zoom lenses for NikonN65 (novice photographer)

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my husband bought me an N65 for graduation. i would like to get a large zoom lense (200 or 300 zoom) but i'm a little confused. i have only used autofocus so far. someone suggested i should only buy nikon lenses to be compatible. true or false? what lense would you suggest? the current lense i have is a "g" lense 28-80. no apperature adustment. I suspect i will eventually want to be able to adjust the apperature myself right? finally, how should i go about learning manual photography...a class at the local JC, hit or miss experience, or any book you would recommend? thanks for any advice you can give me...i'm not looking to turn pro, just get some good portraits, close up flowers, and vacation shots. -- Amanda

-- Amanda Martin (msknitall@yahoo.com), May 21, 2002

Answers

"my husband bought me an N65 for graduation." - Nice guy. Keep him around.

"i would like to get a large zoom lense (200 or 300 zoom) but i'm a little confused. i have only used autofocus so far."

No problem with that. The penta-mirrors and view screens of most inexpensive SLR cameras are not the brightest and most contrasty screens available, so manual focusing is not all that easy.

"someone suggested i should only buy nikon lenses to be compatible. true or false? what lense would you suggest?"

That's usually a good idea, but most of the incompatibility problems with third party lenses happens on Canon & Mnolta cameras. It's rarely an issue with Nikon cameras. Still Nikon's 70-300 G series lens is as good or better than the similar priced options from Phoenix, Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, Vivitar, etc., so why not get it?

"the current lense i have is a "g" lense 28-80. no apperature adustment. I suspect i will eventually want to be able to adjust the apperature myself right?"

The lens doesn't have an aperture control ring on it but the camera controls the aperture. In manual or aperture preferred modes you have control of the aperture through the camera, so there is no need for the control ring on the lens. All Canon EOS lenses are like this. The system works fine like this, but the G lenses won't work right on older camera bodies that lack the ability to control the aperture through the camera.

"finally, how should i go about learning manual photography...a class at the local JC, hit or miss experience..."

Choose what works for you. If you're the type to read instruction manuals and how-to-do-it books, that can work fine. But if you want personal interaction a class would make a great start. After that it's practice, read, and then practice some more.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), May 22, 2002.


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