Lens? Or Flash?

[dnlzcrhgrc]

Hi, everyone!

This is my first post on this forum so please be kind to me.

So, we bought a Nikon D5200 w/ an 18-55mm Kit lens. And now i'm torn between an SB-700 Flash or a 50mm 1.8G.

What do you guys think should i get? And Why?

THANK YOU.

 

[Buckster]

Flash.

Although the 50mm f/1.8 prime is a good lens to have, you already have 50mm covered with the 18-55mm, so there's no rush on it, and it's really not going to do that much for you. The off camera flash opens up a whole WORLD of new possibilities though.

 

[Juga]

Flash.

Although the 50mm f/1.8 prime is a good lens to have, you already have 50mm covered with the 18-55mm, so there's no rush on it, and it's really not going to do that much for you. The off camera flash opens up a whole WORLD of new possibilities though.

I am not experienced like Buckster here but after shooting furiously for a few months now I really wish I went with the flash rather than the 50mm f/1.8 that I have. Go flash then worry about a quality lens later.

 

[dnlzcrhgrc]

Thanks! ^^

The kit lens doesn't give as much "bokeh" the 50 1.8 does, tho. Any tips for getting more bokeh with a kit?

 

[jake337]

BOTH BOTH BOTH BOTH

 

[jake337]

Thanks! ^^

The kit lens doesn't give as much "bokeh" the 50 1.8 does, tho. Any tips for getting more bokeh with a kit?

You need your subject to background distance to be a very large distance.

 

[Juga]

Thanks! ^^

The kit lens doesn't give as much "bokeh" the 50 1.8 does, tho. Any tips for getting more bokeh with a kit?

That is going to be tough because once you zoom to take a portrait the min aperture is 5.6 which will give some blur but not quality bokeh. The idea of the 50mm f/1.8 is very enticing but without a flash you could end up with very harsh shadows then all the bokeh in the world isn't going to save the images. Like I said I am no expert but my suggestion would be to go with a quality flash then consider a REAL quality lens down the road a bit that will give nice bokeh like a 24-70 or some of the other prime lens available.

 

[dnlzcrhgrc]

So, i'll go for the SB-700.

24-70 2.8? Nah. It's too expensive. Haha. Maybe on the years to come.

Thank you everyone! This forum is sooo helpful.

 

[kathyt]

Lens. I would learn to shoot solidly before adding flash. It will make your life easier.

 

[Juga]

So, i'll go for the SB-700.

24-70 2.8? Nah. It's too expensive. Haha. Maybe on the years to come.

Thank you everyone! This forum is sooo helpful.

You asked! haha

Of course there are cheaper alternatives to the 24-70mm 2.8 like the 17-55mm which also offers 2.8 throughout the focal range. Or you can also explore primes like the 50mm 1.8 which is cheap build quality and feels like it will break while autofocusing.

You can also rent a lens/flash to help you decide which best fits your needs. I personally am saving for the 17-55mm 2.8 because I know in order to get quality you have to pay for it.

 

[Buckster]

Here's a photo I shot just now with the 18-55 to show the out of focus bokeh with the lens in question:

Note that "bokeh" is the quality of the area out of focus, not the fact that it is out of focus. "Good" bokeh is considered smooth, and is attributed to many aperture blades OR a wide open aperture that is therefor round, so the number of blades don't matter. "Bad" bokeh is considered jagged or jarring looking, and is caused by having only a few (typically 5) blades to control aperture. The bokeh is governed by the way the blurred area takes on the shapes of the aperture, so if the aperture is round, the bokeh will be round and thus smooth. If it's shaped like a stop sign, with 8 sides, it will be a bit less round, and therefore a bit more jagged looking. If it has 5 sides like a pentagon, it will be even more jagged looking. If you cut a little heart-shaped hole in some construction paper and cover the lens with it, it will produce heart-shaped bokeh in the out of focus areas, as shown in this tutorial: DIY - Create Your Own Bokeh | DIYPhotography.net

The image I shot above has my aperture wide open at f/5 (at 37mm) so there are no aperture blades in the way to define a shape. The aperture opening wide open, even at f/5, is round and thus smooth. Look at the background just to the left of the words POP CORN, and you'll see the smooth round shaped bokeh produced by the wide open aperture.

As for HOW MUCH will be out of focus, if you want more just put plenty of distance between your subject and your background, and that's true for any lens.

 

[Juga]

Here's a photo I shot just now with the 18-55 to show the out of focus bokeh with the lens in question:

Note that "bokeh" is the quality of the area out of focus, not the fact that it is out of focus. "Good" bokeh is considered smooth, and is attributed to many aperture blades OR a wide open aperture that is therefor round, so the number of blades don't matter. "Bad" bokeh is considered jagged or jarring looking, and is caused by having only a few (typically 5) blades to control aperture. The bokeh is governed by the way the blurred area takes on the shapes of the aperture, so if the aperture is round, the bokeh will be round and thus smooth. If it's shaped like a stop sign, with 8 sides, it will be a bit less round, and therefore a bit more jagged looking. If it has 5 sides like a pentagon, it will be even more jagged looking. If you cut a little heart-shaped hole in some construction paper and cover the lens with it, it will produce heart-shaped bokeh in the out of focus areas, as shown in this tutorial: DIY - Create Your Own Bokeh | DIYPhotography.net

The image I shot above has my aperture wide open at f/5 (at 37mm) so there are no aperture blades in the way to define a shape. The aperture opening wide open, even at f/5, is round and thus smooth. Look at the background just to the left of the words POP CORN, and you'll see the smooth round shaped bokeh produced by the wide open aperture.

As for HOW MUCH will be out of focus, if you want more just put plenty of distance between your subject and your background, and that's true for any lens.

And.....this is why I am such a noob! Right buckster...haha

 

[jake337]

I have to ask, why not get a 50mm f1.8D and, a sb-600 instead? May as well have both right?

 

[dnlzcrhgrc]

About renting lenses, we don't have any store offering that on where i live. Haha. I live in a province in the Philippines. You can't even find Nikon glass in here. XD

There is one camera store here but they only sell Canon goodies.

Sad.

 

[dnlzcrhgrc]

you the man, buckster!