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I just purchased a Nikon D70 digital camera, besides the 18-70 F/3.5-4.5G
AF-S DX lens that came with the camera what other essential lenses should I
invest in to make my purchase complete. I'm just an amateur photographer
who's looking to become more serious.

The correct answer is that it depends on what you want to do with it. What
subjects do you plan on shooting most? The answer to that question will
determine the best lenses for you to consider next. If all you're going to
do is some landscapes and pictures of the family you may not need another
lens at all. If you want to do a lot of flash photography then your next
"lens" should probably be the SB800 speedlight. If wildlife is your desire
then you'll be needing longer, faster lenses than the kit lens...

Jefery S. Harrison

>"Rainy" <> wrote in message
news:dPydnT2AhNSmPxbcRVn-...
> I just purchased a Nikon D70 digital camera, besides the 18-70 F/3.5-4.5G
> AF-S DX lens that came with the camera what other essential lenses should
I
> invest in to make my purchase complete. I'm just an amateur photographer
> who's looking to become more serious.
>
>

"Rainy" <> wrote in message
news:dPydnT2AhNSmPxbcRVn-...
> I just purchased a Nikon D70 digital camera, besides the 18-70 F/3.5-4.5G
> AF-S DX lens that came with the camera what other essential lenses should I
> invest in to make my purchase complete. I'm just an amateur photographer
> who's looking to become more serious.

I suggest that the first thing to do is to not to buy more
gear but to work with what you've got. Many famous
photographers have done fabulous work with less capable
equipment than you already have.

Maybe you should save your money for now and work
instead on getting great photos from what you have.
You'll probably get more out of that than out of more
lenses.

Alan

"Rainy" <> writes:

> I just purchased a Nikon D70 digital camera, besides the 18-70 F/3.5-4.5G
> AF-S DX lens that came with the camera what other essential lenses should I
> invest in to make my purchase complete. I'm just an amateur photographer
> who's looking to become more serious.

My first advice is, don't rush. That's a good basic lens, you can do
a lot with it. After a few thousand photos, you'll probably have a
much better sense of which additional features you'd most value in a
lens.

There are so *many* directions to go in:

1. "Faster" lenses, for shooting in low light levels without flash.
Also perhaps "VR" lenses, to be hand-holdable at lower shutter
speeds.

2. Wider lenses.

3. Longer lenses.

4. Extreme long lenses, like for shooting small birds.

5. Close focus ("macro"; Nikon calls them "micro") lenses for extreme
close-ups.

Or maybe you'd be better off with a good flash instead of more
lenses.

If you're like most amateurs (including me) and want to do some of
everything, then the obvious things to add to the collection next
would be a 70-200 (I personally have a strong preference for fast
ones, but YMMV) and a flash unit like the SB-800. That'll take you a
good step further out in all directions except the first one.

Hmm, thinking about it, you might consider the 24-120 instead; the
70-200 is the obvious answer for a full-frame 35mm camera, and the
greater overlap with the other lens would be more convenient for you
with the 24-120. On the third hand, 200mm x 1.5x gives you a *nice*
long reach .

Or maybe you'd be better off investing in better photo-editing
software on your computer? What used to be "printing", the stuff you
did in the darkroom, is an important part of being a first-rate
photographer, and you won't be able to afford to hire a *good* printer
to do it for you any time soon (what you get from labs is simple
mechanical work, no significant human judgement involved; unless you
pay for real "exhibition prints", which can easily cost $100).

Welcome to a life-devouring, credit-card-destroying, life-long
obsession! You'll have a *blast*.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, <mailto:dd->, <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/>
RKBA: <http://noguns-nomoney.com/> <http://www.dd-b.net/carry/>
Pics: <http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/> <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/>
Dragaera/Steven Brust: <http://dragaera.info/>

"Rainy" <> wrote in
news:dPydnT2AhNSmPxbcRVn-:

> I just purchased a Nikon D70 digital camera, besides the 18-70
> F/3.5-4.5G AF-S DX lens that came with the camera what other essential

I would say spend a week shooting at least 36 photos a day. First day use
only 18mm. 2nd day use only 24mm. Third day use only 35mm. Then 50 and
75. Then on days 6 and 7, shoot with all different focal lengths.

