to make suggestions if you provided a little more detail on the situation - there is a big difference between head and shoulders portraits and room-size dance floor wedding shots. The good news is that it you can do a lot with the gear you already have.<br /> To make the SB600 sing, try a Lumiquest softbox and or a bounce card. That will take the hard edge of your flash. Take some time to explore the strobist.blogspot.com site for details. Also, you might want to experiment with rear-curtain sync.</p>

<p>http://strobist.blogspot.com/2008/09/by-request-lumiquest-softbox-iii.html<br /> http://www.lumiquest.com/buy.htm</p>

<p>It would also be advantageous when the SB600 flash is not mounted on the camera. This is easier to do than to explain how.</p>

<p>These pages have details...<br /> http://www.nikonians.org/nikon/d200_and_cls/d200_and_cls_6.html<br>

Google Nikon CLS SB600 for still more.</p>

<p>Next, on the camera itself, go into the Flash settings menu and switch it to commander mode. Now, when the popup flash fires, the SB600 will add light to the exposure. You can do some dramatic effects this way, esp if you have a helper to hold the flash.</p>

<p><br /> That covers more light. There are other options. Try boosting the ISO to 400 or 800 or better still, Auto-ISO - an f3.5 lens at ISO 800 is about as quick as an f1.8 lens at ISO 200. Faster ISOs will add noise, but that is less of a problem than bad exposure. And the Nikons bodies can perform very well there.</p>

<p><br /> As far as fast lenses go, the D60 is limited to lenses with built-in focus motors - that means an AF-S lens. Nikon has recently released a fast 35 mm 1.8 AF-S DX G lens for $199. There are also lens rentals, try lensrentals.com or if you're in s. calif, samys camera. (A good choice would be the 17-55 f2.8 DX.)</p>

<p><br /> As far as techniques, the lens you have will be faster if you keep it wider, so as much as practical, in low light, look to avoid zooming in. Turn off vivid when shooting people - it kills skin tones. Adding flash will make them worse. If you shoot raw, don't worry as all those picture settings only apply when the camera is creating JPEGs (except for the exceptions, like CaptureNX).</p>

<p><br /> This is a bit more advanced, but try experimenting with spot metering, and use the focus sensor right on the subject's eye - that will meter just the face and you'll get some experience with that a good exposure numbers are for a face under a given light.</p>

<p><br /> Get Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure book, its great. One last bit of advice. While good books are out there (another is The Photographer's Eye by Michael Freeman) the best way is to read a little and experiment a lot. Learn how to read the image's EXIF data so you can see what the settings were used on a given image. Playful experimenting will teach far more than any book.</p>

<p><br /> Enjoy!<br /> Bob</p>

[andrewdryburgh]

<p>Christina - I want second that motion for the purchase of the 50mm f/1.8AF. I'm pratically in the same boat you are. I too have a D60, and like you, I'm new to the DSLR/SLR world of photography (picked mine up in late November). I also wanted a fast prime on the cheap. I was fully aware that the 50mm would not auto focus w/ the D60, but I said "what the hell" and picked it up anyway. I'm not sure if you are aware, but when manual focusing, the camera will let you know when the subject on your focus point is in focus (a little green dot appears in the bottom left-hand corner of your view finder). If you want to see this in action, just set your camera to "manual focus" via the camera menu, and move the switch on your kit 17-55g 3.5-5.6 lense from "A" to "M". This will give you an idea. Its not as hard as it sounds, especially when the camera cues you in when its in focus (check your manual for more details). Sure, this method isn't going to get you much with fast moving subjects, but as you stated you need it for some portrait shoots, you should be ok (I'm assuming your subjects will have minimal movement). Hell - I use it all the time on my kids (ages 2.5 yrs & 11 months). They never stop moving, but I still am able to get some great (in my humble opinion) shots. I've posted an example. I love to use it wide open.</p>

<p>I really recommend the lense. Can't beat the price, and the manual focus really helps you "become one" with the camera - it will teach you a lot!</p><div></div>

