D5300- what lens to buy

lushpc591

This my first time buying a Nikon. I will be using it to take photos at a wedding and then use it for everyday family photos, vacation and sporting activities. My budget is $1,300. There is a website selling combo deals with the camera and the 18-55mm and 70-300mm lens and several other accessories within my budget. Should I get this or buy the camera onlyvand buy other lens that will be more suited for my specific uses. Please help

henrik1963

Depending on version both 18-55 and 70-300 are fine lenses. However: If I wanted a "do it all zoom" I would go for a Nikon 16-85. And I would get a SB700 flash. That would - IMHO - make a very capable starter kit. Not a lot of pictures you can't take with that combo.

There are finer lenses out there. But it will cost a lot more than your budget.

A lot of people in here love to spend other peoples money - let the fun begin.

BTW Welcome to the forum - lots of nice people in here :-)

tcole1983

Is that $1300 total for body and lenses? Also I am seeing a red flag wedding....do you have any camera experience? Unless doing a friend a big favor I would run. If you are already set on the wedding I might suggest an older body or two and some third party f2.8 lenses. I don't even know what to suggest because I think to do it "right" you need at least double your budget.

I have been shooting for a while and will be a backup for a wedding in September and I am nervous with my equipment (see signature)...and I plan on getting a d7000 or 7100 before then.

tcole1983

My plan for the wedding (as a backup...friend is shooting a D800E and either film or a rented body) is to shoot my 105 F2.8 on my D5000 and shoot my 17-55 F2.8 on my D7000/D7100 depending on what I get. I have no idea of the wedding venue you are shooting, but light indoors is almost always an issue...you need ISO, fast glass and most likely a flash. It is really all just going to depend, but good lenses are a must for weddings. The biggest downfall of the D5XXX bodies is there not being many quick button/knobs for camera adjustments. You have to dig through menus...so wasting time in menus for settings will mean missing shots during the wedding...and if it is your only body then switching lenses will have the same problem. I am by no means a pro, but good luck. I am sure more will chime in and others probably have different approaches.

lushpc591

Thanks for the responses. I am not the primary photographer at the wedding, its by brothers wedding an I just want to take some pictures of my own.

sevencrossing

. However: If I wanted a "do it all zoom" I would go for a Nikon 16-85. :-)

+1

The Nikon 16-85mm VR DX is an excellent midrange zoom having the advantage of being just a bit wider than most mid range zooms

the other options the

AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
or the
AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140 f/3.5-5.6G ED VR

what ever you choose Nikon do not currently make any bad lenses

tcole1983

In that case any of the zoom lenses are probably good. I will say the large kits with lenses and extra stuff usually aren't great extras. Unless you find a kit with the lenses you want you are better off buying them separately. I personally would go refurbished and gwt more for your money. I have seen the 18-140 for under $300 recently.

WestEndBoy

Thanks for the responses. I am not the primary photographer at the wedding, its by brothers wedding an I just want to take some pictures of my own.

Phew! If your camera breaks then, no big deal.

I have had a couple of people ask me to shoot their wedding. Assuming my experience (none for weddings) matches their expectations (there are people like that, specially the ones that don't want to pay), I would always say no unless I had two bodies, each with two cards, one set for backup.

Don't want somebody's big day to be ruined because my gear picked that day to malfunction.

Pistnbroke

Oh dear you mentioned Weddings....We currently shoot 60-80 weddings a year and use a couple of D7100 with 18-140 lens .16-85 is too short and anything over 150 mm in a zoom and the quality deteriorates better to crop...Forget fast glass and primes or changing lenses .Only buy Nikon lenses or you could be into 3rd party problems. Forget the D7000 go D7100. We shoot eveyting at f5.6 or F8 auto iso 100-6400 large basic /sharpness at +9..if you have a flash in the shoe only shoot landscape or you will get terrible shadows ..crop later. Film ..dont be silly unless its a Hassleblad

henrik1963

OP is not trying to buy a pro wedding rig. He is trying to buy his first Nikon DSLR. And he has a budget to keep.

D5300 is a fine camera. As for lenses: There is a ton of Nikon 18-(fill in the blank) lenses. Most of the newer ones are fine too. 16-85 is the only one giving you 24mm eqv on a DX camera and it is one of the better "do it all zooms". Add a 70-300 later on and you have a pretty good "do most things very well kit".

