Lens 1: AF-S DX VR Zoom-NIKKOR 18-200mm f3.5-5.6G IF-ED
Purpose 4 Me: Landscapes, Sports, Wildlife ... Everyday Lens, All Situations
This is my everyday lens that I carry with me when I take only 1 camera. Biggest UPSIDE: It has a wide range from 18mm to 200mm so it handles most situations fast. Biggest DOWNSIDE: For me it's the 18-22mm end of the zoom range. It's a great range but the 18mm (wide angle) end bends the photos more than I like. Example: If you shoot tall buildings ... the tops of the buildings converge in a little too much. You can also notice that when shooting landscapes at 18mm the outer edges of a horizon line can bend up. Sometimes have to straighten these problems out with a PhotoShop program. But overall it's a great lens for all situations. This is the only lens that I can guarantee is with me all the time.
Lens 2: AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Purpose 4 Me: Indoor & Outdoor Sports, Wildlife and Low Light Situations
This an excelent lens for indoor sports. I purchased this to have the ability to shoot wrestling in lower light situations. It is great for all sports! No DOWNSIDE except the price but it is not the most expensive option either.
Lens 3: AF VR Zoom-NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 ED
Purpose 4 Me: Outdoor Sports Up Close, Wildlife Up Close, General Sniping!
This has a great zoom range that brings the game & wildlife a whole lot closer. The only DOWNSIDES are the price but again it isn't wildly expensive either. There is another thing that should be said. You need practice with this lens when you shoot at the 400mm end of the zoom. The lens has vibration reduction but you still need to be as stable as possible to shoot lower shutter speeds. It was not a problem for me because I have had years of practice with my breathing when I shoot. Perhaps I just feel this needs to be said because I am not as steady as I was when I was a young crazy buck. Mmmmm. Medications!
Lens 4: AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Purpose 4 Me: Wide Angle Landscapes, Weddings (2nd Gun), Portraits
This lens does NOT completely eliminate the problem described in Lens 1. This is an ideal lens for doing wedding and portrait photography as I often will do as a favor for friends. But the real reason for my interest in this lens is due to my love of landscape photgraphy.
Lens 5: AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G AF-S VR IF-EG
Purpose 4 Me: High Power, High Speed Wild Life, Sport, Birds
I do not own this lens at the moment but hope to have this in my tool box one day. I have just been waiting for the right time ... and now isn't the right time.
An ideal lens for many far away tasks. More speed than the 80-400mm.
Lens 6: AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
Purpose 4 Me: Lanscapes
I do not own this lens at the moment but hope to have this in my tool box one day. I have just been waiting for the right time ... and now isn't the right time.
I want to return to the Horseshoe Bend someday with this lens to capture the whole thing.
Sometimes I am just completely blown away by what God has allowed me to see in my life time. The beauty of His earth is still very prominent everywhere I travel. Nothing gives me greater joy than to bring those images to you in NikonSniper. I have often sat on location just looking at the beauty around me and thanking God for it before even thinking about shooting. Photography is a great way to communicate … but it is still very limited. I thank God for what He has allowed my eyes to capture ... first and foremost!, then I thank Him for what my camera can grab of what I have been able to see.
No matter where you are, no matter what kind of equipment you have ... keep shooting! Only you can photgraph your world for the generations that follow you.
All the best.
NikonSniper Steve
21 comments:
Hi can I ask you a question,I want a good camera to take decent shots...Nothing as magnificent as yours...What would you recommend?
Steve, I am glad to see you posting about your camera equipment. I was very curious about it myself. Great line "only you can photograph your world for generati0ns that follow you."
Blessings!
Rose
Ah HAH!!
Your most regular lense = my most regulat lense. SNAP!
Best most versatile lil' lense ever! I agree with the wide angle part - hardly ever use it. Versatile means never having to change lenses in a dusty yard. And this is a GOOD thing, trust me!
