#1  
11-17-2010, 04:43 PM
Sossity Sossity is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 434
Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts
I got a confirmation from Amazon that my Nikon d7000 has shipped, so I am now on the lookout for lenses.

I found this on ebay;http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-AF-Nikkor-...29994026981460

is this a good buy?
Reply With Quote
Someday, 12:01 PM
admin's Avatar
Ads / Sponsors
 
Join Date: ∞
Posts: 42
Thanks: ∞
Thanked 42 Times in 42 Posts
  #2  
11-18-2010, 06:15 AM
admin's Avatar
admin admin is offline
Site Staff | Web Development
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,308
Thanked 659 Times in 457 Posts
If you really, really, really need to save $30 that much, and are willing to take a gamble with a person on eBay (as opposed to a company that has a return policy, etc), and assuming this is not a gray-market import or used/problem/reject lens, then yeah, go for it.

Translation: I would not do it, no.

For $120, you can get the Nikon USA authorized lens, brand new, from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B00005LEN4

I would MUCH rather do that.

Keeping perspective on what you just bought (Nikon D7000 for $1K+) and the costs of what a bad lens could mean later on, I simply would not take such a risk.

The only time I risk gray market gear is when I'm buying from a known high-quality seller, like B&H. But the savings on a $100-125 range lens is negligible. B&H, for example, gives you $10, but takes away free shipping (which adds back about $10 to the cost!).

- Did this site help you? Then upgrade to Premium Member and show your support!
- Also: Like Us on Facebook for special DVD/Blu-ray news and deals!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
11-18-2010, 04:34 PM
Sossity Sossity is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 434
Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts
can you suggest a good zoom lens that is 400mm or 500mm or is this too much? would I get a bit of camera shake if I used it hand held?

or 300mm the best?
Reply With Quote
  #4  
11-20-2010, 08:55 AM
kpmedia's Avatar
kpmedia kpmedia is offline
Site Staff | Web Hosting, Photo
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,311
Thanked 376 Times in 342 Posts
Can I suggest a good 400-500mm lens? Yes.
Do they zoom? Not really. Most are fixed-length prime lenses.
Can you afford them? No. (Can I afford them?! No! Hard to justify the costs for me!)
For example, the Sigma 50-500mm for $1,600: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B003A6H2Y8

The 300mm lens is the best length you'll get as a consumer, at least for consumer prices. Although I would note that a 300mm length lens, measured as it is by 35mm "full frame" measurements, is more along the lines of 450mm when mounted on crop-body (APS-c) format cameras, like the D7000 and my own D200.

You can't hand-hold 300+ mm and get a quality photo easily. Those lengths must be monopod mounted at minimum. But even then, a top-notch pro that knows how to be still will have issues keeping it steady. Your really have to get a tripod for 300+ lengths.

Even 200mm should often be put on a monopod. I'll admit to cheating at this quite often, preferring the freedom of movement without a "third leg" to get in my way. But I often find myself regretting those monopod-free decisions (when shutter speeds dip down below ~1/350th).

It's easy to make blurry photos when you're zoomed out to that tiny fraction of view. And contrary to what I consider mass ignorance, "VR", "OS" and "IS" won't save you. Even those various anti-shake techs are only good under certain uses -- and this isn't one of them! It's hard to fix handheld shake at 250mm+ range photography with anything other than old-fashioned monopod/tripod stabilization (or those fancy "steadycam" type accessories).

There are some 500mm mirror lenses out there, but they're not for the casual photographer. I don't much care for them myself, to be honest. You are basically shooting at f/8 and the image tends to be a bit soft and hazy. I shot with a Vivitar 500mm mirror lens back in high school for fun, but that was a long time ago. I'd probably hunt down the same 1970s/80s lens and body again, and shoot film, if I wanted to do mirror work these days.
For example, the Opteka 500-1000mm for Nikon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B001GKNNDY
At $140, it is quite cheap.

For my own 300-600 needs, I opt for a TC-14E (1.4x adapter) or TC-20E (2x adapter).
However, these may also run at a much higher price than your current budget (as per other threads) will allow.
And they only work with certain lenses (AF-S and AF-I Nikkor models).

Hope that helps.

- Did my advice help you? Then become a Premium Member and support this site.
- Please Like Us on Facebook | Follow Us on Twitter

- Need a good web host? Ask me for help! Get the shared, VPS, semi-dedicated, cloud, or reseller you need.

Last edited by kpmedia; 11-20-2010 at 09:27 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
11-20-2010, 05:28 PM
Sossity Sossity is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 434
Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts
could you link me to a good 300mm lens? one with macro function? or is this the only good one out there that is affordable?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B0012X43P2

could you link me to a inexpensive monopod? or tripod?
Reply With Quote
  #6  
11-21-2010, 12:18 AM
admin's Avatar
admin admin is offline
Site Staff | Web Development
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,308
Thanked 659 Times in 457 Posts
That Sigma 70-300 from Amazon is the one I'd go for. That price will be almost impossible to beat, and Sigma makes decent consumer lenses (and a few good pro lenses).

More on lenses at http://www.digitalFAQ.com/forum/show...ngle-2579.html

A tripod is something I prefer to see in person, as I want to know if it's really stable, can support the weight of the camera, isn't wobbly or top-heavy, etc. Anything will generally work fine, when spending under $100 on one -- even Walmart has several options. And Walmart is like the common cold, as it's everywhere and you couldn't avoid it if you wanted to.

However, if I had to pick one online, I'd have to say that this model looks good: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B000V7AF8E
Reviews for the "Vista Explorer 60-inch Lightweight Tripod with Tripod Bag" seem to match what I would think, based off specs and photos of it. It looks large enough to steady a camera, yet light enough for anybody to carry without getting tired. It may be hard to beat $25 even at Walmart, so maybe this tripod is the best option for you.

Professional tripods start at around $200 and go up from there. (I see some for as much as $5K in the B&H mailed catalog!!!)

- Did this site help you? Then upgrade to Premium Member and show your support!
- Also: Like Us on Facebook for special DVD/Blu-ray news and deals!
Reply With Quote
Reply




Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
What lens to use for DSLR like Nikon D7000 while bike riding? Room for only one lens. Sossity Photo Cameras: Buying & Shooting 4 11-15-2010 05:25 PM
Nikon D7000 body only on ebay? 1 day left scam or not? Sossity Photo Cameras: Buying & Shooting 7 11-02-2010 02:42 AM
Comparing Nikon vs Canon, lens and prices? Which is best dSLR? admin Photo Cameras: Buying & Shooting 0 10-18-2009 06:00 PM

Thread Tools



 
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:06 PM