[carlwakefield]

<p>Christina you should just use the camera and flash you have I would not even put a diffuse on it. If you tip the top 45% to straitght up with the white plastic card out some light will be thrown forward even out side. If you shoot you portraits at your smallest appeture ? 5.6 at 55mm then you just need to move in close enough to fill the frame with your subject as you would like to see it. You get defuse light outside when the sun is shining and you stand you subject under a big tree in the shade. You will still get a blurred background if there is a field of nothing behind him. Or dandylions or poppies ect. The background is important but it can be many things. Out of focus fields or a dark area behind the tree of very deep shadows. You have two light sources. 1 the sun it does not have to be shinning on your subject but it throws the main light. 2 your flash as fill. You can for example set your camera to to AV 5.6 look what time it gives you. then choose the ISO that brings the time to approx 1/125 sec. Now with your flash you can even point it straight as you subject but you can set it on the flash to say -1 or -2 ect just look at you pics and see if you want more or less fill light from the flash. You can straighten you flash straight up and point the end in a hand held reflector that bounces indirect light on your subject. I would just use what you have got and experiment. Best is if you have a friend that also fotographs and practice together. You will get super results with a lens that does 5.6 when you have a flash you will find F8 and F11 also very good. A fast lens is great but its not the only solution.</p>

[indraneel]

<p>If you do not have one already, get a white balance card. It works wonders, especially for subtle colors like skin tones in questionable lighting.</p>

[bsd230]

<p>Using your flash or getting the 50mm 1.8 are great alternative. The 50mm is a sharp, fast lens and a great full length portrait lens. I still refer back to that book I mentioned earlier. It's about the closest thing to getting to walk around with a big time pro and have them explain how they set up every shot and why.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>According to Christina, the OP:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>The 50 1.8D is definately a bargain, but I wouldn't have a good time without the autofocus on it. and I think my D60 only works with a G, right? However, I'm not sure what the E series is. Sounds like it's the same as the D though.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>She has already made it clear that she does not want a 50mm/f1.8 AF-D since it cannot AF on her D60.</p>

<p>BTW, the D60 is not limited to G lenses (no aperture ring). It is fully compatible with all AF-S (and AF-I) lenses; a lot of the older AF-S lenses have the aperture ring.</p>

<p>However, since the D60 has no AF motor inside, you will have no AF if the lens doesn't have an AF motor built in; i.e. not AF-S.</p>

<p>Series E lenses are Nikon's economy AI-S lenses from the 1980's. Those are all manual focus without CPU. On the D60, the are naturally all manual focus and with no metering.</p>

[eco_foto]

<p>The reason I recommended the 50 E series over the 50 D series is the D is built as an auto focus lens and is sloppy & not as well damped,as the 50 E series which was made for only manual,which alows for much better control.I.M.H.O</p>

[r_johnston]

<p ><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=5143080"></a></p>

 

<p>'Ok. So, then it seems maybe I'm going down the wrong avenue for results. Maybe a new, better, faster lens really isn't what I need at this point. Maybe I need to focus and just better understand and improve on just exposure in itself.'<br>

You have already learned what it takes some many years to learn.<br>

Knowledge of your equipment is much more important to get what you want.<br>

Many spend decades buying more expensive camera's and lenses, only to find they get no better results with them. They still must learn to use the camera settings to improve their work. The brain is the most important tool a photographer has.</p>

 

[christina_santavicca]

<p>Robert, I absolutely agree. Thank you for the encouragement :))) I had recently purchased the book "Mastering Digital Flash Photograpy - the complete reference guide" by Chris George, and hadn't read it yet. Soo.. my heads into that now. </p>

[josephbraun]

<p>you can also check out luminouslandscape.com to learn the basics.. before you delve into flash.</p>

[stevenseelig]

<p>Add light or rent a faster lens or both.<br>

I would not buy a 'just ok' lens for a shoot. Your lens buying should focus on deciding which lens you eventually want and then start saving for them. Camera bodies will change, but lens are 'for life'... almost....</p>