Stuck with lenses post your "kit lens photos."

I recently sold my Canon Elph 100 Hs.

It was not a bad camera, but I decided to go with a DSLR for more image customization.

I bought a Used Nikon D60 Body. It's 10mp. I know it's not the newest DSLR (4 years old), but it takes amazing images from what I saw.

Now I need a lens, but cannot decide.

Norman Rockwell reviewed the "kit lens" (the stock lens that comes with the camera), and said it will work for 90% of what you need it for.

But then I read on other websites that the kit lens is not great for macro, and people suggest a true macro lens.

However, I still need a stock lens for everyday shooting. If I buy a macro lens, it's and extra $200.

So I am asking for people to post pictures of coins they took with the kit lens that came with their SLR if they have it.

 

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All my photos are kit lenses.
18-55 that is.

 

I don't own a "standard" AF Nikon lens. I have two Micros a 60mm and a 105mm Micro . Also have a bunch of old Nikkor lens' from my film days.

 

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Are the Micro's AF-S? Or lens driven autofocus?

Post a pic taken with the 60 and then the 105 if you can.


Thanks.

 

Do you have any photos with those mentioned lenses?

 

Neither AF lens is an S. I use manual focus anyway. On-line you won't be able to tell the difference between two pics of the same coin taken with the two lens'.

Post number 28 in this thread is a CWT pic taken with the 105mm. http://www.cointalk.com/t206405-2/

 

"Norman Rockwell" now reviews lenses, huh? Kids these days...

If your goal is shooting coins, buy a macro. While some of the secondary makes are okay, you might as well go for a Nikon lens (micro). Not cheap but well worth the investment.

Be willing to spend well into the hundreds for a macro. If too much you might as well just buy an 18-55 as there are certain little tricks you can use to lessen the overall difference. Unless you are shooting coins regularly (or have other uses for this type of lens), it may be tough to justify the cost.

 

THe Nikkor 18-55 lens is just fine for photographing coins. Use the Macro settings on the camera, and you will get great results. I am pleased with it, for all types of photography. Of course, it isn't the only lens I use, but for general purposes, it will be very suitable, and it isn't an expensive lens.

 

Would the 50mm be better at macro then the 18-55?

And which 50mm, the 1.4 or 1.8?

Thanks.

 

I agree with everything that Geek said in his previous posts. IF MACRO is the main need for the lens, the 18-55 is better than a prime 50 mm lens. I do a lot of nature and landscape photography, as well as coins, so having lenses with variable focal lengths is essential. I also have two telephotos and a wide angle, all of which are very expensive. The 18-55 isn't expensive, and does have an excellent macro mode. All of these lenses will work with any of the recent Nikon bodies in the past 5 years. I've tried the 1.4G lens, and the only thing it is better at is if you do a lot of night shooting without flash, and long exposures. As Geekpryde said, any recent autofocus lens will do you well, but I recommend that moderately priced lens--its optical quality is outstanding (I project images onto my 50" TV with it, and have my photos displayed on a 27" iMac, and the quality stands up well).

Two other things--if B and H is out of the lens, Abe's of Maine has good prices on Nikon Products, and is honest. I've dealt with them for years. Second, for photographing coins, a fixed lens camera can work as well as can a DSLR. For my travel camera, I have a Sony HX200V, and it is awfully close to the Nikon in terms of image quality. So, one can get great pictures of anything with decent equipment, and it is more the photographer and the lighting.

 

Detecto, The 1.8 is just fine. No need to go to the 1.4, particularly for coin photography where max aperature is not useful anyway. FWIW, I own both lenses, and frankly I find the 35mm and even 20mm lenses more useful on the 1.5x Nikon format. But I don't use either of them for macro, but more general purpose photography.

That said, you will get much better coin photo performance from a dedicated macro lens. I would recommend something at least 100mm and preferably 150 or more. Sigma, Tamron, and Nikon all make superb macro lenses.

If you really want to do a good job photographing your coins, save your money and get a dedicated macro.

 

Most of my pics are horrible. I hope to spend more time this summer getting some decent shots.

I've spent hours taking pics only to get disgusted and delete the whole file...:yes:

 

Well here is what I found out, and what I did.

I bought the D60 body by itself. I paid around $200 used.

I bought a new in box 18-55mm lens that seller purchased from store, and never used.

The reason being because a lot of the lenses I see that are cheap, may be "grey market".

If a Nikon Lens is sold in the US, but if the lens itself was made for another region...say Euro or China...Nikon will not honor the warranty.

When it's all said and done, I will have about 330 wrapped up in it. Not bad at all Considering the D3000 with kit lens is $450 at walmart.

 

The D-3000 is not as good a camera as the older D-60. You have to go up to the 5100 or 7000 series to get a more versatile body.

 

What is the difference? I thought the D3000 replaced the D60.

 

Really? I've used both and believe the D3000 a much better camera (overall) than the D60 or D80, so I would be very interested in hearing how you can state this as a fact.

Detecto.. had you looked around a new D3000 probably could have been found for about the same money, but if your D60 is a nice functional camera, you did okay. How many actuations does it have?