[R2D2]

Originally Posted by AWD

Thanks, so one is better off with AF-S lenses. I was thinking whether I should swap D3100 with a SLR that has AF-S motor in body & then get some good lenses.

If you don't intend using one of Nikon's legacy lenses or are ok to focus manually when required, then get it is ok to have a body without a built in motor and save the money.

AF-D lenses i.e. the lenses with the screw drive, are more or less obsolete and being replaced by the far faster (with 1 exception I know of) and accurate AF-S motor driven lenses.

[govigov]

@jacs, did you zoom the lens while bouncing of the ceiling?

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by AWD

Thanks, so one is better off with AF-S lenses. I was thinking whether I should swap D3100 with a SLR that has AF-S motor in body & then get some good lenses.

For now I have a stock 18-55, 50-200mm, Sigma 150-500mm OS. These lenses are for Canon's that I have. For Nikon I have only 18-55VR.

Getting good lenses for the 3100 is easier and cheaper than searching for lenses without motors in an effort to save money.

Which lens? That depends on what you want to shoot. The 18-55VR is an underrated lens - lightweight, so it balances well on the 3100, and surprisingly adequate quality for a kit lens priced zoom. The longer zooms will be heavier, and one can always take a few steps forward to compensate with the 18-55, and also crop post processing. Depending on what you want them for, the 1.8 G primes might be a good idea - 35, 50 or 85mm. Their thin depth of field is something none but heavy and very expensive zooms can give you.

PS: In DSLRs it is best to take a one make system approach. Why not stick to the Canon?

[AWD]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Getting good lenses for the 3100 is easier and cheaper than searching for lenses without motors in an effort to save money.

the 1.8 G primes might be a good idea - 35, 50 or 85mm. Their thin depth of field is something none but heavy and very expensive zooms can give you.

PS: In DSLRs it is best to take a one make system approach. Why not stick to the Canon?

I need Lenses for Long-Distance Photography, Landscape, etc.

Nothing wrong with Canon but now migrating to Nikon!

Btw was trying out D3100 in the evening, how to use the burst mode ? & should I opt for D3200 instead ?

[Rudra Sen]

Originally Posted by ampere

Ken Rockwell is the first site I look for lens reviews, specs and feedbacks!

Ken Rockwell is surely good but I prefer DPreview detailed writeup.

That said out of my 100 shots at any given point in time, more than 85 will be from 70-200 f2.8L ISII. At times I do without 50mm and step back (if need be) to use 70mm. They say (who are they??) image quality deteriorates on smaller aperture. I happily go with f22 and more many times.

Image sample at f22, almost full frame.



Cropped of the same.



This is straight RAW > TIFF image before going to studio for touch up job.

[PatienceWins]

I ordered Nikon 35mm f/1.8 lens from Homeshop18 for Rs.14000. The seller is jjmehta. I should have ordered directly from jjmehta as the price is around Rs.600 less there. I saw the price in jjmehta just after placing the order. Homeshop18 mentions Case as an offer, I doubt whether it comes along with the lens from Nikon.

Nikon 5100 with 18-55mm kit lens is on the way from flipkart. The kit lens along with 35 mm prime (for low light indoor photography) is adequate for my requirements as of now.
I do not intend to buy any more lenses in the near term. I have a lot of learning to do and will be glued to this thread.

During my research in the last one week, I have been confused between mirrorless and dslr. The availability of latest models of mirrorless cameras, lenses and the cost factor made me tilt towards dslr. I am very impressed with the practicality of a mirrorless camera. I would love to have one in the future.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by PatienceWins

Nikon 5100 with 18-55mm kit lens is on the way from flipkart. The kit lens along with 35 mm prime (for low light indoor photography) is adequate for my requirements as of now.

This set will do for you for a long time, before you outgrow it. Far better to take lots of pictures than get into the upgrade/equipment trap. The 35mm is a great little lens to learn the art of composition, rather than the lazy way via the zoom.

If there was one thing I would add to this system, it would be the sb400 flash. Brilliant little unit, light weight and cheap. Does bounce very well, although only in horizontal mode, which can be compensated later by cropping. Will do wonders for indoor photos, where subjects don't stay still for slow shutter speeds. Perfect natural looking flash exposures via the bounce.

[typeOnegative]

Originally Posted by PatienceWins

I During my research in the last one week, I have been confused between mirrorless and dslr. The availability of latest models of mirrorless cameras, lenses and the cost factor made me tilt towards dslr. I am very impressed with the practicality of a mirrorless camera. I would love to have one in the future.

Ah. So much like me. I would have picked up the J1 in a jiffy if it were not for that stupid sensor. Evaluating the NEX series, but will like to get an adaptor for my Nikon lenses. A DSLR in my opinion suits my hands, an NEX will enable me to skip my L19 Coolpix.

[jacs]

Originally Posted by govigov

@jacs, did you zoom the lens while bouncing of the ceiling?

I was using a 50 1.8 prime lens. Did not try with 18-55 kit as its resting in my bag most of the time .

[ajayrec]

My kit is 18-200 VRII Nikkor, 1.8/50mm prime, D7000, sb400 flash. And there is almost nothing which I can cover. I covered indoor events, beach events, sports event (for which I felt a need of 80-200 2.8 which is an amazing lens). For indoors, 35mm prime is much better than 50mm but you can manage.

[amitk26]

Originally Posted by govigov

@jacs, did you zoom the lens while bouncing of the ceiling?

Did you intend to find about the auto zoom of flash with lens zoom ?

In that case even with Canon 580EX II flash zooms only if the head is directed straight to the subject , If you tilt the head even a bit in any direction it defaults to widest setting of 24mm.

I think this is done with intention of diffusing the bounced light more.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by ampere

The weight was the other reason apart from money I went with F4 IS.
Ken Rockwell is the first site I look for lens reviews, specs and feedbacks!

Whoa!!! Thats like saying Jeremy Clarkson is the guy I trust for car reviews
Please use a proper review site!

[joslicx]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Whoa!!! Thats like saying Jeremy Clarkson is the guy I trust for car reviews
Please use a proper review site!

haha Thats a very nice analogy. I always feel Ken only talks in superlatives! Everything is either the very best for him or the very worst.

Personally I feel its always better to read at least a few different reviews and also look thru lots of actual user images from the lens to filter out any subjective biases. Also it gives a perspective on what a particular lens can capture the best.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Whoa!!! Thats like saying Jeremy Clarkson is the guy I trust for car reviews
Please use a proper review site!

I have no idea on online reviews. Also as I said thats the first site I look for reviews. Definitely not the last though. As Rudra mentioned the other site I also look for is DP review.

[StarScream]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Whoa!!! Thats like saying Jeremy Clarkson is the guy I trust for car reviews
Please use a proper review site!

That's glib and opinionated - I actually don't see what's wrong with Clarkson or Rockwell. Sure they either love or hate stuff and one has to take their reviews with a pinch of salt but you won't go ridiculously wrong with either if you solely depend on them. Rockwell publishes real practical usage information that "proper" sites often don't bother with.