Few newb questions

[Andreal]

Ok so I have had a few things going through my head of late so I figured I'd just come on and ask, maybe there will be someone on who I can start chatting to and relieve my bordom

Ok so first off, I have only just recently bought my D80 in my attempt to get into photography, what I really wanna photograph are beautiful landscapes, Im wondering what kind of lens I should be looking at, I think a wide-angle lens would be good for this type of thing right? But then I hear that I cant get all that wide because of the size of my sensor...sooo, is it still worth getting, if so what kind of lens should I be looking at, I probably cant buy anything immidiatle as im sorta broke after buying the camera. I also wanna have a lens that I can use to take nice pictures of people, whilst its not really what I have a passion for doing I can still see myself photographing people alot, I dont suppose there is one lens that can do both of these well but I want to add to my lens collection as I go along so knowing what lenses to look out for would be nice. I currently just have the 18-135mm lens that came with my camera. Now, just looking at the specs (18-135mm f/3.5-5.6) this looks like a good lens, I see lens that are like 2.5k and maybe go 1mm further and have the exact same apetures, Im always like "Why would I buy that lens?". I realise that it is probably a much better construction, but how much of a difference will I really see in the picture, or how much will it make my picture taking easier? Im fully ready to save up and buy expensive lens, I just wanna know what im gonna get the most out of

Ok, I have about a million other questions, but I think i will jsut take it one step at a time and wait till this plethora of newbness has its answers

 

[Big Mike]

It can be harder to get a wide shot with most digital SLR cameras, than with a 35mm film camera. There are ultra wide lenses available...look for something like the Sigma 12-22mm or the Nikon 12-24mm.

As far as price differences...yes, sometimes it's hard to tell by the specs. There is a reason that some lenses are very expensive...and if you try them, or at least play with them for a while...you will have a better idea of why.

For people, how about a 50mm F1.8? It's a nice cheap lens but it's very sharp and the large aperture is great for natural light shooting and for getting a shallow DOF.

 

[Andreal]

Ah thanks so much for the reply, most helpful

I will look into saving up for the 12-24mm nikon because I really wanna get into some landscape photography. The 50mm f/1.8 looks like it will be purcasable farily soon as it has a very low price comparativly (low prices normally worry me, but i'll take your word that its nice and sharp ).

I really wish there was some way I could "Play around" with lens to get a feel for how more expensive ones are different but I only know 1 person who does photography and he lives in Australia (I live in New Zealand).

Also, I just realised when I said $2.5k lens I was talking in NZ dollars which is about 1.7k US (wasnt being THAT extreme )


Lastly, I have had a photo idea on my mind and I'm wondering if it is possible. I have no idea how I got the idea but ever since it came to me I have been wanting to try and capture it. What I want to do is go to a beach and take a shot of the sun setting behind the ocean. Pretty standard, but heres what I wanted to try to achieve, I wanted to get on some of the rocks where the beach meets the ocean and wait for a wave to crash to take the shot, that way I would be taking the shot through the splash of the wave. I have been pondering it a while, I know that a normal landscape shot would be taken on a slow shutter speed, I however would not have this luxury as the water aint gonna wait for me. Would taking it on a faster shutter speed completly screw my dof and ruin the image? It wouldnt bother me too much if the water was out of focus so long as you could still see that it was water and not random blurred spots. Do you think this is a possible shot, been on my mind for ages...just gotta get out to a beach

 

[Big Mike]

I won't say it's impossible...It just depends on the light. To get a fast shutter speed, especially in lower light, you need a wide aperture which means a shallower DOF. You could raise the ISO to get faster shutter speeds but that means more digital noise.

 

[Orgnoi1]

I am curious as to why your 18-135mm wont shoot landscapes? 18mm on a 1.5x crop camera gives you the perceived field of view of a 27mm lens which is still plenty wide to do most landscape photography. Of course using a wider lens will make a wider scene shot... but it also adds curvature to the shot as well.

Just something to think about before spending a ton of cash on a new lens that wont do too much more then the one you already have...

