New to DSLR

[mlfaber]

Thank you for all of the posts.  I decided on getting the body only and bought used from FredMiranda.com a used 16-85 lens as my daily walk around lens.  Also, with the money saved from buying a used lens I was able to pick up a used 60mm Macro lens as well.  Total for both lenses $750.00 vs. $700.00 for the one. 8)  Does anyone have any comments on the 60mm for portrait shots (not just for macro), any thoughts on how it compares to the 50mm 1.8 lens which I can exchange it for, also a third of the cost!  Please note I do have the 35 1.8 as well.  Is the 35 and 50 complement each other or is the added zoom of the 60 better?

 

[RC]

Well I'd say the 60mm macro is better for upper torso portraits with the added benefit of doing macro work with its 90mm equivalence. The 35mm lens you have is equal to a 50mm with the crop factor which is good for slightly wider portrait shots.

Next you will find yourself looking for a flash unit with a swivel head like the SB900 and a diffuser for it. And 1B filters for all lenses for protection. And...

Go play with your new toys for a few days and find out how you work as a photographer ;-)

 

[Sparktrician]

Thank you for all of the posts.  I decided on getting the body only and bought used from FredMiranda.com a used 16-85 lens as my daily walk around lens.  Also, with the money saved from buying a used lens I was able to pick up a used 60mm Macro lens as well.  Total for both lenses $750.00 vs. $700.00 for the one. 8)  Does anyone have any comments on the 60mm for portrait shots (not just for macro), any thoughts on how it compares to the 50mm 1.8 lens which I can exchange it for, also a third of the cost!  Please note I do have the 35 1.8 as well.  Is the 35 and 50 complement each other or is the added zoom of the 60 better?

I think you'll find more use with the 60mm macro lens overall.  The macro capabilities are great, and it's also a very fine lens for portraiture, as Reiska pointed out.  You might also check out the B+W 486 IR/UV Cut filters for all your lenses.  They seem to do well in the digital paradigm. 

[smile]

 

[upscale]

The D90 is a wonderful camera.  As for a good single lens, you can't go wrong with the 18-200mm VR II lens.  The images I get from mine are crisp, and the color resolution is tops.

I agree. Along with the DX-40 Nikon I bought several years ago, I akso bought a an 18-200mm VR II lens. I'm just an everyday user and for me, it suits 95% of the pictures I take.

 

[hockey_magnet]

Good choice with the 16-85. I used one for about a year as my walk around lens and it never disappointed me.

The 60 mm is a good macro lens. It's extremely sharp but this doesn't necessarily make it a good portrait lens, at times it is actually too sharp and can produce harsh looking results - good portraits lenses aren't necessarily about being razor sharp, more about the way they render light and the bokeh they produce. . The acknowledged best portrait lenses (I'm talking about mainly head shots) are the 85mm's. While they are the prefect portrait lens for FF, they also perform beautifully on DX but you may have to back up a bit more when composing. if you can find the 1.8 in good condition, it is a marvelous lens, sometimes referred to as the "cream machine" for the beautiful bokeh it produces. .  

A lot of people like the 18-200 as a do it all lens, but while I found it to be decent and not a bad travel lens if you can only take one lens, you will probably like the results from the 16-85 better. As before, if you feel the need to go tele, the 70-300 is a great budget lens for this purpose.

Unfortunately, if you stay with it, you'll find that with Nikon, catching Gold ring lens fever is like catching Green fever with Festool. - Expensive!

 

[Sparktrician]

The acknowledged best portrait lenses (I'm talking about mainly head shots) are the 85mm's.

Unfortunately, if you stay with it, you'll find that with Nikon, catching Gold ring lens fever is like catching Green fever with Festool. - Expensive!

So right, on BOTH counts... 

[smile]

 

[mlfaber]

Thanks again for all of the advice. I ended up trading the 60 for the 85 1.8. The 60 seemed like an awkward focal length to me. And, I really don't seem to be interested in too much macro yet. I am using the 16-85, 35 and 85 fixed. I have been having a blast trying to arrange compositions and play with all of the different settings. Too much fun and like you all said addicting.

 

[mouppe]

I don't know whether I'm stating the obvious but make sure you fit a lens filter on each lens. Only last week my six year old cousin tried to fit the lens cap on my camera and ended up crushing the lens filter. Splinters and dust everywhere. A new filter cost me $40 but my $800 lens was unharmed.

 

[mlfaber]

Yes I could not agree more. I put B+W lenses on all filters. Brand new lens with brand new filter, should be good. I also bought LCD protectors as well.

 

[Tinker]

You guys have lost me with all of those lenses. 

Back in 1963, I had a new manual camera that i had bought a short time before i was planning on a cross country trip to California.  A friend asked if he could go along with me, which was fine with me as long as he could get lost for awhile when i was visiting the main interest I had in making the trip.  On the way home, we went up to Mt. Rainier.  i had looked upon that "hill" for many a sunset from Ft. Lewis in Tacoma while awaiting my travel orders to the orient many years earlier.  While on a short hike up the mountain we came to and investigated an ice cave.  It was really a beautiful sight; but the light was not that great as we progressed deeper into the cave.  I made some guesses as to the speed and aperture settings and proceeded to fire away.  It was a fairly good camera with a good (for me) lense.  Another "pilgrim" happened to see me taking picture after picture in what seemed for some of the shots to be impossible lighting conditions.  He came over and asked what camera and lense i had.  What film?  what opening? what speed? and etc, etc.  I answered all of his questions as well as letting him know the changes i was making whether aiming for the back of the tunnel or aiming towards the brighter entrance.  The man thanked me quite profusely and proceeded to snap away. 

As my friend and i were walking out of the tunnel, he asked, "I thought you didn't know for sure how to take pictures in there?"

"I don't."

"How do you know you told that guy the right information?"

"I don't."

"Don't you think he will be angry when he finds out you gave him the wrong information?"

"I don't remember giving him my name and address, do you?"  :

When my photos were developed, every shot came out perfect.  i guess the "pilgrim" was quite happy if he followed my directions  8)
Tinker