Lens question for D40?

[Mickey92978]

I have a Nikon D40, and I have two lenses for it, one is the standard lens that comes with it, and the second is an average telephoto. I use my camera alot to take pictures of my kids, but the standard lens and the zoom lens will not let me take the photo if I am standing to close to them. Wether it is in auto focus or manual, it wont even let me take the photo, I have to keep backing up. However I want those really close up shots. What kind of lens should I use to be able to get shots of my kids or anything close up? And what exactly does a wide angle lens allow you to do? I don't know what the technical terminolgy is for all the equipment and things like that, so if I could get a easy to understand explination that would be great.

 

[iflynething]

The one thing i hate about these camera default settings is they are set up to only take the picture when it has focused and only then.

Also, you might just be too close. I'm thinking with the 18-55 (which I assume you're talking about is the standard lens) you could get about 4 ft from an object and take a picture with it. Now the telephoto lenses, unless you have a macro setting on it, it's used for far away objects. They're not called telephoto lenses for nothing.

~Michael~

 

[Mickey92978]

Ok not to sound like a total idiot, is there a simple explination as to what the "macro setting" is ?
And I would like to be able to sit right in front of my kids or the subject like a foot or so and be able to get that really close shot. Does that make sense, you know like when people have those really close shots of flowers and such.

 

[epp_b]

Yeesh, how close are you getting? The 18-55 can focus from just a few inches away!

If you want close-ups, telephotos are actually better because they create a pleasant separation between the subject and background. Stand back and use your telephoto zoom near the long end.

Ok not to sound like a total idiot, is there a simple explination as to what the "macro setting" is ?

I assume you have a Sigma or Tamron telephoto zoom since the Nikon 18-55 has no such switch. The "macro setting" is a switch that allows the lens to focus closer than normal to an object between 200 and 300mm. This is useful for making large photographs of very small things, like insects or the insides flowers. I'm not sure, but you might lose the ability to focus to infinity in this setting.

 

[Mickey92978]

the "standard" lens I have is actually an aftermarket due to the original one that came with my Nikon was damaged, but the lens that is the one that I am using is 28-80 mm. What is that kinda lens typically used for?

 

[iflynething]

Yeah, you're not going to be getting too close with the 28mm lens.......according to Tamron (if that's the lens you're using) then you're only going to be getting 27 in away for min focusing distance. Over 2 feet away. Also, being the D40, the focusing motor has to be in the lens, not focusing on the body. That might be one of the issues



~Michael~