D300S Newbie

Hi folks just bought a nikon D300s body, its my 1st DSLR and was wondering if anybody can give me a few pointers into what lenses work well with D300S.

My budget for lens is about £500.
I like shooting landscapes, so was thinking wideangle lens.

But also i would to try wildlife shooting with d300s at some point, but not sure if my budget would stretch that far into buying a long telephoto zoom.

Also i might need a lens for taking photos, of my daughter and her dog. So maybe a small prime would be best for my budget and 1st lens for D300s.

Anyways my head is in a pickle, trying to work out what would make a good buy for me.

So if anyone ? could help with suggestions and recommendations for lenses for the D300s and my £500 budget. That would be most helpful.

REGARDS
........ Dexter-g

First off try using what you have, thats the cheapest. I find my self too often that its possible to use in a better way / new ways the equipment I already own.

Second search for used stuff. You save usually a lot compared to new ones.

The combo I use for your proposed usage is the Nikon 10-24mm 3.5-4.5, and the Nikon 35mm 1.8, though I guess the first one will be out of budget.

Try to find a used sigma or tokina to the wideangle and the 35mm from Nikon and I guess your able to have much fun. Good luck!

There are some good value primes around, but they're not for everyone. I have a 50, and 85 - hardly use either.

The kit zooms are excellent value. I have an 18-70 which does a great job and won't cost much 2nd hand. Kit zooms aren't the fastest around, but far cheaper than the 2.8 heavyweight equivs. My 17-55 is fine with the 300, but not a lens to get excited about. The third party equivalents are possibly better value.

Siggy 10-20 served me well.

I'd definitely buy lenses 2nd hand and aim to pay no more than half the new cost, though end up paying more!

This place is good, often a better bet than unknowns on ebay:

First off congrats on the new camera (to you), and your choice is excellent. If this is your first DSLR, there is going to be a learning curve, but persevere, the guys on here are really helpful.

Re choice of lenses - can we assume you do not have any at all currently? If not then agree with the other posters recommending a 'standard' zoom. The 18-70 is reputed to be very good, I only have experience of the 18-55, it is excellent, but that extra 15mm would be useful, it probably also feels better on the D300s body.

I have a D300, and use a 35mm f1.8 AFS lens, a 50mm 2.8 Sigma macro and the Sigma 10-20. If you want to conecntrate on landscape photography, maybe consider the Sigma 10-20, and pair it with a 50mm 1.8, the latter (in AFD) would be a very reasonable price 2nd hand, and you should be able to get both of the lenses for your budget. I have found the following:


The above for a 50mm, note you will want an AF lens

Here is one 10-20 at Ffordes


Using the above as a guide price you would have some change from your budget - maybe a tripod, or flashgun (consider an SB700 if you could stretch to it).

These are just my thoughts.

I can vouch for Ffordes, nice people, quality stock. if you are ever in the Beauly area you must pay them a visit, a veritable emporium.

I have the Sigma 10 -20 and the 17 - 70. Both bought second hand, both in mint condition and for about 2/3rds of their original price.

I bought David Busch's 'Nikon D300s,' off Amazon, used, for £13.31. An in depth book but easy to read.

If you are anywhere near to Glasgow, I can also recommend 'Merchant City Cameras.' Not the cheapest around but again, really nice people.

I keep a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 NON VC on mine all the time. They're not very expensive, but are very good. Supposedly the NON VC is better than the VC for some reason. My other favorite is a Nikon 28-105 mm lens. This may not be wide enough on a crop sensor for you. Not very fast, but for the price it is a very good lens. Nikon does not make it any more, so you would have to find a used one.