Hi Nikonites

John W. Davies

Senior Member
Hi Forum.

New to Nikonites and new to the world of Nikon.

For the past 4 years i've been using a succession of bridge cameras, but on December the 25th I'm stepping
up in the world with a D5300 with the 35mm f1.8 prime and the 'kit' 18-55 VR II lens.

Got a bag full of various remote controls and other bits.

Having come from the 'superzoom' camera's I want to have something also in the bag
which could be a throw-on-and-leave lens.

End of Feb I'm tempted by the Sigma 18-250 lens.

I'm armed with my "D5300 for idiots" Guide book and come the 25th I'll be allowed to get started :D

Any tips for a complete newbie to both Nikon and the DSLR World?

Thanks and best regards,

JW
 

sonicbuffalo_RIP

Senior Member
Hi Forum.

New to Nikonites and new to the world of Nikon.

For the past 4 years i've been using a succession of bridge cameras, but on December the 25th I'm stepping
up in the world with a D5300 with the 35mm f1.8 prime and the 'kit' 18-55 VR II lens.

Got a bag full of various remote controls and other bits.

Having come from the 'superzoom' camera's I want to have something also in the bag
which could be a throw-on-and-leave lens.

End of Feb I'm tempted by the Sigma 18-250 lens.

I'm armed with my "D5300 for idiots" Guide book and come the 25th I'll be allowed to get started :D

Any tips for a complete newbie to both Nikon and the DSLR World?

Thanks and best regards,

JW

Welcome....I'd consider the Nikon 18-140 mm lens. It's a great all around lens. Congrats on your camera. Just browse the forum, and you'll find that there's plenty to learn here....I've been here a while and I learn something new every day.
 

hrstrat57

Senior Member
Welcome.

Strong recco you match your 18-55 VR with the 55-200 VR esp if you plan on staying APS-C (DX) This will also keep your cost down while you experiment and decide if you need better gear.

The 5300 with the 2 kit lenses and the 35 f/1.8 will have few limitations.....as you progress you can flip the kit glass for FX upgrade with ease, likely even here on Nikonites marketplace.

You will be super good to go with that combo....I still use the kit glass pair in walkaround mode with my D300 and they are very, very good! One in pocket and one on camera = perfect!
 

jctusa

Senior Member
Welcome John,
I recently joined the Nikonites forum and have also just took the leap from a bridge camera (Canon G12) to the Nikon D5300. I bought the kit and went with the 18mm - 140mm lens and also purchased the 50mm f1.8 as an extra. I am just starting to use the camera and also learn it's features, so we may be able to help each other and have similar questions or answers. Today I decided to connect the WIFI and that went smooth and pretty impressed with this feature.

I don't know if there is a way to follow other members on this forum, but I will try and add you if I can.

John
A.K.A, jctusa
 

John W. Davies

Senior Member
Welcome John,
I recently joined the Nikonites forum and have also just took the leap from a bridge camera (Canon G12) to the Nikon D5300. I bought the kit and went with the 18mm - 140mm lens and also purchased the 50mm f1.8 as an extra. I am just starting to use the camera and also learn it's features, so we may be able to help each other and have similar questions or answers. Today I decided to connect the WIFI and that went smooth and pretty impressed with this feature.

I don't know if there is a way to follow other members on this forum, but I will try and add you if I can.

John
A.K.A, jctusa

Thanks John!

I Hope so to. Especially as it's a whole new world to learn, not just a new camera.

It's a big leap but from everything I've read (and I ain't been doing much else for the past month) it seems both Nikon & the D5300 is a damn good place to start!

​JW
 

John Braden

Senior Member
Hi Forum.

New to Nikonites and new to the world of Nikon.

I'm stepping
up in the world with a D5300.

I'm armed with my "D5300 for idiots" Guide book and come the 25th I'll be allowed to get started :D

Any tips for a complete newbie to both Nikon and the DSLR World?

