Tripod = best decision yet

So lately I'd been taking pictures, and getting discouraged. I started to think lately that I needed a better lens (I have just the kit lens and I've had my camera all of a month) so I started researching constantly only to find out that for what I want to do (portraits, some landscapes, etc.) that the kit lens will do for now until I get a better hold on what I enjoy photographing most anyways. I'd read that a newer photographer said they too had gotten discouraged early on and bought a tripod, nothing fancy just a standard tripod, which helped her gain confidence with her photography. I can say, she definitely was onto something. I was getting discouraged because I couldn't capture the image I wanted or it wasn't a sharp as I wanted, etc etc. but after getting my tripod this evening I can say I honestly can see a world of difference in the quality of pictures. Not just what I'm shooting but apparently a steady hand is something I lack, even when the shutter speed is fairly quick.

Completely random but I needed something to calm my lens envy! Or else I was going to start spending inordinate amounts of money on a bunch of different lenses. haha

edit: I also bought Adobe Lightroom 4 and I am in love with it as well. I would've waited a little longer but my student status is about to run out and the student price is 80 bucks versus 150.

What camera and lens do you have?

Nikon D3100 and the kit 18-55mm lens. I really wanted a 18-200mm since it's got a good range on it but I think I'll just wait patiently and save. And find what I enjoy photographing before I go running off the deep end (although so tempting)

VTJäger said:

Nikon D3100 and the kit 18-55mm lens. I really wanted a 18-200mm since it's got a good range on it but I think I'll just wait patiently and save. And find what I enjoy photographing before I go running off the deep end (although so tempting)

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Smart decision! The 18-200 is a great lens, but you are wise to work on your technique and find your style first.

I got back into photography about a year and a half ago, with the same D3100 and kit lens. I thought I needed a longer zoom to compliment it so I picked up a 55-200 and later on in the year the 70-300nikon vr. After awhile I found myself shooting mostly at the wide end, so I picked up a nikon 16-85 (I had originally lusted after the 18-200 also).

A year later, out of curiosity, I compiled the data on my favorite or "best" 100 shots I had taken. 85% of my shots were taken at below 50mm, 50% of those at 16mm, only about 5% above 70mm. I really like my 70-300, but use it rarely. If I had bought the 18-200, I would have missed out on what has become my favorite focal lenght, 16mm. Based on the data, my next lens will be an ultra-wide.

Yes, I have been looking at the 16-85 mm but it's a huge chunk of change to shell out for something I've really started getting into less than a month. I'll really be upset with myself if I were to haul off and get something like that and then find out I adore shooting on the far end of the 18-200 mm. I can always borrow the lenses first, probably a safer bet than you know, spending life savings for your wants....heh.

Agree, find your style first, actually the 18-55 is a great lens to find your way with first.

VTJäger said:

Nikon D3100 and the kit 18-55mm lens. I really wanted a 18-200mm since it's got a good range on it but I think I'll just wait patiently and save. And find what I enjoy photographing before I go running off the deep end (although so tempting)

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I have a D3100 with the kit lens.
Give the 55-200mm VR AF-S lens a look. It's fast focusing, light and is very sharp. It performs far above it's price range.
I know Adorama always has several used on their site at any given time. Used Nikon 55-200 4/5.6g Ed-if Af-s Dx Vr

The Nikon Store has refurbs from time to time. Nikon Store - AF-S DX VR Zoom-NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED (Refurbished)

I like it so much I use mine as my main walkaround lens. I keep a second one in a drawer just in case I have an accident.

I shoot the D3100 also. I have the 18-55 kit and the 55-200 but the one thing I kept missing was close up. They just won't do it. I recently bought the 40mm Macro and have not removed it from the camera. That is all I shoot. It is sharper than either of the other lens. Shoot for a while and you will see what you really need. Don't forget the primes. They tend to be faster and sharper.
Just my opinion, not to be confused with anything important.

Another "kit lens" (gawd I hate that term!) you might want to try is the 18-105mm AF-S VR. They can be picked up for lest than $200 used. Great all around walkabout lens.

Oh...before I forget...whenever you have your camera on the tripod, shut off the VR on the lens. It defeats the purpose of the tripod. The VR feature of the lens is for hand held picture taking. Just thought you'd like to know.

