DSLR Shots and Discussions

Huck

That's purty! I'm looking for a decent lens for my Nikon D5100 that takes sharp pics like that, but doesn't break the bank. Any suggestions?


I survived Zdayz 2013... (barely)

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happytheman

Most of what is considered quality glass is unfortunately pricey. What ya willin' to part with, mon frere?

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--Brantly--

HKYStormFront

yea nikon unfortunately doesn't offer much in the way of "midrange" glass. it's either their lower end stuff (which is typically better than canon's) or their pro glass which is big $$$

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Cmike2780

Huck, most of the lenses out there can get you great results. It really depends on the focal length you need and the maximum aperture. Faster aperture lenses usually raise the price but aren't always as sharp as the cheaper lenses. Zoom lenses also tend to be more expensive than primes. If you want sharper images, each lens usually has a sweet spot in terms of the right aperture to use. The first thing you should consider is the focal length. If you want a wide angle or fish eye, Nikon offers the 10.5mm or the 10-24mm...both of which are kind of pricey. Unfortunately, so are other zooms close to them like the 16-85mm and the 18-200mm. Both zooms are leaps better than the kit lens though, so it's worth considering. The only lenses that are relatively inexpensive and works with your camera I can think of is the 35mm f/1.8 & 50mm f/1.8. You can always go with Sigma lenses which run a bit cheaper.

I'd also look at 500px is Photography and check out what others have done with the equipment they have. Type in "landscape+D5100" in the search. It usually shows the meta data for each pic.

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[09][MB][6-Spd MT][Touring][Stillen Gen III][K&N][Borla CBE][Evo-R]

ZMan8

Question for you guys. What is the difference between some of the different polorizer filters. There are cheap ones for $7 by tiffen and $88 one by B&W. Any experience with the cheaper ones?

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2010 370Z 40 Anniv., 6 MT | Fast Intentions | Swift Springs | SPC | Z1Motorsports | JWM | Redline Oils | 35% Window Tint
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6spd

I use the cheaper ones, can't speak for the pricey ones, but they work fine. I'm sure the glass and overall quality would be much better for the expensive ones. The cheap ones are just that... cheap. I've got a few different sizes from a few different companies, all work fine.

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Cmike2780

You tend to lose image quality with the really cheap ones. That's why I usually don't bother with any clear filters on my lenses. I'd pick the B&W or Hoya filters over the cheap ones unless you're just experimenting. The cheap filters will work, but they're not worth it if you plan to keep your filters for a while. The cheap ones sometime use plastic instead of glass. Truthfully though, you have to really look and know what to look for to tell the difference when comparing end result images.

Also, if your lenses have different filter sizes, buy the one for your largest lens and get some step down rings to fit the smaller ones. Usually 72mm or 62mm. This way, you don't have to buy more than one filter. The larger filters, obviously, tend to be a bit more expensive.

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[09][MB][6-Spd MT][Touring][Stillen Gen III][K&N][Borla CBE][Evo-R]

alcheng

you can consider this one:

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X116


Sample:

Shutterjock

It looks pretty good in the middle of the desert, so good that it makes the $2.5 million home in the background look all busted up and broken down. (Photo by G. A. Volb/Shutterjock)

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saber

I just want to say that the 18-200 is my favorite lens I have right now. It's super versatile, and I love that I don't have to carry anything other than my 35mm in my bag with this thing.

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Titan1080

Though it ain't cheap, for around $700 you can pick up the Nikon Nikkor 28mm f/1.8 prime lens, the only drawback I'm still learning to work around when I'm indoors is that it's effectively a 42mm lens on my compact D5000.

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2009 370Z w/ Sport

osbornsm

Also, some polarizers are linear, some are circular. Additionally, there's the 10 dollar range and the 50 dollar range for polarizers. Unless you're selling photos you're taking... go low price.

...But don't forget to buy the correct size for your lens... different filters sizes avail for diff lenses and makes.

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6spd

New ones, my faves from my last outing:

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-Jay- jonathanjamesphotographer.com

LunaZ

Those look good!
Not so sure about the skin tone on the one where she's looking down at the car.
Retouching looks great, but I'll be really nitpicky and say you should clean up the line on her leg, just above the "I" in shift and remove the light from her sunglasses... or at least just on one side or the other. It looks kind of weird split between the two lenses right at the bridge like that and my eye goes right there and stays there.
I know, I know. I just failed the gay test

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6spd

Thanks man, I appreciate the feedback!

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