Advice needed for beginner

[moonrad]

Hi guys.

Having used P&S and bridge cameras for a while, I'm looking to take the next step and purchase an SLR.

I've been looking for some time at the different models, and my preference is towards Nikon. Specifically, the D3200 or D5100 as these are similarly priced with and without the kit lens and have fairly similar specs.

I'm also looking to get a couple of lenses as I like to shoot a variety of pictures, the lenses I'm currently considering are:

Nikon AF-S 35mm f1.8 G DX
Nikon AF-S 40mm Micro F2.8 G DX
Nikon AF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 G DX VR (possibly as part of the kit deal)
Nikon AF-S 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 G ED VR

As someone with next to no experience with DSLRs (I've used my dads film SLR a few times), I want to make absolutely sure of my choices before taking the plunge.

I'd just like to get your opinions to see if I'm heading in the right direction.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Solarflare]

I prefer the D5100 for its much higher tolerance to low light and the swirvel monitor - great to see what you're doing from extreme viewpoints. At ISO 100, the D5100 also has amazing dynamic range (12 steps instead of 9.3 for the D3200). Mind this is only true as long as you shoot raw; JPEG cannot record such a dynamic range in the first place. Finally, the D5100 seems to have the more advanced controls over the D3200, even if the D7000 is even better. The advantage of the D3200 is better movies, more mpixel with a lot more noise and less resolution than D5100/D7000 from ISO 800 on, better color depth at ISO 100 (24.1 bit vs 23.5 bit for D5100/D7000, and a bit less weight - ~500g vs ~550g for the D5100, both with battery and memory chip).

About your selection of lenses, I would like to note that many people complained when they had the midlevel zoom 18-55mm and either the 55-200 or 55-300 (or the FX 70-300 one) telezooms, they had to keep switching the lens all the time. Thus they recomment to pick the 18-105mm zoom instead.

Personally I feel my 35mm/1.8 DX prime lens makes my 18-55mm lens pretty much completely obsolete. I can "zoom by feet" instead. That said, the 18-55mm IS a very, very nice lens, especially for its price.

And about macro, I heard multiple people state that "macro isnt for everyone".

 

[Alan92RTTT]

About your selection of lenses, I would like to note that many people complained when they had the midlevel zoom 18-55mm and either the 55-200 or 55-300 (or the FX 70-300 one) telezooms, they had to keep switching the lens all the time. Thus they recomment to pick the 18-105mm zoom instead.

I am one of the "many" IMO the 18-55 is a nice starter/kit lens but its grown annoying fast. I love the 18-105.

Currently I use the 18-105, the 35mm 1.8 and the 70-300 VR.

What really got me on the road away from the 18-55 and the 55-200 was the experience I had shooting a friends car on an overcast day. I had to bump the exposure and use flash in the middle of the afternoon to get a decent shot with the 18-55 I could not get it to look right. I had just gotten the 70-300 and put it on just to see what it would do (that whole playing with the new toy thing.) As soon as I dropped the 70-300 on I had to reset the exposure and turn off the flash as I was overexposing. The result is I deleted all the pics from the 18-55 and re-shot with the 70-300.

MY belief is that the larger 62mm opening on the 70-300 lets in more light so there is more at the aperture. Once I got the 18-105 (which has the same front opening) I got the same feel of "brighter". I plan to do a side by side and see what the difference i. I just have not had the time yet.

 

[moonrad]

Hi Solarflare!

Thanks for the advice.

I considered the D5100 first as it was a step up from the basic level, but when the D3200 was announced, it gave me a little more to consider. I seriously considered getting the D7000 (and it may still be an option with the 39 focus points being a big plus), but the price was the overriding factor against as I have been advised to invest more in glass rather than the body until I'm more used to shooting with an SLR.

I would mainly be shooting RAW anyway as I do prefer to do my own post processing (Lightroom/Photoshop).

With regards to lenses, I'm not click-happy, and tend to take my time with shots, and should hopefully not be changing lenses too much. The reason I was looking at the 55-300mm was to get a bit extra range. With the 18-55mm kit lens just adding ~£100 to the price of the body anyway, I thought that would be a good place to start.

As for the 35mm 1.8, I've heard great things and think this will be a must-buy whichever body I choose. The 40mm Macro lens was my final choice, and mostly so that I could capture half decent Macro shots (which I do like taking, and with an SLR + Macro lens, hopefully get better at.

I will have a look at the 18-105 lens and give it a good comparison to the others.

 

[fjrabon]

I think the 18-55mm is a good lens, but I almost never use it. Pretty much the two lenses I keep on my camera are the 35mm f/1.8 and the sigma 10-20mm wide angle. I'd say those two lenses comprise about 95% of my shots. About the only time I grab the 18-55mm is when I'm just walking around taking a variety of snapshots in a city area where I might want something a bit wider than 35mm.

Unless you're really into video, I think the D5100 is a much better camera than the D3200.

 

[Forkie]

I have regular use of the 18-105mm (although it's not mine) and I find it suffers from terrible barrel distortion at the wide end of the focal range. If I were choosing from the lenses you listed in the OP, I'd go for the 35mm prime and the 55-300mm. That way, you have a good sharp wide angle (you can move if you want to get closer or further away from your subject!) and great reach with the zoom.

I'd opt for the D5100 just for its better low light handling over the D3200.

 

[moonrad]

@Alan

Hi!

I have looked at the 70-300mm several times, but didn't think I could justify the higher price when compared to the 55-300.

If I do choose to go with the D7000, I will probably go with the 18-105mm kit lens anyway.

@fjrabon

Hi!

Not really into video much atm, but may be at a later stage, so would like to have decent video capabilities available just in case.


A couple more questions:

Is it advisable to use UV filters to a) protect the glass & b) block any flare?

