Nikon D3xxx owners thread

Hi all.

Im a little confused.

I want to buy a lens, probably the Sigma 70-300mm APO HSM. I have just looked at Sigma's website, and i see that it says, "Sigma's HSM version lenses are available only for AF Sigma, Canon and Nikon AF cameras."

The reason i was looking for a HSM lens was because i was under the impression that i would need a HSM lens for my D3100, as it has an auto focus motor.

Is this correct or not please? Any help would be very much appreciated! Gaz.
 
Katchit said:
Hi all.

Im a little confused.

I want to buy a lens, probably the Sigma 70-300mm APO HSM. I have just looked at Sigma's website, and i see that it says, "Sigma's HSM version lenses are available only for AF Sigma, Canon and Nikon AF cameras."

The reason i was looking for a HSM lens was because i was under the impression that i would need a HSM lens for my D3100, as it has an auto focus motor.

Is this correct or not please? Any help would be very much appreciated! Gaz.
Click to expand...

Yes you need an HSM lens. When it says Nikon AF cameras it doesn't mean cameras other than ones without focus motors, it means any Nikon DSLR or SLR with the ability to support autofocus, be it in the body or on a lens.
 
benjo09 said:
Hi everyone,

I'm looking to buy my first DSLR as a step up from point and shoots. My Dad bought a D5100 last week as his first entry but I can't quite stretch my budget to that so the D3100 it is for me.

I'm pretty set on the D3100 body but I'm just really confused about which lenses I will want/need. I can see myself shooting sports, macro and everyday life as well as wanting to catalogue my large vinyl record collection.

I haven't really got a extra to spend so I'm stuck trying to work out whether to get the 18-55 and 55-200 lens kit, just the 18-55 and get another lens or to just get the body and buy 2 lenses.

My budget for this is about £450 and I've found a shop that sells the body for £275, the body and 18-55 lens for £335 and for the body and 2 lenses £435 to give you an idea of my budget.

As you can see I'm quite confused so any help will be great and I'm sure I will be sticking around,

Cheers,

Ben
Click to expand...

The 18-55/55-200 twins are a great first way to capture photos. IMO the difference between your two cameras is negligible in the face of what really makes an image - subject, narrative, light, composition etc. It's a fine way of coming into photography and under budget. Look early to augment the twin zooms with a punchy little prime - the 35/1.8 gets all the right press on here and elsewhere, really stunning for the cost.

With an 18-200 focal range you have the means of shooting nearly anything you want, unless you suddenly develop the uncontrollable urge to shoot birds, in which case you should look to sell the car to fund your addiction...
 
To anybody starting out.... Never use auto :)

Try your best to experiment with M, A, and S. Manual, Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority.

That way you'll learn what they all do instead of hitting auto. Especially if you experiment in manual.

If you get really stuck, go to A mode (aperture priority) and take a photograph of a non moving object after each click of the dial, ie change the aperture one click (known as one stop) and take a shot each time of the non moving object in the same light. See the difference!

Put the camera on a table or tripod to keep it steady while you experiment on a stationary object.

I have this camera and I love it. So you've got the potential for amazing photographs!
 
each click of the dial is 1/3 stop :) 3 clicks is 1 stop (half/double of brightness).

eg. f4 to f5.6 is 1 stop, f4, f4.5, f5, f5.6. 3 clicks.


i'll have my 55-200mm up for sale very soon. brilliant lens, but i've bought a 18-200mm so the 55-200 is no longer needed.
 
Wow Thats what you picked up from my extremely late post and schoolboy error :)
 
And for the record with many dslr
Cameras you can change in the menu so that one click is one stop
 
thanks wuyanxu - thats where I went wrong with my 10 stopper then :bonk:
 
Whopeeeee! Am silly excited - have just taken delivery of my new Nikon D3100. Am at work so can't really play with it but have managed to put all the 'bits' together, charge the battery and take my first photo! I happened to have a 16gb Kingston memory card in my drawer which Amazon sent to me last year in error (they said it wasn't them but it came in their packaging with their delivery note etc but I def didn't order it or pay for it!) - how very handy ...

