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Useful website for those who are asking, "What do I need when I buy a DSLR?"
- Thread starter Clix Pix
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I don't recommend prime lenses especially with digital gear. The risk of dust contamination on the CCD or CMOS sensor is too great, so I recommend a high quality zoom lens and never taking it off. 
spicyapple said:I don't recommend prime lenses especially with digital gear. The risk of dust contamination on the CCD or CMOS sensor is too great, so I recommend a high quality zoom lens and never taking it off.
But what's the use of having a dSLR when you don't switch lenses? Better
get a high quality P&S then. Just be careful when you switch lenses.
I have only one prime ( besides the zooms) and I love it. It's a 85mm 1.8,
perfect for portrets, sneaky photo's of the kids when they're playing. And the
best thing: most of the time I can do without a flash.
spicyapple said:I don't recommend prime lenses especially with digital gear. The risk of dust contamination on the CCD or CMOS sensor is too great, so I recommend a high quality zoom lens and never taking it off.
Fear not little one, the dust won't kill you.
spicyapple said:I don't recommend prime lenses especially with digital gear. The risk of dust contamination on the CCD or CMOS sensor is too great, so I recommend a high quality zoom lens and never taking it off.
So what do I use? an f/1.4 12-400mm zoom? Yikes what would that cost? The front element would be the size of a dinner plate
The problem with zooms is that the f/2.8 models are expensive and they don't even make f/1.4 or f/1.8 zooms
I've never had a problem with dust. Keep the camera pointed down when you changes a lens and the dust will likely not fall up in the camera
Exactly.
Wow, the link's not working for me.
Actually, I don't even keep the camera pointing down. Do you physically put the camera down facing downwards when you switch lenses? I just keep it around my neck, pointing in a downward, diagonal direction. Before I switch lenses, I:
1) I get the back cover that covers the mounted bit out of my camera bag.
2) I loosen the back cover on the lens I want to use so that I don't need to fidget around.
3) I take off the camera lens and quickly put the back cover on.
4) Take the back cover off the lens I want to use (which is already unscrewed) and put it on.
Easy and fast. Maybe takes me 5 seconds to make the change.
Oh, and if you want a macro lens, I think a prime lens is a good idea.
Wow, the link's not working for me.
Actually, I don't even keep the camera pointing down. Do you physically put the camera down facing downwards when you switch lenses? I just keep it around my neck, pointing in a downward, diagonal direction. Before I switch lenses, I:
1) I get the back cover that covers the mounted bit out of my camera bag.
2) I loosen the back cover on the lens I want to use so that I don't need to fidget around.
3) I take off the camera lens and quickly put the back cover on.
4) Take the back cover off the lens I want to use (which is already unscrewed) and put it on.
Easy and fast. Maybe takes me 5 seconds to make the change.
Oh, and if you want a macro lens, I think a prime lens is a good idea.
Nice find Clix -we should try to make this a sticky.
I don't want to step on my Nikon, Pentax, Hasselblad, etc etc, brothers and sisters - but back when I was shopping for a DSLR, and decided on Canon, this site was amazing for knowing exactly what to expect from everything I was even considering buying:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/
It's run by a guy named Brian Carnathan. The amount of raw data on that site is vast, and extremely impressive. Highly, highly recommended for the Canon shooter, or anyone considering buying any Canon gear.
I don't want to step on my Nikon, Pentax, Hasselblad, etc etc, brothers and sisters - but back when I was shopping for a DSLR, and decided on Canon, this site was amazing for knowing exactly what to expect from everything I was even considering buying:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/
It's run by a guy named Brian Carnathan. The amount of raw data on that site is vast, and extremely impressive. Highly, highly recommended for the Canon shooter, or anyone considering buying any Canon gear.
This looks like a really helpful site! I am going to pass the link along to my women's digital photography group, where there are several Canon shooters, as I think it will help some of them, especially those who are still in the process of figuring out which lenses they need for which specific reasons.
