If you could only use ONE lens...

joelsgirl

joelsgirl

Well-known member
which one would you pick? I'm getting my first dSLR, and I'm having the hardest time deciding about a lens. I'm thinking about getting the D3000 refurbished from B&H without the kit lens, but I can't decide which lens to get. My photography friend who lives here recommends the 55-200mm lens because it's good for taking sunset pictures, village pictures and for taking photos of the kids from far away.

But Crystal Livesay and Jenn Barrette said they couldn't live without their 35 mm lenses. I've also had some recommendations for the 50 mm.

I'm going to be taking lots of photos of 2 fast moving little boys, sometimes inside, sometimes outside, but I also want to capture the beauty of the place where we live. So tell me what you think I need!
 
Well, you can take this with a grain of salt because I've had several years to pile up a few lens. here's what I have and use.

50mm 1.4 seriously fantastic all around lens, but because it's a prime, you have limited range. I use it for portraits and some indoor shots.

35 mm 2.0 is really good indoors in tight spaces and I use it a lot in the winter months.

Tamron 28-75 2.8 lens is my favorite family outdoor spring summer lens because you have some zoom options, but still a low aperture for when you get into manual settings.
 
I keep an 18-200mm on my camera almost all the time. I take pics of the kids indoors and out. It is a good all around lens to capture life. From blowing out the candles on a birthday cake indoors to shooting a kids baseball game, this lens pretty much has me covered.

For low light situations, i have a 50, f1.4-- although I will be switching this out with a 30 or 35mm as soon as I can afford it.

Congrats on making the switch to a DSLR!
 
If you are only going to get the one lens then I second the 18-200mm lens. It's a good all around lens. We bought ours over a year ago but it had some issues and we couldn't take shots over 150mm, but after finally getting it to the repair shop and getting the diaphragm replaced it's works like a real charm.
We just had friends visiting from the states a couple oif weeks ago and we were non-stop going from castles, to palaces, to geocaching, to river boat rides and open air museums and the only lens we used was the 18-200. Out of 1757 photos I only had to delete about 20 due to blurryness. The other 100 I deleted was due to operator malfuntion. ;)
 
I too am an 18-200 addict. I have the 50mm for portraits as well, but the 18-200 is what I use 99% of the time. It was worth every penny!
 
I have a kitlens 18-55 and a lens 75-300mm. I use the 18-55mm more than the other one and I find I miss something all the time. So I am dying to buy a 18-200mm lens.

So that's what I recommend, like a few others here.
 
If you can only afford one, I'd say the all-around one. 18-200 seems kind of big range to me, but I'm no expert and I'm sure they can make better lenses now than they did when I used to shoot with a reflex. Once you have more money you can add the 35 or 50 mm to your collection, but I wouldn't advice to have that as your only lens.
 
I only have my kit lens and my 35 1.8 and I love it. I'm saving up for the 85 1.8 now though! :)
 
Yes, well, I'm sure that the 18-200mm lens WOULD be a nice one to have, but since it's three times as expensive as the refurbished camera I'm buying, it's not gonna happen. But I'll keep that in mind for later. : )

Thanks for taking the time to help me learn about what the different lenses do.

Feel free to chime in about bags...
 
i walk with my 50mm 1.4 almost all the time. For $99 you can get a 50mm 1.8 - it's a cheap lens but oh the bokeh. It's just amazing. I only put the zoom on when I'm at sporting events and outdoors.
 
I have a Nikon D40 with a 35 1.8 and the two kit lenses, 18-55 and 55-200. I only use the 55-200 for the kids' sports and school activities. The 35 1.8 is awesome, fabulous bokeh, and I use it a lot. But honestly, I use the 18-55 more often even though it's not as fabulous, just because it gives me more range. Sometimes I can't move faster than my kids and I'll lost a shot with the 35.
 
my first lens was a 50mm and it's still my 99% used lens... so much so that I sold my other lenses and just have the kit lens with the 50mm. I do miss having a zoom though sometimes which is the only reason I've kept my zoom. I love it for pics on vacation.

The other thing you might consider is a kit lens and external flash.
 
Kellie the 50 mm 1.8 is a great little lens for only about 100 dollars. I use it a lot with the kids and it does fairly well in low light.

I also use my 35 mm 2.0 ALL the time.