 

[JIP]

with my camera. Now, just looking at the specs (18-135mm f/3.5-5.6) this looks like a good lens, I see lens that are like 2.5k and maybe go 1mm further and have the exact same apetures, Im always like "Why would I buy that lens?". I realise that it is probably a much better construction, but how much of a difference will I really see in the picture, or how much will it make my picture taking easier?

I think if you look again you will find that the more expensive lenses are that way because of a larger maximum aperture yes, construction makes them more expensive as well but it is the max. aperture that does it.

 

[EOS_JD]

I think if you look again you will find that the more expensive lenses are that way because of a larger maximum aperture yes, construction makes them more expensive as well but it is the max. aperture that does it.

I'm with JIP on this although there are a few with slower apertures that are expensive because they include VR (Vibration Reduction)

Then VR with fast apertures = even more expensive.

 

[Mike_E]

Your lens will give more distortion at the ends of the range than the more expensive lenses as well. You might want to invest in Photo Shop before investing in expensive lenses because you can fix most of the distortion in there. (PS is not a substitute for a well crafted photo but is very helpful to fix the minor blemishes ) Since PS3 has come out you can find CS2 for a better price.

This is all in case you don't already have PS.

 

[fmw]

You might want to invest in Photo Shop before investing in expensive lenses because you can fix most of the distortion in there.

Sorry, couldn't agree with this less. The idea is to make good images, not to fix bad images with software. This just goes completely against the grain for me.

 

[mrhappy]

I know they may not be perfect but just to give an idea what the camera can do everything on auto. No image manipulation except to resize in windows paint.

 

[Mike_E]

Sorry, couldn't agree with this less. The idea is to make good images, not to fix bad images with software. This just goes completely against the grain for me.

Sorry Fmw, you took that out of context. I did in fact say that PS was NO substitute for a Well Crafted Photo.

The thing is is that the OP already has the equipment (pretty good equipment as a matter of fact!) and what's needed at this point is to be able to Maximize his effort. The Only way to do that is in Post Production and for that I would recommend Photo Shop. Yes $1k lenses are nice but you are still going to need PS even then so why not get it now and start to learn it as he progresses with his new camera?

mike

 

[deanimator]

Andreal: Where in NZ? Some top photographers live there. How can you know only one who lives in the big West Island???

PS. I was born there!

 

[sabbath999]

Just something to think about before spending a ton of cash on a new lens that wont do too much more then the one you already have...

Perfectly stated.

Exhaust your options with your current equipment first (but remember, this is coming from somebody who has purchased 4 digital cameras -- 3 of them DSLR's -- and 8 lenses over the last 6 months).

 

[Andreal]

Wow, thanks so much for all the replies, they have been immensly helpful. I have been thinking I should pick up a copy of photoshop, I think I can get a copy for a fraction of the cost from university as a student .

I guess the reason I want to buy myself some new lenses (although my wallet doesnt want me to) is I always find I learn best by "throwing myself in the deep end", yeah I screw up alot taking this approch, but I find its also the fastest way for me to learn.

Photoshop adds another thing to learn as I have no real idea how to use it, but I'm really excited about it, the way I see it, the more I learn about anything photographic, the better my chance of bring out my images nicer . Would a book be the best way to learn photoshop and if so could I jump strait into a "Photoshop for Photography" type book or would I need to start at a "Photoshop for Begginners" book.

Hey deanimator, I live in Auckland and the reason I only know one photographer and he is in auz is that I am only just getting into photography, I haven't "been around" getting to know people and stuff but I would definatly like to !

 

[deanimator]

I´ll pm you later with a few things you´ll have to do...people to meet etc.
Links to a couple of good old buddies of mine in Auckland...
http://www.arno.co.nz/
http://www.talmont.com/webpage/copyright.html

Meanwhile, congratulations NZ on winning the Louis Vuitton Cup. Now you have a chance to get the America´s Cup back from the Swiss (who won it last time cos they bought half the crew from NZ anyway!!!)