New to forums; first DSLR! :)

[Malone]

Hi Everyone! Just wanted to post and say, Hello! I've been scrolling through the forums this afternoon and believe I will find a wealth of knowledge here!

Just bought my first DSLR - Nikon D90 w/ 18-105mm f/3.5 & 55-300mm f/4.5 lenses - I think! And I'm thinking I will likely purchase a fixed 50mm f/1.4 as a prime lens; thoughts?

I have played around with it a bit, but I cannot wait until I am able to get out and start having fun! Weather is waaay too hot right now, esp mid afternoon.

I've done a bit of reading but need to have a better understanding on several things - that's why I'm here!

 

[NikonME]

Welcome to the forum. If you are here to learn and you remain open minded, this can be a great resource.

 

[Compaq]

Welcome Malone You will find very much knowledge here, I know I am. If you come across as a humble beginner willing to learn, people will take good care of you

Are you sure those lenses have constant apertures? If that's the case, they would be quite expensive. Either way, I wouldn't get the prime lens yet. Basically both of your zooms cover 50mm. Whilst that prime will probably give you superior image quality, shifting between three lenses that each give you 50mm will be a hassle. Learn to use your current lenses, and after a while you will know what lens that are the correct one to buy. If you don't know what you need, you don't need anything new Clever saying..

Learn to "see through your lens" without actually seeing through it. Get to know your lenses, compose images without looking through them. But most importantly, at the moment, I think you should start understanding the exposure triangle: aperture, shutter speed and ISO. The first two affect the amount of light hitting your sensor and the last one is the sensitivity of your sensor to light. Google those three words and play around with your camera. You'll discover that for each scene you're shooting, there are very, very many exposures that give you the same amount of light. What you need to figure out is the artistic exposure: what you want the image to look like. You'll come across words such as "depth of field", "bokeh" and "composition".

Just a small motivator, hehe. I got a bit carried away, I hope you don't mind

 

[Malone]

Are you sure those lenses have constant apertures?

Nope, there is a range! See, learning already!

If you don't know what you need, you don't need anything new

Very good advice! I tend to have a "go big or go home" mindset, but it would definitely save me hassle and moolah if I wait.

Thanks for the pointers, and yes, lots to learn and read!

 

[Compaq]

I tend to have a "go big or go home" mindset

Been there I see things I need all over the interweb when it comes to traditional wet shaving, a hobby of mine. Still, start shooting and have fun. Perhaps order a few books, "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson is highly recommended. I'm currently reading "Learning to See Creatively" by Bryan Peterson, and it's proving to be a very good read

 

[flatflip]

You might consider the 50mm f/1.8D instead of the 1.4 lens. The 1.8 is a lot cheaper and compares very well. I personally don't see any harm in getting a prime lens right away if you can afford it. However, this advice is coming from a wheeler and dealer that has been fortunate enough to resell just about anything that I don't use.

 

[Vtec44]

I have a 50mm f/1.8D lens. It's a great portrait lens and VERY sharp.

 

[johnh2005]

I tend to have a "go big or go home" mindset

Been there I see things I need all over the interweb when it comes to traditional wet shaving, a hobby of mine. Still, start shooting and have fun. Perhaps order a few books, "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson is highly recommended. I'm currently reading "Learning to See Creatively" by Bryan Peterson, and it's proving to be a very good read

I completely agree. I think they are both written where a n00b can understand them that is the draw. The pacing and clear structure also go a long way. I have tried reading a few other books but they go too much into art and the history of photography. Those things just don't do much for me at this point in time. At some point I am sure they will help but just not now.

 

[Malone]

Thanks for the reading suggestions; I will pick up Understanding Exposure this weekend!

Regarding the 50mm lens, the f/1.8 is less than half the price of f/1.4 - thanks!

 

[johnh2005]

Thanks for the reading suggestions; I will pick up Understanding Exposure this weekend!

Regarding the 50mm lens, the f/1.8 is less than half the price of f/1.4 - thanks!

Yeah, normally speaking the higher the aperture goes the more expensive the lens. The higher the quality the lens is the more expensive it is. I am sure there are probably exceptions but as a general rule this is how it goes. Just like cars, the more horsepower the more expensive. The more square footage of a house the more expensive. Of course those are just general rules as well. Hold off on buying anything until you are trying to do something that your current lenses. Then you will KNOW what you need next =) Come here and explain your situation, budget and where you are wanting to go and a lot of people will be willing to offer suggestions.