:-)
BB
Thank you for your post. I will have to save up for the first lens you mention. I have the kit lens, a 50mm, and a 35mm I share with my husband. I need something with a larger range. I get impatient with myself for not knowing how to capture the beauty I see; but I am having fun practicing.
Steve,
My classes start in April, I have alot to learn!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Thank you for showing and explaining your lenses. I am impressed with them, but I am even more impressed with the love and faith that you possess. Blessings to you...
Jackie
Wow. I too use your lens #1, for the EXACT same reason. How come my photos don't look like yours? :) (I don't have a photo blog, but I take lots of pictures. My challenge is close up, macro photography. Do you use lens #1 for macro photography?
fatgirl,
the 18-200mm does focus as close as 8" from the object at 200mm. so you can use it for macro as you probably know. i don't do that much macro photography. i really like that little canon camera for macro shots though i always wish for greater depth of field in macro shots. this is why i know i will one day dive into high dynamic range applications.
so i know it does macro ... but i don't use it for that very much. i can probably tell you how to get more out of your photos if you send an example of a specific photo. are you using a d90?
nikonsniper steve
concord carpenter,
hey that's great. you will be able to grasp a little more every time and when your my age ... well, you'll be able to teach it. that's one of the best ways to learn. as quickly as possible ... start teaching someone else beacuse it starts to make you think it through. photography really is like math. you'll see! anyway you'll do great.
nikonsniper steve
I too use the Nikkor 18-200 and love it. I like to travel light, so that's the only lens I use. I too notice the distortion at the wider angle, but it's so versatile that I'm willing to live with it for now. Cost a bundle though. A while back I fell down and slammed my whole camera and lens (along with myself!) into the ground. Luckily no damage (to my gear that is!)
gingeyginge,
the real question is, what price tag do you wish to swallow?
under $300, i'd look to a canon point and shoot, if $600 i would maybe look at the options in nikon and canon. but let me stress that you need to be willing to get a basic class if you make a bigger jump. you don't want to invest $1000 and shoot pictures in auto mode.
nikonsniper steve
Whow!!!!!
I wood love to have those linses!!!!=)=)
I was JUST telling my husband last evening about your 3 camera bodies and keeping lenses on each... how timely is your post to follow up my weak description! Thanks for sharing and teaching.
Thank you for your valuable information.... I still have a NIKON F100 but will switch soon to a digital, as I have been practicing with a small PANASONIC-LUMIX which does marvelous photos.
I have not yet decided which one to get but probably will be between the NIKON D9O or NIKON D 300S, both very suitable for my work. concerning the lens your post here will be most useful. Thank you again,
HELENA
Very NIce! It is nice to see the equipment side. and it gives people me included heads up on the different types and uses;)
Stephen, just curious if you have any experience with the Nikkor 55mm-200mm? I already have the 18mm-55mm, but would like a zoom. The 18mm-200mm is a little out of my price range at the moment, but was considering the 55mm-200mm.
lux,
sounds like a nice jump in power. i have used the 18-55 but not the 55-200. best of luck.
nikonsniper steve
Hi Stephen,
I am a beginner with DSLR , recently from point and shoot. I am extremely frustrated with my photo qualities. I have a Nikon d5000 and a kit lens(18-55mm) and other one (55-200).So, I am still using no external flash with it.All being said, I am not happy what I see.:(
can you give out some tips?Thank you for everything you have written here. I wish I read all these before I bought my camera.Thank you and bless you.
novice,
would be delighted to try to help here but you will have to be more specific with what it is you don't like. it may be easier to just email me an example photo that i might be able to specifically address. if you send me a large file i should be able to read the full data to make suggestions. the d5000 is a good camera so you might just be off in your settings.
all the best to your efforts.
nikonsniper steve
Stephen baird,
My dear good-hearted friend, thank you so much for a helping hand. But please pardon my ignorance, I can't find your e-mail ID here . ;(
can you help me out with that, first?
thank you.
novice,
email address is nikonsniperguy@aol.com.
i also added it to the top of the first page on the website.
thanks, nikonsniper steve
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