Can you help an aspiring photographer?

[hamlet]

Hello fellow users,

I am really excited about stepping into the world of photography and contributing pictures.


Ok, here is my question: I want to buy the Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm 1:1,8G lens and the Nikon D3100 SLR-camera. Are these two compatible? Any input is greatly appreciated! Also if you can recommend a tripod, that would also be awesome.

 

[tirediron]

Welcome to the forum! Those two are absolutely 110% compatible.

 

[MK3Brent]

yes.

 

[hamlet]

Thanks a lot! Now i need to find a tripod and a flash memory so i can get going on close up photography.

 

[DanielLewis76]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Everything you said was going so well until you mentioned close up photography. How close up do you actually mean? The nikon 35mm 1.8g is not a macro lens and as such has a minimum focus length of 1 foot or 30 cm. If you are looking at photographing very small things close up then this lens may not be the one for you. You would either need to buy extension tubes for this lens or a macro specific lens.

 

[PaulWog]

Are you selecting the D3100 and 35mm 1.8G in order to save as much money as possible?

I'd like to hear about what sort of expectations you have out of the combination. What sort of places do you anticipate to be shooting at, what sort of photos do you plan to shoot, etc?

 

[ronlane]

Thanks a lot! Now i need to find a tripod and a flash memory so i can get going on close up photography.

What is your budget? You can get tripods from dirt cheap (not the best quality) to really expensive and everywhere in between. Most on this site will suggest that you spend some good money on the tripod and head. Look at craigslist and other places for used tripods and ball head, you can get more for your money.

 

[hamlet]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Everything you said was going so well until you mentioned close up photography. How close up do you actually mean? The nikon 35mm 1.8g is not a macro lens and as such has a minimum focus length of 1 foot or 30 cm. If you are looking at photographing very small things close up then this lens may not be the one for you. You would either need to buy extension tubes for this lens or a macro specific lens.

You caught my intentions exactly. I am going to use this lens to take pictures of small animals closeup. I settled on this lens by what the product description was telling me, i haven't yet settled on this lens and any input would be greatly appreciated. I could look into other products, nothing is yet final as of this moment.

 

[hamlet]

Are you selecting the D3100 and 35mm 1.8G in order to save as much money as possible?

I'd like to hear about what sort of expectations you have out of the combination. What sort of places do you anticipate to be shooting at, what sort of photos do you plan to shoot, etc?

I am planning not to burn a hole in my wallet. But still get awesome closeup pictures. I will mostly be shooting inside, but i could always buy other lenses to go take pictures of monuments and things outside.

 

[hamlet]

Thanks a lot! Now i need to find a tripod and a flash memory so i can get going on close up photography.

What is your budget? You can get tripods from dirt cheap (not the best quality) to really expensive and everywhere in between. Most on this site will suggest that you spend some good money on the tripod and head. Look at craigslist and other places for used tripods and ball head, you can get more for your money.

I am thinking on getting the Cullmann ALPHA 2500 tripod. All it has to do is keep my shaky hands from ruining my pictures.

 

[hamlet]

Here is a picture i took

I have many, many minutes of experience using this high-end top the line camera. :greenpbl:

But i'm a firm believer in learning as you go.

 

[sm4him]

Thanks a lot! Now i need to find a tripod and a flash memory so i can get going on close up photography.

What is your budget? You can get tripods from dirt cheap (not the best quality) to really expensive and everywhere in between. Most on this site will suggest that you spend some good money on the tripod and head. Look at craigslist and other places for used tripods and ball head, you can get more for your money.

I am thinking on getting the Cullmann ALPHA 2500 tripod. All it has to do is keep my shaky hands from ruining my pictures.

Nope, that's NOT all it has to do, *especially* if you're hoping to do macro (close-up) photography. You put a decent DSLR and lens on a cheapo tripod and what will happen is the camera will, VERY slowly, "sag." The head won't keep it rock solid and it will drift downward--maybe just a bit, but that just a bit will mean your focus will be completely off.

Now personally, I don't use a tripod for MOST of my macro shots--particularly the insects, can't follow them with a tripod.
But, when I do use a tripod, I don't want it to cause more problems than it solves, which is what a cheap one does.



Personally, I would not purchase the D3100 or the 35mm lens, if my specific intentions were macro photography.
Ideally, if your budget allows, I'd get a camera that's better in low light, a dedicated macro lens that is at least 90mm, and an off-camera flash. If you get a tripod, get a good one, don't scrimp.
If your budget just won't allow that, I'd still try to go for a better camera body, maybe a 50mm lens and good extension tubes and the good tripod, then add the flash as soon as you can.

I initially used a D5100 and the kit lens (18-55mm) and Kenko extension tubes, with no flash. Added the flash--then bought a macro lens (Tokina 100mm f/2.8). That lens would only focus manually on my camera body, which was okay, focusing manually wasn't really a problem.

I now use the same Tokina lens on a D7000 with an off-camera flash; it's a really nice combination.
You're welcome to search for some of my macro stuff on my flickr (link in sig).

 

[sm4him]

Here is a picture i took

Ah. Is that what you're calling a "close-up?" If that's as close as you're wanting to get, your original D3100/35mm combination should be okay. You might consider going with a 50mm instead, but either way, once you learn the camera, you'll get decent enough shots. And you'll eventually want an off-camera flash, since much of your photography will be indoors. The D3100 isn't all that great in low light (though it's a sight better than what you've apparently been using...)

 

[hamlet]

Much appreciated! Yes, that is as close as i want to get without spooking my babies.

 

[hamlet]

What is your budget? You can get tripods from dirt cheap (not the best quality) to really expensive and everywhere in between. Most on this site will suggest that you spend some good money on the tripod and head. Look at craigslist and other places for used tripods and ball head, you can get more for your money.

I am thinking on getting the Cullmann ALPHA 2500 tripod. All it has to do is keep my shaky hands from ruining my pictures.

Nope, that's NOT all it has to do, *especially* if you're hoping to do macro (close-up) photography. You put a decent DSLR and lens on a cheapo tripod and what will happen is the camera will, VERY slowly, "sag." The head won't keep it rock solid and it will drift downward--maybe just a bit, but that just a bit will mean your focus will be completely off.

Now personally, I don't use a tripod for MOST of my macro shots--particularly the insects, can't follow them with a tripod.
But, when I do use a tripod, I don't want it to cause more problems than it solves, which is what a cheap one does.



Personally, I would not purchase the D3100 or the 35mm lens, if my specific intentions were macro photography.
Ideally, if your budget allows, I'd get a camera that's better in low light, a dedicated macro lens that is at least 90mm, and an off-camera flash. If you get a tripod, get a good one, don't scrimp.
If your budget just won't allow that, I'd still try to go for a better camera body, maybe a 50mm lens and good extension tubes and the good tripod, then add the flash as soon as you can.

I initially used a D5100 and the kit lens (18-55mm) and Kenko extension tubes, with no flash. Added the flash--then bought a macro lens (Tokina 100mm f/2.8). That lens would only focus manually on my camera body, which was okay, focusing manually wasn't really a problem.

I now use the same Tokina lens on a D7000 with an off-camera flash; it's a really nice combination.
You're welcome to search for some of my macro stuff on my flickr (link in sig).

Some of that stuff is way out of my price range. The main thing i want out of my photos is capturing all the little hairs. Get very high detailed shots, not just closeup pictures. I figured that if i got one of these lenses, it would give me the detail i was looking for.

Here is an example of what i mean when i talk about detail on the fur.