Ok so I have my twin lens (18-55 & 55-250mm) DSLR camera and a tripod.
What would be recommended to purchase next, I was reading an article on filters and thought yes I need some of those.
I would also love to get a fish eye and macro lens.
There is just so much out there and I want it all, but I need to prioritise.
I recommend getting a nice wide-aperture prime lens, such as the 50mm f/1.8 (relatively cheap) or the 50mm f/1.4 (a bit more pricey). They will change the way you photograph!
@lrn the basic question: what do you want to achieve?
The answer to your question can be several.
If your focus is to do nature photography, a polarizing filter and a good neutral density filter can go a long way.
if your focus is macro photography, buy a macro lens.
if your focus is photographing people, maybe a flash unit and a radio transmitter, to do off camera flash.
but first you will need to give some thought about what you want, i guess, instead of go shopping.
i, for instance, have focused on advenure photography and bought a lightweight good travel bag where i can carry the basics. And a good all round lens.
Do you have multiple batteries for your camera? And perhaps an inverter for your car so you can charge camera batteries in your car. I find a headlamp to be essential in night photography. Other items I use often are a great bag, an ND filter (I use a 900 more than the lesser ones) and a remote shutter release. I know a lot of people use a circular polarizer .
Great advice above, I can only add to not rush into it. Figure out what you prefer to shoot, get comfortable with the basics, then start building your stable :)
@lrn - looking at your photos, and seeing where you live, I'd definitely get a polarizing filter. You have some huge horizons out there and some blue skies. Spare batteries because you can be a long way from power out there. The inverter is a good idea, although I have power points in my car that do the same thing. Extra memory cards, big ones! I love my fisheye, but they're a tricky beast, so I'd go a nice 8mm-20mm or something wide like that. The 50mm prime seems standard kit for Canon on this site.
@bobfoto thanks for looking and I think you have got me going on the right track, wide open plains need the right. @agima I have been thinking your way as well, I have had the camera for two years now but only had the 55-250 lens since September, have hardly taken it off the camera.
Everyone else great advise, I just want to get my photos to be interesting and tell the story that I see in my head and sometimes it's the little things like external flash, filters and remotes that help in getting it right, before photoshopping it. I hope that makes sense.
Decide what your current equipment can't do that you want to do, and then find out what you need to buy to make it do those things (or ask here!)
Think about what you photograph and what would be the most use to you. A fisheye lens might be awesome for a couple of shots, but you might find yourself seeing macro opportunities every other day -- or vice versa. Or if you can't do that, find photos that you like and see what equipment they used that you don't have. In some cases, you might be surprised and find you have everything you need already.
@pocketmouse Hi Teresa i would like to ask you a question about the 50 mm 1.4 prime lens.Iam a newbie to photography and i have the 35mm lens which i love but i keep reading how great the 50mm lens is and how great it is for a everyday walk about lens.Is there much differents between the 35 and 50 mm lens.Any help will be appreciated.Thank you.
@mitchell50 Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to work with the 35mm, but from my experience the 50mm is a great walkabout lens, fantastic for portraits. According to what I've read/seen, the 35mm tends to distort faces if you're looking to do head-and-shoulder portraits, but it's good for full-body portraits because you fit more in (to get a full-body shot with the 50mm, you have to stand well away from your subject). And it's also good for landscape photography because it's a wider angle lens than the 50mm.
Personally, given my camera (and I see you have the Nikon D90, which is a crop sensor, like the Canon 500D I use), I would go for the 50mm first before the 35mm, because it suits my style of photography better - if I wanted a landscape lens, I'd go for the 24-70mm f/2.8 lens (which I have my eye on... :) )
@mitchell50@pocketmouse I agree with Terese, I wouldn't use a 35mm for portrait, not to say you can not but it distorts the image. The longer the lens the more flattering the image.
Now having said that there are hundreds of people that will and do use a 35 or lower for portraits. I am just not one of them.
The 24-70 is a great lens and it is the lens i use most when indoors or taking selfies. I will sometime use it with portraits but most of the time I chose to use the longer lens of 70-200 or even the 100-400 if I really want to compress the background.
A polarized filter is also very cool but they are still not cheap. Oh you can get cheap ones but some will put a hue over your image so spend the extra bucks if you can.
Filters are great, the polarising is a must and possibly some Nentral density Graduated filters for sunsets and sunrise.
Would agree on the extra batteries the extra battery grip is good as it has two batteris feeding the camera but it does add some weight.
Lens apart from the two you have the 50 mm prime is a fantastic lens mine has a max aperture of f1.8 and a macro lens the tamron is a good budget buy, with good quality
@photogarymac thanks gary, I don't know about the battery grip as I have a condition that cripples my hands up so the extra weight might be a problem. It is difficult enough trying to change lenses, but I never let it get in my way.
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The answer to your question can be several.
If your focus is to do nature photography, a polarizing filter and a good neutral density filter can go a long way.
if your focus is macro photography, buy a macro lens.
if your focus is photographing people, maybe a flash unit and a radio transmitter, to do off camera flash.
but first you will need to give some thought about what you want, i guess, instead of go shopping.
i, for instance, have focused on advenure photography and bought a lightweight good travel bag where i can carry the basics. And a good all round lens.
Off camera flash. Then let the creative juices flow.
In reality I would suggest that you get to know your currently lens real well before you shell out any money for a new lens.
I had that kit and still have those lens so I know there is a hell of a lot you can do with them.
Just remember its not the equipment that makes the photo its the photographer. Practice, Practice, Practice
@agima I have been thinking your way as well, I have had the camera for two years now but only had the 55-250 lens since September, have hardly taken it off the camera.
Everyone else great advise, I just want to get my photos to be interesting and tell the story that I see in my head and sometimes it's the little things like external flash, filters and remotes that help in getting it right, before photoshopping it. I hope that makes sense.
oh and this one too, both with kit lenses at 14mm, but the width and the filter makes for some vastness!
Think about what you photograph and what would be the most use to you. A fisheye lens might be awesome for a couple of shots, but you might find yourself seeing macro opportunities every other day -- or vice versa. Or if you can't do that, find photos that you like and see what equipment they used that you don't have. In some cases, you might be surprised and find you have everything you need already.
Personally, given my camera (and I see you have the Nikon D90, which is a crop sensor, like the Canon 500D I use), I would go for the 50mm first before the 35mm, because it suits my style of photography better - if I wanted a landscape lens, I'd go for the 24-70mm f/2.8 lens (which I have my eye on... :) )
(In fact, if you're looking for info on any lens, just type the lens and "review" into google and you'll find heaps of information!)
Now having said that there are hundreds of people that will and do use a 35 or lower for portraits. I am just not one of them.
The 24-70 is a great lens and it is the lens i use most when indoors or taking selfies. I will sometime use it with portraits but most of the time I chose to use the longer lens of 70-200 or even the 100-400 if I really want to compress the background.
Would agree on the extra batteries the extra battery grip is good as it has two batteris feeding the camera but it does add some weight.
Lens apart from the two you have the 50 mm prime is a fantastic lens mine has a max aperture of f1.8 and a macro lens the tamron is a good budget buy, with good quality