okay thanks for the tip!!!

Looks like I ended up with the D40 anyways. It's a good camera though. The lens that is comes with it is nothing much, but I've got some old lenses to make up for that. Any peripheral suggestions for a guy who likes still images and landscape shots?

For landscapes, a wide angle is a must. I'm currently using a Sigma DC 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX lens. It has quite an amount of distortion and light fallout, but it makes decent wide angle shots for general purposes. Here's a sample, if you want to see what the lens can churn out:

Wide Angle Shot

The lens goes for about $450 on ebay, so it's quite an investment. Wide angles ARE specialty lenses, so expect them to be a little expensive.


For still life, it may depend on your purpose and intent. Usually, a "nifty fifty" (50mm lens) is the practical choice for most general purposes, and they're relatively cheap (you can find some for a little under $100). If you're into macro photography, you can opt for lenses with macro. Specialized macro lenses are too expensive, so I don't recommend them. Some people go for the photojournalistic approach and buy a telemacro lens (telephoto with macro capabilities). It's a good combination, and well worth your money if you spend on the fast ones (f-stop of 2.8) ~ although they are pricey, mind you.

And as usual, you'll need a tripod for just about anything still life, to fix composition and work with low shutter speeds.


That's pretty much it.

That's about as costly as my camera, if I plan to get both of your suggestions. Fortunately I already have a tripod. That's a good $50 off. I guess it's time to start saving. That wide angle shot looks excellent. I could have used it a lot on a recent trip. I took some nice shots, but none were very flattering of the subject matter. That's what I get for not bringing any of my better lenses. Thank goodness for backwards compatibility.

I'm more into the practical 50mm. I can get one of those from a friend though. He has one he never uses. I've only dabbled in macro photography. From my experience, I've been completely unable to use it well. I've seen some really nice shots with those specialized lenses though. If I ever get an increase in funds (unlikely for a college student; more unlikely for one attending in Europe where everything is so dang expensive) I'll be sure to look into it more. Right now, it's just an underfunded hobby. I don't think I need macro just yet.

Thanks a lot for your recs. I'll look into that Sigma DC.

The 18-55 that came with your D40 is actually pretty wide to begin with. It may be useful for general landscape photography, but the detail won't be as tact sharp as the more dedicated wide-angle lenses. For what it's worth, Sigma's 10-20 is relatively cheap, but somewhat difficult to use. You'll realize the difficulty in handling it if ever you get your hands on it.

Good to hear you can get a good 50. If possible, it'd be nice if it's at least an f/1.8. The bokeh on that lens is just beautiful.


There are also ways to "cheat" macro photography. You can purchase a macro lens adaptor for around $50. This adaptor is actually for cam corders, and it's possible to find a 52mm equivalent (circumference) for normal lenses, like the 50mm or the 18-55mm. This little gadget can give you useful macro coverage, but the picture quality is, of course, not as desirable as a dedicated macro. Still, it's the cheaper option.

cool
i like taking pics of random things almost anything
>edsamac < add me

^Wow, irrelevant post.

Anyways, I'm using the following gear

Canon EOS 40D
Canon BG-E2N battery grip (just realized today I lost my battery charger, but at least I can use AA's until I find it or buy a new one)
Canon Speedlite 430EX (should've gotten the 580EX II)
Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS lens
Canon 72mm UV haze filter
Hoya 72mm circular polarizer filter
Some random tripod and camera bag
MacBook Pro for editing and storage

I used to be a Nikonian, but switched over to Canon after experiencing the difference the L glass makes. I still believe Nikons feel better in my hands, but I'm after the best quality I can afford.

Now I have to start saving up for more L glass, since I don't think I can ever go back to consumer glass again, with the exception of the Tokina 10-17mm fisheye/wide angle lens. Also gotta start saving for that 1-Ds Mark III.

Nice to see a Canon User once in a while. *cough cough*

Just kidding. L glass is certainly high-quality at an affordable price. The more affordable lenses in the Nikkor line up aren't exactly "desirable", per se... and you really have to cash in your money if you want excellent Nikkor lenses. As such, I still have this odd preference to Nikon despite prices issues and what not. I've also experienced much better 3rd party peripheral compatibility with Nikons than with Canon bodies, specifically with lenses by Sigma or Tamron.

