Advice needed please.

T

Tailsjam

New member
Greetings everyone. I am a total newb when it comes to cameras and photography. Yesterday my girlfriend presented me with a D3100 for my 33rd birthday. My father has kindly said he'll buy me a few bits for my new camera. So far on my list I have a nice bag, a fast SD card and a few basic filters. Himself has a D60 and suggested I might like a more powerful zoom lens as I currently have the 18-55 that came with the body. He asked me to check which lenses are compatible with the 3100 as he wasn't sure. I've done some research and it's all a bit confusing to me. So I was wondering if some of you might be able to point me in the right direction. My dad suggested something along the lines of a 55 - 200. Many thanks in advance for help.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
R

Rick M

Senior Member
The 55-200vr is a nice compact zoom, make sure you get the vr version. For about $100 or so more you can get the 55-300 which is where many folks end up. The 70-300 is also a great lens for about $580.
 
S

slowpoke

Senior Member
Welcome,Tailsjam.For myself,I have the Sigma 70-300mm with macro switch.Not expensive,gives me the reach and is nice for a walk around lense.One of my first lenses and I still use it today.Check out to see if it's right for you.Good luck.
 
T

Tailsjam

New member
slowpoke said:
Welcome,Tailsjam.For myself,I have the Sigma 70-300mm with macro switch.Not expensive,gives me the reach and is nice for a walk around lense.One of my first lenses and I still use it today.Check out to see if it's right for you.Good luck.
Click to expand...

Macro switch? Sorry I'm a total novice.
 
S

slowpoke

Senior Member
Macro,photography.Super close up shots of very small things.Check out the Macro section and you'll see what I mean.There are great people on here that can explain all about Macro,a whole lot better than me.lol
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Hi, for your 3100, you need AF-S lenses. My suggestion would be the Nikkor 18-200 or 18-300. These are great all around lenses that will get you to do a lot of learning and you won't even have to switch lenses every other shot.

No, they are not the sharpest fastest lenses on the block, but for travel or general photography, they are unbeatable.

Welcome to Nikonites and enjoy your Nikon!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
§

§am

Senior Member
Depends on what budget you/your dad has to play with would be my first question.
Get a prime (35mm or 50mm f/1.8G), and also a zoom (55-200mm or 55-300mm depending on how much reach you really need).
The 18-200mm or 18-300mm are good lenses too if you want an all singing all dancing lens, but you may find you don't use the zoom end much and the extra you've paid is kind of lost so to speak.

Also worth considering as an everyday walk about lens is the 18-105mm, and couple it with maybe the 70-200mm.
Need something a little wider but still a walk about, then have a look at the 16-85mm.

But like I said, it all depends on how much money you're wanting to spend, and also very much so on the kind of photography you are interested in.
 
SkvLTD

SkvLTD

Senior Member
If you plan on any kind of wildlife photography, I'd say something that can at least reach up to 300. I got a great deal on 55-200VR and went a safer newbie route with having the VR, but otherwise I would've opted for something with 300 reach.
 
Top