My mind is made up

[Nikkie]

Today I went out on a photo shoot for the 2nd time ever and I enjoyed it so much yet again I have been playing around and trying to learn to much but today after my shoot I got thinking how much I enjoyed been out in the country taking in the scenery not only with my own eyes but though the viewfinder. Anyway I want to take landscapes shots old abandon buildings farmhouse old trucks and cars left in paddocks and also farm type of shots like cows sheep horse so on I was wondering what lens would you recommend for these types of shots esp landscapes I can afford up to about $400 if that is enough or keep saving if need to. I have a Nikon D3100 I have a kit lens 18- 55 and I also have a Nikkor AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8 I also have a tripod.

[Tannin]

The lenses you already have are an excellent start, Nikkie, but you need to complement them with something longer. The classic landscaper's longer lens is a 70-200/4, but these tend to be quite expensive (over $1000). I'd suggest something like a 70-300/4-5.6. There is a cheap Nikkor that fits the bill, but it doesn't seem to have VR, which is very, very important. Maybe Sigma have one?

[smallfooties]

You could do panoramic shots... take a couple of shots and stitch them up... i think you can download a stitching program... i haven't done panoramics so perhaps the other members can help you there...
Also re lenses.. if i'm not mistaken, a wider lens would be good... say the 10 - 20mm... again... i'm sure the other members can better advice you as i don't really know about landscapes..
Just saying what i think might work...
I used my 10 - 20mm for landscapes but i don't have it anymore cos i don't really shoot landscapes... so i'm sure somebody could suggest a better lens...
Now, when i take the odd landscape.. i use my 105mm lens... and i think that works ok...

[Wayne]

Nikkie,

Just remember that with that body, to auto focus you will need a lens with a built in focus motor. In Nikkor, that is a lens where the name starts with AF-S xxxxxxxx, with Sigma it is HSM. Other Nikkor lenses that start with just AF will not auto focus on your body.

[Tannin]

Smallfoties, ultra-wide lenses are great for landscape work, certainly something every landscape photographer should have. But I'm thinking Nikkie should make that a lower priority than something longish because of this -

I want to take landscapes shots old abandon buildings farmhouse old trucks and cars left in paddocks and also farm type of shots like cows sheep horse so on

You can't do a lot of that sort of thing with a wide-angle lens without access to the properties you pass, and even after you gain permission you have to do a lot of walking.

With something like a 70-300, you can just reach out into the landscape for exactly the part you want as if you were picking just the one perfect flower from a whole bunch of them. I use a 100-400 on my Canon 1D III for that, which, because it has a larger than normal sensor, acts the way an 80-300 would act on a D3100. This sort of thing, for example.



Without the longer lens, that would have been a much weaker shot.

The question is - what Nikon-fit lenses are there that will work properly with the D3100? We want a 70-300 or similar (55-250; 80-200, anything around there) with AF-S and VR, not too expensive.

What's available, good Nikon people?

[Wayne]

In that price range, the AFS 70-300VR is the only real choice for a versatile zoom. There are the better 2.8 zooms but they are all shorter. There is the AF 80-400VR but no swm, so no auto focus on the D3100.

[Tannin]

I looked that up, Wayne, and it seems like the perfect answer to me. The question is, can Nikkie find the money for it - it's certainly not cheap!

[smallfooties]

Tannin - Thanks for pointing things out to me. I have learned something new today because of your reply!

[Speedway]

The sigma 18-250 has HSM and OS and is available from Digital Rev for $489 this is an excellent all round lens for the price, I wouldn't be without mine.
Keith.

[kiwi]

I would get used to and make the most of what you have first. Plenty of time.

[Kym]

If landscape is a major goal you can't go past the Sigma 10-20mm wide angle. It's quite affordable. Many of the members here have one.
You will end up with the 10-20 either now or within a year So why wait?

[Tannin]

So why wait?

Because we have already learned that Nikkie wants to do something different, something much better suited to a longer lens.

[crf529]

There's more than 1 way to skin a cat. Whether you want to achieve the results from a distance and a small FOV or up close with an UWA and a large FOV, is irrelevant. That should be determined by Nikkie as it's her perogative. Sometimes it's good to be surrounded by others than yes men.

[Tannin]

^ Cool it! I diidn't come here to pick a fight with the likes of you. I came here to offer useful advice to the OP.

For the aims Nikkie has told us about, longer will be more useful than wider. As I already pointed out (from my own quite extensive hands-on experience as I do exactly the same type of photography as Nikkie says she wants to do) access to properties is a key factor for this kind of work - not just permission, but physical access can be awkward. For that reason, and for the ability to flatten perspective, which is a very useful, perhaps essential compositional tool, something like a 70-300 would be a great choice. Absolutely, a good ultra-wide would be nice to have, UWA is a whole different world and one that every photographer should be able to enjoy (I have two different ones myself and love them both), but 18mm on a 1.5 crop Nikon is already quite wide and we can't do everything all at once.

[jjnic]

I'm with Tanin here. I primarily take landscape shots but i rarely use my ultra wide 10-24 tamron. I'd stick with the 18-55 kit lens for now and save up for the 70-300VR, you'll want the extra reach later. You don't need an ultra wide angle for what you want to do.
example: landscape with the 70-300


and with the 18-55 - yeah i like trees

[crf529]

^ Cool it! I diidn't come here to pick a fight with the likes of you. I came here to offer useful advice to the OP.

For the aims Nikkie has told us about, longer will be more useful than wider.

I didn't come to fight with 'the likes of you' either (I'm not even sure what that means...is it supposed to be an insult?). Not to mention my reply was no more abrupt than yours at the suggestion of an UWA...

What I did say in my post, was that you can do the same with an UWA, but I am yet to see the OP say they don't want to try and get acces to land or if a zoom sounds right for them. That has all been perpetuated by others, Kym tried to suggest an alternative (a good, valid one too), but was shut down by someone other than the OP (quite abruptly too). We can't all be sheep and I don't see an issue in considering an UWA until the OP has some more input?

[Nikkie]

thank you very much I went to my local camera shop here I spoke to the man we talked for quiet sometime he told me I might be better off sticking to what I have right now how ever he suggested the 70-300 he gave me a loaner to try it and see how I go I had been out with it yet as I did not get back home till almost dark but boy will I be playing with it today as it don't have a VR I will need a tripod but I can get the VR if I like this one. So it's funny as I did not get back here until now so had not read the post but the one that the man at the camera shop suggested if I really want to buy one was the 70-300 would be most suited and I came back here this morning to see what you guys had said and Tony also suggested the same one. thanks to all that replied. And wish me luck on my loaner Its so big compare to what ive had before I have it for a week or longer if needed I just need to ring him what a nice man he was we had never met before I had met his son as his son sold me my tripod I never expected to get such good help let alone a loaner lens wow I feel so lucky first I find this forum and meet all of you and get lots of big time I help I do appropriate it all so wish me luck with my new toy

[Nikkie]

yeah i like trees

You and me both they fascinate me you will never see 2 the same the way there branches twist and turn and there trunks as well they are pretty amazing to look at

[Scotty72]

If you're serious about landscapes. The next thing I would buy (well within your budget) is a ND grad kit (filter box plus grad filters): something like a Cokin P Series (or Z if the budget stretches). If you've any $$$ left over, I'd then get a remote trigger.

Without the grads, when shooting vivid sun rises / sets, the best of lenses can still result in ordinary shots.

Scotty