Canon bodies seem to work better with canon products, as I've seen so far. I have an EOS Film body (forgot the model... I'm a Nikonian for pete's sake) that was given to me, and I've used it on occasion. I get what you mean by the "feel" of a Nikon, which is why I prefer using my Nikon N90s for my film needs. Really would have liked an F100 instead.

Anyway, sorry if I end up ranting like this whenever someone posts a reply in this thread. It's very refreshing to see another photographer in the CR forums, which is quite a rarity.

I was shooting with my 40D the other day, I went to switch lenses, and my reflector screen popped out and hit the ground. I am so pissed now, I have to fill out the warranty card and send it in. T_T Summers just starting too, and I fear that I won't have it for my road trip.

wow......I just stumbled on this thread just now lol it's an awesome thread

I'm a n00b when it comes to cameras but I love photography so yoroshiku onegaishimasu^///////^
I have a Sony Cybershot DSC-H3 8.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Zoom with Super Steady Shot Image Stabilization. I've been looking at the manual and extras and realized I could buy lenses for it but....I don't know which lenses would be the best for it since I mostly take pics in lighted places and outside^^U

They're more like accessories, than actual lenses. Since you said you take pictures in lighted places (outdoors), I'm assuming you take landscape pictures and the like. You might want to consider the wide-angle lens adaptor for you camera:


0.7x wide angle converter (VCL-DH0758)

This helps take wide angle shots, which are useful for landscape photography.


In addition to the wide angle, you can also go on the telephoto range with this accessory:


1.7x telephoto converter (VCL-DH1758)

This is a general telephoto lens adaptor, and will help you take subjects that are farther away from you.



Of course, both of these accessories aren't really "lenses", in the actual sense of the term. They simply assist your camera in performing more specific functions.

^see, this is what I mean by a complete n00b...I didn't even know they were that. Thanx! U assumed right. Landscape is my thing. Although, I'd like some for taking pics of people too. Either way, I looked for info on the first one u posted (VCL-DH0758) so I might get that one. Thanx again are there any accessories that would increase the quality indoors? sorry to be of a bother (specially considering this isn't actually a professional camera and all^^U just practicing til I can get a better one.)

i dont get the point of this thread

edit: waitr its about cameras o.o

The thing with indoor photography is that you have to contend with low light. If it were a lens issue, you'd need a lens with a wide aperture (low f-stop number). There's nothing you can do with your camera, since it has a fixed lens aperture of about f/3.5 on the wide end, and f/4.4 on the tele end. In layman's terms, your camera has a hard time indoors where there is low light, since it has a pretty small lens aperture. This gives your camera the habit of "hunting" for a subject to focus on in the dark.

You can't manually adjust the aperture to fit your needs, since your camera lacks an aperture priority mode, but the next best thing you can do is simply increase the amount of light indoors to help your camera out. You can also turn on the IR assist (it's a red beam that flashes when you focus in the dark) to help your camera focus in dark situations. Refer to your manual on how to do this.

In addition, you can increase the ISO sensitivity of your camera to help capture images at a faster shutter speed where light is scarce. The only drawback of taking pictures at high ISO is that they may come out grainy, so pump up the ISO only when necessary. Usual ISO ratings for indoor use is 400... but in some instances, you might have to go up to as high as 800, or even 1600. ISO on point and shoot cameras, like yours, usually show graininess at 400, but your camera has pretty reasonable noise up to 800.

I bought the Nikon D-60 about 3 weeks. ago. Truly awesome for a compact SLR. I made a transition between my Canon Digital Rebel XTi to a Nikon. And I don't regret it. Nikon has way better warranties and they really do support their buyers. I'm planning on buying a new set of lens, a Nikon AF 70-300mm 70-300 G, but I'm ot so sure if I should buy that or a Sigma 70-300mm 70-300 f4-5.6 APO. Any suggestions as to which lens is better? Or any lens for that matter?
When I get better at photography, I'd like to buy a Nikon D300.I read some rave reviews about it. (T.T")