Need help with lens choice

Monique

New member
I'm trying to figure out a good 'gift' lens for my boyfriend and am looking at the following...does anyone have any advice to offer? (I gave him a macro lens last year and he is loving it...I thought a fisheye or wide angle might be fun this time)

I'm looking at: AF-P DX Nikkor 10-20mm 4/4.5-5.6gg and a Rokinon HD8M-N 8mm f3.5HD Fisheye

Any help is much appreciated!
 

TedG954

Senior Member
I have a close friend that uses the Nikon 10-20 and it works really well. Really well.










But........ if you REALLY loved him, you'd get him a D850 with the newest Nikon 24-70. But, that's only if you really care about him. Otherwise, I guess a lens is OK.




:loyal:
 
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editorial_use_only

Senior Member
Kudos to you for your thoughtfulness. As above it helps to know what camera he has, what subjects he likes to photograph, and what your budget is.

I'll throw out two wild suggestions.

One, if he's loving a macro lens, he might enjoy an extension tube. I have the Kenko, and it works great with all my Nikon cameras. I still get auto-focus and metering.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/375238-REG/Kenko_AEXTUBEDGN_Auto_Extension_Tube_Set.html

Two, you could try a pinhole lens. If he's enjoying photography, he might enjoy it. There are groups dedicated to pinhole photography and it's fun. Something like this

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/915822-REG/rising_rpsn001_camera_pinhole_body_cap.html

There are some silly reviews on that site for pinhole lens caps, complaining that the pinhole image is soft. Of course the image is soft. That's what the pinhole lens produces. Used correctly/artistically they can produce very beautiful images. And they're fun to use.

Oh and if not a lens and he doesn't already have one, then a flash like the SB-700.
 

Danno

Senior Member
I'm trying to figure out a good 'gift' lens for my boyfriend and am looking at the following...does anyone have any advice to offer? (I gave him a macro lens last year and he is loving it...I thought a fisheye or wide angle might be fun this time)

I'm looking at: AF-P DX Nikkor 10-20mm 4/4.5-5.6gg and a Rokinon HD8M-N 8mm f3.5HD Fisheye

Any help is much appreciated!

I would have to assume that he had some input into those choices because these are both kind of specific use lenses; either on purpose or in casual conversation. If he HAS specifically told you of the two lenses I would quiz him a bit more about the lenses. Most of us like to talk about why we like something. Just my thoughts.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I would have to assume that he had some input into those choices because these are both kind of specific use lenses; either on purpose or in casual conversation. If he HAS specifically told you of the two lenses I would quiz him a bit more about the lenses. Most of us like to talk about why we like something. Just my thoughts.

The fisheye most likely would be the one used the least of the two choices, but as Dan said, both lenses have specific uses. The wide angle zoom should offer a little more flexibility. Besides...if someone really wanted to create a fisheye effect, it can be done in Photoshop or Lightroom by playing with the lens distortion tool.
 

Woodyg3

Senior Member
Contributor
Okay, not meaning to confuse the issue, and I also don't know what you want to spend, but an ultrawide zoom that is very highly regarded is the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8. I'm thinking of getting this myself, which obviously means I don't have personal experience with the lens.

It's cool that you are helping your boyfriend pursue something that is important to him. Kudos! :)
 
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