Newbie. must have camera lens!!

dmpls79

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HEY EVERYBODY... I just got my first camera!!!... I got a Nikon D60 with the standard 18-55 kit lens. I'm poor but love taking pictures and want to expand my equipment list =). What must have lens do you guys use and can't live without. I am thinking maybe a 12-24mm might be my next lens and then a 55-200mm. Of course it probably won't be a nikon lens, more likely tamron , sigma, etc.. whatever I can afford =)... oh yeah..I'm probably into taking portraits and close-up.. thats why I'm choosing a wideangle lens. Any kind of info, brand, other type of lens is greatful

while we are on the subject.. what must have filters should i get!!!!!!!
 
HEY EVERYBODY... I just got my first camera!!!... I got a Nikon D60 with the standard 18-55 kit lens. I'm poor but love taking pictures and want to expand my equipment list =). What must have lens do you guys use and can't live without. I am thinking maybe a 12-24mm might be my next lens and then a 55-200mm. Of course it probably won't be a nikon lens, more likely tamron , sigma, etc.. whatever I can afford =)... oh yeah..I'm probably into taking portraits and close-up.. thats why I'm choosing a wideangle lens. Any kind of info, brand, other type of lens is greatful

while we are on the subject.. what must have filters should i get!!!!!!!

Must have lens for some people will cost over $1000. How much are you looking to spend?

As far as filters I would always suggest a UV filter, mainly for protection.
If you are going to be shooting outside then a circular polarizer.
Good filters will cost anywhere from $90 - $200. Really good filters with super clear glass will be more. However you can get some lower end filters for around $20 for the UV and alittle more for the polarizer. The difference will be that some of the lower end filters will cause lens flare whereas your higher end will not.
 
my prime Lenses I love and work the best for my style atleast
 
If you want to do portraiture and close-ups, then a wide angle is not a good choice. It has far too much distortion, and is very unflattering. Go for the 55-200. The longer focal length will keep the image flat without the distortion and is much more pleasing to the eye, IMO.

Or drop the cash and get the 70-200 2.8.
 
I think you should spend some time shooting with your kit lens before buying up new lenses. This will give you time to see what you want in a new lens. See what focal length you use the most and whether you want more wide angle or telephoto than you already have. Also figure out if you want or need a bigger aperture for freezing action or shooting in low light. For me, I have found that I don't really need anything wider than what I had with my 18-55 but that I could use more zoom but, at the same time, I liked the standard 18-55mm range and could shoot most anything within the range without moving much if at all. I also wanted a constant wide aperture for my next zoom lens without spending a fortune. I did buy a 50mm f/1.8 (nifty-fifty) but I found that other than low light shooting, I hardly used it since it was too long for most of my shooting, which was mostly in the 24-35mm range (especially when shooting out of my windshield). For my constant wide aperture standard zoom, I ended up getting the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 (with built in motor for my D40). Nice sharp glass, no more being stuck at f/5.6 at full zoom and the 17mm wide end was visibly wider than the 18mm of my kit lens (good for landscapes and close quarters shooting). The only real downside (other than it being bigger than a fixed lens) is that it only zooms to 50mm. To settle this dilemma I got a 55-200 VR. What's funny though is that I hardly ever use that lens and the 17-50 is what is always on my D40. My 50mm collected dust until I picked up a few film bodies which happily adopted it.
 
i would suggest the 50mm f/1.8. i like the shallow depth of field it creates.

when you say close up, im assuming you want a macro lens.

right now im not worried about filters. i am getting a CP filter though once i purchase my 24-70mm.

with your 18-55mm.. do you feel like you wish you could go further than 55mm? or lower than 18mm?

i dont think ur looking for a wider-angle? unless you wanna go landscape.
 
tenlienti, how do you like your 18-105? that looks like a nice lens.
 
I got my DSLR with kit lens over a month ago and am still learning more about how the lens works and what to use it for. Wide angle is not good for portraits even though it can make things easier, you should take the time to set the shot up at 50mm-55mm for best results with the kit lens.
 
Get the lens that helps you take the pictures you aren't able to take now.

Be aware though that your camera lacks an internal autofocus, so you'll need to be sure that any lens you do get, has this capability built INTO the lens (should you want to go the autofocus route). If you don't mind going manual, this is a non-issue.
 
Thanks for all your input so far...
i like those wide angle lens because of the distortion .. i think its gives some photos more life...

and my budget is prob no more than $300 a lens (hopefully i can find some used or something... ebay and craigslist are my friends!!! )

UV filter... tiffen or hoya.. or does it even matter for a uv filter???
 
I think you might be hard pressed to find a "good" wide angle lens for 300 bucks. Definitely not a first-party wide angle. The Tokina 12-24 F/4 is a good wideangle, and shouldn't be too hard to find for 375-400 bucks used.
 

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