New Camera and Lens Selection Advice

[SteveG]

I have decided to purchase a new camera, and currently have a mid-range Point-and-Shoot Canon. Having done some research, I am pretty well set on a Nikon D3200. This camera is offered body only, or often bundled with different lens choices, and I am seeking inputs and suggestions on lens selection. My intended use is to rekindle a long ago (very long ago) interest in photography, and to obviously include pen photography. I will likely get an 18-55mm VR, and beyond that I am not sure. I do not particularly feel a need for a longer zoom like the 55-200 (that is often bundled with the 18-55mm). In the past I have enjoyed close up and Macro work. Any ideas for me, along with supporting reasoning? The camera body does not have a lens motor so I would be looking at new lenses iot have auto focus capability. Your thoughts and experience will be appreciated.
Steve Guzy

 

[joefyffe]

Steve: I have an array of Nikon lenses from 18mm to 300mm, including a 105mm Micro. (Nikons way of saying Macro) I used to have the 60mm Micro and wish I had it back. The 105 requires some distance to get a whole pen in your photo. just sayin! I like working closer. THEREFORE I find my go to lens is an old 28-105mm, autofocus, zoom. Great lens if you can locate one. The thing I dearly love about it is it has a slide switch on the side of the lens that allows you to shoot in "Normal or Micro" with the same lens. This allows a variable Macro from 50mm to 105mm. I'm not sure the mechanics of the lens, or if it is an exacting Micro length, but I can fill my lens with pen at 50mm Micro at a distance of approximately 12 inches. GREAT LENS !!!!!!! I would suggest, though, that you make sure it would work with that camera, if you can even find one. I have a Nikon D100, 200 and 300 and it works with all of those. I hope this helps, and glad you went with Nikon! :biggrin:

 

[JohnGreco]

Steve- I'm a Canon user so I can't say much by way of Nikon, but I do use a 40mm prime lens that has been nice for shooting my pens. I can get about 12-15" from the pen and shoot tethered, I would imagine you can find something similar in the lens category from Nikon.

 

[SteveG]

Joe and John,
You inputs are valuable to me, as it has been a long time since I have been doing anything except "Pointing & Shooting". One consideration I have in mind is the lack of a lens focus motor in the body itself, which leaves me with the choice of manual focus (older lens) or auto focus and/or button control focus only available with newer lenses. I can go either way, but must consider the constraints of the choice. Thanks for your responses! Any one else?
Steve

 

[Haynie]

If all you are doing is pen/product photography get a micro lens. If you are doing other stuff like taking photos of family/flowers/hot chicks on the beech then get a good zoom.

 

[JLewis]

I Have a D90 and the 60mm Micro/Macro is the way to go. The 18/55 will get the job done but nearly as well as the 60mm. Unfortuantly I sold my 60mm to Denis (also on this site) and wish I had it back. It is expensive but the quality is worth it. If you do some search in the photgraphy threads you will see some of Denis's work with the 60mm. If you check my site www.jlewisdesigns.com there is a combonation of my pictures shot with a 18-105 and Denis with the 60mm. That should sell you. You will be able to tell the diffrence.

 

[Sylvanite]

The distance at which you choose to photograph your pens controls the degree of visible foreshortening. The closer you position your camera, the more foreshortening will be apparent.

If you want foreshortening in your photo, you'll place your camera close to the pen. The lens you choose will need to have a short focus distance (which is all they mean by "macro" nowadays) and a short focal length (i.e. wide-angle) in order to fit the pen image on the sensor.

If you don't want foreshortening in your photo, you'll move the camera farther away. Your lens won't need as close a focus distance (non-macro) but will need a longer focal length (telephoto) in order to fill the frame.

I usually photograph my pens at distances varying from 2.5 to 5 feet using a 28-135mm zoom lens. I compose the shot for the amount of foreshortening I want, and then zoom in to fill the frame.

