# Lens fever



## sandybottom (Jun 1, 2005)

The beads on my head are starting to collect.
Since I don't have this lens yet I have to have it.

http://www.wolfcamera.com/product/541531208.htm?bct=t13079503%3Bcilenses-for-digital-cameras%3Bcislr-lens%3Bcilenses-for-nikon

Hey I can afford this one at least.

Also interested in that Tokina 12-24 lens from what I heard.


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

You can find these on ebay for $50, not... (OOPS, didin't see you where looking at the VR version..)

I use one (nonVR) almost exclusively on my D70 that's converted to IR. This lens and the 28-80mm f3.3 are excellent "bang for the buck" lenses too. The 18mm isn't quite as wide as the tokina but if you don't have a "wide" lens, for the money these are hard to beat.

The 18-55 is also a perfect "macro" lens when you use a 3/4T close=up filter with it. 
My examples here: http://www.pbase.com/arlon/1855_kit_lens_macro

Be sure to look at them in "original" size!


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## stargazer (May 24, 2004)

I dont know about Nikon, but in the canon world a lot of folks bash the 18-55 "Kit" lens. I have one and its one of my favorite lens. This lens can go from landscapes and, as you see with arlons shot, to the macro world. Same stands true with the Canon 28-135 is, seems a lot of folks want to sell them but I am also very pleased with the results I have gotten in the past with this lens also. Dont have to spend a lot of money for a great shot.


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## Gator_Nutz (Sep 27, 2006)

My D40 came as a kit with the 18-55 non-VR version and it was fine...up until the AF quit working that is. The image quality was great and I still used it after that except with manual focus only. When I sold my D40 this lens went with it. I know all about the fever and what it's like to want something new. You all know that. However, if you can learn anything at all from my past mistakes, it would be to wait if possible and save up a bit more and get the good, high quality glass instead of the lower end consumer stuff. You will be happier and you will not spend twice as much in the end when you finally do get the better glass. You already have a great camera body in your D300. Now it's time to compliment it with the good glass. That's just my opinion anyway and heaven forbid I stood in the way of anyone supplying their habit I know exactly how it goes.
James


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## fishphoto (Mar 3, 2005)

I agree with James. Cheap glass does you no good on a good camera. Although the image quality of the consumer stuff may be fine for your purposes, the immediate difference will be in in durability. I learned that lesson the hard way when I first started. Another thing to consider is that sooner or later you'll get into printing your pictures. When you print anything bigger than 8x10, the difference between pro and consumer lenses will be obvious. It has been that way in my experiences.


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## sandybottom (Jun 1, 2005)

Oh gosh, I read this after I bought it. But you know what this will be good for landscape or maybe just a cap on her. Regardless I had the lucky oppurtunity to get a baby sparrow only a couple feet from me or less tonight. Its already paid for in my prospect.

Ok, go ahead and ask me how I got this one with this lens?


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## Hawk101 (Jul 18, 2008)

How did you get those magnificent close-ups? Very impressive sharpness and clarity.

My D60 came with the VR version of the kit lens. I have only had it a week or so and not much time to use it yet but what I have seen so far is quite nice.


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## sandybottom (Jun 1, 2005)

The sparrow shots were just from the Nikkor 18-55 VR.

I was very lucky to find a lost baby sparrow. She was only a couple feet from me.
The pepper was right there and the sunset was made by a special filter. The other sunset was just from the lens.
I took these all in 30 minutes because the sun was going down real fast.
The rope was taken with a 2+ filter. I lost my 4+. I set down somewhere around here at my house.
I took some water sprinkler shots and was impressed with them too but I think I'll practice some more before I post those too.
Thanks, Hawk101



Hawk101 said:


> How did you get those magnificent close-ups? Very impressive sharpness and clarity.
> 
> My D60 came with the VR version of the kit lens. I have only had it a week or so and not much time to use it yet but what I have seen so far is quite nice.


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## sandybottom (Jun 1, 2005)

I agree with you a 100%. I got bashed to no end on another forum about this lens. The Heck with them I say. I really like this lens. Its not how you hold the paint brush its how you paint the picture. Like Arlon said with some filters you can really do good with this lens.


stargazer said:


> I dont know about Nikon, but in the canon world a lot of folks bash the 18-55 "Kit" lens. I have one and its one of my favorite lens. This lens can go from landscapes and, as you see with arlons shot, to the macro world. Same stands true with the Canon 28-135 is, seems a lot of folks want to sell them but I am also very pleased with the results I have gotten in the past with this lens also. Dont have to spend a lot of money for a great shot.


