need opinions about entry-level DSLR purchase

[Dick Latshaw]

Nice shot, Kevin.

[Kevin W Johnson]

Nice shot, Kevin.

Thanks, I like my lightning and the rush that comes from capturing something that we otherwise only get to see for a brief fraction of a second. My wife isn't as fond about it while I'm capturing it though.

Wonder if Zach has decided on a camera yet?

[Joe Angrisani]

Thanks, I like my lightning and the rush that comes from capturing something that we otherwise only get to see for a brief fraction of a second. My wife isn't as fond about it while I'm capturing it though.

Wonder if Zach has decided on a camera yet?

We don't even get to see it without the freezing eye of the camera, Kevin. We might see the flash, but never the fine filaments you catch. Great shot!

Zach said he was ordering the D3100. Maybe he's sitting by the mailbox!

[Kevin W Johnson]

We had a brief storm here tonight. I managed to get a large lightning strike, just after I missed one because it starting raining and I had to move to shop and shoot from the doorway. This one is a bit bright because of how close it was. Really wish the wife hadn't put the umbrella out yet....

[Darryl Hazen]

Really wish the wife hadn't put the umbrella out yet....

She must have taken the umbrella in. I took the liberty of removing it digitally.
DSC_0903sA.jpg

[Kevin W Johnson]

Yeah, I'm still working on that photo. I'd like to tone it down a bit for one. I removed several people from a lighthouse shot I took at Currituck. I had waited forever trying to capture a shot with no one in it, and I finally gave up. I have to go back and look at the original to figure out where I removed people from.

[Jim Becker]

I have the D3100 and really love it. The new D3200 looks to be even better for the same price points that the D3100 sold for...but there may be some outstanding sale prices on the D3100 because of that.

[Zach England]

I ordered the d3100, two lenses, a bag and a tripod. The tripod came today. Talk about cruel.

[Jim Becker]

LOL...yea, getting the tripod first really is cruel!

[Joe Angrisani]

I ordered the d3100, two lenses, a bag and a tripod. The tripod came today. Talk about cruel.

That's tough! When did you order everything?

[Zach England]

Well, I finally got my camera. Sadly I don't have time to play with it because I am scrambling to get my mom's present finished. I am actually doing some woodworking. Weird.

I will be busy with this project tonight and tomorrow, am going to a baseball game Thursday evening and my girlfriend is dragging me camping on Friday, so it may sit in the box until Saturday evening.

[Zach England]

So you guys who have Nikon DSLRs...can you tell me which lenses you use? I like my longer zoom len but have concluded the 18-55 mm lens that comes with the standard kit is pretty much crap and I think I am wanting to get a prime lens to supplement the better zoom lens. Thoughts?

[Joe Angrisani]

So you guys who have Nikon DSLRs...can you tell me which lenses you use? I like my longer zoom len but have concluded the 18-55 mm lens that comes with the standard kit is pretty much crap and I think I am wanting to get a prime lens to supplement the better zoom lens. Thoughts?

What makes you say it's crap? Poor performance, or it doesn't fit your shooting style? Optically, the 18-55 should do very well (perhaps slightly better than the 55-200 you like). And as far as apertures go, it's the same as the 55-200 zoom.

Many new photographers tend to zoom in and fill the frame no matter the subject or shot. Be sure to move around to compose the shot different ways. Your feet are one of your most powerful compositional tools. Also, when you're down near the 18mm end, give your images a foreground eyecatcher.

As far as primes go, remember you can only use "AF-S" lenses on the D3100. The first and most common would be the 35mm f/1.8G AF-S lens. This focal length is considered "normal" or middle-of-the-road on DX sensors and is the one I'd suggest. About $200.

There is also the 50mm f1.8G AF-S lens, but that's getting to be more of a short telephoto or portrait lens. About $215.

Before you invest in any prime lens, I'd suggest using blue masking tape to lock your zoom at the focal length in question. Use the 18-55 taped at the 35mm setting to see what Zach's eye thinks about a 35mm prime.

[Zach England]

What makes you say it's crap? Poor performance, or it doesn't fit your shooting style? Optically, the 18-55 should do very well (perhaps slightly better than the 55-200 you like). And as far as apertures go, it's the same as the 55-200 zoom.

Many new photographers tend to zoom in and fill the frame no matter the subject or shot. Be sure to move around to compose the shot different ways. Your feet are one of your most powerful compositional tools. Also, when you're down near the 18mm end, give your images a foreground eyecatcher.

As far as primes go, remember you can only use "AF-S" lenses on the D3100. The first and most common would be the 35mm f/1.8G AF-S lens. This focal length is considered "normal" or middle-of-the-road on DX sensors and is the one I'd suggest. About $200.

There is also the 50mm f1.8G AF-S lens, but that's getting to be more of a short telephoto or portrait lens. About $215.

Before you invest in any prime lens, I'd suggest using blue masking tape to lock your zoom at the focal length in question. Use the 18-55 taped at the 35mm setting to see what Zach's eye thinks about a 35mm prime.

OK, saying it is "pretty much crap" is premature conjecture on my part. It is an opinion partly informed by the general consensus on the internets that kit lenses are not very good and partly informed by empirical judgments on the photographs I have been producing, where similar shots using my two lenses will look more washed out with less color saturation in the shorter lens. I am hoping to find some time tonight to do some more side-by-side comparison and I will try your masking tape trick. The two lenses you mention are the two I am considering buying, mostly for use indoors in still-life situations, especially photographing ceramics.

[Joe Angrisani]

Try the 18-55 at f/8. Shoot Aperture Priority with a little underexposure dialed in (perhaps -0.3EV or -0.7EV).

The 35/1.8G is a great lens. The small aperture lets you isolate your subject a bit when you want, but I've also found it to be super sharp in the f/4 to f/8 range. I honestly think any issues you're having with the 18-55VR are 'beginner's unluck' and learning curve stuff.

Also try bracketing exposures to learn how slight overexposure or underexposure affects colors and shadow details. Even mistakes will teach you something.