I almost always use a tripod, focus manually, and turn image stabilization off.

I hope that helps,
Eric

 

[76winger]

I just replaced my Nikon D40 (an older version of the 3200) with a D80. And with the older setup I had both the 18-55 and 55-200 lenses. I added the later because occasionally I'd want to do some shooting outside and the 18-55 didn't zoom in enough as it's basically just "wide angle" to "normal" view. But for pen photography, the 18-55 was all I needed.

So if you're only considering pen photography, just start out with a camera and the 18-55mm lens. If I look at the data on my pen image files from the past couple years, almost all of them were shot in the 35mm-42mm range, so the stock lens would do you OK.

Let me stop here for a moment and say a favorite lens of mine (that I can no longer use) is an old 35-105 that I used with my old Minolta 35mm camera 30 some years ago. Note: like you, I used to be a photography hobbyist, and I went on to other interests for 20-some years and am now circling back to it as well. I added the 55-200mm lens for my D40 to give that extra zooming capability, however for normal carrying around of the camera, I didn't like toting the extra lens along.

Now here's the case for what I just completed doing for my own upgrade, something for you to consider (or not) while you make your decision:
I bought the D40 used and it worked well, but I wanted to step up to the next level camera. One that includes to lens motor for wider range lens options. The increase in megapixels was nice, but needed as I shot mostly at 3 megapixels anyways, which is more than enough for posting photos on the web. Some additional configuration options and extra flexibility in the menu options I saw as worth moving up as well. I wanted a wider range of zoom capabilities in a single lens to better meet my needs. I went used to keep the costs down (otherwise I'd have been looking at a D7000 for a new version of what I got) and landed one with a Tamron 18-200mm zoom lens. Perfect for the range of photography I typically normally do (although it's a little heavier than I'm used do, so I'm still adjusting after only a week of ownership). This camera also has a lot more auto focus points that the entry level model, which will be helpful once I figure out how to use use & control them better. Bottom line I got a good used model at the next level up from the entry models, with a great lens, at about what camera you're looking at costs new, and well under half (almost 1/3) of what it's own newer sibling would run.

All of this, basically, to say think about what you want to do with your camera and select a lens that will allow you to do that.

I'm also a big proponent of saving money on my purchases and buying good used equipment, knowing I don't need the latest and greatest, but do want good quality without worrying about the first couple years of depreciation vaporizing my money invested.

My thoughts for your consideration...

 

[scotian12]

I am considering the Nikon D5200 body only and a Sigma all-in-one 18-250 mm. This way I only have to deal with one lens and hopefully it will accomplish a decent macro pen picture plus a good zoom picture for outdoor shots.. My understanding is that the Nikon zoom lens will give a better quality picture but I opted for the one lens and a bit less quality at the upper end of the zoom range. Darrell Eisner

 

[Dave Turner]

I'm in the Canon camp, so can only respond with generalities. First, I have a 60mm macro lens and find it superb for pen photography. (Note: my T3i has a 1.3x frame factor so the 60mm acts as an 80mm on my camera). Second, my most used lens is an 18-135mm zoom. This is a great general purpose walk-around lens. It gives better sharpness than the superzooms, but still provides great wide angle and enough telephoto for most needs. You can always crop to squeeze more tele. Also, I've purchased all my lenses through eBay with no regrets.

 

[76winger]

I'm in the Canon camp, so can only respond with generalities. First, I have a 60mm macro lens and find it superb for pen photography. (Note: my T3i has a 1.3x frame factor so the 60mm acts as an 80mm on my camera). Second, my most used lens is an 18-135mm zoom. This is a great general purpose walk-around lens. It gives better sharpness than the superzooms, but still provides great wide angle and enough telephoto for most needs. You can always crop to squeeze more tele. Also, I've purchased all my lenses through eBay with no regrets.