Another thing to help your portrait images is a Flash and maybe a 50 F1.8...I have the SB600 which does an excellent job....Watch some youtube about flash photography...

It's good that you brought this up. A tripod is a really important tool if you want your images to be sharp. Try to get the best one you can afford if you are interested in photography so you don't fall victim to buying multiple tripods before getting a good one - as so many have before.

Food for thought !!!!!! Without a tripod.... you can only use half your camera !
Look at how many shutter speeds there are below those hand held speeds

Exactly westmill! That's what I did yesterday, I worked with all the shutter speeds I could never get a clear picture with otherwise.

I'm definitely going to be eventually getting a 55-200 (maybe 300 just so I don't have to go "that'd be great to shoot if I had a bigger lens.") and then a prime lens if I find the use for it. A lot of the pictures I'm currently taking are of my dog, he makes a pretty decent subject but a lot of the picture I wanted to capture, I'm just too close and interfering with him being a dog, lol. Maybe I just need to get out more.

fotojack said:

Another "kit lens" (gawd I hate that term!) you might want to try is the 18-105mm AF-S VR. They can be picked up for lest than $200 used. Great all around walkabout lens.

Oh...before I forget...whenever you have your camera on the tripod, shut off the VR on the lens. It defeats the purpose of the tripod. The VR feature of the lens is for hand held picture taking. Just thought you'd like to know.

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Good point! I hadn't thought to take off the VR (I'd simply forgotten, lol)

VTJäger said:

Exactly westmill! That's what I did yesterday, I worked with all the shutter speeds I could never get a clear picture with otherwise.

I'm definitely going to be eventually getting a 55-200 (maybe 300 just so I don't have to go "that'd be great to shoot if I had a bigger lens.") and then a prime lens if I find the use for it. A lot of the pictures I'm currently taking are of my dog, he makes a pretty decent subject but a lot of the picture I wanted to capture, I'm just too close and interfering with him being a dog, lol. Maybe I just need to get out more.

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I have the 55-200 and the 55-300. Side by side, image quality is similar with the 55-200 eking out a small lead.
The 55-300 is slow to auto-focus and sometimes has trouble locking on to a subject at/near 300mm. I find myself zooming to 200, finding the subject at that range then going to 300. Using that method the camera/lens will almost always find the subject with out the lens hunting around.
The 55-200 has no issues auto focusing throughout its range.
If you can, get both. I bought the 55-300 a couple months ago as a refurb at a ridiculously low price.

I just bought the 35mm AF-S f1.8 lens. It's an excellent lens. It can also stand in for a macro in an emergency.

Keep in mind Nikon is allegedly coming out with an DX 18-300mm AF-S VR lens in the near future. If that's a decent lens I might invest in one.

I'm in the same boat as you, VT - I have a new 3100, with the 18-55 lens, and although most of my shots are outdoor while walking the dogs (Generally good light), once you get under the cover of a few trees on an overcast day the light really drops.... So I've got myself a Manfrotto monopod for poor light shots. I tried it in the house, but it's been raining all weekend so not had chance to use it "In anger" yet!

Luckily, my brother is a big user of Nikon kit, and does a lot of weddings etc, so as he replaces lenses etc for better quality ones, I get first dibs on his outgoing kit!

cnyram said:

A year later, out of curiosity, I compiled the data on my favorite or "best" 100 shots I had taken. 85% of my shots were taken at below 50mm, 50% of those at 16mm, only about 5% above 70mm. I really like my 70-300, but use it rarely. If I had bought the 18-200, I would have missed out on what has become my favorite focal lenght, 16mm. Based on the data, my next lens will be an ultra-wide.

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One of the advantages of a good image management system is the ability to do just what you did. I had almost the same results with my Nikkor 17-55 and Sigma 10-20 leading the way by a large margin.

Eduard said:

One of the advantages of a good image management system is the ability to do just what you did. I had almost the same results with my Nikkor 17-55 and Sigma 10-20 leading the way by a large margin.

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What type of image management system can do this? Maybe I can see what distance I shoot at most and decide from there on what lens I should buy first.

VTJäger said:

What type of image management system can do this? Maybe I can see what distance I shoot at most and decide from there on what lens I should buy first.

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I used Lightroom to do this. Here is a partial screenshoot so you can see what I mean (even though the print is small):

That's awesome. I, too, use Lightroom... Looks like I'll be fiddling around today