Buying a DSLR Part 3: The Lenses

With DSLR's, the cameras isn't tied to a certain lens. This is nice because you have a little more flexibility when you go to buy. In this post and the ones to follow, I'm going to assume you're going with a Nikon D40. There are several things to consider with a lens:

Focal Length - Focal Length is the distance in mm from the optical center of the lens to the focal point, which is located on the sensor. A more simplistic definition is that smaller numbers produce wider images, while higher numbers produce closer images. A zoom lens is also known as a variable focal length lens because by moving the optical elements in the lens you change the focal length of the lens (zooming in or out). The lens in the picture above has a focal length range of 18-55mm, and the lens is currently set to 35mm. 18-55mm is a common zoom lens that covers the range from wide (18mm) to medium (55mm). A 55-200mm lens picks up where the 18-55mm leaves off and provides a much closer shot.
As a side note I should mention focal length multipliers and 35mm equivalent. I'm not going to go into detail on these terms, but rather point you to an article that explains them. You don't need to know about these to buy a DSLR, but if you like to soak up all the information you can then it's good reading.

VR - Nikon lenses with VR in the name have Vibration Reducing technology which compensates for camera movement when taking a picture resulting in less blurry pictures, especially when taking pictures in low light without a flash (where the shutter is opened for longer). Keep in mind that this does not prevent blur resulting from a moving subject (like someone moving thier head during a shot). These lenses cost a little more, but I've heard they're worth it. None of my lenses are VR and I have not used one so I can't comment, except to say that if I were buying new equipment now I'd probably spring for at least one VR lens. (the lens in the picture above is not a VR lens)

AF-S - Since the Nikon D40 does not have an internal focus motor, you'll want to make sure the lenses you get are AF-S lenses, which actually have the motor built into the lens itself. Other Nikon lenses will work, but you will have to manually focus. (the lens in the picture above is an AF-S lens)


Below are some common lenses for the D40, the current price at B&H and my recommendations. For each lens I have a picture of the lens, along with two images taken at both extremes of the zoom range. Click on them to see a larger view.

Basic Lens $119 - 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX or $149 -18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX If you can only afford one lens at first, then it should be an 18-55mm. This will be the best lens for indoor shots and is suitable for most outdoor shots. There is a VR and a non-VR version, although I have not seen the D-40 bundled with the VR lens, so you may be better off going with the non-VR.

Telephoto Lens $169 - 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED AF-S DX or $198 - 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX Your second lens should probably be a 55-200mm "telephoto". This will give you much more zoom power, which is great for several things:

1. (Obviously) shooting things that are far away that you can't physically move closer to.
2. Candid close-ups of people. People look the most natural when they don't know they're being photographed (if they know they usually look annoyed).
3. Narrow depth of field (DOF) shots. There are a couple of ways to accomplish the classic portrait look with the background thrown out of focus, but using a telephoto lens is perhaps one of the most practical.

Again, it is available both with and without VR, and you should be able to find both versions bundled with the camera. I would recommend going with the VR version. (If you decide not to get the VR because you don't want to spend the extre $30, go ahead and get it anyway and I'll give you my non-VR lens + $30 in exchange for it)

The Ultimate Lens $619 - 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX VR II If you have a ton of money to burn, get the 18-200mm VR lens. It costs quite a bit more than the camera itself, but it's a great lens and you can shoot both wide & telephoto without swapping lenses.

Prime Lens $439 - 50mm f/1.4G AF-S The 50mm f/1.4 is a great lens for shooting people. f/1.4 means is needs very little light to shoot. It's also the best way to take shots with very narrow DOF. It doesn't zoom, so you just have to move closer or further away to get the framing you want. Unfortunately it's fairly expensive. Personally I'm waiting and hoping they come out with an AF-S version of their f/1.8 lens which isn't quite as nice but should be under $150.

Used Lenses - There are tons of quality used Nikon lenses out there. There are two problems with them. First is that if you're not an experienced photographer (I'm not) you probably don't know how to check the lens to see if there are any problems with it. Secondly, the D40 needs AF-S lenses, which are newer and therefore harder to find.

Other Brands - There are a few lens manufacturers out there that make Nikon compatible lenses. They can save you quite a bit of money, but I've heard a lot of photographers complain about the quality. I don't have any, so you'll have to decide this on for yourself.

Although you can buy everything a la carte, you'll get the best deal by buying a bundle or kit with the camera and one or two lenses. Right now B&H has 4 kits ranging from $450 (camera & 18-55mm lens) to $650 (camera, 18-55mm lens & 55-200mm VR lens). For every lens you have I highly recommend getting a UV filter. This will protect the actual lens from getting scratched or broken while in the line of duty. It's a very cheap insurance policy.

I'll leave you with one final thought on lenses. Consider that while your camera will become old and obsolete in a matter of a few years, your lens will most likely remain relevant for at least a decade. The next generation of Nikon cameras will work just fine with the lenses you buy today. It is not uncommon for photographers to upgrade thier camera body but keep thier collection of lenses, some of which may be literally decades old. This, combined with the fact that your lens has more to do with the quality of your images than your camera, and you have a very good case to spend less on a camera and more on a lens.

Tomorrow: Accessories