That's where all my used purchases have come from. If new, I usually find a better deal on Amazon.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

 

[Lenny]

I've been looking at the Canon t2i .... it seems to be everything I care about, but is an older model and a little harder to find. Once I get something I will eventually want the 18-135 0r 28-135 lens, it seems to be a good all around performer and would fit my needs I think.

 

[76winger]

I've been looking at the Canon t2i .... it seems to be everything I care about, but is an older model and a little harder to find. Once I get something I will eventually want the 18-135 0r 28-135 lens, it seems to be a good all around performer and would fit my needs I think.

Lenny, when I searched for that camera on eBay I got over 7,700 hits on a "Canon t2i" search. I think there's still a few out there... :wink:

 

[SteveG]

To all who respond, already or in a while, I am deeply appreciating your taking time to do so. Plenty of food for thought, and I believe with the suggestions here I can avoid getting lenses that are of little use now, and be informed enough to be satisfied with what I do get on my initial purchase. I realize I will likely get more "stuff" later.
Steve

 

[Lenny]

I've been looking at the Canon t2i .... it seems to be everything I care about, but is an older model and a little harder to find. Once I get something I will eventually want the 18-135 0r 28-135 lens, it seems to be a good all around performer and would fit my needs I think.

Lenny, when I searched for that camera on eBay I got over 7,700 hits on a "Canon t2i" search. I think there's still a few out there... :wink:

On ebay ... yes, In stores locally not so much!
Even some of the camera shops like B & H, Adorama, etc., seem to be out.

 

[mredburn]

My go to lens for my Nikon is the 28-300. It covers 95% of all my needs. My wife is the serious amature photographer and lets me play with the left overs. I have had the 28-300 in Tamron in standard and their version of vibration reduction lenses. I have traded those off for the vr28-300 Nikon lens and its may work horse.

 

[Denis McCarthy]

Hey Steve

I think your idea of going to a nice DSLR camera such as a Nikon D3200 would really be a improvement over a point and shoot style camera. This will allow you a huge choice of lens options. As John pointed out (JLewis) we both have Nikon D90's. We both work for a Museum, so its important that we have solid camera equipment. John decided to sell his Nikor 60mm lens, so I bought it off of him for my custom watch photography. I LOVE the lens. Its so incredibly sharp.. Its just amazing. I would highly recommend a Macro lens if your going to do alot of pen photography. It works perfectly for my needs. Here are a couple of quick pictures I took this evening to show you what I am talking about. The first picture is my new Amboyna Princeton Roller, and the second picture is my Wife's new Wallstreet II roller with a Shed Hunter Select Red Cedar barrel. Both blanks have great color which the 60mm Nikor picks up on.

 

[SteveG]

Thanks for that input Denis, and I see what you mean with these photos (which look GREAT). That lens mentioned is on my list. I have read statements about the Nikon D3200 that I do no fully understand. Something about the configuration of the camera, it make all lenses "act" like they are a longer focal length than they actually are. So the 60mm will yield results as if it were actually about 70mm. This makes me wonder if I should be looking for a 50mm instead. Do you or anyone have any thoughts or opinions on that?
Steve

 

[Sylvanite]

I have read statements about the Nikon D3200 that I do no fully understand. Something about the configuration of the camera, it make all lenses "act" like they are a longer focal length than they actually are. So the 60mm will yield results as if it were actually about 70mm.

A 35mm camera (film or digital) has an image recording size (i.e. film or sensor size) of 36mm x 24mm. The Nikon D3200 has a sensor size of 23.2mm x 15.4mm. That's a ratio of about 1.5:1 between the two sizes. Now, a 60mm lens is a 60mm lens, regardless of which camera you mount it on. On a 35mm camera (or so-called "full-frame" DSLR), however, it will have a field of view roughly 1.5 times as wide. That is, the center 23.2 x 15.4mm will be exactly the same, but the larger sensor will yield an overall wider view.