Thanks and best regards,

JW


Sounds like me! Welcome aboard! I have the 18-140mm lens and am also new to DSLRs, Nikon, and the D5300. You'll find so much help here from the very friendly people who populate this forum! I got my camera about 2 weeks prior to my 5th visit to Japan in May. Now I'm trying to play with the dreaded "M" setting for night photography. I'm building a set of shots of the same cityscape and stepping up or down the shutter speed, aperture and ISO so I have a personal grasp of how they all work, so when I hit Tokyo in 3 months, I can perch myself above the crowds and let loose the capabilities of the D5300!

Ask questions, post photos and you'll find many resources here!

John
 

Woodyg3

Senior Member
Contributor
Welcome.

If you want a one lens for everything kinda' lens, the 18-300 Nikon or 16-300 Tamron would be my choices. They are pricey compared to the 18-140, for sure, but you get a lot more reach.

The 70-300 VR Nikon is a very nice lens that would be a good fit with your other lenses, and they can be found for a pretty reasonable price.
 

John W. Davies

Senior Member
Welcome to the site. Advice on Nikon or DSLR's?? Get some pockets, deep ones!

Thanks Jay..... getting that idea!

Thankfully I have a small bonus at the end of Feb and will use that to put towards a good allrounder.

I'm very tempted by the 18-250 Sigma. Very good reviews all over. Such a tough choice!

​JW
 

jay_dean

Senior Member
Thanks Jay..... getting that idea!

Thankfully I have a small bonus at the end of Feb and will use that to put towards a good allrounder.

I'm very tempted by the 18-250 Sigma. Very good reviews all over. Such a tough choice!

​JW
It depends what you want from your photography, what you like to shoot and your budget i suppose. They are all very important, and form the basis of most of our decisions on the lenses we choose, and people will always have different opinions on what's the best lens for you.
It'd be nice to just put just one lens on your camera with a huge focal length coverage, and for it to take fantastic images. But, with lenses such as the 18-250 you mentioned there's always a trade off. They take a 'jack of all trades, master of none' approach. Here's a random review i read on that particular lens;
Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM review: Digital Photography Review
Oh, and be selective/careful about what you read, and it's particular author. (e.g cough, Ken Rockwell, cough cough)
 

John W. Davies

Senior Member
It depends what you want from your photography, what you like to shoot and your budget i suppose. They are all very important, and form the basis of most of our decisions on the lenses we choose, and people will always have different opinions on what's the best lens for you.
It'd be nice to just put just one lens on your camera with a huge focal length coverage, and for it to take fantastic images. But, with lenses such as the 18-250 you mentioned there's always a trade off. They take a 'jack of all trades, master of none' approach. Here's a random review i read on that particular lens;
Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM review: Digital Photography Review
Oh, and be selective/careful about what you read, and it's particular author. (e.g cough, Ken Rockwell, cough cough)

oh! Tell me more!

Howdy and welcome to Nikonites!

Thanks - a fellow D5300 owner!
 

hrstrat57

Senior Member
It depends what you want from your photography, what you like to shoot and your budget i suppose. They are all very important, and form the basis of most of our decisions on the lenses we choose, and people will always have different opinions on what's the best lens for you.
It'd be nice to just put just one lens on your camera with a huge focal length coverage, and for it to take fantastic images. But, with lenses such as the 18-250 you mentioned there's always a trade off. They take a 'jack of all trades, master of none' approach. Here's a random review i read on that particular lens;
Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM review: Digital Photography Review
Oh, and be selective/careful about what you read, and it's particular author. (e.g cough, Ken Rockwell, cough cough)



what a great thoughtful post @jaydean!!!

superzooms are a bad call IMHO esp for a inexperienced photographer seeking to learn a new craft.

Some of ken rockwell's reviews are bang on despite the arrows slung his way on Internet forums! His praise of the Nikkor kit zooms actually convinced me to give them a fair trial despite my lens snobbery!

​He is right the 18-55 AF VR and the 55-200 AF VR are amazingly sharp! I almost seriously gave them away without taking a shot!
 
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