Which way to go?

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KWJams

Senior Member
I understand that the Nikon Zoom-Nikkor Zoom lens - 18 mm - 105 mm - F/3.5-5.6 - Nikon F is the kit lens for the D90 and they are fairly cheap and available all over ebay, Amazon etc.

Would this be a compatible lens and work for what I am trying to achieve?

My D5000 is pretty much sold with the 55-200mm lens only and a new D5100 will be here this week. I will be keeping the D5000 18-55mm kit lens to use on the D5100 since it will be body only. I also am keeping my 55-300mm lens.

There are good and bad reviews of the D90 18-105mm kit lens which seems like the problems are on the short end and long end of the barrel but the sweet spot will be right in the 70-90mm range I would be shooting low light shots at.

This sounds like a no-brainer with the added ISO abilities of the D5100,,,, but I am not sure if I am missing something to consider before I go and buy one.

What do you think??
 
C

CG_Media

New member
I would start looking for a 17-50 2.8 constant to use. That's going to help you out more than a camera body will. I do "street photography" for mixed martial art fighters and if I tried to do it with an 18-55 kit lens or a 55-200 I'd go home and cry.

Another idea would be a 50mm prime if that hasn't crossed your mind yet. You'd have to get really picky about where to stand, but thinking about your shots more might be better in the long run than just snapping and hoping for the best..
 
K

KWJams

Senior Member
Thanks CG, the problem is that it seems like a fixed prime limits me to where I can shoot from, which depending on wind direction puts me right in the dust kicked up by the motorcycles -- and then I could get run over also. :) That is why I am thinking a zoom lens that gets me from around 60mm-90mm.

If the D90 kit lens is a good enough "all around lens" to come as a kit lens then it should work pretty good on my new D5100 which is better in low light than my D500 is the way I figure. Was hoping that someone with some experience with the D90 lens would comment on the pros and cons.
 
E

evan

Banned
i have had the d90 and 18-105 for about 4 years now, (recently moved up to d7000). its not a bad walkabout lens. sharpness is more than adequate for general use, a bit of barrel distortion at 18mm, pincushion distortion at about 45mm, (disappears when zoomed a little further). i always wished that the minimum focus distance was less, but thats just me. (cant use a raynox filter with it). not too sure about low light ability but it does have VR. having said all this, i must say that it isnt my fave lens as it will not stand up to a prime. buy a used one in a private sale, if you dont like it sell it on for no loss.
 
K

KWJams

Senior Member
Thanks for the feedback evan.

That was my thinking as well. New ones sell on Amazon for less than $400.00 so it will not break my budget picking one up.

I am not expecting a really-really great lens that makes absolutely perfect pictures. I just want a lens that does a better job.
 
C

CG_Media

New member
What Evan said is what concerns me about a kit lens like that. Judging by your pictures, you don't have optimal lighting to use and even though you did great, I know that it's something you'll struggle with.

I run into the same things myself. Especially last night:

_DSC1566.jpg


Around dusk the pictures I was getting at this event were amazing (17-50 2.8 Sigma), but when I had to go by the arena lighting, I had to work on really hard to get the images to come out and even then they weren't that great.

_DSC1963.jpg

_DSC2115.jpg


Client was happy with the artsy feel to it, but I knew what the problem was. just didn't have a fix. I have flashes that can reach that far, but around animals, quiet and non-intrusive is the key.

I just fear that a kit lens that's going to limit your aperture at the upper end of the zoom range is going to murder you when you need the extra stops.
 
K

KWJams

Senior Member
Yep, you nailed it.

As the light goes away --- the blur comes out.

I would like to be able to be able to get the shot in natural light so there is no mistake that it was taken at night as we see it with normal eyesight and a flash is just adding artificial light that is not how we see things with dilated pupils.

Great shots by the way. My co-worker is a roper and I tried to get some pictures of him roping in an indoor arena and none of the shots I took turned out.

What I am trying to do is get somewhere close to this goal without having to get a kitchen pass for a lens that costs more than the camera (it ain't going to happen). ;)
 
C

CG_Media

New member
I guess that's the problem we all have. I have been saving up for another camera body when Nikon rolls their new product line in the fall, but this Sigma that those shots were taken with was too inticing. By itself it was $600 so I truly see where your issue is.

Something else you could try that I've had decent luck with is "try before you buy". There are a few shops online that rent lenses at a fair price that would allow you to see if the glass you're looking at will do the job you want it to do. I was lucky enough this time to have a friend that had the exact same lens and I borrowed it for a night just to see how it felt.
 
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evan

Banned
if you rent a lens before buying most places will deduct the rental from the price if you decide to buy. seems like a fair option.
 
K

KWJams

Senior Member
2012 Columbus Open Ex (Medium).jpg

Here is an example of a shot I took last month with my kit lens. f/5.6 -- 1/250sec -- ISO 3200 -- 30 feet focal length

It was pitch black out and the hill side was lit with mercury lights -- plus they had flames blast off when the rider passed a certain spot.
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Why don't you get a Rokinon 85 1.4 with manual focus. Since your after dark shots probably call for manual focus either way, you could go manual all the way. Do test shots and then from then on stick with the settings
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Or invest in radio controlled flash trigger devices. Set remote flashes for the particular stunts you are planning to shoot and go with that. From the last shot you posted, I think the flash could be a better way to make sellable images.
 
K

KWJams

Senior Member
About a year ago there was a magazine review on a 85mm 1.4 lens by a sports photographer and it sounded like the way to go. Don't recall the brand and I've looked for the article again and can't find it -- but manually pre-focusing in the dark is problematic.
That article did get me to think of a mid-range zoom.
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
KWJams said:
About a year ago there was a magazine review on a 85mm 1.4 lens by a sports photographer and it sounded like the way to go. Don't recall the brand and I've looked for the article again and can't find it -- but manually pre-focusing in the dark is problematic.
That article did get me to think of a mid-range zoom.
Click to expand...

You're going to be standing about the same distance from your subjects for that kind of shooting. If you can't focus manually, your camera's autofocus will have a harder time… I used to do fashion in a disco and I never focused. I was using a 35mm lens at f8 and I know what range I had in focus all the time. It had become a point and shoot.

Check for Rokinon on ebay or amazon. That's where I got mine and it's extremely sharp. For about 375$ how wrong can you be?
 
K

KWJams

Senior Member
Well, I just won a brand new Nikon Zoom-Nikkor 18-105mm F/3.5-5.6 AF-S VR DX G ED Lens for $293.00 on ebay.

For my needs (not a professional) I think it will serve my needs for short range pictures at family gatherings etc to mid range sports in low light conditions combined with the D5100. And then have my 55-300mm lens for when I need more reach.

Thanks for all the advice and help sorting through this. :)
 
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