Which lens setup makes the most sense for a college photography club with Nikon entry-level bodies?
Asked 1/22/2012
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Our college photography club has budget to add gear. We’re considering a Nikon D3100 body, and we already have Nikon D40/D3000 cameras with 18-55mm kit lenses. For the next lens purchase, should we get a 55-200mm telephoto to pair with the existing kit zooms, or a single 18-200mm all-in-one lens? Most club members are beginners, so ease of use matters. Are there other lenses or accessories that would be more useful for learning?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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I'd say the goal should be to provide a wide range learning tools.
What you're really missing is a fast lens. With the 18-55 and 55-200 you'll really be limited to very 'constructed' shots if you want to shot something that displays good subject isolation - like a classical portrait (subject in focus and background blurred way out). Something like the 50mm f/1.8 or 35mm f/1.8 are both around $200 USD and provide a great learning tool in this. I would lean towards the 50mm just because its more of a portait focal length and gives you that option.
In addition to this, consider getting a set of extension tubes for macro shots, its another option that you'll give your members to play around with. You can also try reversal rings for some extra macro on your 18-55.
One day, when you have the money you may want to look at lens to give your members options to shoot birds and wildlife (lenses that go up in the 300-500mm range)- but I suspect they're out of your current budget. Options start around $1000 USD and go up for quality.
After this, consider stuff like flashes, inexpensive radio triggers, circular polarizers, backdrop stands ,and tripods.
I recommend against a 18-200, unless you know you're going to go out a shoot a mammoth range of things in the same shoot. The quality of the lens is comparability low and you lose a lot of creative control by only having slow lenses.
Originally by user1917. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1917
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For a club, the most useful goal is usually to expand learning options, not just duplicate focal lengths. Since you already have 18-55mm kit lenses, adding a 55-200mm gives you telephoto reach at lower cost than replacing that range with an 18-200mm superzoom. An 18-200mm can be convenient as a travel-style all-in-one lens, but it doesn’t add as much variety if you already own 18-55mm lenses.
A stronger addition for beginners may be a fast prime like the Nikon 35mm f/1.8 or 50mm f/1.8. Those lenses teach shallow depth of field, low-light shooting, and portrait technique much better than slow kit zooms. The 50mm is especially useful for portraits on Nikon APS-C bodies.
If budget allows, a good club kit would be:
- keep the existing 18-55mm lenses
- add a 55-200mm telephoto
- add one fast prime (35mm f/1.8 or 50mm f/1.8)
For extra learning value, extension tubes or a reversal ring can also introduce macro photography cheaply.
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