Quick question: there somes to be a very slight 'looseness' or 'play' on the slide for the memory card - is this usual or should I be sending the kit back?

Thanks!
 
my D3100 also got this issue. the cover for memory card opens very easily, and the plastic makes a bit of noise when put pressure on it. i thought it's normal? it's a cheap camera after all.
 
Still hummming and ahhhing about which one to get - and wading through the many useful pages on here. Tho' I still fancy the 3100. Quick question if I may - does a memory card come in the box or do you have to get that separate? What format does it use and recommended size? I might be asking further questions in this section :D
 
no memory card, you have to spend a tenner on it separately.
accepts any SD card. including SDHC, SDXC.
size depends on how much you plan to shoot. 8GB shoots 450 RAW files, 32GB shoots 1.8k.

i use 8GB day to day, then a fresh 32GB when going on holiday. recommended size i'd say is 8GB, 16GB or 32GB.
 
Think I'm going to pull the trigger on a D3100 when I get paid tomorrow. Been round the houses having looked at/nearly pulled the trigger on the D5100, D90, 1100D, 600D and 650D but figured I don't know what I want or need so cheaper is probably better at this stage.
 
Can I join in on this thread? I got my D3100 on Sunday, already I have added to the kit with a 16gb Sandisk Extreme, AF-S 35mm f1.8 and a MC-DC2. I got the kit second hand (2 shutter actuations/unwanted gift) with a 4gb card, Hoya Pro Digital CIR-PL and Nikon Camera bag.

Currently very happy with the camera, just need a few more lenses and a bit of skill!
 
Told you I would be back!

Now reading that it is best to buy the body only as the kit lens is not that good.

Is that a valid statement to make?

Slowly walking into a minefield in the fog and it's pitch dark at night :D
 
I wouldn't say it's not that good - as a kit lens it's fine and I'd probably recommend you use it to get used to the camera, your abilities etc

My 35mm f1.8 stays on mine most of the time, but if I need wider than out comes the kit
 
Zoomboxer said:
Told you I would be back!

Now reading that it is best to buy the body only as the kit lens is not that good.

Is that a valid statement to make?

Slowly walking into a minefield in the fog and it's pitch dark at night :D
Click to expand...

As far as I am aware, the only way to buy a new D3100 is with the kit lens. It's not bad actually, but its obviously not professional quality.
 
j07cmt said:
As far as I am aware, the only way to buy a new D3100 is with the kit lens. It's not bad actually, but its obviously not professional quality.
Click to expand...

You can get body only:

http://www.digitalrev.com/product/nikon-d3100-dslr-digital-camera/OTY4NQ_A_A

Haven't found how to do short linky thing yet

The customer review I found:

Fantastic price for what you are getting. However, avoid the kit lens at all cost, I've made the mistake of buying the body with the 18-55mm kit lens. Later (recently) I bought a superzoom lens 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 and the image quality difference is just astonishing. If you're short on cash as I was search on here for Nikon Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.8 D

Both taken from Digitalrev.com site.
 
I must have got it confused with another camera.

Saying avoid the kit lens at all cost is a bit harsh. Especially as the reviewer is telling you to go buy a manual focus only lens. If he had said to get the AF-S 50mm...

Bit like Amazon reviewers who give a 'product' one star because the courier didn't arrive on time.
 
Zoomboxer said:
Fantastic price for what you are getting. However, avoid the kit lens at all cost, I've made the mistake of buying the body with the 18-55mm kit lens. Later (recently) I bought a superzoom lens 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 and the image quality difference is just astonishing. If you're short on cash as I was search on here for Nikon Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.8 D
Click to expand...

i went from 18-55mm kit lens to 18-200mm on this exact camera. image sharpness was more or less the same, more distortion on the super zoom (bad), but super zoom has amp more contrast (good). the kit lens does a great job at what it does, you can't really compare a £800 lens to a £80 lens.

the Nikkor AF 50mm f1.8 D will NOT autofocus on D3100, that is very bad advice, do NOT buy AF-D lenses. you need AF-S G lenses, like 35mm f1.8G or 50mm f1.8G.


welcome to the club, j07cmt. :)
 
Thanks for the replies. The clouds of confusion are slowly starting to part. I will see the light one day...
 
you can buy body only from WEx, too. Paired with the 18-70 it's far, far better than it has any right to be! Actually, to the point that for the timebeing I sold the 35 prime!

