I'm looking to eventually go pro with photography, so I was wondering what kind of lenses I should look into. I'll be shooting a lot of everything so the best lenses for different things....kids/babies/people in general...nature...the moon (yes I'm obsessed with moon shots) etc...TIA!
Buying the best lenses is an expensive proposition... This is probably the best lens for moon shots, although you might find selling moon photos a little tricky -- there's quite a few of them out there. It'll also be an awesome lens for nature photography.
You really need to decide on what focal lengths you want and what kind of lenses you want. Do you want prime lenses or zoom lenses? Do you want a macro lens? A fisheye lens?
However, to get you started, if you wanted a high-end Nikon zoom lens selection, I'd probably get the:
That will give you excellent coverage from super-wide to telephoto at a fixed f/2.8 (gathers lots of light and lets you switch lenses without changing settings, great when you have just a few seconds to get the shot), although you might also want to upgrade to a full-frame camera like the D600 or D800 to get the most out of them.
Realistically, while I'm absolutely of the mindset that good glass is worth the money, you need to be aware of what you are finding limiting with your current equipment. Is it the wrong focal range? Does it focus too slowly? Does the aperture not go wide enough? Is it not sharp enough? Without understanding what you are finding limiting with your current equipment, it's very difficult to recommend what you should replace it with. If you are not yet at the point where you are being limited by your current equipment, then you could easily spend a *lot* of money on expensive lenses and find little improvement.
Can you let us know what isn't working for you with your current equipment?
I haven't received my new camera yet, it's going to be a few weeks, so I really just wanted some opinions! =) Thank you and as soon as I get it and play with it i'll be back!
To be honest I would get your D5100 and 2 or 3 decent fairly general-purpose lenses (focal lengths as Alexis said, don't know about specific Nikon models) and shoot loads of pictures and build up some experience. After that it will be clearer which lenses you need to upgrade or buy in addition. It depends on you and your needs so until you establish what they are in practice I wouldn't invest a lot of cash straight away.
@johnf Agree absolutely. Pro lenses do not make a pro photographer. It also depends what kind of professional work you want to get into.
Those three zoom lenses I suggested, or something similar, are the bread and butter lenses of wedding photographers, who need to work quickly. And the super-telephoto is the sort of lens you'll be surrounded by if you go anywhere good for bird-watching. But you won't find a wedding photographer using the super-tele any more than you'll find a bird photographer using a 24-70!
Also remember that it's the quality of your photos that buyers care about -- they don't care if you took it with a $10,000 lens or a $200 lens if it's a good photo. Expensive lenses may help you get more good photos, but in many cases you can get something perfectly acceptable with much cheaper equipment and only a little more frustration. I sold a photo to CNN last month taken with a consumer DSLR released in 2005 and a lens that cost less than $300.
@abirkill Just an observation Alexis; I always look forward to your insightful, accurate, and very detailed responses. You are free with your information and eager to lay all the cards on the table. I consider you a tremendous asset to this community and the profession; keep up the excellent work!
@abirkill@grizzlysghost agree with Aaron. Alexis I always look forward to your valued opinion and comments. Your knowledge which you willing share is very much appreciated. Thank you
@cherishl Well, when you start looking for lenses again, bhphotovideo.com is where I've gotten all of my equipment from. Also, that 18-55 mm lens will do pretty good at first. If you don't want to specialize in Macro, I wouldn't get a straight up lens for it. There're more affordable alternatives [close-up filters, reversal rings and extension tubes].
B&H has a nice looking 40mm macro lens for $275, I believe. But, if you want to do portraits, I'd suggest investing in a decent prime lens. The 50mm prime has a really amazing DoF. Also, with an aperture of 1.8-22 it can do well in low lighting. If you want a zoom lens, I would suggest a 50-300. I personally went with a 70-300 which is cool, but its focal range is bit of a hindrance when you're getting started out.
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You really need to decide on what focal lengths you want and what kind of lenses you want. Do you want prime lenses or zoom lenses? Do you want a macro lens? A fisheye lens?
However, to get you started, if you wanted a high-end Nikon zoom lens selection, I'd probably get the:
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8
That will give you excellent coverage from super-wide to telephoto at a fixed f/2.8 (gathers lots of light and lets you switch lenses without changing settings, great when you have just a few seconds to get the shot), although you might also want to upgrade to a full-frame camera like the D600 or D800 to get the most out of them.
If you wanted, you could add a nice macro, a good portrait lens and a wide prime.
Realistically, while I'm absolutely of the mindset that good glass is worth the money, you need to be aware of what you are finding limiting with your current equipment. Is it the wrong focal range? Does it focus too slowly? Does the aperture not go wide enough? Is it not sharp enough? Without understanding what you are finding limiting with your current equipment, it's very difficult to recommend what you should replace it with. If you are not yet at the point where you are being limited by your current equipment, then you could easily spend a *lot* of money on expensive lenses and find little improvement.
Can you let us know what isn't working for you with your current equipment?
Those three zoom lenses I suggested, or something similar, are the bread and butter lenses of wedding photographers, who need to work quickly. And the super-telephoto is the sort of lens you'll be surrounded by if you go anywhere good for bird-watching. But you won't find a wedding photographer using the super-tele any more than you'll find a bird photographer using a 24-70!
Also remember that it's the quality of your photos that buyers care about -- they don't care if you took it with a $10,000 lens or a $200 lens if it's a good photo. Expensive lenses may help you get more good photos, but in many cases you can get something perfectly acceptable with much cheaper equipment and only a little more frustration. I sold a photo to CNN last month taken with a consumer DSLR released in 2005 and a lens that cost less than $300.
Anyway, I decided on the D3100, and I already LOVE it. It came with the standard 18-55mm lens, but I need a better zoom...also a good macro lens!
B&H has a nice looking 40mm macro lens for $275, I believe. But, if you want to do portraits, I'd suggest investing in a decent prime lens. The 50mm prime has a really amazing DoF. Also, with an aperture of 1.8-22 it can do well in low lighting. If you want a zoom lens, I would suggest a 50-300. I personally went with a 70-300 which is cool, but its focal range is bit of a hindrance when you're getting started out.
Long post short:
50mm: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/247091-USA/Nikon_2137_Normal_AF_Nikkor_50mm.html (this lens only works with manual focus, but with this sort of lens I find that preferable)
40mm: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/810414-USA/Nikon_2200_40_mm_f_2_8G_AF_S.html (macro; this is one that I'm kind of in love with. Maybe it'll be good for you. :D)
70-300mm: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/549304-REG/Sigma_5A8306_70_300mm_f_4_5_6_APO_DG.html (the one I got. The focus is a bit far but with enough playing it's really fun. Also, It has a 1:2 reproduction ratio. It takes decent macro photos. :D)