Full Lens Setup?

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Matt
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Hi,

Can someone explain the lenses to me?

I think i have it right , but would this be a good full setup of all the lenses im gonna need in the future :

Wide Angle Lens (10-20 for example)
Kit Lens (18-70 for example)
Superzoom Lens (70-300 for example)
Macro Lens (150mm for example)

Ive heard people on about prime 50mm are good for portrait? , is this right and is this the sort of lens you would use in a studio doing portraits?

Any ideas on how i would need other lenses?

Matt
 
I don't know whether it's right, but that's pretty much what I have...

sigma 10-20
sigma 24-70
canon 70-300
canon 100 macro
 
You're on the right lines, but what you should also be looking at is quality fast glass.. i.e. f2.8 lenses.

My kit consists of

sigma 10-20 (not fast, but it's more for landscapes, so it doesn't need to be)
sigma 24-70 f2.8 - Fast lens for low light, good quality too, very sharp.
Nikon 50mm f1.8 - Very fast lens, good for low light and portraits, very very very sharp.
Nikon 70-200 f2.8 - One of the best lenses that Nikon make.

The faster glass is also more expensive, as it tends to be better, more "pro" quality, so you sometimes have to trade off quality for price.

Just my 2p of course.
 
Hi,

Well the 50mm prime i have seen £75 brand new so thats quite a good price. So if i was in a studio would i be using something like this? , or something with a zoom?

Matt
 
depends on the subject. If you're shooting still life in a studio, the prime would do you fine as the subject would be nice and still, but if you're shooting a child for example, they're likely to be moving around quite a bit and the versatility of a zoom would come into it's own.
 
It really depends on what you want to shoot, if you shoot sport for example, you might not ever use a 50mm or a super wide lens.

The 50mm f1.8/f1.4 lenses are good because they have such wide apertures, so let a lot of light in, they are also cheap. I tend to use mine for things like portraits, or when I want a shallow DOF.

If you have a lens that goes to the 50mm range set it to 50mm and use it at that length and see how you get on with it...
 
So would the normal 18-55 or 18-70 be used then? , say f2.8 fixed through the lens
 
If you start going for fast zooms like, say a Nikon 17-55 f/2.8 then you are looking at between £6-800 new/used, although a Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 is a good budget alternative at around £170-250 new/used.


Just like with cars, speed costs £££ :lol:
 
Hi,

Well for me it would have to be the budget zoom then , lol

Cant see the point in paying an extra 600 just cause its a nikkor lens. The quality could be made the same in photoshop probably anyway
 
Hi,

Well for me it would have to be the budget zoom then , lol

Cant see the point in paying an extra 600 just cause its a nikkor lens. The quality could be made the same in photoshop probably anyway

There is a marked difference in quality,both optical and construction-wise, it just depends how much you value it. I had the Tamron and can highly recommend it,but the Nikon 18-70 kit lens is also highly regarded and can be had a bit cheaper secondhand
 
Well i currently have a SOny A200 so would have to be Tamron (but am contemplating getting a nikon d80 as i dont want to learn sony and then when i move up to studio work have to relearn canon and nikon.

Matt
 
Nothing wrong with staying with Sony and getting one of their higher scale bodies, although I would imagine your A200 will be produce images at least of the same quality of the D80...
 
Also remember that, whilst it's great to have every focal length from 10-600mm, everybody has their own innate style - I had just that, a Sigma 10-20, 18-200, 70-200 2.8, 2xTC, 50mm 1.8, 60mm Micro - and by studying my own EXIF's and looking at my keepers, realised I only really need two focal lengths - 'fast and 50mm' for one, and 'as long, fast and sharp as possible' for the other. Maybe buy a 18-200 lens, shoot 1000 images around the county, and analyse your EXIF? Or think about your trips - if airshows and zoos are your thing, a superwide isn't for you...
 
i use (well have)
12-24 F4
24-60 F2.8
50mm 1.8
100-300 F4 (super quick and sharp anyway)
and in the future looking at 70-200 F2.8 to "fill the gap" so to speak
 
Well i currently have a SOny A200 so would have to be Tamron (but am contemplating getting a nikon d80 as i dont want to learn sony and then when i move up to studio work have to relearn canon and nikon.

Spend a good few years learning photography and the make / model / age of camera is pretty much irrelevant.

It's just a camera.
 
Also remember that, whilst it's great to have every focal length from 10-600mm, everybody has their own innate style - I had just that, a Sigma 10-20, 18-200, 70-200 2.8, 2xTC, 50mm 1.8, 60mm Micro - and by studying my own EXIF's and looking at my keepers, realised I only really need two focal lengths - 'fast and 50mm' for one, and 'as long, fast and sharp as possible' for the other. Maybe buy a 18-200 lens, shoot 1000 images around the county, and analyse your EXIF? Or think about your trips - if airshows and zoos are your thing, a superwide isn't for you...
This is excellent advice.

I did exactly that. I got an 18-200mm zoom, used it a bit, and looked at which focal lengths I had actually used in practice. The results were interesting, and clearly pointed me in th direction of what kinds of lenses I'd find useful:

attachment.php
 
This is excellent advice.

I did exactly that. I got an 18-200mm zoom, used it a bit, and looked at which focal lengths I had actually used in practice. The results were interesting, and clearly pointed me in th direction of what kinds of lenses I'd find useful:

attachment.php

Me too, I bought the 18-200VR to cover all the bases which I dont regret and its a great lens but you start to realise what you use. To be honest I think the 50mm 1.4 is all ill ever need for my portraits/music. For weddings id like to eventually have the 70-200VR and the 24-70.2.8 to cover all bases. I might also get the 85mm 1.4 but really the 50mm is all you need. IMO you dont really need a zoom for portraits, I just use my legs.
 
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