If you want to acheive the same field of view you would get with the 60mm lens on the D3200, you would need to put a 90mm lens on a 35mm DSLR. A 60mm lens has different optical properties than a 90mm lens however, so the two images would be different in other ways (most importantly, in depth-of-field). Therefore, it's a mistake to think that the smaller sensor gives you a longer lens.

Camera ads and camera salespeople can get pretty confusing when talking about "35mm equivalent" lenses, but all they really mean is that a smaller sensor has a smaller field of view.

I hope that helps,
Eric

 

[Sylvanite]

(Note: my T3i has a 1.3x frame factor so the 60mm acts as an 80mm on my camera).

Minor nitpick: The Canon T3i has a 22.3mm × 14.9 mm sensor, which yields a 1.6:1 crop factor (not 1.3:1). Therefore, a 60mm lens on a T3i will fill the frame like a 96mm lens (not 80mm) would on a 35mm sensor camera (such as the Canon 5D).

Regards,
Eric

 

[Whaler]

I recently upgraded from a Nikon D70 to a Nikon D7000 with the Nikkor 16 - 85mm lens. It's an awesome combination and focuses down to 1.3' so it works great for shooting pens.

 

[Boz]

I have a D-3100 with the 18-55 and 55-200 lenses. The upgrade in image quality from a point and shoot is night and day. I wish I had waited for the 3200 to get the built in wi-fi but I have an eye-fi card that works almost as good. All the comments about sensor size and lens focal length are good but if you have a good understanding of F-Stop and depth of field the relationship of f-stop to shutter speed then you are good to go. Shoot what looks good to you. Work on your lighting and use a tripod.

 

[butchf18a]

Lots of excellent advice already proffered, still my view. Go to reputable camera store. Speak with knowledgable salesman. Be prepared to discuss your budget as well as what you want to accomplish photo wise. An inexpensive little Digital will take good pictures with good set up, patience and keen eye. An expensive camera with full compliment of lenses will take junk photos also. Regardless of which path you choose prepare yourself to experience some disappointments along the learning curve.

My personal choice is my Canon 60D with 60mm macro lens shooting pen set-ups in a tabletop photo booth. Not everyone has that sort of budget, work within your means. However, i encourage you to expand beyond your initial budget ideas as when you get going you'll soon wish you had more.

 

[butchf18a]

Oh yeah...before you all get down on me for dust in pic, that is the pre photoshop version. I don't care how well you clean piece of gloss black plexiglas, dust will show.

 

[SteveG]

I have really benefited from all the responses to my plea for guidance. Here we are at post #25, and I have come to understand a lot of things that ought to be considered when contemplating an investment like this when you (I) do not have much background knowledge. I have decided to stay with the Nikon D3200 choice, and initially to get a 16-85 zoom and a 60mm Micro (Macro). Possibly some other lens later. Along the way I have learned about "Gray" market lenses and some Nikon lenses made with plastic mount components prone to breakage. So thanks to all. As you may have noticed, I have yet to post photos to the site. Expect that to change soon!
Steve Guzy

 

[Denis McCarthy]

Hey Steve

I took a few more pictures this afternoon using the Nikor 60mm. I shot a few pics a little close to the pens so you could see the Macro capability of the lens. I think you will really like it.

 

[SteveG]

Thanks for the added shots Denis. I have the camera, but the lenses are still on the way. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival. Nice sample shots that demo the close up capability!
Steve

 

[76winger]

Dennis, how close are you when taking those pen photos with the 60mm lens?

With my old setup I was shooting from about 8-10 inches and using around 38-42mm and occasionally down to 32 for group shoots.

With the Tamron 18-200 on my D80 I've found I have to be 12-14 inches back to get it to focus clearly. So I'm considering the Nikon Micro-Nikkor AF-S DX 40 mm f/2.8 G lens to replicate what I was doing before, get the benefits of a prime lens and at about 1/2 the price of the 60mm.

Not trying to steal the thread, but staying on topic of lens selection and looking for thoughts from others.