hey cmeon

AliciaY

you have the nikon d40 right?   

If I am wrong, disregard the this post  

if I am right what lenses do you have?   I finally got the d40 for my birthday and have the 18-55 and 55-200 AF VR lenses.    Now I am shopping for what my next one might be.    I would like a little further zoom, but I would also like better low light (non flash) shots...

 

cmeon_the_water

Yay, you- and happy late birthday! Did I get you on your birthday? I have no memory !

I have the D40X right now, but, we're upgrading to the D700 in the near future, so no more DX lenses for me. But, I do have and LOVE the f/1.4 50mm- it's a great prime lens to have in your arsenal, and inexpensive- great for low-light.. You have to manually focus with it, on our cameras, but, it's not a bad learning curve and a handy thing to get used to.

Have you thought about just trying a teleconverter with your 200mm lens, as a less expensive solution to a longer zoom? There is a xx-300mm Nikkor that gets decent reviews and is relatively low priced, but, I don't have hands-on experience with it. I would love to play with a teleconverter one of these days- hmm... I haven't placed a BH order in a few weeks. LOL!

Another fun thing to have around, are close-up lenses (basically, giant magnifying glasses you stick on the end of a lens- the 200mm zoom is perfect for them). Nikon doesn't manufacture them anymore, but, has EXCELLENT close-ups- I picked up a used 6T recently for $45 that's in perfect condition. I love playing with faux macro shots- true macro lenses are out of my pricerange, considering we're going with different equipment so soon. You'll need to buy a step adapter for them, but, that's cheap, too. Canon makes some that are great, too. I can explain them better and what to look for, if you're interested.

Here are a few faux macro shots with the 6T on the 55-200mm VR zoom (sorry, you'll have to scroll, because they're worthless at itty bitty sizes that will fit in the column here):

 

 

 

Really a fun little toy- they DO come with a learning curve, and they're a lot more challenging than a great macro lens- but, it's fun to discover the tiny little things in the world.

HTH some!!

AliciaY

ohhhh, those pictures might have sold me on what to save for next.  Those are awesome!

 

 My bday was last week.   I didn't say anything so no worries    DH actually gave me a card with cash stating I HAD to buy the camera with the cash.   He knows I hate spending large amounts of money but also knows I would definately find a better deal on it than he would.  

 

Over the last week I have possibly blinded my dogs.   They actually walk away when I pull the camera out, but I have some of the best pictures I have ever taken of them.

Stephanie Varner

*butting in* Chris, my husband actually just bought this camera a few weeks ago.  He's been playing with it and can't wait to try it out on Zach.  He got some amazing deals on it through Best Buy with Reward Zone points, some rebate, money off, etc. etc.  He was very proud of himself

cmeon_the_water

Haha! Poor pups!

The Speedlights are yet another fun add on- I wish I didn't wait so long to get our SB-600, I love the thing. I can't handle pop-up flashes anymore- even though the D40/40x has a decent one. You can save your the doggers' eyes.

Enjoy your camera! It really is a blast to learn with- and pictures are truly priceless! Oh, and if I have any regrets, it's that I didn't go with a DSLR long before Gabe. I've done most of my learning WITH Gabe, and I feel like I missed out on great pictures during a huge chunk of his baby days. Learn NOW- you'll be a master when the kiddos come along! Heheh!

cmeon_the_water

Haha- YAY, Steph, too! You better learn it to, Ms.Roonie, trust me- dads mean well, but, moms rule the kid-photo arena.

Stephanie Varner

cmeon_the_water:

Haha- YAY, Steph, too! You better learn it to, Ms.Roonie, trust me- dads mean well, but, moms rule the kid-photo arena.

Yes, Paul likes to take those wonderful pictures where someone will have half-open eyes, mouth starting to smile, etc.  He's better with the outdoor "still life" shots.  I think I do the posed shots better myself   Hehehe.

cmeon_the_water

Oh, Alicia, I should have mentioned- Nikon also made 3T and 4T close-up lenses that will fit your lenses without a step adapter (they're 52mm, vs. the 62mm 6T I have and the 5T). B&H had a 3T recently for $20 in their used department- I LOVE their used department, btw- so check it out! It would be worth snapping up. Less magnification than the 6T I have, but, a greater depth of field, so much easier to get used to, likely. Any of them are worth grabbing if you can find them inexpensively and in good condition- just skip the 0T, 1T and 2T, as they are single lens achromats (another way to say "close-up lens"), vs the dual lens 3,4,5 and 6T. The two lens design makes for much better pictures because the two lenses correct each other.