Newbie help please

[The Chiller]

Hi All
Just joined yesterday. In the next couple of weeks I will be purchasing my first dslr Looking at the Nikon d3100. I am going to the Isle of Man T.T. at the end of May for 10 days (50th Birthday present) so will be taking loads of pictures.(mainly bikes but also people and scenery) Could one of you experts please tell me what would be a good lens to buy other than the kit lens the camera comes with or should I just stick with the kit lens to start with. Also if you have any other help or advice that would be great.

Thanks very much.
Gary

 

[lensflair]

Hi All
Just joined yesterday. In the next couple of weeks I will be purchasing my first dslr Looking at the Nikon d3100. I am going to the Isle of Man T.T. at the end of May for 10 days (50th Birthday present) so will be taking loads of pictures.(mainly bikes but also people and scenery) Could one of you experts please tell me what would be a good lens to buy other than the kit lens the camera comes with or should I just stick with the kit lens to start with. Also if you have any other help or advice that would be great.

Thanks very much.
Gary

Probably best to use your gear a bit before you invest too much in lenses, that way you will know what you like to shoot and what type of lens you need.

You don't mention what lens its coming with. You mention bikes and I'm assuming your talking about the fast moving kind? If so the best lens for that is going to be a fast zoom with a decent focal length which is quite expensive.

But have you got a tripod? Great for landscapes and you can pick up a decent one that won't break the bank. Might want to consider a polarising filter for landscapes too.

I would suggest a nifty fifty for low light but you need an AFS lens with the 3100 I believe.

 

[artyman]

It depends how close to the action you are as to what focal length you need, I went to Silverstone a couple of weeks back and was using 150-500 though a 300 would have coped. At hte IOM I would have thought that 150 would be too long. I suggest finding a nice slow (relative!) corner and try there, if you have a laptop take that with you so yopu can review your shots properly and adjust for subsequent days.

Some practice alongside a local road or roundabout beforehand would be a good idea, both for shooting and seeing what focal length you think you need. I would guess something 15-85 range would be a good bet.

 

[Wookee]

As Ken says, practice somewhere locally as in the IOM you'll be able to get very close to the action (though I don't think you'll find too many slow bits!). Have a look round here to see what might suit yoiur needs best then hire don't buy. After all, how many times are you going to be using your camera in the same circumstances?

 

[Claudio17177]

Jessops has a good offer on d5000 (i believe they are making a new replacement), it is £499.00 (slightly more than the d3100) and it comes with two lenses, the standard 18/55mm and a zoom 50/200mm, which could be very handy for capturing wild life and street photography, if you read the reviews, D3100 and D5000 are often classed similar, although for me D3100 is classed as an entry level while d5000 is classed as an upper entry level, see what you think, maybe get to the shop and have a play with it

 

[adam_229]

I do agree with the above posts, first do some photography with the kit lens than choose the field which interest you most and than can buy a specific lens according to your needs.

 

[The Chiller]

Thank you very much for all the replies with your help and advice. Lots to learn and lots to think about.
Thanks again
Gary

 

[ash59uk]

Hi All
Just joined yesterday. In the next couple of weeks I will be purchasing my first dslr Looking at the Nikon d3100. I am going to the Isle of Man T.T. at the end of May for 10 days (50th Birthday present) so will be taking loads of pictures.(mainly bikes but also people and scenery) Could one of you experts please tell me what would be a good lens to buy other than the kit lens the camera comes with or should I just stick with the kit lens to start with. Also if you have any other help or advice that would be great.

Thanks very much.
Gary

In my biker days I visited most of the tracks in the uk and went to the TT once.
I managed pretty well with my manual focus Pentax me super and a 50mm kit lens.

Unless things have changed drastically in the last 25yrs with all the health and safety fascists you could get right on the roadside at the TT except on bends on the side where any dropped bikes are likely to slide.

Have a great time, I wish I still had my Z1 I`d join you but my missus would have something to say


Big tip before you go , practice your panning, you`ll need it!!

 

[The Chiller]

Thanks Chris
Should have kept the Z1 nice bike. I have only been once before which was about 20 years ago I had a Yamaha YZF750R then. Going on a 09 Honda Fireblade that has a few race parts :nuts: this time. Should be getting my camara next weekend so I can practice before I go.
Gary

 

[ash59uk]

Thanks Chris
Should have kept the Z1 nice bike. I have only been once before which was about 20 years ago I had a Yamaha YZF750R then. Going on a 09 Honda Fireblade that has a few race parts :nuts: this time. Should be getting my camara next weekend so I can practice before I go.
Gary

Hope you have a great time, may the beer be cold and wet and the weather warm and dry.

Don`t forget to put the pics in your gallery when you return and let us all know.

Oh nearly forgot, be gentle with your right hand with the fireblade they were fast enough without the go faster bits. I had a mate with a batch 1 cbr 1100 (before they down tuned it) that thing would wheelie at a ton+ if you weren`t careful. As for the Z1 it was the last model Z1000J I got it cheap because the first GPZ1100 had just come out.

The last race professional meet I went to was at Silverstone quite a long time ago now in fact it was Barry Sheenes last race along with the great Kenny Roberts and Randy Mamola, but I used to go to Knock Hill regularly when I was based in Rosyth.