Nikon D5100 accessories

Moobert

Moobert

Moobert

Associate
Joined
8 Nov 2005
Posts
1,586
Location
N.I
Am thinking about getting this to replace my very very old Canon powershot s3is. Only trouble is I wouldn't know what I would need. The camera comes with a lens, and I know I would need a sd card or two, and a bag that would double up as a messenger bag. Would I need another lens? And what cards or bag should I get.

I will want to be using this as my main camera instead of my phone which I have been doing so I want to have it with me almost all times.

I haven't taken a pic with my old camera in nearly 4 years and I'm very nooby at the moment so all advice is good
 
obvious question is, what are you going to be shooting ?

but for starters the kit 18-55mm that comes with it is a nice enough lens to get use to it.

once you get a handle on what you'l be doing with it then start looking at lenses, the obvious ones would be 35mm and 50mm 1.8's both around £150 each. just remember that the camera is a apcs (crop sensor) so lenses end up slightly longer (1.5 x ). so the 50 for example ends up as a 85mm if you buy fullfram lenses.
 
A dSLR might be abit too big and bulky to have with you all the times and I would imagine it would get knocked around a lot. Might be better off having a look at high end compacts or mirrorless cams.
 
Will be taking all manner of pics in different environments such as up a snowy hill, sunny beach, dingy gigs, family events and night time outdoor shots. Kinda want a jack of all trades.

In regards to compacts I was looking at those Samsung nx jobs, but I can'tshake the feeling that iI would be disappointed by it.

Ultimately if I can get something that will do a bit of everything well for the same money Iwill sstrongly consider it.
 
id grab the 35mm DX 1.8f lens then as a first prime. then see how you get on with it. anything more expensive is a tad silly for your first lens.
 
Moobert said:
Will be taking all manner of pics in different environments such as up a snowy hill, sunny beach, dingy gigs, family events and night time outdoor shots. Kinda want a jack of all trades.

In regards to compacts I was looking at those Samsung nx jobs, but I can'tshake the feeling that iI would be disappointed by it.

Ultimately if I can get something that will do a bit of everything well for the same money Iwill sstrongly consider it.
Click to expand...

Not sure about the Samsungs, but Mirrorless cams by the likes Panasonic and Olympus get really good write ups, but personally I find them too expensive both for the body and lenses. If you don't mind slightly more bulk then get the D5100, it is a fantastic camera and considering the current prices it's a right old bargain, plus with Nikon's you get a really nice range of affordable lens at the consumer end. The kit lens along with the 35mm 1.8 will keep you happy, if you can find a decent price with the 18-105 kit lens then try and get that instead of the 18-55.
 
Ok so we have camera and 18-105 lens -£499, 32gb sandisk extreme - £27, something like a lowepro sling - £40, gorillapod - £35, so almost £600 notes. Would get the 35mm if its good in a few months. Sound about right or anything I'm missing?
 
Moobert said:
Turning out to be nowhere near as cheap as I thought lol
Click to expand...

Photography ain't cheap! lol

If you don't mind buying lens and body seperately then it can be cheaper by the looks of it and you can buy from places with better CS then the one £499 is at. Body around £300-310 with cashback and the lens £180, possibly cheaper at grey import shops.

£22 for a lowepro toploader or whatever it is called
£10-15 for sd card
uv filter - £5 you dont need it but I have it on all my lens just to protect them from fingerprints, dirt etc.
for tripod get a proper one, I paid £25 for a really solid tripod, basically a copy of some branded one but it is really good quality for the money and might be ideal to start of with.
 
Cheap UV are nasty though, not only o they noticibly reduce image quality but the threads are likely to get jammed and the chap ones have a nasty habbit of shattering int thousand of tiny shards that will ruin your front element.

If you are going to get a UV filter then you need to buy one that 1) has minimal impact on IQ and 2) will help not hinder protection. I use exclusively B&W filters, nice brass mount helps prevent crossed threads. Heliopan are also good.
 
D.P. said:
Cheap UV are nasty though, not only o they noticibly reduce image quality but the threads are likely to get jammed and the chap ones have a nasty habbit of shattering int thousand of tiny shards that will ruin your front element.

If you are going to get a UV filter then you need to buy one that 1) has minimal impact on IQ and 2) will help not hinder protection. I use exclusively B&W filters, nice brass mount helps prevent crossed threads. Heliopan are also good.
Click to expand...

Thats a good point I never thought of the UV glass shattering into the lens, although probably better that getting hit then the lens itself, albeit not massively different. I don't think the ones I use are too bad haven't noticed any decrease in image quality, and they sort of decreased that sort of tint you get from sun, and the screw mounts work well. Mine are just bottom end Hoya's that I picked up for around £10-12, so a bit better then the more poorer ones for £3-5.
 
The thing is the front elements of lenses are surprisingly strong, certainly much stronger than cheap UV filters. Furthermore, small scratches and things are really not visible and will have less impact than the reduction in contrast that a cheap UV filter has. Also on small lenses the replacement cost of a front element is comparable to the cost of a decent UV filter and is similar to getting the threads repaired if you drop a lens onto a cheap filter.

I've had a cheap tiffen filter which took a knock, cracked ever-where and got jammed on - took lot of strength with pliers to separate, in the end end the lens could never again take any filter because the threads were mangled.

I'm not against UV filters per se, I use them on some of my pro lenses form time to time, but there the costs of a front element are much higher than even a high end filter. Even then I normally don't bother, just one more piece of glass int he way between the sensor.


I have several tiffen and Hoya cheap filters that I got for free, they all noticeably reduce contrast in back-lit situations and easily cause flare. My B&W filters are much less prone to such issues but can still have an effect form time to time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom