Beginner Is this a suitable combination?

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Steve922

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Steve
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For my first DSLR, I'm thinking of buying a used Nikon D3100 and either a new or used Nikon 35mm f1.8G lens. Total cost, around £200-£250.

First, are these a suitable match?
Second, suggestion for memory card(s)
Third, are these reasonably suitable (or more important are they at all unsuitable) for me? Would something different be better?

To help with the third part....
Experience:- Beginner wishing to 'have a go' at the photographic hobby in my retirement. Currently reading lots of theory and doing a little snapping.
Current camera:- Nikon L26 Point and Shoot. Big MP but no control over Aperture, Speed, etc.
Budget:- I can afford quite a bit more than this but I abhor waste. I might decide photography isn't for me.
What I photograph:- Well, nothing yet. I'm intending to have a general poke about doing anything and everything whilst learning and seeing what pleases me.

I'm currently studying composition and trying to achieve some ability in the basics before splashing out on lots of hardware. With my first gear, I will hopefully decide to either quit the hobby as an abject failure or have some sort of success and move on to something better - when I have a little experience and have some idea what 'better' means!

Any help, advice, opinions, abuse, all welcome.

Steve
 
It's a good strategy to start with, personally if it was me I'd probably pick a used d90 rather than d3100, d3100 is simpler but for not a massive difference in price it's a lot more camera imo if you grow in to photography. As for lens choice the 35 1.8 is good lens primes are capable of much better images than the kit zoom but only having a semi wide/standard prime could be slightly restrictive depending on what you'll be shooting? a kit zoom or longer 3rd party zoom may prove a better option to start off with until you discover what you want to shoot. As for memory cards, meh they're not gonna make a big impact buy genuine from amazon, sandisk, samsung, transcend they're around £10-£15 for 32gb which will be far more than enough.
 
Any more offers?
Thanks for the feedback so far guys.

My thinking about the 35mm prime lens has been heavily influenced by the rave reviews. Everyone seems to think it is one of the best value lenses ever. Value is important to me. I thought it might be ideal for general purpose (gaining experience with one focal length at a time) and I'd keep it through all my body upgrades. I'd perhaps soon get a little better quality zoom to the kit zoom if my venture into photography survives the first few months!

I'm looking into the D90 now. This might come down to what is available for how much. Things would be so much easier if there was less choice!

Thanks again.

Steve
 
I purchased a Nikon D3100 for my daughter who is doing photography at Art College.

She likes it.

It is a small camera which fits her small hands but delivers great images at low iso at least.

There are obviously better cameras out there but the D3100 does a great job in most sensible circumstances.

The 35 prime is a good fit.

For a bit of extra versatility I might recommend a used Tamron 17-50f2.8VR.
 
I used to have a D3100 and still have the 35mm 1.8 which is a great lens, I also bought a Sigma 17-50 2.8 OS which felt far too big and heavy for the small body of the D3100. Just a 35mm will be a great starting point.
 
What are you taking photos of at the moment and what do you plan to take photos of in the short term? This will give a better idea of what should be recommended.

In general is the d3100 a great camera, meh. it's aimed as an entry level camera it was never nikons best but there's nothing wrong with it and it's certainly a fine place to start it is unlikely it will be what limits your image quality initially. If your looking for decent used bodies around that price imo the older d90/d80/d70 give a more robust body with more controls for around the same money and would give you more to grow in to but if you just want a simple dslr to get started the 3100 is a good choice.

As for lens choice, if you've got a nikon l26 at the moment what focal length do you find you use most? The l26 has a crop factor of 5.26 and a lens covering 4-23mm making it equivalent to around 20-120mm on a 35mm sensor. Nikon dx cameras have a crop factor of 1.5 so you're 35mm lens will give you the equivelant of roughly 50mm on a 35mm sensor. If your current camera was fixed at 10mm probably just under a quarter of the way zoomed in would you be happy? For me personally I would find only having access to that lens a wee bit limiting but lots of others would be delighted with it, it comes down to what your shooting with it. The 50mm 1.8g is basically the same price and the 1.8d costs next to nothing, I personally would pick it though a lot of people don't like 50mm on a crop sensor.

