With my Minolta 50mm macro, the closest focusing distance at 1:2 ratio is 23 cm. With my Nikon 55mm micro, the closest distance is 25cm @ 1:2. A 1:1 ratio Minolta 50mm macro lens focuses at 2 inches. A little too close. The Canon 60mm macro close focuses at 4 inches.

Newest D-SLR member here
 

So after a little bit of procrastinating and saving up, I went ahead and ordered a Nikon D50 (body only) I was debating between this one or a Canon but from reading online reviews and user feedback, it seemed that the D50 was a better camera to start out with.

I've been doing some reading and I can't figure out which one is a good lens to start with. It seems that everybody recommends a different one as their "must have" lens: 35-70, 18-55, 55-200, 24-85, 18-70 etc.

I'm not made of money :p so I can't afford a lot of lenses right now so I'm looking for some recommendations on which lens is the must have lens. I can start off with that one and then slowly build up from there.

Thanks :D

18-70.

You should've bought my canon!

Haha...Wendy told me about your camera but I got a great deal on the D50 body.

Well if you got a really good deal then that's great :).

Now you have to start posting pics too!

d50 has probably some of the best anti-noise for any nikon camera... still not a fan. Go to bccamera.com and look on the forums for some used nikon lenses. Hope that helps.

Also 18-55 is always good. You get your wide angle and your small zoom.

Welcome to Nikonia! I'm glad you saw the light and got a Nikon instead of a ergonomic nightmare of a Canon....but a Sony a100 would also have been a good choice too.

Get primes, not zooms. :) If yu must get a zoom, I think a lens 18-70 rang would be great.

The ergonomics on a canon are great! I don't know what you're talking about...

i agree with the 18-70, if you want something even cheaper though just grab the kit lens, 18-55.

and if money wasn't an issue, i'd say try the 18-200

if you play with both systems, the Canon are more simplified, where the Nikon has more buttons. However if you know how the Nikon systems works, then change settings would be wooping fast! I hate where the ergonomics on the Canon 5D sucked compared to the D200, but when you jump up to the 1 series, it's a whole different story.

i agree

nikon has like menus within menus...

Both Canon & Nikon cameras are so menu biased, but the Canon is worse. I hate going through layer upon layer just to change a simple setting. That is why I love my 7D & F4s! :)

hey mikesjo what canon do you have and how much?

He has a 20D currently and selling an XT which is posted on the FS section.

Congrats.

The 18-70 is a bit of a mystery; if you're lucky and get a good copy, it's as sharp as some pro lenses on a 6MP body. However if you get a normal, or "so-so" copy, you'll neither be blown away nor disgusted by the performence... kind of an "ok" lens by common standards.

If you're familiar with Nikon's systems, the 17-55/2.8 is the best in that range, but many have said that the 18-70 is just as good at similar apetures...

and based on my own comparison between the 2 lenses... I probably got a very good copy of the 18-70 because although there are minor diffrences in sharpness, the difference's not significant enough to justify the big lens over the 18-70 at 3 times the cost if you absolutely need f2.8 and more rugged build.

So yeah, find a good 18-70 and avoid the 18mm end, and you'll be very happy with it as a starter lens.

Congrats.

The 18-70 is a bit of a mystery; if you're lucky and get a good copy, it's as sharp as some pro lenses on a 6MP body. However if you get a normal, or "so-so" copy, you'll neither be blown away nor disgusted by the performence... kind of an "ok" lens by common standards.

If you're familiar with Nikon's systems, the 17-55/2.8 is the best in that range, but many have said that the 18-70 is just as good at similar apetures...

and based on my own comparison between the 2 lenses... I probably got a very good copy of the 18-70 because although there are minor diffrences in sharpness, the difference's not significant enough to justify the big lens over the 18-70 at 3 times the cost if you don't absolutely need f2.8 and more rugged build.

So yeah, find a good 18-70 and avoid the 18mm end, and you'll be very happy with it as a starter lens.

hey!

Would this be a good lens to go with?

Nikon 18-70mm DX G AF-S Lens

http://www.cametaauctions.com/ebay/n...on_18-70mm.jpg

Focal Length: 18-70mm (27-105mm in 35mm format).
Maximum aperture: f/3.5
Lens construction: 15 elements in 13 groups (3xED glass lens elements, 1x aspherical lens element)
Picture angle: 76° - 22° 50'
Minimum focus range: 0.38m (15 in.)
Max. reproduction ratio: 1/6.2 (.16)
Filter Size: 67mm
Dimensions (Diameter x Length): 073 x 75.5mm (2.9 x 3.0 in.)
Weight : Approx. 390g (14.8 oz.)

yes haha thats what they have been talking about for awhile

its around 350-450

Good...I just wanted to make sure :p

its decent. does it come in an f/4 constant

Question About Sigma's.
 

So i picked up a UK photo magazine called Digital Photographer, and I was reading some of the lens reviews they had, and what suprised me is they recommend sigma lenses over most canon lenses/l lenses.

And the the thing is sigmas are remarkably cheaper. Especially since im considering buying a 10-22 and sigmas cost 450 us will the canon cost around 600 us.

So is there a quality diffrence? slower focusing?

Sigma owners post up :D

I was at Kerrisdale yesterday comparing the Canon 10-22 and the Sigma equivelant and let me be the first to say when I spend the money I will not be saving $200 by buying that Sigma. What a piece of garbage. The Canon is quiet, super fast to focus with the USM, and very sharp - not to mention the rings are smooth. The Sigma just feels cheap, takes forever to focus, and is really noisy.

^^
agree on super fast focus and very silent focus :)
been a 10-22 owner for 7 + months and no regrets what so ever.

Yeah, the 10-22 is definitely going to be my next lens purchase... it WAS already going to be, but yesterday I bought a 50mm 1.8 on impulse and am loving every minute of it.

I played with other lenses, and I just think Canon feels nice and solid, everything else feels like a toy.