See if you feel like there are photos you'd like to take, but the lens
just isn't getting you there (not fast enough, too short, too long, won't
focus close enough, whatever). If nothing stands out, then you don't need
any other lenses.

I would have a hard time living with 18mm x 1.5 = 27mm, which isn't wide
enough for a lot of what I like to do.

Bob

Rainy <> wrote:

> I just purchased a Nikon D70 digital camera, besides the 18-70 F/3.5-4.5G
> AF-S DX lens that came with the camera what other essential lenses should I
> invest in to make my purchase complete. I'm just an amateur photographer
> who's looking to become more serious.

Your purchase is complete. If you have to ask, you don't need any more
lenses yet. Go shoot, and you will naturally discover what you need based
on what you want to do. You might find yourself wishing for faster, or
longer, or whatever -- but no one here can tell you what you're going to
want.

--
Jeremy |

On Fri, 05 Nov 2004 20:24:58 GMT, in rec.photo.digital bob
<> wrote:

>"Rainy" <> wrote in
>news:dPydnT2AhNSmPxbcRVn-:
>
>> I just purchased a Nikon D70 digital camera, besides the 18-70
>> F/3.5-4.5G AF-S DX lens that came with the camera what other essential

>I would have a hard time living with 18mm x 1.5 = 27mm, which isn't wide
>enough for a lot of what I like to do.

No, the DX lenses are designed for the sensor size. As such there is no
crop factor, This kit lens gives you true 18-70mm FOV.

__________________________________________________ ______
Ed Ruf Lifetime AMA# 344007 ()
http://EdwardGRuf.com

On Fri, 5 Nov 2004 10:54:25 -0500, in rec.photo.digital "Rainy"
<> wrote:

>I just purchased a Nikon D70 digital camera, besides the 18-70 F/3.5-4.5G
>AF-S DX lens that came with the camera what other essential lenses should I
>invest in to make my purchase complete. I'm just an amateur photographer
>who's looking to become more serious.
>
Depends what you are trying to photograph. I just love my 70-200 f/2,8 VR
AF-S. But my requirements dictated something like this. It isn't a cheap
but if you are looking for longer range, low light photos, it's hard to go
wrong here.
__________________________________________________ ______
Ed Ruf Lifetime AMA# 344007 ()
http://EdwardGRuf.com

Ed Ruf <> writes:

> On Fri, 05 Nov 2004 20:24:58 GMT, in rec.photo.digital bob
> <> wrote:
>
>>"Rainy" <> wrote in
>>news:dPydnT2AhNSmPxbcRVn-:
>>
>>> I just purchased a Nikon D70 digital camera, besides the 18-70
>>> F/3.5-4.5G AF-S DX lens that came with the camera what other essential
>
>>I would have a hard time living with 18mm x 1.5 = 27mm, which isn't wide
>>enough for a lot of what I like to do.
>
> No, the DX lenses are designed for the sensor size. As such there is no
> crop factor, This kit lens gives you true 18-70mm FOV.

I believe you're wrong about that.

I'm *sure* that the 12-24mm DX G lens is a *real* 12mm focal length,
*NOT* a 35mm-equivalent 12mm focal length.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, <mailto:dd->, <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/>
RKBA: <http://noguns-nomoney.com/> <http://www.dd-b.net/carry/>
Pics: <http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/> <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/>
Dragaera/Steven Brust: <http://dragaera.info/>

Ed Ruf <> wrote:

>> I would have a hard time living with 18mm x 1.5 = 27mm, which isn't wide
>> enough for a lot of what I like to do.
>
> No, the DX lenses are designed for the sensor size. As such there is no
> crop factor, This kit lens gives you true 18-70mm FOV.

That is not correct; the lens is designed for the sensor size but is still
an 18mm focal length. It has the field of view of a 27mm lens on a 35mm
camera.

--
Jeremy |