Photography Equipment Question

[creative_one]

Hi EveryOne,

I’m adding on to my photography equipment.
The equipment I all ready have is listed below:
1. Nikon D60
2. 18mm-55mm
3. 55mm-200mm
4. Tripod
5. Wireless remote

I’m trying to add more to the lenses but I don’t know which ones are a must have or the basics lenses to have.
I’m already planning on buying a fish lens i've been dying to have one for a long time!
I would like to add a flash to my equipment as well but don’t know a good basic one to get started on.
what are some good lens to have???
Or what is a good starting list ?? ( lens , flash, etc)
Thanks

 

[Robin Usagani]

just wait on the fish eye. I would get 50mm f/1.8

 

[Dao]

Lens buying should be based on what you need, not what others think they/you need. If you are not sure what to get now, wait a little longer. Learn more and then see if your current setup cannot do or hard to do what you like to accomplish.

Find the limitation first.


For example:
- I always want to take very close up photos of the insects, but my current set cannot do the level I want.
- I am interested in birds photography, but all the birds in my bird photos are tiny or the background are too busy.
- I have a hard time blur the background of those portrait photos I took.
- My sons hockey photos are no good. They are either blurry or dark.
...
...
...

 

[Derrel]

Dao's post has some real nuggets in it. Your budget will determine what lens or lenses you can afford, and your desires will shape your choice. The Nikon SB 600 or SB800 flash units are pretty good one to buy...the SB 900 I'm not so sold on, even though it's newer than the 800. The 600 model is easy to use, and it is rumored there is a NEW Nikon speedlight coming this September, one just above the SB 600 and priced around $300....we shall see on that I suppose.

Good lenses....so,so many, but the Tamron 90mm macro is a very,very good lens. Very good! Same with the Nikon 300mm f/4 AF-S lens, a very close-focusing, sharp longer prime telephoto with high quality optics. In my opinion, a 90, 100, or 105mm macro lens is a must-have lens! Same with a 300mm f/4 prime...the 300/4 has been a staple for 35-40 years now,and the current generation models are the best they have ever been. A good 300/4 is a "lifetime" quality lens. Seriously.

The thing is this: Nikon makes a lot of pro-grade, "serious" lenses that cost a lot of money. To afford them, you need to save up, have money, or buy them used, or perhaps all three. Or, look at mid-priced or 'consumer' lenses from other companies, like Tamron or Sigma, where the prices are typically more affordable and the lenses are still pretty good.

I think the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 might be a good lens to replace the 18-55 kit zoom with. The 55-200 is nice and light.