my lenses

ya it has everything you need to know w/out being too technical and boring. It's just an awesome book, filled with tons of pics and examples, and suggestions. It's a must for any new photographer.

btw, i didnt know if you meant going to walmart for the book or something else...but i've never seen this book at walmart...its usually at book stores like borders and barnes and noble, or waldenbooks. you can also grab it off of amazon.com for even less.
 
yeah i meant walmart for the book...i googled the book and it came up on walmart's website, but you're right, it's probably better to get at a bookstore or amazon. i'm sure it'll be a life saver for me. does it explain aperture, shutter speed, and iso in it too?
 
With zoom lenses, the aperture doesn't physically change when you zoom in. Meaning, the window at the centre of your aperture ring (closed) stays the same.

The reason why it says that f5.6 is the maximum that you can stop it down to aperture wise, is not because the aperture actually gets smaller, but due to the extended focal length, the lens is physically letting less light in.

Consider your nifty fifty at f1.8. If you slapped a big tube on the end of your lens. It would obviously let less light in than if there wasn't a tube. So hypothetically, you could say that the aperture figure has increased.

You will notice this on lenses where you can manually set the aperture on a ring (much like a focus or zoom ring) to a set aperture.

For example:
I have a 28-200mm f1:3.8-5.6 lens. If I set the aperture to f3.8 manually and then zoom in (so that the aperture is locked). I am still going to get a photo with an aperture of 5.6.

The good lenses are manufactured in such a way that they allow enough physical light into the lens even at full zoom to maintain a constant aperture. Basically, that there is no loss of light by zooming.

Now if you think of that on a scientific / technical level, you will understand why those lenses are so expensive.

lastly, Your kit lenses aren't bad quality because of their focal lengths or aperture numbers. They are of entry level quality because they are mass produced.

You could still end up paying a lot of money for a good quality lens with the exact same specifications (i.e. 18-55mm f1:3.5-5.6). The difference isn't in what it does, but how well it does it, if you get me.

As for how long it takes to understand all these things. For me I am still learning and i've been doing photography for years. I say, just have fun and don't worry too much.

Your kit lenses will give you great photos, but if you can afford to invest in a nifty fifty, do it. You'll have a lot of fun.

Good luck!
 
yeah i meant walmart for the book...i googled the book and it came up on walmart's website, but you're right, it's probably better to get at a bookstore or amazon. i'm sure it'll be a life saver for me. does it explain aperture, shutter speed, and iso in it too?


it explains EVERYTHING to do with good photography including the holy trinity (iso, shutter, aperture), and light, and EVERYTHING else, in GREAT detail. Like I said it's a must...so get it ASAP, it'll give you enough information to be dangerous LOL
 
Just so you are aware, the nifty fifty (both the f1.8 and f1.4) will not auto-focus on your D40x, but the metering will work. If you don't mind manual focusing, get this lens.
 
On most beginner cameras (not that the D40x is just a beginner camera) the lenses aperture changes are you zoom in and out.

Basically, the aperture is the opening inside the lens that controls the amount of light hitting the sensor (among other things). On that 18-55, you have a max aperture of 3.5, meaning at 18mm, that little opening is no bigger than 3.5 and no bigger than 5.6 at the 55mm mark. The same is true for your 55-200.

I hope you understand my explination. Its an oversimplification but you should get the gist of it.

Also, 1.8 and 2.8 are NOT the highest f stops.

~Michael~

It has nothing to do with the camera. An 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 will act the same on a $7000 1Ds MKIII as on a 300D.

well, yes and no... I mean 2.8 is the fastest for any zoom that I'm aware of. For a prime they go as low as 1.0 I believe. I'm pretty sure canon made a 50mm 1.0 at one point.

Also, again the 3.5-5.6 itself doesn't mean that the lens is poor quality, but it generally isn't the highest quality. The higher quality lenses usually have lower f/stops although the focal range does affect this somewhat.

Canon actually made a f/.95 iirc. I think leica or some other similar company makes a f/.90 now.
 
Just so you are aware, the nifty fifty (both the f1.8 and f1.4) will not auto-focus on your D40x, but the metering will work. If you don't mind manual focusing, get this lens.

I have a D-40 and a D-80, will that lens work with a D-80? I know the D-40 has no AF motor on the body, and the D-80 does, just wondering if it will AF on a D-80.
Thanks
 

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