Lens Help Please

[purehilarity]

Hello Photographers,

I just purchased my first DSLR camera. It is a Nikon d200. I bought it refurbished from craigslist. With it, I got a lens, but I don't think it is the best lens for what I need, so I was wondering if you could help me pick a better one.

First, let me explain my needs. I am studying animation and bought the camera for Stop Motion. What I need in a lens, is something that is good for close-ups. I.E. I need to make an 8 inch figure appear to be life-sized. I've read that certain lenses are also good for creating depth in the shot. This would be crucial for what I am doing since it will give the illusion that a small set that is only a few feet deep may appear to be life-sized. I know almost nothing about photography, I'm completely new to it, so any advice helps.

Here's the lens I have.
Nikon | Macro 55mm f/2.8 Micro AIS Manual Focus Lens | 1442

Since I do not have a lot of money, would you advise me selling the lens I already have on ebay in order to finance the new, more appropriate lens?

Thank you for all the help. If you have any questions let me know.

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

The lens you have appears to be a Macro lens...does it not get close enough for you? It says that the minimum focus distance is 10"...which gives you a 1:2 magnification ratio...which is pretty close. If you need more...

This lens focuses to a ratio of 1:2 in standard form. This means the lens can represent an item on the film at exactly 1/2 its actual size. It is possible to increase this to 1:1 (life-size) with the optional PK-13 extension tube. Greater magnifications are possible by using the 55mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor on a bellows focusing assembly.

The Depth of Field, in a shot is controlled by several factors. Main, the aperture of the lens, the focal length and the distance to the subject. When you get really close to the subject, it gets very shallow, which can make the background and/or foreground blurry. Is that what you want...or do you want more of the scene to be in focus?