jason j

My Dream Kit on a Budget (*two down, three to go):

 

Tokina 12-24mm f/4 $500

 

Nikon 50mm f/2.8 $100*

 

Nikon 18-200mm VR $750

 

Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 $700*

 

Nikon 70-300mm VR $500

 

I shoot mostly kids playing and people working, so I keep it simple.

Congratulations on your assignment. Ken gave you great advice. My children are 6 and 9, so I have been able to practice photographing dozens of birthday parties over the past few years with a D70s, and parents have appreciated receiving better-than-average photos afterwards.

 

As Ken and Eric say, keep it simple in terms of equipment. An 18-55 will work fine. However, for indoor parties, I use a 50mm 1.8 and use my feet to zoom in and out. My favorite all purpose lens is a 28-200mm ED 3.5-5.6G and 70-300G for well-lit parties. A recent addition is a SB-400 flash unit, which worked quite well at a party last weekend. As for a VR lens, I wonder if that will give you sharp backgrounds and blurry children? What you have will work, just be in the right place at the right time and shoot at kid level.

 

Birthday parties, like most ceremonies, have a rhythm that lends itself to changing lenses and pre-positioning. As you probably already know, make sure you get shots of (1) signs that show where the party is happening, (2) family portraits, (3) guests arriving, (4) kids playing and engaging in other activities, (5) the birthday cake before it is lit, as it is lit, after it is lit, (6) the guest of honor while he or she makes his or her wish, and as she or he is blowing out candles on the cake. (This is where a fast lens without flash can be useful. Candlelit children joyfully blowing out birthday candles on cakes make parents happy.) (7) Presents - before, during, and after opening, and finally (8) guests and hosts leaving. Most of all, get candid photos of everyone - alone, in groups, and with the birthday child.

 

Good Luck!

Why don't you like the 28-200? Which one do you have? I just sold my D-version, it was too slow, but I enjoy my G-version. I also use the 18-55 and 50mm a great deal on a D70s to shoot kids. The 18-200 VR covers a wide range, but I needed faster glass for fast moving kids. Good luck with your 18-70 and 50mm.

Thanks everyone for all the information. Shun, the old thread was especially helpful. I have used my 50mm 1.8 to shoot school plays, but I like being able to change focal length without changing lenses. An acquaintance had the 80-200 2.8 for sale, but all except the most recent version are available on EBAY for about $400. Thanks again.

I am looking for a lens that allows me to take better photos of my son and

daughter in school plays from 10 to 30 feet away in dim lighting. I have seen a

Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6 G IF-ED VR for $250 and a Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 D AF ED

for $400. I have been told that each lens is two stops better than the Nikon AF

nikkor 28-200mm 3.5-5.6 G ED.

 

So here is my question: Which will work better at 10-30 feet in dim lighting,

the Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6 G IF-ED VR for $250 and a Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 D AF

ED for $400?

 

Thanks!

If you don't mind manual focusing and using a handheld light meter, then using old lenses with a D40 isn't a big deal. Indeed, I know a few photographers who are human light meters. This also isn't a "life making decision," but there is no shame in trying to make an optimal compromise. Congratulations on your choice. Keep shooting.

I have a 20x16 print that looks OK from a couple feet away. My pro printer tells me that they have made decent prints from a D70s as large as 40x60.

 

According to Scott Kelby in The Digital Photography Book on page 182, you need 3 megapixels for a 5x7", 4 megapixels for a 8x10", 5 megapixels for a 11x14", 6 megapixel for a 13x19", 8 megapixels for a 16x20" and 10-12 megapixels for a 24x36" print.

 

When I use Kodak's easy share gallery or robertsimaging.com, then the software notes the largest optimal print size for each photo, so you might see if your professional print house has software that will identify the best possible size for each of your photos before printing.

Geez! To each his own, but if getting the most out of a D70s, which is what I own, means maximizing shooting and printing while minimizing editing, then play with the camera settings until you get a combination that makes you happy. Like Tze, I started with Ken Rockwell's advice and tweaked it until I found what worked for me. Many photographers focus on making the image as close to perfect as possible in camera and then doing as little post-processing as possible (Mary Ellen Mark for one), so your question strikes me as reasonable. Good Luck.

Thanks everyone. I have decided to wait. :)

Thanks Robert. I'm thinking some of the same things, so I may wait. The camera shop is pretty reliable otherwise I wouldn't consider this at all. By the way, the shop is called Robert's.

I planned to trade in 4 or 5 lenses for a $700 Nikon 18-200 VR demo lens but

the store also has a refurbished D80 for $800, so I am wondering if I should

trade in my D70s and 2 or 3 lenses to get the D80.

 

My plan was to get the 18-200 VR to use one lens most of the time and also be

able to shoot in lower light. I'd probably trade in a 28-80G, 28-200D, 70-300G,

18-55G DX, 28mm 2.8D, and 28-200G with ED glass.

 

However, I also want to make 16x20 prints, which is difficult with the D70s.

