Which Lens Next?

[csjxx]

I have had my Nikon D3000 since they were released a while ago and have enjoyed using and experimenting with it, I have recently started getting into editing and printing a lot more.

The question is I am now looking for a new lens; I am particularly looking for a zoom lens. As at the moment, I only have the 18-55VR kit lens.

I would like advice on maybe which lens I should buy costs and places to buy them.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Patriks7]

I have had my Nikon D3000 since they were released a while ago and have enjoyed using and experimenting with it, I have recently started getting into editing and printing a lot more.

The question is I am now looking for a new lens; I am particularly looking for a zoom lens. As at the moment, I only have the 18-55VR kit lens.

I would like advice on maybe which lens I should buy costs and places to buy them.

Thanks in advance.

A bit of a correction on your terminology: your 18-55VR is a zoom lens. A zoom lens is a lens which changes focal length. What you are looking for, is a telephoto lens.

Maybe if you would give a budget, it would be easier to recommend.

Note: I'm not a big Nikon user, just going by what my friends use.
If I had a Nikon though and like you never had a longer lens, I would get the 55-200 f4-5.6 ED, which I found online for about 220$.

 

[El Cabong]

Please indicate:
(1) Your budget. Lenses can cost from a couple hundred to several thousand dollars.
(2) What you currently shoot, and what you want to shoot with your new lens. There are many varieties of lenses, all for different purposes. I'm guessing you meant "telephoto" when you said "zoom" but even then, usage dictates the proper choice.

 

[OreoCookie]

Even though you have indicated you'd like a zoom lens, I suggest you get a 30 mm f/1.4 Sigma or a 35 mm f/1.8 Nikkor. They are much, much brighter than your current lens and they allow you to do things you were previously unable to do with your kit lens (or any other zoom). They're also relatively cheap and light.

 

[peepboon]

I would buy in this order:

- 55-200mm
- 50mm f1.4
- macro or wide angle lens

 

[Patriks7]

I would buy in this order:

- 55-200mm
- 50mm f1.4
- macro or wide angle lens

Haha, I'm just in the stage of choosing between a macro and a wide angle, and I'm totally lost as to which one I should get. Luckily I still have a couple weeks until I will be buying it. Buying lenses is so hard :\ wish I knew before I got into this hobby

 

[Mr.Noisy]

Haha, I'm just in the stage of choosing between a macro and a wide angle, and I'm totally lost as to which one I should get. Luckily I still have a couple weeks until I will be buying it. Buying lenses is so hard :\ wish I knew before I got into this hobby

making the right choice is so hard, I once set my heart on the 18-200mm VR for a walkabout lens, I had never thought about wide angle, then in a local store I tried a Sigma 10-20mm on my D300 and I was hooked, wide angle is mad, you can have so much fun, I'm now shopping for a D700 and the first decision will be to get the 14mm f2.8 or the 14-24mm f2.8 for it, but wide angle is certainly addictive
just my thoughts, but check the prices for Nikons 70-300mm VR Lens There some bargains out there nowadays.

 

[ChrisA]

A bit of a correction on your terminology: your 18-55VR is a zoom lens. A zoom lens is a lens which changes focal length. What you are looking for, is a telephoto lens..

No. Maybe he wants a 12-24mm zoom lens. How can we know he wants a telephoto? The OP leaves us very little to go on.

To the OP: Look at all your photos and find out which focal length was used. Do you find many images shot at 55mm and even then need a crop? If so then you could use a longer lens. But if many were shot at 18mm then maybe you need a wider lens. Likewise of many shots were taken at maximum aperture then you could use a faster lens.

The metadata in your iPhoto library can tell you a lot about how you use the current lens.

Many beginners think they want a very long f/5.6 lens but really they don't use it. It's better to think about what subjects you hae been unable to photograph do to the lens you have. Buy the lens that would have gotten you those missed shots. Perhaps the "lens" turns out to be a speedlight that can do bounce flash?

 

[Patriks7]

No. Maybe he wants a 12-24mm zoom lens. How can we know he wants a telephoto? The OP leaves us very little to go on.

Uhm, yes. Most people who are new to photography (and don't know the right terminology) refer to telephoto's as "zooms".

 

[El Cabong]

Uhm, yes. Most people who are new to photography (and don't know the right terminology) refer to telephoto's as "zooms".

Agreed. Anyone who says (paraphrasing OP) "I want a zoom lens, all I have is an 18-55" probably doesn't know the proper terminology.

So, OP, how about that budget? And again, what do you plan to shoot?