 Deborah L. Burgess |
Nikon lenses Hi! I have a Nikon D2X camera with several lenses, a 18-70mm 1:3:5- 4:5 ED DX, an AF Nikkor 70;300mm 1:4:5.6 G, a AF Micro Nikkor 60mm 1:2:8 D, and a ED AF Nikkor 80:400 1:4:5- 5:60 D VR. Would I be better off to upgrade my lenses, or start again with a Canon body and the better lenses. I have been comparing prices, but what about the investment I already have in the Nikon equipment. The 2 new lenses for the Nikon that I have priced are going to run around 3,500. Thanks for any suggestions. Deborah
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Jon Close |
What kind of problems are you having that you think your lenses or camera need replacing?
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Deborah L. Burgess |
Well, I am new to all this as you can tell. When I decided to go for this "outfit", I just called up and talked with a salesman at a camera store without really knowing what I really needed and this is what I got. I have taken photos with smaller cameras all my life. This is the first really pro I have used. I have back problems and it is hard to get really close with the micro lens and I want to take group photos, my grand-daughters are cheerleaders, and I am having problems with the lens I have getting all the girls in the photo. I missed some really good shots at a summer camp thinking that all were in the photo and they were not. So I thought that I might need a better micro and a super wide angle lens. That is the two lenses that I have considered. But the wide angle lens that I looked at is 1,700 and the micro 100mm is over 600. I talked with the same salesman and he suggested either going with the 2 new lenses, or to change over to a Canon as I could get a good camera and the "package" would be a better way to go. I am learning, so please forgive my "rattling" on but I sincerely appreciate your help. The camera I have takes really good photos if I could get the lenses in order. Thanks! Deborah
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Bob Cammarata |
You could sell your un-wanted lenses to finance new ones that be more practical for your needs. If you decide to switch over to Canon, you will be starting over from scratch.
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Jon Close |
IMHO - Despite being a 5 year old model, the 12mp D2X is still near cutting edge for "DX" DSLRs (aka "1.5x crop", APS-C, 15.7 mm x 23.7 mm sensor size). Nikon's latest top of the line DX model is the D300S, which is still 12 mp, but adds other features like HD video recording. I'm a Canon fan, but I don't think you need to switch systems. The $1700 wide angle lens recommended to you is probably the Nikon AF-S 14-24 f/2.8G ED. This lens is designed for the larger "FX" DSLRs (D3X and D700 with "full frame" 24mm x 36mm sensor). It is overkill on the D2X. While not f/2.8, a better match with wider angle, and under $1000 is the Nikon AF-S 12-24 f/4G IF-ED DX , or the Nikon AF-S 10-24 f/3.5-4.5G ED DX. WRT micro, I'm not sure that the 100mm is going to help with the back problem that makes it "hard to get really close." Are you using a tripod for micro? I think that would help as much or more than a longer micro lens. Close focus with a 100mm micro (giving 1:1 life size image) is only about 3" farther from the subject than with your 60mm micro. Sigma makes a really good 150 f/2.8 EX DG Macro that will get you 6" farther away at the same 1:1 magnification, but it's about $750.
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Deborah L. Burgess |
Thank you for your responses. As with the micro, I thought that there would be a greater distance with the 100mm. I just have to practically be "right on" to get my shots. And with the wider angle lens, I was told that it would be the lens that could be used for many more applications than other lenses. Before I invest in more lenses, etc. would it be better to upgrade now and use what I have as a secondary system? It seems that the pricing is much lower now than it was when I purchased my D2X. Thanks!
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Jeffrey R. Whitmoyer |
Looking at your list of lenses etc. I think you would be best served by, as Jon says, using a tripod regularly. The three most important things to remember about good photography are Tripod, Tripod, Tripod (something I forget at times). Also, invest the time and effort in learning to get the most from what you have. Take one of the macro courses offered here, and just play with your lenses. You have a good lens selection available to you which should cover 98% of what you will run into while out shooting. Not to be a smart aleck, but keep in mind that there are a lot of photographers making some fantastic images with a lot less in equipment to work with. We have to be master of the machine, not the machine master of us. Jeff
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Randy A. Myers |
The quote that stood out to me was "to change over to a Canon as I could get a good camera and the "package" would be a better way to go." That tells me you need to research and think this out on your own. It sounds like the salesman is just trying to push his sales up. You should not be having problems getting all the girls in the photo if you are using the 18-70. That's pretty wide already. Any wider and you may start seeing distorted people if you get too close while shooting. I use the 18-200 for shots such as these and I am not having any problems. Your camera is not the weak link here. If you prefer Canon, then you may as well make the switch, but don't expect to see a major upgrade in image quality. All these cameras are pretty good. Others here have addressed the working distance on the micro lenses so switching for that reason makes no sense. Feel free to e-mail me with any question you may have. Good luck.
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Jeffrey R. Whitmoyer |
While reading the last response and also looking at your second response the question of who you buy your equipment from came to mind. There are some excellent stores out there, B&H and Adorama come to mind if dealing online. If dealing with Broadway and some others be prepared to be dealt with as you were. The salesman will try to snow you just to get the sale. Take a good look at the ratings of the store you plan to deal with before you buy and research the gear as well. As I said before, you are better equipped than a lot of other photographers. Jeff
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