Accessories needed?

[NCAFLeo88]

I'm wanting to try to get into my photography more but I feel like I am lacking in the accessories dept as all I have is a tripod I have been happy with my results using my on camera flash but everyone here seems to be dreadfully against it...any "must haves"

I'm shooting:

Nikon D3000 w/ Kit 18-55mm VR lens

Also can I get a good suggestion for a second lens?

 

[Joshonator]

A nifty 50mm lens would probably be a good next step. Then you won't need that flash most of the time.

 

[KmH]

Any lens recommendations would be a shot in the dark since you don't say how you might use it, or a budget. However, the most common next lens would be the complimentary kit lens the Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR [Vibration Reduction] Nikkor Zoom Lens

You would then have the 18mm to 200 mm focal range covered, though there is a world of photography done at wider focal lengths than 18 mm, like landscapes.

At some point you may want to consider lenses better than the kit lenses. To help keep costs in line you can always consider used gear: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/buy-sell/244196-fs-nikon-12-24-mm-f-4-g-wide-angle-lens.html

The "nifty-fifty" AF 50 mm f/1.8D, mentioned above, won't auto focus on your D3000, but the 50 f/1.8D does have the electronics the D3000 needs to light the in-focus indicator in the viewfinder. You just have to turn the focus ring manually, because the lens doesn't have a focus motor in it.

A hot shoe flash, and learning how to use it, should be on your wish list. The on-camera flash can sure be used, but it is limited.

 

[zadelstein]

I have a D3100, will the new Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.8 G lens work with these cameras? I am having the same problem finding a lens to upgrade to that will autofocus.

 

[Raian-san]

Yes the 50mm f/1.8G will work. Remember only the G, not the D.

I would suggest the 50mm f/1.8G to both of you since it's a nifty lens with a great price tag. 2nd is a used SB-600 flash. You'll get into so much more photography and things to play with if you have a hot shoe flash. There are also many DIY lighting to play around with. GL

 

[NCAFLeo88]

Any lens recommendations would be a shot in the dark since you don't say how you might use it, or a budget.

I am looking to mostly get into shooting people. Not really a huge landscape kinda guy but I LOVE portraiture.

 

[KmH]

Then you'll need some off camera lighting (OCF), like a couple of speedlights, reflectors, and diffusers. By learning to use camera and speedlight manual modes, OCF lighting gear that doesn't have lots of auto function bells and whistles is relatively inexpensive.

Visit Strobist: Lighting 101 and start reading the aerticles.

Also start learning about the different lighting styles, facial anaylsis, and posing.

 

[ulrichsd]

Lens upgrades for portraits, you will probably want a faster lens 1.8 or 2.8 min aperture so you can blur the background more easily. 50mm would be a cheap place to start, but as others mentioned make sure to get the AF-S version or it won't autofocus on your D3000

 

[KmH]

Be careful with shallow DOF. Your D3000 does not have a DOF preview function and with very shallow DOF many new to photography have trouble getting the parts of a scene they want in focus, in focus.

The inexpensive, f/1.8, 50 mm lenses can be difficult to use properly. Pros tend to use much longer focal lengths for portraiture, because of the background compression it provides.

But they have to be further from the focal point (subject) to have the same subject scale in the frame that a 50 mm would provide. with that further focal length distance and using the same f-stop as a 50 mm, the DOF is actually the same.