nib1980
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| posted on 2/2/09 at 01:45 PM |
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DSLR Advice - Not car related sorry
Hi all,
I've been given the oppurtunity of a lifetime really, to go to the canadian rainforest, (yes there is one) on a wildlife watching expedition.
I've been told i need a 400mm or 500mm lens, to make best use of the chances.
I have a Nikon D40, and i'm trying to find where i can get a suitable lens for a reasonable price, the only numbers i'm seeing are £700+
which is three times what i paid for the camera and kit lens.
any one got any ideas or suggestions?
Many thanks
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tegwin
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| posted on 2/2/09 at 01:55 PM |
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You should expect to spend more on the lenses than the body..
They are the more complex parts....
It depends how long you are going for and how experienced you are at using DSRL cameras.
If you can find a decent lens perhaps a zoom -150-500mm or something like that WITH image stabilisation..
If you are on a budget, Tamron make some cheap lenses...
But, you get what you pay for..and you can always sell the lenses off when you get back!
See this one: http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1005214
If you are going to be sat still in once place get a bigger lens... but if you are going to be dragged around quickly... a long zoom is hard to
use!
[Edited on 2/2/09 by tegwin]
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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smart51
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| posted on 2/2/09 at 01:58 PM |
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A 500mm reflector lens might be OK. They're quite short so good for holding by hand. Otherwise, 2x teleconvertors are cheap, albeit with the
loss of 1.41 stops of light. Buy faster film.
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Hellfire
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| posted on 2/2/09 at 02:30 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by smart51
Buy faster film.
You could always increase the ISO as it is digital... buying faster film wont do any good!!!  Sorry... cheap shot.... I'll get me coat!
You could hire one.... certain shops do hire them.... Jessops used to...
EDIT try here: http://www.hireacamera.com/cameras/d40.asp
Steve
[Edited on 2-2-09 by Hellfire]
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geoff shep
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| posted on 2/2/09 at 02:44 PM |
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The Nikon D40 has a half-frame sensor - ie half the size of optical 35mm film. This means that a 300mm lens is the equivalent of 450mm in wet film
terms. So if they mean 500mm (as in about 10x zoom) then a 300mm lens would do.
It might be worth a look in Jessops for compatible lenses - even if you get one from elsewhere (!). Take your camera in and try them on your own
body.
I have this one on a D80:
Nikon 70-300 VR
and this is similar but without VR:
Tamron 70-300
Just found this - you need a lens with built-in motor as the D40 lacks one.
Cheaper Tamron
[Edited on 2/2/09 by geoff shep]
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nib1980
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| posted on 2/2/09 at 03:08 PM |
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Many thanks for the replys everybody. i'll digest these and may post some more questions in a bit.
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MikeR
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| posted on 2/2/09 at 06:18 PM |
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I'm surprised the d40 has a 1/2 sized sensor, most of the cameras are either full frame or 3/4 frame.
Anyway the principle is approx the same - add 50% onto the effective lens size.
When the person said you need 400mm or 500mm lens, did they know what camera you had? I'm asking as (I've not thought this through, just
suddenly occurred to me) a 6mp camera at 400mm technically would hold the same detail as a 12mp camera at 200mm (although reality with optics means
the 6mp camera would probably be better).
What is the plan when you're out their, sit in a hide all day watching stuff walk past you or go 'hunting' for it. I'm
thinking the 500mm lenses I've seen are usually mega expensive and heavy - so you'll need a good bag and tripod and want to be careful
with it.
Also, you'll need a tripod at that sort of zoom to get a decent picture.
http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/
is a good place to get an idea of prices - although it doesn't cover every shop so use that as a guide to not pay any more than.
If you're hiring I believe the convention is to leave a deposit approximately the same as the lens costs - just in case.
good luck and get your photos on flickr and let me have a jealous look afterwards.
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nib1980
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| posted on 2/2/09 at 06:30 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by MikeR
I'm surprised the d40 has a 1/2 sized sensor, most of the cameras are either full frame or 3/4 frame.
Anyway the principle is approx the same - add 50% onto the effective lens size.
When the person said you need 400mm or 500mm lens, did they know what camera you had? I'm asking as (I've not thought this through, just
suddenly occurred to me) a 6mp camera at 400mm technically would hold the same detail as a 12mp camera at 200mm (although reality with optics means
the 6mp camera would probably be better).
What is the plan when you're out their, sit in a hide all day watching stuff walk past you or go 'hunting' for it. I'm
thinking the 500mm lenses I've seen are usually mega expensive and heavy - so you'll need a good bag and tripod and want to be careful
with it.
Also, you'll need a tripod at that sort of zoom to get a decent picture.
http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/
is a good place to get an idea of prices - although it doesn't cover every shop so use that as a guide to not pay any more than.
If you're hiring I believe the convention is to leave a deposit approximately the same as the lens costs - just in case.
good luck and get your photos on flickr and let me have a jealous look afterwards.
Hi Mike, fingers crossed we're going "hunting" but some hides are involved. I already have a tripod thats half decent and a good
bag.
i'll have a better chat with the guy, but he basically lives there, but he still shoots film.
some of my stuff can be found here www.nb-photos.co.uk
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