New photographers pay attention

[YesDear]

I did not want to get the scavenger hunt thread off task. Great idea by the way!

Ann made a really great observation about her own photography that I thought was worth a conversation about.

In response to a question about a shot she posted:

:It's an 85mm prime. Blasphemous, but I don't own any zooms at the moment, decided that right now they weren't really my thing...whatever that means.

What is important about what she said is that she is growing into a being a photographer. She has tried and owned many different lenses since she has started her journey. (That is not a slight to you Ann.) She has been influenced by many of us on this board. (She and I both own a 50 mm 1.2 manual based on a recommendation from Gdad.)

She has decided that fast prime lens give her the images she is most interested in at this time. She is developing a style of photography for her.

Many newer photographers want to expand their kits. Usually the first they want is faster glass or to fill in the gaps of their focal length. They want a zoom or zooms to cover the gamut of focal lengths. That is not a bad idea just one approach.

I just spent a week at Disneyland and used two lenses. A 35mm 1.8 and a 10.5mm 2.8. I had to practice an old school technique called a the two step zoom. Before zooms were created you had to step forward or back to get the image you wanted.

Ann will get a chuckle out of the fact that I have not used my 18-200 in about a year and a half. Probably going to sell it when I get a D700. I want the 24-70.

I know I am rambling some but the bottom line is that as you practice and expand your knowledge you will begin to figure out what works best for you. It is the skill to use what you have to get the image you want more than what is in your bag. As you develop your skill you will also develop a style. You will figure out what looks good to you. That is what matters!

 

[Quicklabs]

Well said, John.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

So, in a nutshell, what you're saying is....you're selling the 18-200

J/K.

In the last year or so that I've been lurking around here and bugging the crap out of some of you guys with some of my stupid questions, I've seen some of you really grow into your own. I've always been in awe by many of the images you guys and gals post and creative ways you've all come up with for capturing them. Thanks for starting this post. Sometimes us new guys envision the veterans on here walking around with a 17lb lens and a back brace.

Any advice for a rookie who is scared to death to ride around with just a prime?

 

[WDWFigment]

Sounds like a thinly veiled "for sale" post to me. Mod alert time!

In all seriousness, I completely agree. However, I think the problem is that a lot of times it takes buying, trying, and selling various things before we really find our niche. I know my 18-200 will be my least used lens on my next trip, but if given the same lenses a year and a half ago, I would do much better with the 18-200 (and on my December '08 trip, I did do much better with the 18-200 than the 30 1.4) as it has a greater margin of error.

Oh, and for the record, I don't want this post to implicitly advocate renting lenses until you determine your niche. The amount of time you need to spend with a particular lens is usually far greater than a cost-efficient rental period. I still maintain that renting is foolish policy, generally.

 

[Chikabowa]

I completely agree. As you develop as a photographer, so do preferences for lenses and techniques. It is all about developing your personal style.

 

[YesDear]

I would actually like to think I could sell the 18-200. You have to remember that I have a 27 yr old son who also owns Nikon. He usually ends up with my pass me downs or at least at a large discount!

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

I really like the primes more than the zooms. I'm not in the same league as most of you.... yet! But I really want to improve and notice the difference in IQ between a zoom and the prime to be huge, of course I dont have any High end zooms yet, but there will be a day! Great post and good luck with the sale! lol!

 

[annnewjerz]

Thanks for the shout-out, John.

I do not take the fact that I have owned many a lens in my short time with a dSLR as a dig or slight what-so-ever!! In fact, I have actually made money by buying a variety of lenses, trying them out and reselling them...so not only have I realized what I like and what I don't, but I've made some money to support the habit too.

In the past two-ish years, I have owned the following:

Nikon 18-55 kit lens
Nikon 18-200
Nikon 70-200 f/2.8
Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 ultra wide angle
Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8 fisheye
Sigma 30mm f/1.4
Nikon 50mm f/1.8
Nikon 50mm f/1.2
Nikon 60mm f/2.8 micro
Nikon 85mm f/1.8
Lensbaby

I think that's all of them. Right now, I'm down to the 10.5, the 30, the 50 1.2, the 85 and the lensbaby...and (not to jinx myself) for the first time so far, I'm really happy with my kit. I don't feel much desire to run out and buy anything and that's a first.

The good side to owning all of these lenses is that I got a feel for my shooting style. I agree with Tom when he said it isn't cost effective to rent a lens for as long as it takes to really get a feel for whether or not you will like shooting with it. I've rented before when I needed a special lens for a special occassion and couldn't afford to buy yet, but mostly I'd recommend just spending boat loads of money buying the toys until you find out what you love.

 

[zackiedawg]

Good post, and true in that everyone should eventually start developing their own style and needs and their lens collection will grow in that direction. Just wanted to add one point, so someone doesn't read this and suddenly think they are doing something wrong - zooms are great! Primes are too. There's much love and comments about folks choosing primes in this thread, but don't feel like choosing a zoom lens makes you some kind of inferior photographer - it may just be that your photography needs or preferences are best served by a zoom lens. And zoom lenses come in many varieties and levels of quality, from el-cheapos to seriously expensive and fast glass.

Personally, I love them both. I've got 3 primes, and 4 zooms, and I love them all. They all get a fair amount of use, and have their niches. I just got back from Disney yesterday, and used my 30mm F1.4, my 10-24mm zoom, and my 18-250mm quite frequently...switching between them as the mood hit. I will likely be adding another prime soon...so I'll be split right up the middle with 4 of each. And I wouldn't give up either zooms or primes!

 

[Master Mason]

Good post, and true in that everyone should eventually start developing their own style and needs and their lens collection will grow in that direction. Just wanted to add one point, so someone doesn't read this and suddenly think they are doing something wrong - zooms are great! Primes are too. There's much love and comments about folks choosing primes in this thread, but don't feel like choosing a zoom lens makes you some kind of inferior photographer - it may just be that your photography needs or preferences are best served by a zoom lens. And zoom lenses come in many varieties and levels of quality, from el-cheapos to seriously expensive and fast glass.

Personally, I love them both. I've got 3 primes, and 4 zooms, and I love them all. They all get a fair amount of use, and have their niches. I just got back from Disney yesterday, and used my 30mm F1.4, my 10-24mm zoom, and my 18-250mm quite frequently...switching between them as the mood hit. I will likely be adding another prime soon...so I'll be split right up the middle with 4 of each. And I wouldn't give up either zooms or primes!

I agree, I have many lenses, but the 2 that I use almost exclusively are zooms, they are fast L glass, the only prime I have is the nifty 50 and it is really very rare that I need the 1.8 to 2.8 variance I would get for using it. I'm very happy with what I have and with what they allow me to do.

 

[Spinning]

I like this post too. I am still very new to DSLR but about 25 years ago all I used was and SLR.
So I had some experience with lens or at least I thought I did. I had the 50mm lens for the SLR. Never ever used it. Hated it. But when you were look at the cost of film and developing it didn't fit my needs. I wasn't playing with the camera to create artsy pictures or take on the challange of getting that one perfect photo of a plant.
But now with digital I love to play cause the only thing it does is take up computer space. I can delete and reshoot and really play. So that being said I now know and will use a nifty fifty lens! But it will wait.
The first real lense I purchased for the canon was the 85 prime. I am very happy with it and use it a lot. It fits my one need.....I also have an 18-200. Which I use all the time. It is my main lens. But it works for me.