With regards to memory cards, I'm looking at a couple of cards, probably about 16 or 32Gb, but not sure what Class to go for and finding it a little complicated to sort through all the different types. Having never used a DSLR, I'm not sure how one performs against another.

I have been having another look round at the different bodies, and now I'm torn between three options.

1. D3200 (can get it for about £510, £580 w/ 18-55mm kit lens)
2. D5100 (can get it for about £400, £470 w/ 18-55mm kit lens)
3. D7000 (can get it for about £710, £930 w/ 18-105mm kit lens)

I'm really tempted to go for the D7000, but it wouldn't leave much for many extra lenses/accessories.

 

[Alan92RTTT]

I have regular use of the 18-105mm (although it's not mine) and I find it suffers from terrible barrel distortion at the wide end of the focal range.

I use lightroom to process my raw files. Its interesting to see the change when LR "fixes" this. It looks like a wave that ripples out from the center when it happens.

If I were a pro it might bother me. Then again, If I were a pro I'd have a lens with a fixed aperture not a variable aperture kit lens .

Seeing the before/after effect I still like the 18-105 more than the 18-55.

 

[fjrabon]

@fjrabon

Hi!

Not really into video much atm, but may be at a later stage, so would like to have decent video capabilities available just in case.


A couple more questions:

Is it advisable to use UV filters to a) protect the glass & b) block any flare?

With regards to memory cards, I'm looking at a couple of cards, probably about 16 or 32Gb, but not sure what Class to go for and finding it a little complicated to sort through all the different types. Having never used a DSLR, I'm not sure how one performs against another.

I have been having another look round at the different bodies, and now I'm torn between three options.

1. D3200 (can get it for about £510, £580 w/ 18-55mm kit lens)
2. D5100 (can get it for about £400, £470 w/ 18-55mm kit lens)
3. D7000 (can get it for about £710, £930 w/ 18-105mm kit lens)

I'm really tempted to go for the D7000, but it wouldn't leave much for many extra lenses/accessories.

THe D5100 does great video, it's just that the D3200 is a touch better in some regards. I wouldn't buy the D3200 for more money than the D5100 unless the whole point was the video.

I don't like UV filters. Just use the lens hood (which is a draw back to the 18-55mm kit lens, as there isn't a good hood for it, since the end rotates as you change focal lengths on that lens) and the lens cap. UV filters just add a layer of cheap glass that doesn't even really protect the camera.

 

[gryffinwings]

I would recommend at least a Nikon D5100, but the kit lens 18-55mm will feel really limited do to feeling like you want more zoom. You will most likely like to get the 18-105mm lens. You might definitely consider the D7000, lots of room to grow and it comes with the 18-105mm lens. Then consider getting other lens later.

 

[Bukitimah]

My 2-cent input here. If you are looking at 3100 and 5100, then I would suggest to go straight into the 7000. The body is just 1 part of the equation. You have listed a few lenses. Save a bit of $ and put them on the body first. Build your lenses as you grow.

Maybe start off with your 35mm and 55-300 mm if that are the range you will be shooting.

 

[gryffinwings]

To be honest, I wouldn't recommend a 35mm as a main lens. Yes it's good in low light and you can use you legs to zoom, in some situations, but I find that can't do that all the time. It's usually, IMHO, better as a specialty or secondary lens. A better lens to start of is an 18-105mm, because I think it's a very versatile lens, more so than the 18-55mm which I feel like I'm changing lens more.

 

[moonrad]

Hi all, thanks for all your comments!

Now that I've found the D7000 for a bit less, I'm looking more towards that than the other two. One of the main things I liked about it was the controls, and not having to dig through too many menus to change settings.

As for lenses, there's too much choice! I want to be able to get as much focal range from my choice of lenses without much overlapping. Here's a list of all the lenses and their prices:

35mm - £160
40mm Micro - £200
18-55mm - £80 (white box)
18-105mm - £220
55-200mm - £120
55-300mm - £230

For the price alone, I will probably discount the 40mm Micro and maybe get it at a later stage if I need a Macro lens.
I prefer to get a Prime lens and from what I've researched, the 35mm is a good starting point.
The 18-55mm seems a good buy for the white box as retail would cost almost double that. The other zoom lenses I'm not too sure about.

And if anyone has any thoughts on memory cards, I would be very grateful for your input.

 

[fjrabon]

Hi all, thanks for all your comments!

Now that I've found the D7000 for a bit less, I'm looking more towards that than the other two. One of the main things I liked about it was the controls, and not having to dig through too many menus to change settings.

As for lenses, there's too much choice! I want to be able to get as much focal range from my choice of lenses without much overlapping. Here's a list of all the lenses and their prices:

35mm - £160
40mm Micro - £200
18-55mm - £80 (white box)
18-105mm - £220
55-200mm - £120
55-300mm - £230

For the price alone, I will probably discount the 40mm Micro and maybe get it at a later stage if I need a Macro lens.
I prefer to get a Prime lens and from what I've researched, the 35mm is a good starting point.
The 18-55mm seems a good buy for the white box as retail would cost almost double that. The other zoom lenses I'm not too sure about.

And if anyone has any thoughts on memory cards, I would be very grateful for your input.

It depends on how and what you shoot as far as the other zooms go. Also, always remember that if you shoot well enough and sharp enough, you can (more or less) crop a 35mm into a 100mm anyway. But I'm not a telephoto fan to begin with. I almost never use mine. So take that for what you will.

 

[Solarflare]

You can get the D3200, D5100 and D7000 either body only, with the 18-55mm, or with the 18-105mm lens.

Not sure what you want to know about memory cards ... get one ?

I simply got me a 32gb for my D5100 and use it since then.