 

My portfolio shows that kind of pictures that I like to make.

 

Any advice on the lens or the camera?

Thanks Wendy and Kelly. I will consider putting those in the exhibition.

Thanks Randall, Jeff, and Bill. These responses are very helpful. My photos will be hung in atrium in the Fine Arts building on campus, so there will be white walls, tracklighting, and lots of natural light.

 

This is a very informal show, but I will try to get more details from the organizer. I think that 7 is the limit. As for the audience, thanks for making me think more about that. It will consist of students, coworkers, and a few local elites. The photos will be for sale, but I really want to enhance my reputation as a photographer, so that I can gain even better access to photogenic people and events.

 

Right now I will probably exhibit the 3 photos that recieved the most positive responses from people in general and 4 photos that best show life in the community(to attract the interest of this local audience).

 

Thanks again, the matting advice was especially helpful. By the way, this exhibit opens on my 44th birthday, which I hope is a good omen.

 

~Jason

Hello. I have been given the opportunity to exhibit some of my photographs in

the atrium of a heavily trafficked building at a small college (along with

other employees).

 

This is my first public exhibition, so any advice would be most welcome.

Including advice on what type of photos to show, how many, what size to make

them, and how to work with printer to ensure optimal quality and matting. Am I

even asking the right kinds of questions?

 

I use a 6mp Nikon D70s, so I guess the maximum print size is 13x19 inches. If

you see any shots in my portfolio that you think I should post, please let me

know. Thanks.

I shot a high school football game from the stands on Friday night, so I had to set the ISO to 1600. The next day, I talked my way onto the sidelines for a 1:00 pm college game in full sun and shot some of the best perspectives of my life. I was standing with the players. Imagine my surprise when I looked at the images on the computer and they were all grainy as hell. Ouch! Now, I check all the settings.

My first Nikon is an FM10. First, ask your teacher. Second, what do you want to do? If you want to shoot in low light, Nikon makes excellent fast 50mm lenses (with maximum apertures of 2.8 or wider). If you want a telephoto zoom. The manual focus 70-210mm 1:4 has served me well and is cheap. Finally, read the Nikon Compendium for reviews of almost all Nikon lenses, especially the manual focus lens that work best with the FM10. Good luck.

In education research, learning over time is often represented as S-curve with students going from ignorant to informed quickly then more slowly becoming increasingly knowledgeable (many students stall in that growth phase achieving various levels of expertise), and then a few students become masters who quickly acquire and invent new wisdom.

 

It is also easy to backslide. If you don't keep moving forward, you may find yourself slipping backwards or being surpassed by others.

 

Right now I envy Karen. I would like to get over three humps: (1) make the camera do whatever I want whenever I want; (2) always come back with pictures I like and other people will purchase and (3) be able make a living as a photographer, even if it only remains a hobby.

 

On the other hand, getting over the hump is a little like crossing the horizon. It's always ahead of you, sometimes closer sometimes further. Good Luck to all.

www.robertsimaging.com will sell you a refurbished D50 for $475. I was just in their downtown Indianapolis store today. I have done much business with them, including online. They are good folks.

Wow! So all your keepers are equally excellent?

Does anyone else use the photo organizer in Photoshop Elements 4.0 or 5.0,

especially the tags and star rating system? If you do, how do you use that

system? If you don't why not? Finally, if you use the star rating system, what

percentage of the photos that you keep have 1-star, 2-stars, etc...? Thanks.

Well said Alan. Well said.

On second thought, I agree with Erik. I started with the kit lens and then added other lenses when a specific need arose, such as making pictures of my kids in dimly lit rooms or shooting sporting events. Right now I am hankering for a VR zoom to counter camera shake. Good luck and I hope you don't get GAS {Gear Aquisition Syndrome).

I have a Nikon D70s, which I use for whatever strikes my fancy. Here are lenses that work for me. My walk-around lens is a Nikon 28-200mm 3.5-5.5G. (I have the D verson, but it is heavier and slower).

 

For indoor situations, I carry a 50mm 1.8D, 28mm 2.8D, and a 18-55mm 3.5-5.6G zoom lens. (The last lens often has to be used with a flash.)

 

For outdoor situations, I carry a 70-300mm 4-5.6G. monopod, and a polarizing filter. I try to travel light and only carry a few lenses.

 

These are all inexpensive lenses that fit my skill level. When I become a much photographer, then I will get better lenses, but for now better lenses might just be a waste of money. Oh , you need a tripod. But you probably already knew that. For more information, checkout kenrockwell.com.

 

Good luck in whatever you choose.

I don't get a lot of comments, but I think two things drive comments. (1) Quality -- photos to which people want to respond, either because the shot has wonderful style or subject. (2) Comments that you have made on other photos; there is a norm of reciprocity at photo.net. The more comments that you make the more comments that you will get, especially if you make thought-provoking and constructive comments. Hope this helps. Good Luck.

Kevin. Thanks for reminding me about Barthes' "The Photographic Message." An essay worth rereading.