If you have any money left when you have your camera and basic zoom in the bag - buy a SB700.

If you get bitten by the NAS bug then come back and ask us what pro body is best for you :-)

Pistnbroke

no problems with the D5300 same sensor as 7100 just less controls .or why not a D3300?? .just stick it in A ( aperture) at F8 and off you go but get out of this idea of haveing more than one lens and changing lenses ...pain in the ass and where do you carry the other lens? in your pocket? Best to stick with one lens per camera .I did an analysis of the focal lengths used at weddings and vary rarely did we go over 130mm so I dumped the 18-270mm sigmas when they gave 3rd party problems with the LCD display..my wife did not notice the loss of 130mm ...

henrik1963

I will have to agree with Pistnbroke - forget about changing lenses all the time and try to reduce complexity by finding camera settings that will take care of most situations so you can focus on getting good shots.

D5300 + 18-140 can be had for about $1.000 and a SB 700 kit with a small reflector + rechargeable batteries can be had for about $350. Add a filter and you are up and running for around $1.400,-.

With a kit like that you will be way ahead of the iPhone crowd :-)

Tips and tricks on how to properly use an on camera flash belongs in another discussion :-) Happy shooting.

ben_dmb

lushpc591 - I am somehow in the same situation with you. I am going to attend my brother's 25th wedding celebration in less than a month, So I had put a lot of thinking into this and I decided to go with the following - D5200 + Tamron 17-50mm, f2.8 Di II, SB-400, OR SB-700 (not sure which one yet) and because I am traveling on the other side of the world and do a lot of site seeing and visiting I am going to take the 70-300 AF-S with me too. For the wedding event I think that D5200 with Tamron and SB-400 is capable enough, mind you light and easy to use. I chose the Tamron because of the f2.8 low light capability, and for the price it turns out to be a very good lens, with a very useful zoom range.

One note, if you decide to get the 70-300mm make sure it is the version with internal AF motor (AF-S). The other models do not auto focus with D5300 body.

Good luck.

Pistnbroke

I use the SB 400 with a flash flipper for all my wedding stuff and never any problems but you must be in FP 1/320 for it to sync at higher speeds ...outside a meike 300 will sync to 1/4000 and is cheaper.Any hamerhead flash is too far from the lens causing terrible shadows..keep the flash tight to the lens and above the lens at all times.
Always beware of anything not nikon ..3 rd party issues ..maybe not today but tomorrow ..my sigmas caused the LCD to stay on for 60 sec and reduced battery life to 1/3...beware and be aware.

PS I see lot of peopple at weddings with a good camera ..I say take what you want ,I dont care I been paid but dont get between me and the bride ..they are gone in 30 min no stamina ..I come away with 1500 shots in 4 hrs what do they take ...?? naf all any good.They have faded away when the arty stuff gets taken ( but they is happy )

henrik1963

@PitchBlack: The Sigma is $800 - outside the budget set by OP. Besides I am not sure it is a good idea to advice a beginner to shoot his first wedding at F1.8 or F2 even on a DX body - he will come away with a lot of OOF pictures.

I think it will be a good idea to start at an F-stop that leaves room for small mistakes and the D5300 AF system :-) It might be better to start playing with F1.8 with a 35 F1.8.

Nothing kills the joy of taking photos if you fail because you are in over your head. Imagine you come home with 300 OOF pictures from your brothers wedding.

spraynpray

Much as I rated my friends 18-35 f1.8 Art, the auto focus packed up when he was on holiday. On a side note, he got back to England and took it back to Park Cameras in London (where he bought it from) and they refused to change it for a new one because he was 1 day outside the 3 month return period. He was ten days inside the period when it failed. They just lost two customers.

Lky

The 35 1.8 DX is a Prime no DX should be without.

Small, versatile and beautiful oof, a very nice 50mm option considering the crop factor & price.

gl!

henrik1963

@PitchBlack: You are right. It is better to buy what you want the first time - you will save a lot in the long run - don't ask me how I know :-)

That said I think it is a good idea to start with a D5300 + a kit lens. Who knows maybe that is all he ever wants - he would be like most people. If he ever gets to the point where he wants something more - then make the right jump the first time. Few people start out with a D800 and a bag full of 1.4 primes :-)