Dozens of reviews and much consultation with friends later, I set my mind on a 50mm f.1.8. This is a fixed-length lens, also known as prime lens. It has no zoom, something I thought would be hard to get used to, especially when graduating from a point&shoot--you get so used to pressing that button for zooming in and out. In practice, it just means that you have to get closer if you want to get a close-up, or step back if you want to get everyone and everything in the picture. So it is a little bit more hard work inasmuch as you have to walk back and forth a little bit more.
It is an excellent portrait lens, though, and it has a 1.8 maximum aperture (standard lens kits usually have 3.5-5.6) which allows you to experiment with depth of field, and also to shoot in low light conditions without flash. Since I'm in love with apertures and the whole appeal of having a DSLR lies exactly in being able to play with depth of field, this lens has been a true love.
I am definitely having fun with this lens. But, of course, at some point you start thinking that maybe you need something for nature photography and landscapes, and zoom has its advantages as well. And so it begins again, the lens searching bug.
One of my new colleagues is a fantastic photographer, so we had a little chat recently about all things photo, including--inevitably--lenses. He warned me to choose wisely, because, as he said, lenses are like wives, they tend to stick around.
I have little experience with lenses and even less with wives, so I asked a friend--an amateur photographer himself--whether the same would apply to husbands.
His answer?
"Husbands are like bodies, they get out of fashion and outdated..."
Welcome to the Nikon club! You'll love it here :)
ReplyDeleteI got the fixed focal length 50mm lens when I was doing a photography course in July and it's practically permanently attached to my camera now (I only take it off when I go on holiday, which requires a proper zoom) I love its depth of field and clarity of image. That first photo says it all, it's really good!
Great news about moving to Geneva! I can't believe I missed so much news in all that phd madness. Hope you like it there... how's your French???
My French is improving by leaps and bounds, especially after each visit to the bank, or school, or municipality (and wait until I start arranging contracts for gas, electricity, phone, etc). I don't use it at work but I do use it everywhere else. I hope to take another course starting January just to make it perfect ;)
ReplyDeletesounds good... with all due respect, I actually thing that francais est facille... plus facille than german, anyway
ReplyDeleteplus you have no choice but to learn it, from my experience french refuse to use any other language but french and their english is appalling
it is definitely plus facile que hongrois, and i am lucky to have studied it back in school, even if that was in the previous century :) but i am already dealing with so many things that i could not have in hungary after 7 years and that is such a relief...
ReplyDeleteI have not ventured into DSLR yet so I will be following your experiences with the new camera with interest. For me, lenses are like girlfriends.
ReplyDeleteDo you mind elaborating on that thought? :))
ReplyDeleteI am very happy with my DSLR experience--it is not difficult at all to master the basics, and the opportunities for learning and experimenting are so much more than with a p&s. And it doesn't have to be expensive, either, to my surprise!
I have realized, (reading this post, and looking at your pictures), that I need a lens that specializes in close-ups. I seem to be stuck in a mid-range way of seeing. Sadly, (because monogamous contracts don't really allow for this), I can see that your lens analogy could easily extend to husbands. Although my husband does have some very good qualities, and has certainly stuck around, he can't really do it all!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that you couldn't join us for Berlin hilarity, but maybe we should start exploring a variety of European cities?
Well, I am faithful to my wife So I would be uncomfortable to say that lenses were like my wife as I like to change lenses. So it is safer to say it is like my (previous) girlfriends - just in cse my wife reads this.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading a few of your posts, Jelica, and seeing your photography.
ReplyDeleteYou reminded me of my enthusiasm when I obtained a 50mm with 1.8 a number of years ago to accompany a Nikon F5 (35mm). It is amazing what this f-stop can do when compared to others. Unfortunately, you never know the quality of the lens until you have bought it and tried it.
I gave the F5 away some time back, but kept the lens. I could not part with it. Someday, I just might buy another Nikon 35mm SLR, but with nothing automatic, not even a light meter -- just me and the shutter speed and the f-stop.
I never have been very serious about photography, but it was more fun back when the photographer had to be smarter than the camera, I think.
Happy shooting ....