by "ITA Hondaboy" (kcolbey)
Published 03/29/2017 at 21:12
by "ITA Hondaboy" (kcolbey)
Published 03/29/2017 at 21:12
No Tags
STARS: 0
Question for all. I have a Nikon D3200, that I love to shoot with. I bought a Tamron 70-300 f4-5.6 for shooting at race tracks. It is a really nice set-up to play around with and works pretty well. Recently I’ve really wanted to take some things closer up: natures shots, wandering the pit areas, and that kind of thing. I have the kit lens that you get with the body, but it has no manual ring to focus. Also, I know there are far better lens to be had. I am thinking something f2.8 for a bigger piece of glass, but I have no idea what to get.
For your time, enjoy a couple shots from 2016 Petit Le Mans
"Nibby" (nibby68)
03/29/2017 at 21:20, STARS: 0
lacanian lens
"vicali" (vicali)
03/29/2017 at 21:31, STARS: 0
Nifty fifty will teach you a few things.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
03/29/2017 at 21:34, STARS: 0
Tamron 70-200 f/2.8
It might be a little big for close up shots, but it’s a fabulous lens for the money. Great for portraits, long enough for a race or an air show (on a crop sensor).
"Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now)" (bman76-4)
03/29/2017 at 21:35, STARS: 2
I’d prefer that the first car was on fire.
"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
03/29/2017 at 21:35, STARS: 1
Are you positive it doesn’t have a focus ring? I have an old D3100 that came with an 18-55mm lens and that definitely has manual focus.
Anyway, I suggest this 35mm prime: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001S2PPT0 . It’s an amazing lens for the money and the f1.8 will make for cool bokeh and help with low light.
It’s my go-to lens and pretty much never leaves my camera
Plus, learning to shoot with a prime lens is a great skill to have, even if it isn’t going to work so well for racing.
"7:07" (fanbrain001)
03/29/2017 at 21:37, STARS: 1
"ITA Hondaboy" (kcolbey)
03/29/2017 at 21:40, STARS: 0
Haha, love it!
"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
03/29/2017 at 21:43, STARS: 0
That’s amazing. It almost makes up for the fact that 99% of Amazon answers ever go “I can’t answer your question, but I own this and really like it.”
"FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com" (alphaass)
03/29/2017 at 22:01, STARS: 3
Nikon 18-55 kit lenses do have manual focus. It isn’t a separate ring, but rather the knurled edge in the front of the lens right where filters attach. Turn that and you can do manual focus... bigger issue: manual focus is not something you will want to do on a D3200 with large aperture lenses. (Or any compact DSLR for that matter.) The viewfinder is far to small and dim to really get consistent results. It’s an exercise in frustration and modern autofocus systems and lenses make it trivially easy to just let the camera focus for you. I’d take a look at the DX 40mm f/2.8 Macro lens instead of the DX 35mm f/1.8. You’ll get way more interesting framing and bokeh by getting up close to things than by trying to force it with a huge aperture. Also, for anything closer than 10 feet away on an APS-C sensor, you have almost no depth of field with apertures larger than f/2.8 anyway. I have the 35mm and rarely ever use it below 2.8 except to screw around when there is almost no light. Finally, with a Dxxxx camera there isn’t a lot of benefit to image quality when you buy a really expensive lens. The only reason to do it is if you’re planning to upgrade the camera body in the near future. Instead, invest in a decent flash and set of filters and you’ll be able to do some really interesting things. You’d be amazed at how much better outdoor photos can look from a cheap SLR using a polarizer and good flash than “pro” body and lens in the same conditions without them.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/810414-USA/Nikon_2200_40_mm_f_2_8G_AF_S.html
"Jayvincent" (jayvincent)
03/29/2017 at 22:07, STARS: 1
I’m partial to Nikon 18-55mm lens for walking around. You get the close-ups you want and the mild zoom when you can’t get closer. I’m no pro, though, so you might try these links:
http://lensvslens.com/# for looking at a long list of available lenses and seeing what kind of photo quality they produce
and for everything re:camera gear you ever wanted to know, check out
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/nikkor.htm
as an example, here’s shot (above, unless I get kinja’d) from the NASCAR hall a few years ago at 18mm f3.5, 1/60s, and below
was shot from the 2nd level balcony with the same lens at 55mm, f9, 1/100s
I like the adjustability of an 18-55mm and a 55mm-200mm (nice complements to your 70-300mm) to frame and range my photos with less forethought into what I’m planning to shoot and how many lenses do I want to carry (one, typically!). I own a 50mm f/1.8, but I rarely choose it except for low light fixed distance close shooting, despite what Ken Rockwell says about it being the best low light inexpensive lens.
Just my 2c, it really comes down to what you want to spend and what you plan to use it for. Enjoy shooting (nice track photos, btw!)
"Wagon Guy drives a Boostang" (gimmeboost)
03/29/2017 at 22:30, STARS: 0
This needs more stars.
"Wagon Guy drives a Boostang" (gimmeboost)
03/29/2017 at 22:36, STARS: 0
I’m going to re-iterate what others have already said. the 18-55 does have manual focus capability. It’s the knurled edge where the filters attach. But also like others have said, I found that lens to be junk to work with in manual mode.
I’m also going to recommend the 35mm prime. On the crop sensor Nikons it’s what us old school guys would refer to as a “normal” lens in that it gives a close approximation to what your eye sees naturally. You get used to using your feet to zoom.
I use a D800 and only prime lenses at this point. I’d love to get a good zoom, but what I want is really expensive.
"C9200" (mrmarkos)
03/30/2017 at 06:23, STARS: 0
Try a 50mm prime like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-NIKKOR-50mm-Focus-Cameras/dp/B00005LENO
I got a similar one when I was into photography a few years ago. The big aperture let’s you try different things with depth of field and the fixed zoom means you need to get creative with framing. It’s a really fun lens to use. Also the image quality from using high quality glass will be let you really appreciate your camera.
Maybe I should dust off my D80 .....
"StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8" (stndibnz1)
03/30/2017 at 08:29, STARS: 0
Thats amazing.
"Nisman" (nisman)
03/30/2017 at 13:57, STARS: 0
I shoot Canon, so as far as specific hardware goes I won’t be any help. I also shoot on an EF camera (not the modern EF-S mount). Anyway... I shoot mainly landscapes but also some portraits and cars and whatnot. I have a 28-135mm USM lens and I LOVE it. Seemingly does everything well. It’s fantastic.
"ITA Hondaboy" (kcolbey)
03/30/2017 at 20:43, STARS: 0
Shows how much I use my 18-55, haha. Thanks, I might get this to play around with.
"ITA Hondaboy" (kcolbey)
03/30/2017 at 20:44, STARS: 0
Thanks, I really haven’t played with filters at all. I think now I might want to consider it...
"FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com" (alphaass)
03/30/2017 at 21:09, STARS: 0
If nothing else they’re a fun inexpensive toy. Tiffen brand filters work well enough and you can probably get a set for like $40 in 52mm that fits the kit 18-55 and 55-200 lenses as well as the 35mm 1.8 and 40mm macro.