Both are primes but you really get used to zooming with your body lol
 
My favorite lenses are my 50mm 1.2L & 85mm 1.2L. Both are primes, so you'll have to zoom with your feet. But the bokeh is unmatched. Of the two, I would recommend the 50mm as the first lens you get. It is a little more versatile than the 85 (since the focal length is shorter you don't have to back up so much and can use it more indoors than the 85).

For a zoom lens, I like the 24-70 2.8L

I have the 70-200mm 4.0L but you need a lot of light since it only goes down to 4.0. So I found it basically worthless for indoor sporting events...great for outdoor.

Good luck with your choice!
Susan
 
I love my 35 mm because I can be near my kiddos. I have a 50 mm as well, but don't use it as much because you have to back up so much. Both of mine were affordable lens and have good aperture for letting lots of light in so they work both indoors as well as outdoors.
 
joelsgirl said:
Yes, well, I'm sure that the 18-200mm lens WOULD be a nice one to have, but since it's three times as expensive as the refurbished camera I'm buying, it's not gonna happen. But I'll keep that in mind for later. : )

Thanks for taking the time to help me learn about what the different lenses do.

Feel free to chime in about bags...
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Did you look at the Tamron 18-200? It is around 300. Yes lenses cost. Its just the lay of the dSLR world.

The nifty fifty (50mm 1.8) is good not great. It can do low light pretty well, but word of warning, to get sharp photos you need to shoot with your f higher than 1.8 on a lot of them. And it can be really tight indoors. If you taking mostly outdoors, then it could work for $100.

The 35mm 1.8 is more at $270 but a better overall lens quality wise and can be used indoors. But outside running after kids you might be running a lot since it is so wide. But would be great for landscapes as well.

Put more $ into the lens initially and you should go for the 28-70mm 2.8 (tamron). That way you get the zoom, wider angles and lower light capabilities. But it costs you at $500 new. A lot of times you can buy them used from people upgrading (to pro glass) on photography forums.

I used the tamron 18-300 for years before I upgraded and just took it on my Disney trip. Good all around lens for outdoors, but inside you do have to use flash (which I now hate) for it to work. Then I got the 50mm, then I got pro glass. Like I said...welcome to the world of the dSLR lens quest!

And for bags, are you looking for utility and protection or are you looking for cuteness?
 
Jenn Barrette said:
I love my 35 mm because I can be near my kiddos. I have a 50 mm as well, but don't use it as much because you have to back up so much. Both of mine were affordable lens and have good aperture for letting lots of light in so they work both indoors as well as outdoors.
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THIS for sure. I have a 50mm, a 30mm, an 85mm, and I was super lucky and got the 24-70mm (I'm canon though).

SERIOUSLY, don't get just the 50. I know it's the lens pushed as a great first lens, and it is, but it is NOT a great only lens. I tried using it for my DD's 5th b-day party and literally could not get far enough away from the table to get her head and the cake in the frame to get a photo of her blowing out candles. So at the suggestion of several girlies ( many from here!), my second lens was the Sigma 30mm. It was my go-to lens for ages. I recommend the 30 or 35 (not sure what is available for Nikon).

ALso, be sure to check out this site to review the sharpness of the lens(es) you're considering purchasing!
http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/index.php

you can see the sharpness of the lens at various aperture settings. Just find the lens in the list below, and when you click on it, then click on the graph that pops up.

SO, SO, SO happy you're getting a SLR !!! you'll love it!!
 
I have this on my camera pretty much all the time!
Tamron 28-75 2.8 lens
I couldn't afford the Canon version, but I LOVE hte Tamron, the more I play the more I like it....it's around $400 I believe :)
 
Add me to the list of people that love their 50mm! Such wonderful and crisp photos! Good bokeh too (as already mentioned)!
 
For me as a mommy of small kids a "zoom" as my only lens is silly!!! My kids are small....like I need to be right there by them all the time...not 100 or 200mm away...small. So for me to invest in a $500 zoom lens is ridiculous right now.

I used my kit lens for almost a year. Then I bought a 50mm 1.8 and I LOVED it!!! Then it broke and I had to go back to my kit lens. I then bought another 50mm and while I still loved it I had a child that liked to "move".....it became worthless to me for my small kids. I could still use it for my older kids that understood...."stop....wait scoot back...now smile" but forget it with the 2 smaller ones...they are like tornadoes and just go go go!!

