Newbie question: Lens for D60

[nhaque]

Hi all, I've decided to step up to dslr, the Nikon d60. I'm looking for an all-in-one lens for it, and since I'm totally new to the whole photography business, I want to keep the price as reasonable as possible.

I'm thinking of getting the Sigma 28-70mm F2.8-4 DG and would likely make a trip down to the US and A to get it, since the price there is much cheaper (I believe it's around 100USD down there?) while in Canada it's 200CAN.

I think I'll just be shooting normal pictures (like a point and shoot) not macro or tele or anything, so does this lens suit my needs? Any suggestion is greatly appreciated, as I am totally new to photography and would really like to learn more.

 

[leighonigar]

Hi all, I've decided to step up to dslr, the Nikon d60. I'm looking for an all-in-one lens for it, and since I'm totally new to the whole photography business, I want to keep the price as reasonable as possible.

I'm thinking of getting the Sigma 28-70mm F2.8-4 DG and would likely make a trip down to the US and A to get it, since the price there is much cheaper (I believe it's around 100USD down there?) while in Canada it's 200CAN.

I think I'll just be shooting normal pictures (like a point and shoot) not macro or tele or anything, so does this lens suit my needs? Any suggestion is greatly appreciated, as I am totally new to photography and would really like to learn more.

Bad idea. While that lens may have been ok on a film body the smaller size of the sensor in the D60 means that you would have no wide-angle coverage. Some suggestions would be the 18-55 kit lens which is ok, the 18-70mm DX which is pretty good, the sigma 17-70 f2.8/4.5 HSM VERSION!, or any of the other lenses which cover this kind of range, they have varying quality, generally with price. The ones I have mentioned I know are reasonable. By the sounds of it your budget fits the 18-55mm. It's fine for general snapshots.

 

[OreoCookie]

You might also be interested in Sigma's 18-50 f/2.8 HSM. HSM indicates that the lens has a `hypersonic motor' (Nikon calls it AF-S, Canon USM, Olympus SWM, etc.) which is necessary to use the AF on your D60.

 

[nhaque]

Thanks for the insights,
While the 18-55 kit lens is actually very good considering its price, its maximum f stops is however at 3.5, I'm afraid that it would not be good at night (correct me if I'm wrong). As for the sigma, it is simply too expensive .

leighonigar, I believe the 17-70 you're talking of is the one with f/3.5, because I can't find any 17-70 that has 2.8

Although money is the main factor, I think I can go up to 300 top.

 

[peapody]

Thanks for the insights,
While the 18-55 kit lens is actually very good considering its price, its maximum f stops is however at 3.5, I'm afraid that it would not be good at night (correct me if I'm wrong). As for the sigma, it is simply too expensive .

leighonigar, I believe the 17-70 you're talking of is the one with f/3.5, because I can't find any 17-70 that has 2.8

Although money is the main factor, I think I can go up to 300 top.

The 18-55 isn't bad at night - it's a fine lens for the price Don't think that a lens is bad because of its aperature range!

 

[compuwar]

leighonigar, I believe the 17-70 you're talking of is the one with f/3.5, because I can't find any 17-70 that has 2.8

There's less than a stop from f/3.5 to f/2.8, so it depends a lot on where it goes past f/3.5 and what focal length you're going to shoot at. I'd suggest starting with the kit lens and shooting for at least a month or two before you try to go to another lens, as by then you'll know where the sweet spot is for you.

 

[ChrisA]

Nikon d60. ...Sigma 28-70mm F2.8-4 DG ....so does this lens suit my needs?...

Don't know "your needs" but 28mm on a Nikon D60 is not really a very wide angle. I'd want a lens that opens up to about 20mm On the other end, 70mm really is long enough for most shots.

I think my Nikon 18-70 is about right but it's not fast enough. So I also have the 50mm and 85mm. You might consider the Nikon "kit" lens and then in addition pick up a fster prime for low light. With a d60 you'd need a third party lens with a focus motor. A fast 30mm lens would work well. I always advise to get the "ket" llens because they are such a good deal. then shoot 1,000 or so frames, then get a second lens.

Everyone wants a high quality "does everything" lens that is fast and cheap. There is no such lens. That's why they make interchangeable lenses

 

[leighonigar]

Thanks for the insights,
While the 18-55 kit lens is actually very good considering its price, its maximum f stops is however at 3.5, I'm afraid that it would not be good at night (correct me if I'm wrong). As for the sigma, it is simply too expensive .

leighonigar, I believe the 17-70 you're talking of is the one with f/3.5, because I can't find any 17-70 that has 2.8

Although money is the main factor, I think I can go up to 300 top.

Sorry, I stuck a slash in when I should have put a dash. It's 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 as the lens trucks through.

What do you mean, 'at night'? VR helps, but surely you'd be putting the camera down?

 

[nhaque]

Well I thought that to shoot in low light one needs a lens that has big aperture, (my friend told me f/2.8 would be good) that is why I did not consider the kit lens. Now I guess I'm just getting the kit lens and practice.

Thanks for all the input. Thread can be closed now.

 

[cube]

leighonigar, I believe the 17-70 you're talking of is the one with f/3.5, because I can't find any 17-70 that has 2.8

It is variable aperture. It opens to 2.8 only at 17mm.

I have the non-HSM version. MUCH more usable than a lens that zooms only up to 55mm.

 

[nhaque]

Sorry to bother you guys again.
I was thinking of buy this Nikkor 18-105mm f3.5 -5.6 with VR for an all-in-one lens for the following reasons (please please correct me if I'm wrong)

- No crop factor because this is a DX, so effective focal is 18-105mm, which is good I think, for landscape and portrait, basically a normal purpose lens.

-The f-stops are adequate even at night

Also, just to clarify, this lens won't be able to macro, or shoot at extreme low light? (I'm saying this because those are not my purpose, at least for now, if the above lens is not capable of anything else please educate me )

Sorry if these are the 'generic, everytime' type of questions, or that I bug you alot, I'm only a student so money...is everything , I want to make every purchase count.

P/s Or you can just recommend an all-in-one and I will consider it. (it's all learning I guess ^__^)

 

[wheelhot]

-The f-stops are adequate even at night

Erm not actually, Its just okay, you will need to boost up your ISO to make it adequate, for night, you will need Aperture f2.8 or wider.

But that lens should be okay, Im using a Canon ket lens on my 1000D and it has the same aperture range as the lens you describe, just that I need to crank it up to ISO1600.

 

[LittleCanonKid]

I'm not 100% sure about this, as I'm not as familiar with Nikon's terminology, but my understanding is that the 18-105 will still have the crop focal lengths because of your body, not the lens. So it'll be 27-157.5 or whatever still.

DX is Nikon's term for crop, isn't it? Thus the lens should still have the crop focal lengths.

 

[compuwar]

Sorry to bother you guys again.
I was thinking of buy this Nikkor 18-105mm f3.5 -5.6 with VR for an all-in-one lens for the following reasons (please please correct me if I'm wrong)

- No crop factor because this is a DX, so effective focal is 18-105mm, which is good I think, for landscape and portrait, basically a normal purpose lens.

You're wrong. DX is about the image circle size, the crop factor is still a crop factor, based on the angle of view- which is 1.5x the focal lengths.

Start with the kit lens and see what you like to shoot and how it does or doesn't perform in the conditions you actually shoot in- then you'll know if you need longer, shorter, faster, lighting, whatever.