Entry level DSLR
Discussion
craigjm said:
OK thanks. As I said at the top this isn’t for me it’s for my 15yo niece for Christmas.
Understood - but at the end of the day it's your cashcraigjm said:
Would this be the Nikon equivalent with VR? From what I have read and you say then the extra £200 or so would be money well spent
It's certainly a better lens but given that it starts at 70mm it's very much suited to a specific type of photography - on a crop sensor it isn't a lens you are likely to leave on the camera to use on a daily basis. I would hold off on buying something like that until you know what type of photography your niece is into once she gets some experience in using a DSLR.If the cost isn't a concern then go for it as it's a decent lens and will open up more options.
ETA: Nikon also do a 55-300mm for slightly less cash - obviously the "wider" end is a little more "usable" but the lens is older and uses a slower focusing motor. The 55-300mm is also slightly faster at 300mm.
Edited by flight147z on Wednesday 8th November 00:28
Edited by flight147z on Wednesday 8th November 00:31
craigjm said:
OK we are going to go got the Nikon D3400 so just looking around for deals now. Will probably go twin lens set up. Have seen the body with an 18-55 and 70-300. All the kits I have seen like this have the 18-55 as a Nikon lens with a VR lens which I understand is image stabilisation. The bundled 70-300 lens is often a Tamron lens that is DI LD. what is that? Is it the Tamron version of image stabilisation?
If its the Nikon 70-300 it probably isnt the one with VR, if its a tamron then it needs VC (their version of image stabilisation), either way those will be basic lenses and a little slow.The VR 70-300 is a good lens for the money but it has a narrow field of view and isnt suited for indoor work being up in the F4.5-6.3 range, its also a little slow to focus, its more suited to wild life (ones not moving) or landscape photography.
Try a 35mm DX or FX lens, even the F1.8 50mm, they are cheap enough or buy 2nd hand to save yourself some money.
Edited by tonyb1968 on Wednesday 8th November 01:47
tonyb1968 said:
Try a 35mm DX or FX lens
This^^ My wife has just been given an unused D3100 with 18-55 + 55-200, and even after a couple of trips out the limiting factor is aperture range of the lenses. I've just bought a used AF-S 35mm F1.8, as this will give here what she needs and her photography will improve using a fixed lens, as the mind is focussed (no pun intended) on better composition. Being a prime (rather than a cheap zoom) the image quality will be alot better as well.
It should certainly be a consideration, once the limitations of the twin zooms are reached.
flight147z said:
ETA: Nikon also do a 55-300mm for slightly less cash - obviously the "wider" end is a little more "usable" but the lens is older and uses a slower focusing motor. The 55-300mm is also slightly faster at 300mm.
Edited by flight147z on Wednesday 8th November 00:31
craigjm said:
I know from when I was a kid that part of the fun of an SLR was changing the lenses and thinking about what you wanted to shoot, I just want to give her more of an option that 18-55. The other lens you mention from 55 up is that VR equipped? Link?
Don't waste your money on the 55-2/300 lenses. If you're going to go for a telephoto lens for a beginner, you may as well go straight to the 70-300 Nikon lenses with AF-S/AF-P if your budget allows.The AF-S is an FX lens whilst the AF-P you are looking at is a DX lens designed specifically for the budget ranges and priced accordingly. I have no experience of the AF-P as it only works with the newer cameras but if it's anything like the AF-S version it'll blow the 55-2/300 lenses away.
I had both 18-55 and the 55-200 when I started and I quickly moved onto a 17-50, 35mm, 70-200 + a 70-300 lens set.
RammyMP said:
I was after an entry level DSLR so this thread was useful. I was going to get the Nikon but at the moment Costco have the Canon EOS 1300 plus lens and bag for £260 so I ended up getting one if those. Pleased with it so far.
That's a good deal. Only £10 more than I paid for my 1110d three years ago and the 1300d is much nicer (plus I didn't get a bag!)I recommend the 50mm prime as a good lens to see what your camera is capable of!
craigjm said:
So the P model is smoother and quieter? Guess that’s designed for video. Wondering how much would miss the 55-70 range in a two lens set up with the 18-55 standard lens being the other.
It's not a big gap - the other thing to consider though is generally speaking the wider the range a lens covers the less "sharp" the images are. Might be splitting hairs between those two though as both have a huge rangeflight147z said:
It's not a big gap - the other thing to consider though is generally speaking the wider the range a lens covers the less "sharp" the images are. Might be splitting hairs between those two though as both have a huge range
Yeah I thought that but was thinking as a two lens starter setup with the camera she has chosen it would be good enough. The 70-300 AF-P DX is designed specifically for Nikon's more recent crop sensor camera ranges.
Notes from the Nikon site itself:
"This lens is compatible with D3000 series cameras from the D3300 onwards, D5000 series cameras from the D5200 onwards, and D7000 series cameras from the D7100 onwards. The D500 is also compatible. Please note that compatible cameras may require a firmware update."
So you've got limited compatibility to go with the lower price, and therefore a lower resale value.
Otherwise, if you're buying her a compatible body and she's not going to be picking up an older 2nd hand body anytime soon, fill yer boots.
You're not going to miss the 15mm gap between the 55-300 and the 70-300, the 70-300 is likely to be a step upwards in terms of quality.
Notes from the Nikon site itself:
"This lens is compatible with D3000 series cameras from the D3300 onwards, D5000 series cameras from the D5200 onwards, and D7000 series cameras from the D7100 onwards. The D500 is also compatible. Please note that compatible cameras may require a firmware update."
So you've got limited compatibility to go with the lower price, and therefore a lower resale value.
Otherwise, if you're buying her a compatible body and she's not going to be picking up an older 2nd hand body anytime soon, fill yer boots.
You're not going to miss the 15mm gap between the 55-300 and the 70-300, the 70-300 is likely to be a step upwards in terms of quality.
eltawater said:
The 70-300 AF-P DX is designed specifically for Nikon's more recent crop sensor camera ranges.
Notes from the Nikon site itself:
"This lens is compatible with D3000 series cameras from the D3300 onwards, D5000 series cameras from the D5200 onwards, and D7000 series cameras from the D7100 onwards. The D500 is also compatible. Please note that compatible cameras may require a firmware update."
So you've got limited compatibility to go with the lower price, and therefore a lower resale value.
Otherwise, if you're buying her a compatible body and she's not going to be picking up an older 2nd hand body anytime soon, fill yer boots.
You're not going to miss the 15mm gap between the 55-300 and the 70-300, the 70-300 is likely to be a step upwards in terms of quality.
Cheers she is getting a D3400 body with the 18-55 lens and I was going to add one of those lenses so the one to go for is a no-brainer. Notes from the Nikon site itself:
"This lens is compatible with D3000 series cameras from the D3300 onwards, D5000 series cameras from the D5200 onwards, and D7000 series cameras from the D7100 onwards. The D500 is also compatible. Please note that compatible cameras may require a firmware update."
So you've got limited compatibility to go with the lower price, and therefore a lower resale value.
Otherwise, if you're buying her a compatible body and she's not going to be picking up an older 2nd hand body anytime soon, fill yer boots.
You're not going to miss the 15mm gap between the 55-300 and the 70-300, the 70-300 is likely to be a step upwards in terms of quality.
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