Now, I've decided to try the zoom thing a little further and I've just sprung for a 55-300 VR from Amazon. Now, I don't expect miracles [for example, to compete with my luvverly 300/4] but a few times recently we've been out and I've missed a 300 equivalent.

Ummed and aahed over another 70-300, but actually it's not that much smaller than the big prime. The 55-300 seems to garner good praise, seems sharp and contrasty enough at 300mm, and is cheap enough to live on as a 'throw in your bag' lens.

I've been bitten by the 'cheap zoom' bug, it seems... always considered myself a prime shooter, but with one child and two on the way I've been thinking long and hard about exactly what I may and may not be shooting in the next few years!
 
danbroad said:
you can buy body only from WEx, too. Paired with the 18-70 it's far, far better than it has any right to be! Actually, to the point that for the timebeing I sold the 35 prime!

Now, I've decided to try the zoom thing a little further and I've just sprung for a 55-300 VR from Amazon. Now, I don't expect miracles [for example, to compete with my luvverly 300/4] but a few times recently we've been out and I've missed a 300 equivalent.

Ummed and aahed over another 70-300, but actually it's not that much smaller than the big prime. The 55-300 seems to garner good praise, seems sharp and contrasty enough at 300mm, and is cheap enough to live on as a 'throw in your bag' lens.

I've been bitten by the 'cheap zoom' bug, it seems... always considered myself a prime shooter, but with one child and two on the way I've been thinking long and hard about exactly what I may and may not be shooting in the next few years!
Click to expand...

I have the 55-300mm on a D3100 and absolutely love it. So much so that I'm not going to bother hiring a different lens for my safari holiday in November.

Quite a few shots on my Flickr are with it.
 
I've had mine about 4 months and I'm really enjoying my time with it. This is my first Dslr and it's made it very easy to get to grips with the hobby.

I didn't want to spend too much just in case the hobby didn't click with me.
 
I have just stumbled across this thread so thought i would get my nose in :D

I'm quite new to DSLR photography (like most of the d3100 owners). I bought my camera last month and I think I have already snapped 5000+ images. After all I’m new to this and practice makes perfect.

I bought the twin kit lens 18-55mm VR Lens + 55-200mm Non VR Lens and to be fair they are OK for what they are. One day I would like to upgrade but for now whilst on this HUGE learning curve I do not see this as a hindrance. Invest some capital in a decent tripod and shutter release contraption (£2.50 from Ebay) and possibly even some software for PP and take it from there.

In short - No point upgrading until you exhaust the capabilities of your current hard/software.
 
Is anyone using a Samyang 8mm fisheye ? I have an itch for one and would like to hear people's experience of them
 
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I'm currently deciding wether to get a 35mm f1.8G lens for mine.

Is it really that much of a must have over the kit lens?
 
Yes - you wouldn't believe how sharp it is in comparison.
 
Have you got any pictures taken with this lens on the D3100?

Thanks :)
 
I've got a D3100, kit, 35mm 1.8, and the 55-300mm.

The prime is my favourite lens - superb. The kit lens is also very good despite what other people say. The 55-300 is good but I find that more often than not it produces soft images at the 300mm end of the lens. Has anyone else experienced this?
 
There's some 35mm pics in my sig

I don't have a 55-300 but I have a 70-300. It can be a little soft at the top but not massively. I was almost 300m away from this


top fuel dragster by damianmkv, on Flickr
 
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Another new 3100 user! Recently upgraded from my D40 to it. Then went and bought a 35mm prime! :D

Best thing I've ever done! Highly recommend getting the 35mm! I got mine from Amazon for £136
 
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