Need Help! What lens Should I Get For Video

longhair

longhair

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Hi I have a Nikon D3200 and I use it for filming banger racing. I'm looking to buy a lens that can allow me to zoom in very far while I am filming. Does anyone have any suggestion on what I should get? I use to use a Sony HD Handycam and that had 50x zoom and that was fine for me but this D3200 is my first DSLR so I don't know what lens to get. The lens it came with doesn't zoom far enough.

Thanks
 
Unfortunately you're going to struggle. The 50x zoom that your handycam has is it's longest reach divided by it's widest. Your lens that came with your camera I presume is an 18mm-55mm which would be roughly a 3x zoom. The only way to get good 'zoom' with a DLSR lens it to start off at a fairly long distance in the first place. I don't know Nikon but had a quick look. They do an 80mm-400mm http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Camera-Lenses/AF-S-NIKKOR-80-400mm-f%2F4.5-5.6G-ED-VR.html but the starting point of the lens will be longer than you furthest zoom with your 18-55mm and it's only a 5 X zoom. If you're in the stands, and want to zoom to the other side of the track, I think your video camera would be better suited.
 
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Not to mention the autofocus on a d3200 will be pretty horrific at long focal lengths. ..well any lengths actually.
Also the wobble you will get from a long focal length will make most footage unwatchable, so you'd need a lens with VR, which will bump the price up significantly.
Sometimes a camcorder is a much better option. In this case, it most certainly is. Would be cheaper too.
 
Is there anything I can do to get better zoom? Any add ons? Or settings on the camera?
 
You haven't said what lens you've actually got, is it the 18mm-55mm?

Is there anything I can do to get better zoom? - Buy a longer lens

Any add ons? - You could get a teleconverter http://www.johnlewis.com/nikon-tc-2...6c669261&s_kwcid=128x37842&tmad=c&tmcampid=73 this will effectively double the reach of the lens, but doubling not very long will get you no where.

Or settings on the camera? - No - All your camera body does is record what's put in front of it, be that a wide angled shot or a long shot.
 
WelshNoob said:
You haven't said what lens you've actually got, is it the 18mm-55mm?

Is there anything I can do to get better zoom? - Buy a longer lens

Any add ons? - You could get a teleconverter http://www.johnlewis.com/nikon-tc-2...6c669261&s_kwcid=128x37842&tmad=c&tmcampid=73 this will effectively double the reach of the lens, but doubling not very long will get you no where.

Or settings on the camera? - No - All your camera body does is record what's put in front of it, be that a wide angled shot or a long shot.
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The lens I have now is 18-55mm
 
The most important thing in my opinion is having image stabilisation on the lens
 
Not if the subject is so far away you cant see it it isn't.
 
Is the banger racing during the day or under floodlights, how close can you get to the action and the most important question everyone missed, what's your budget?
 
DSLR's are not really useable for focusing whilst zooming due to the lack of a built in smooth power zoom
 
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