Nikon D3100 Lens recommendations

LuckyFinigan

I'm just looking to get a new lens and I'm looking for a bit of advice, I've had my D3100 for about 4 years at this stage and I've been using the stock 55 lens the whole time, I've barely used it in the last year or so purely because the lens is really limited. I've decided for the new year I'm going to start taking photos again and I badly need to upgrade. I'm looking for something with a greater zoom range, clarity, etc, I know absolutely nothing about lenses, I'd appreciate any suggestions, been out of the photography game for a while.

flyingsnail

Just to clarify when you say "stock 55 lens" do you mean the 18-55?

When you say you are looking for something with more of a zoom range are you looking for something that will get you closer to your subject or something wider so that you can include more in the shot.

LuckyFinigan

flyingsnail wrote: »

Just to clarify when you say "stock 55 lens" do you mean the 18-55?

When you say you are looking for something with more of a zoom range are you looking for something that will get you closer to your subject or something wider so that you can include more in the shot.

Yeah its the standard 18-55 I have at the moment, something that will get me closer to the subject, I'd like to be really able to zoom in, with what I have now I'd have to be standing right next to the subject to get a decent photo, I've been looking at the Sigma (Nikon) 70-300 APO, but again I'm not really sure. I do a lot of landscape stuff and some street photography. I'm looking for a good general lens if there's such a thing.

Silva360

I would not say that your lens is limited for landscape photography, quite the opposite. Stick with it.

The 70-300 will certainly get you closer and could be used to compliment your current lens. Will you feel comfortable pointing such a camera/lens combo at people on the street? I would have thought small and discrete would be the order of the day. Hopefully a street photographer will come along and offer some insight.

There are super zooms that cover the range of both your current lens and your suggested one, but the quality is unlikely to be much better than your current one (if quality is what you meant by clarity).

I must say though, not using a camera for a year because of the lens seems a little strange to me. Will a new lens really motivate you?? I hope so. Good luck!

dusty207

Silva360 wrote: »

I must say though, not using a camera for a year because of the lens seems a little strange to me. Will a new lens really motivate you?? I hope so. Good luck!

Good point.

I get weekly photo tip free emails from http://digital-photography-school.com/ which I find useful in getting me out and trying different things.

Also what do you do with your photo's when you do take them? Do you do any post processing? I use Elements 12 which is cheap and does most of what more expensive programs do and is a bit of fun. I also have a Brother printer which cost around €60 which prints out excellent A4 photographs. Costs are low as I get my A4 photo paper in Dealz at €1.49 for 12 sheets. I get my ink from the Inksquid in the UK, again works fine, been using them for years with no problems. With all of these cheap options I print loads of good quality shots without worrying over cost. (You can see I'm a cheapskate!)

For a recent trip to China I bought a Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS which works well as a walkaround lens, about €230 on eglobal at the time. These all purpose lenses do have compromises but this one is OK.
There is a Tamron version also which seems fine.

magicbastarder

i'm curious about what sort of landscapes are in play when a short telephoto is too wide?

LuckyFinigan

dusty207 wrote: »

Good point.

I get weekly photo tip free emails from http://digital-photography-school.com/ which I find useful in getting me out and trying different things.

Also what do you do with your photo's when you do take them? Do you do any post processing? I use Elements 12 which is cheap and does most of what more expensive programs do and is a bit of fun. I also have a Brother printer which cost around €60 which prints out excellent A4 photographs. Costs are low as I get my A4 photo paper in Dealz at €1.49 for 12 sheets. I get my ink from the Inksquid in the UK, again works fine, been using them for years with no problems. With all of these cheap options I print loads of good quality shots without worrying over cost. (You can see I'm a cheapskate!)

For a recent trip to China I bought a Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS which works well as a walkaround lens, about €230 on eglobal at the time. These all purpose lenses do have compromises but this one is OK.
There is a Tamron version also which seems fine.

Cheers for the link, I use Photoshop but I just recently got Lightroom. Just throwing out a few ideas at the moment, Its pretty much just a new lens for general shooting I'm looking for. Now that I think of it a telescopic one probably wouldn't be the best option. After doing a bit of research the Nikon Nikkor 18-105mm has caught my eye, most reviews say it the natural step up from the 18-55mm. I'll still have the range I have at the moment but I'll have a little more zoom if I need it.

CabanSail

The way I read this thread is that you are looking to spend some money to motivate yourself. Most of what you have described would be covered quite well by the kit 18-55 you already have. I doubt that the 18-105 would make a lot of difference if you are not being creative with what you have already.

magicbastarder

i'm gonna plump for the obvious answer and suggest a 35mm f1.8; my biggest issue with the lenses above (the 'problem' lens and also the suggested replacements) would be the max aperture of f3.5; the 35mm would allow you to work in light levels one quarter that of the f3.5, and you also gain the benefit of greater control of depth of field.
but i would also agree that in 90% of these sort of questions, the limiting factor is not the camera, but the photographer.

jonathan mark

i have the d3200 its a good camera. i bought the tameron 18/270 as my first lens. its ok to experiment with. but it make you want more. you will need better lens to go farther: but you have to start somewhere:)