So I did a little research and I decided I wanted either a 30mm or a 35mm...to give me more room in the house for shots. On the advise of someone here...I went with the 35mm cause it has an easier time focusing on "moving object". I do not regret the $300 bucks I spent on it!!! Worth every single hard earned penny!!!

Now I do own a zoom and it's a very "low end" zoom and I would never ever use it as my only lens, it's the Tamron 75-300mm and I only use it for outdoors and I only really use it for "landscapes" with a tripod. If you are just looking for a lens to do this it's a steal at $117 bucks!!!! Now I have used it at DD's soccer games and if it's bright out and I use my tripod it works...but I don't think it would be a good "hand held" walk around lens!!!!

Good luck Kellie!!!! You are gonna have so much fun learning and playing with your new "toy"!!!! :wub:
 
My go-to, always on my camera lens is a Sigma 28-200. I love my 50mm but it's not practical trying to get action shots of a very active 7 yo!
 
I've found that I'm a prime girl, so I have a 30 1.4, 50 1.4 and 85 1.8 lenses. I did have the Tamron 28-75 2.8 and it was a great all around lens, but I really wanted the 50 1.4 so I sold it to help pay for that.

For what you'll be taking photos of I would go with either a 30/35/50 for inside use and then maybe a Tamron zoom lens for when you're outside with the boys :)
 
I use the 18-55mm one most, I don't take very many pics though. Tony takes most of the pics around here. I shake so bad, that even with the new 18-55 Tony bought, that has an image stabilizer, the pics are still bad. Oy!

So that's my opinion haha!
 
newfiemountiewife said:
I use the 18-55mm one most, I don't take very many pics though. Tony takes most of the pics around here. I shake so bad, that even with the new 18-55 Tony bought, that has an image stabilizer, the pics are still bad. Oy!

So that's my opinion haha!
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Can you up your SS so the shake doesn't matter as much? I don't have the steadiest of hands and I typically shoot 1/200 or above because of that!
 
heathergw said:
my first lens was a 50mm and it's still my 99% used lens... so much so that I sold my other lenses and just have the kit lens with the 50mm. I do miss having a zoom though sometimes which is the only reason I've kept my zoom. I love it for pics on vacation.
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It's just that I live on vacation! We live on an island right across the street from the beach, and one of the biggest reasons I want a dSLR is to really capture the beauty of this place, which my high end P&S can't do.

But I think I've made a decision. I'm going to get the zoom lens now, and I'm {gasp} going to give up my kit budget for four months to earn enough to get the 50 mm in the fall. Thanks for all your input girls!!
 
I've had a 35mm (birthday gift) for my D7000 for all of 3 days and I don't know how I did without it! :wub:

(DH bought it directly from Nikon's website for significantly cheaper than other online stores...just in case you go that route after all) :)
 
joelsgirl said:
Yes, well, I'm sure that the 18-200mm lens WOULD be a nice one to have, but since it's three times as expensive as the refurbished camera I'm buying, it's not gonna happen. But I'll keep that in mind for later. : )


Thanks for taking the time to help me learn about what the different lenses do.

Feel free to chime in about bags...
Click to expand...

I was in the store today and suddenly the Sigma 18-200mm lens was in my basket....and then I was home. I have no clue what happened in the meantime! LOL! No, the Sigma is cheaper than the original Canon and it might be a little less quality, according to the salesman the difference in money doesn't equals the lesser quality so she recommended the Sigma. And I already love it! I can stay further away from my object and still have beautiful photos. The lens was 300 euro here, so about 375-400 dollars in America?
 
Leontine78 said:
I was in the store today and suddenly the Sigma 18-200mm lens was in my basket....and then I was home. I have no clue what happened in the meantime! LOL! No, the Sigma is cheaper than the original Canon and it might be a little less quality, according to the salesman the difference in money doesn't equals the lesser quality so she recommended the Sigma. And I already love it! I can stay further away from my object and still have beautiful photos. The lens was 300 euro here, so about 375-400 dollars in America?
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I used to have a 50 mm Sigma that was superb quality, and a 70-300 mm Sigma that was total crap. But the macro one was stunning. Bought it from the same reasons - couldn't afford the original Nikon lens. So I think you can be happy, there's a good chance your new lens is great. :-)

What a lovely range, too - I think 18-200 mm is ideal.
 
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