I'd look at the exif data on the photos your shooting at the moment and work out roughly what focal range you're drawn to, if it's in one area you know you'll be safe going for a fixed lens in that range if it's all over the place azoom may be a better option until you find what you want to shoot. As Gary said there are the 2.8 tamron or sigma zooms in the 17-50 and 18-50 ranges that can be had for not a lot of cash used to consider as well if you want a better quality than the sandard kit lens.
 
I am a relatively new to photography and like yourself Steve I had been looking and watching the forum for a while reading books and reviews. I bought a used Nikon D90 from advice from a friend and I have not looked back.
I started out with the 18-105 kit lens and a 50mm 1.8 and then bought a sigma 17-70 all second hand..
The beauty about the D90 is that the focus motor is build into into the body so lens are cheaper.
All I can say is that its a brilliant camera to learn on.

Darren
 
Maybe a used D300 or D300s along with your 35mm 1.8, less pixels but a better all round camera in my eyes with the addition of bracketing should you want to dabble with HDR and an internal focus motor so it'll work with all of the older Nikon lenses which are a lot cheaper than the new 'G' lenses and better built!
 
CraigDHD said:
What are you taking photos of at the moment and what do you plan to take photos of in the short term?
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Very little at the moment, just starting to feel my way into the hobby. In the short term, probably most things. A bit vague? Sorry, yes but accurate too.
CraigDHD said:
at the moment what focal length do you find you use most?
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What it starts up in - widest angle but for further away things, I often xoom in about 1/3 of the way.
CraigDHD said:
I'd look at the exif data on the photos your shooting
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I don't know how to do that but I'm bot sure I've taken enough to form any trends yet.
Thanks again,
Steve
 
The 35 is a great match, but versus an 18-55mm I don't think the sacravice in versatility is worth it. For the 35mm you could buy a used 18-55 and a 55-200mm be? That would be a versatile kit, then you could look for low light capability.
 
shannensdaddy said:
The beauty about the D90 is that
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I've looked more at this camera but the problem is that pretty much every camera I've looked at can be beaten by a margin by paying 'just a bit more.' I think, whatever I buy, I'll be giving it away by the end of the summer. Either because I'm moving to something 'better' or have given up in digust at my attempts at composition - I'm not doing too well so far!

Steve
 
daralough said:
The 35 is a great match, but versus an 18-55mm I don't think the sacravice in versatility is worth it. For the 35mm you could buy a used 18-55 and a 55-200mm be? That would be a versatile kit, then you could look for low light capability.
Click to expand...

And you're not the first to say this. I'm being moved to a zoom, albeit lower quality than the prime. I see the Nikon 18-55 Kit lens is dirt cheap when bought as kit with a new camera though not so cheap on its own. If I had a fixed budget - 'twould be simpler methinks!

Thanks,

Steve
 
Thanks so much so far fort all the help, guys. Another thing has cropped up. I understand that some lenses are made with a cropped sensor in mind. So these will fit but won't work properly if I eventually upgrade to a full-frame camera. Would the 35mm lens or the kit 16-55mm lens come into this category?

Steve
 
If you're happy at the wider end at the moment you may well be fine with a 35, it's a very good lens for the money. The kit lens goes for about £50 used usually, can sometimes be less privately but I suspect most just keep it as it's not worth much to sell and it's handy to have if you sell the lower end bodies. Check wex and mpb they're usually quite fair prices and will give you a guide on roughly where the used prices are.

The 35 and kit lenses are both dx lenses so for crop only. The only modern nikon fx lens which is cheap, and bloody good too, is the 50 1.8g. There are older fx glass you can get cheap but these wouldn't work if you go the d3100 route, as others have said a big advantage of the d90 is it has a focus motor so will work with older lenses lots of which are more affordable.

That said I wouldn't worry about full frame cameras at the moment. If you start off with quality used lenses you'll be able to sell them for very little loss if you change systems.
 
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