Something else for you Canon folks: there is the Canon Cafe (http://www.cafecanon.com).... forums devoted to nothing but Canon Talk! It's a sister group to the Nikon Cafe, with a similar format, good forum software (the same as is used here at MacRumors, actually) and I would guess good information and discussion.
Yes, we probably should have some kind of sticky with a listing of links to sites that will answer some of the questions we get over and over here.....
Something else for you Canon folks: there is the Canon Cafe (http://www.cafecanon.com).... forums devoted to nothing but Canon Talk! It's a sister group to the Nikon Cafe, with a similar format, good forum software (the same as is used here at MacRumors, actually) and I would guess good information and discussion.
Yes, we probably should have some kind of sticky with a listing of links to sites that will answer some of the questions we get over and over here.....
Abstract, sorry the link is not working for you -- ??
The process you describe for changing lenses is exactly the way I do it, too! Get the cap loosened on the lens I am going to be putting on and then quickly remove the lens from the camera body, switch caps, slip the new lens into place....voila! I will say, though, that this is easier with smaller lenses than with some of the larger ones.....
Spicyapple, I don't think you have quite the idea of what using a digital single lens reflex camera is all about! Putting one lens on and never swapping it out rather defeats the purpose of owning/using a DSLR, wouldn't you say? I daresay that, yes, there probably are some people who moved from a P&S to say, the Nikon D50 and the 18-200mm VR lens who have never taken that lens off the camera since Day One! Too bad, as they are really missing out....
Actually, some zoom lenses are more likely to cause problems with dust than switching primes on-and-off the camera. Some of the older push-pull kinds of zoom lenses suck the dust right up....and right into the camera.
Thing of it is, dust on the sensor is really not as major an issue as it sounds to someone who has never actually used a DSLR. Basically, if the user takes the time to handle the camera body properly during lens changes and also takes a couple of extra minutes to quickly use a Giotto Rocket air blower, there should not be major issues. I've had my D70 for well over a year and my D200 since mid-December; neither has had issues with a dirty sensor, and I change my lens a lot under varying circumstances. I figure that if at some point I see signs of the need for a serious cleaning, I will take my camera in to the local shop and let them do it, as I'm not about to muck around with Pec pads and liquids and all that. My Giotto Rocket has done very well by me and my cameras so far.....
Yes, when looking for a macro lens, you've really got to go with a prime lens for the best quality.
The process you describe for changing lenses is exactly the way I do it, too! Get the cap loosened on the lens I am going to be putting on and then quickly remove the lens from the camera body, switch caps, slip the new lens into place....voila! I will say, though, that this is easier with smaller lenses than with some of the larger ones.....
Spicyapple, I don't think you have quite the idea of what using a digital single lens reflex camera is all about! Putting one lens on and never swapping it out rather defeats the purpose of owning/using a DSLR, wouldn't you say? I daresay that, yes, there probably are some people who moved from a P&S to say, the Nikon D50 and the 18-200mm VR lens who have never taken that lens off the camera since Day One! Too bad, as they are really missing out....
Actually, some zoom lenses are more likely to cause problems with dust than switching primes on-and-off the camera. Some of the older push-pull kinds of zoom lenses suck the dust right up....and right into the camera.
Thing of it is, dust on the sensor is really not as major an issue as it sounds to someone who has never actually used a DSLR. Basically, if the user takes the time to handle the camera body properly during lens changes and also takes a couple of extra minutes to quickly use a Giotto Rocket air blower, there should not be major issues. I've had my D70 for well over a year and my D200 since mid-December; neither has had issues with a dirty sensor, and I change my lens a lot under varying circumstances. I figure that if at some point I see signs of the need for a serious cleaning, I will take my camera in to the local shop and let them do it, as I'm not about to muck around with Pec pads and liquids and all that. My Giotto Rocket has done very well by me and my cameras so far.....
Yes, when looking for a macro lens, you've really got to go with a prime lens for the best quality.