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## Koru (Sep 25, 2006)

that little girl sparrow looks like she's got whiskers!

very nice clear closeups of the birds Sandy. seems to be a bit of a blue tinge in the rope image - might be my monitor.

rosesm


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## Hawk101 (Jul 18, 2008)

Have to agree with you guys about the kit lens not getting its due respect. After running around a trade show for two days with "the beast" (Nikkor 28-70 f2.8) hanging off my D200 with the grip pack, the D60 with the kit lens feels like a feather. Only reason I went with the big lens was I wanted the 2.8 so I could minimize the use of flash. The "normal" or "kit" lens that comes with most of the digital SLRs is really a great first lens and usually quite affordable. Nikon and Canon in particular give you excellent optics for the money. Anyway just my 2 cents worth.

Going back the sparrow picture, which I am most impressed with-- both technically and from a creative standpoint: I took a look at the metadata on the shot and see you were in manual mode (earning huge style points and respect right there) and you shot at f5.6 @ 1/125. Then it says you had a +EV of 2.33. I am just learning a lot of this and am curious. I assume the EV was an over exposure compensation that you manually made. What is the difference between using the EV adjustment and simply opening up the aperture another stop of two or slowing down the shutter speed? Is it because using EV gives you smaller increments to work with?


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## sandybottom (Jun 1, 2005)

Hawk101, you are asking a question that I can't answer really. I actually thought it was at zero. This Ex Bias Val.+2.33 was left over from another session. Its now back to zero again. This has happened to me before and forgot about it. Here I was hurrying and checking the WB/ISO before I lost sunset light. I'm so glad you brought this to my attention. I like the fact somebody looks at my EXIF. I will never learn otherwise. Maybe that explains why my moon shots didn't come out the other night.
Thanks for the comment on Manual and the plus marks on this kit lens. I just like making something better out of a mediocre kit lens. 
Koru, maybe that's why the rope came out blue. Yep.
The sparrows are making my hibiscus bush a landing point. Maybe I can practice some more on these cute little guys.


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## richg99 (Aug 21, 2004)

Sandy, I frequent a couple of photography sites. It still amazes me, years after I started reading them, how many guys labor over the "gear" and NEVER seem to post nor even talk about taking an actual picture. 

Now, I like to mess around with boats; tools; fishing gear; cameras and lenses; and other "stuff'...but..sooner or later...taking the picture is what is all about. 

The equipment that EVERYONE has these days is better than the very best that the top pros had just five or ten years ago... 

Shoot, shoot, and shoot. That's what it is all about. 

I love your sparrow shot....and the other ones, too.
regards, rich


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## seawings (Aug 28, 2004)

*Seeing life through the lens:*



richg99 said:


> Shoot, shoot, and shoot. That's what it is all about.


 Years ago...back in film days, I was given an additional job by my company that required a lot of travel, most of it to exotic international distinations. My first foray into photography was started. I asked our company photographer about all the what's how,s and when,s. He said..."just shoot shoot shoot...film is cheap...then edit out half of the pictures, then edit out half again and MAYBE you will have a few keepers in the end." He was right...I got some great shots hanging out of helicopters, off drilling rigs, trudging through jungles and desert sands...just kept shooting. Along the way I learned a few tricks of the trade, happenend upon a few magical moments and learned to see life throught the lens...and that is what it's all about.


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## sandybottom (Jun 1, 2005)

Amen.


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

fishphoto said:


> I agree with James. Cheap glass does you no good on a good camera. Although the image quality of the consumer stuff may be fine for your purposes, the immediate difference will be in in durability. I learned that lesson the hard way when I first started. Another thing to consider is that sooner or later you'll get into printing your pictures. When you print anything bigger than 8x10, the difference between pro and consumer lenses will be obvious. It has been that way in my experiences.


Maybe true but the 28-80 (3.3 version) is destined to become a cult classic, plastic or not. There are more than a few D3 owners that have discovered this one (it even holds up in print).


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## fishingnotcatching (May 30, 2007)

(caveat reador --IMHO)


Cheap Glass can be as good as the "good stuff" as far as image quality, it just depends quite a bit on the copy you get. I have two canon "kit" lenses - One is trash, vignettes, fuzzy unless stopped way down, slow to focus, etc. the other is at least as sharp as my better prime pipe (ok, stopped down just a tad, but I digress) 

However - build quality is build quality. I have to baby both of these little plastic Gems, and they still get dust, fog, etc. in them. With a more "weatherproofed" lens, you don't have to worry as much. 

Then again I can get four or five cheapo kit lenses for the cost of one similar FL "L" glass lens, and chuck them when I've sufficiently abused 'em.


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