Lens Choices for a Beginner

[MeganBurns]

Hi everyone!
I am looking to buy my first DSLR and I have narrowed it down to a Nikon D3100 and a Canon T2i but cannot figure out which lens to get. As I have not decided between brands yet, I'm hoping to get input from users of both on the best lens for each camera/brand.

Price is definitely an issue. I'm probably going to use my camera to shoot both people and friends in causal settings and a bit of wildlife/animals. Definitely more of people though.

I know that a 18-55 mm comes with each camera. The main thing I'm worried about is not having enough zoom with it, so I was looking at the 18-105 mm for the Nikon (with 5.8 zoom) for $400 or the 18-135 mm for $500 for the canon. That's about as expensive as I can go.

I really would like to have one basic lens that I can use everyday until I can save up enough to purchase some more. Do you guys think the standard 18-55 kit lens will be enough or should I purchase just the camera body and get of the lenses mentioned above?

 

[Tomasko]

If you want to shoot wildlife, you need AT LEAST 200mm. For shooting people I'd suggest prime lens, for example 50 1.8, which is terribly cheap (around $100).

 

[DiskoJoe]

canon makes a 55-250 that compliments the kit lens but its still a variable aperture lens. personally i like fixed aperture lens but the cost alot more. tamron makes a nice 28-75 f2.8 that you can get for around $400. great lens. a 50mm f1.8 would be a good pick too. very handy lens for the price. sigma makes a wide variety of lens for many brans including nikon and canon. i highly recommend sigma, especially the lenses with APO glass. i have an old series sigma 70-210 f2.8 with apo glass. great clarity and sharpness.

 

[mjhoward]

You can get the 18-105mm used for around $200. Most of those that are used are practically like new and never been used. When the D7000 first came out as a kit, people didn't wait for the body only to come out so they bought the kit and sold the lens without ever using it. There is also an 18-200mm lens that you could pick up used for around $500. I would assume similar prices for canon lenses since I'm more familiar with Nikon.

 

[Dao]

If you do not know much about photography as well as camera gears and do not know what to get, getting the kit lens of 18-55mm is not a bad idea. Learn how to use it and go from there. Once you learn more and understand more about camera gears, you should know what to get next.

 

[PJL]

If you can swing around $500 and want to get telephoto, you should consider the Canon 70-300 IS or Nikon 70-300 VR.

 

[Ginu]

For a beginner lens I would suggest a super wide to telephoto zoom lens . Personally I love my 18-200 VR even though its not the sharpest lens out there. It the jack of all trades master of none.
For wildlife and animals, you need at least a good 200mm+ zoom lens. I suggest a 70-300 VR or 70-300 IS in Canon; and also consider purchasing local used lens on Craigs as you can safe a few bucks here. My 70-300 VR was 300$ and it came with the cap/box/hood and paperwork vs the 449-599+ tax at stores...

 

[Neiby]

I ended up buying a 60D today with an 18-200mm and a 50mm f/1.8 lens. That should get me started. Now for the hard part: learning how to use this camera! I really appreciate everyone's help and advice.

 

[ramblingman]

If you can afford it the 70-300 for the Nikon is an awesome lens ....which if you progress in the future to a Full Frame camera a good lens comes with you. Primes are awesome also and the 50 1/8 takes great portraits ..... this thing I've found is it's better to wait and get a good lens then to rush and get something you won't be happy with later .... cheaper on you budget !

 

[KmH]

If you can afford it the 70-300 for the Nikon is an awesome lens ....which if you progress in the future to a Full Frame camera a good lens comes with you. Primes are awesome also and the 50 1/8 takes great portraits ..... this thing I've found is it's better to wait and get a good lens then to rush and get something you won't be happy with later .... cheaper on you budget !

Nikon makes 2 70-300 mm lenses.

One is the very inexpensive, poor optical quality, DX, AF Zoom-NIKKOR
70-300mm f/4-5.6G

and the other is one of Nikon's current best lens values, the FX, Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras.

A new option is the Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR

 

[Ginu]

I ended up buying a 60D today with an 18-200mm and a 50mm f/1.8 lens. That should get me started. Now for the hard part: learning how to use this camera! I really appreciate everyone's help and advice.

Grats on the purchase. I think you made a great decision to get a prime and the jack of all trades 18-200mm.

The only way to learn is to practice and read. Start with the manual and stop by the library and pick up some photography books.