Advice advice... [ Pls Be Patient With Me =) ]

[jonnybravo]

Hi All,

Would like to get some advice on getting a new lens (Or not).

Currently I have a D80 + 18-200 VR which I bought in Hong Kong sometime back. I've never really got the time to play with it, therefore am still very new.

Recently I've been using it quite a lot to take pictures of my 1 yr old son ( & my Wife =P ).

I realize that the pictures doesn't really look as nice as the pictures here. I'd really like to take great pictures of my son where I can keep as priceless memories.

Basically I just shoot in M mood, with shutter speed approx. 1/60, lowest aperture, and as low ISO as possible to get a proper exposure. (if necessary, I just use the built-in camera flash if it's too dark)

I know that I need to improve on my:

1. Photoshopping skills (which is equivalent to ZERO now...)
2. Composition and angle
3. Basically many other aspects...

The thing is I'm quite keen on getting a new lens, which comes down to:

1. Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f/1.4 SL II
2. 24-70mm f/2.8

In fact I don't even know if the Voigtlander can work on my D80!

Any comments on whether is it really necessary to buy a new lens to capture much better pictures of my active son?

Pls help!

Any advice on taking better pictures of my son is appreciated!

Desperate Jon

[baggiolee]

hmmm...tink u should post your pictures 1st then we can see what's wrong, buying a new lens may not be neccessary.

[jonnybravo]

Hi there, how can i post pictures?

[baggiolee]

u need to upload pictures using image hosting website like imageshack (try google it), then paste the link here.

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by jonnybravo Hi there, how can i post pictures?

As some already mentioned, you can upload the images to a hosting site (I use Photobucket) and then paste the link here using the [img] tag in the message body like this....

[img]http://your.image.url/here.jpg[/img]

[jonnybravo]

#1


#2



#3



#4



#5




Done!

[baggiolee]

try this http://www.imageshack.us/

[ijnek]

i hv not seen ur pics yet.
but i read tat u use the built-in flash...
the built-in flash might be too harsh and my 1st suggestion is to use an external flash like sb600 so that u can bounce the flash...ya...more poison, but believe me, it helps a lot.

also...i think ur shutter speed at 1/60 might not be fast enough to freeze the motion...

let's c ur pics 1st

[rijac]

Originally Posted by jonnybravo Strange, I uploaded to Flickr and pasted the links but only question marks appear...

you need to paste in the url of the IMAGE, not the SET. right click on the image and click 'view image' then copy that url and pase..

like so

[alexblessed]

hmm... i had the 18-200, for portraits use focal length 70 and above and you'll get nice blurred background. You will need longer focal length cos the max aperture is f5.6. This means you'll be pretty far from your son and you prob need to kneel or crouch pretty low for it. I won't advise getting a manual focus prime lens cos kids cant keep still! Also its about knowing the quality of light. If its a dark indoor area with very poor light even the AFS 70-200mm f2.8 won't cut it. I'm sure you'll be able to get fantastic keepers out in a playground on a clear day during the golden hour (1 hr before sunset) with the 18-200mm. The AFS is fantastic for takings of active kids

[shutterpeep]

but if you yourself admit you haven't been able to play with your set-up then why think of a new lens already? And you're already shooting in full manual mode. Maybe you should study your settings because you mentioned this: "Basically I just shoot in M mood, with shutter speed approx. 1/60, lowest aperture, and as low ISO as possible to get a proper exposure. (if necessary, I just use the built-in camera flash if it's too dark)"

You have to make sure these 3 (Aperture, Shutter speed, ISO) complement one another depending on the available light as well as with what you're trying to achieve. You can try with P, A or S first and see what the camera gives you. Hope this helps.

[jonnybravo]

Originally Posted by alexblessed hmm... i had the 18-200, for portraits use focal length 70 and above and you'll get nice blurred background. You will need longer focal length cos the max aperture is f5.6. This means you'll be pretty far from your son and you prob need to kneel or crouch pretty low for it. I won't advise getting a manual focus prime lens cos kids cant keep still! Also its about knowing the quality of light. If its a dark indoor area with very poor light even the AFS 70-200mm f2.8 won't cut it. I'm sure you'll be able to get fantastic keepers out in a playground on a clear day during the golden hour (1 hr before sunset) with the 18-200mm. The AFS is fantastic for takings of active kids

Hi Alexblessed,

The 50mm Voit is a manual focus? then it's definitely out for newbie me... I thought it can AF.

The reason why I feel that I need a new lens is because I want a lens capable of larger aperture, like the f/1.4 or f/2.8.

With it,

• I can use a faster shutter speed cos of the larger aperture, and not comprising on exposure.
• create a softer background with the larger aperture.

With the 18-200, at about 50-70mm, the aperture is already at f/5 approx, it's very difficult to create a soft background unless the background is very far away.

The only good thing i feel about the 18-200 is that i can zoom very far.

I was told I need a flash by a pro before, maybe it'll help in some way?

[jonnybravo]

Originally Posted by shutterpeep but if you yourself admit you haven't been able to play with your set-up then why think of a new lens already? And you're already shooting in full manual mode. Maybe you should study your settings because you mentioned this: "Basically I just shoot in M mood, with shutter speed approx. 1/60, lowest aperture, and as low ISO as possible to get a proper exposure. (if necessary, I just use the built-in camera flash if it's too dark)" You have to make sure these 3 (Aperture, Shutter speed, ISO) complement one another depending on the available light as well as with what you're trying to achieve. You can try with P, A or S first and see what the camera gives you. Hope this helps.

Hi Shutterpeep,

I get what you mean, maybe the constraint is me instead of the lens.

Basically, I find that the problem is, the pictures are always very dark, unless it's a bright sunny day outdoor with my son.

Basicall, I

• Keep the aperture as big as possible, i'm hoping to soften the background and make my son the focus of the pic.
• try as fast a shutter as possible to capture a sharp picture of him, without compromising on the exposure
• ISO as low as possible to not get too grainy pics, although grains seems v nice on some pics I see! LoL

With these in mind, I'm beginning to feel is the Lens a proper lens to take nice pictures(portrait?) of my son + wife?

Could you advise what other settings I could use to take better pics of my son? (I know I there's also composition and angle etc., but just hope that I know what exactly to achieve through these settings)

We're going to East Coast this coming Sat and really hope to take better pics.

[Squid]

Originally Posted by jonnybravo .....some advice on getting a new lens (Or not). ... have a D80 + 18-200 VR .....shoot in M mood, with shutter speed approx. 1/60, lowest aperture, and as low ISO as possible to get a proper exposure. (if necessary, I just use the built-in camera flash if it's too dark)

Originally Posted by jonnybravo .... maybe the constraint is me instead of the lens. Basically, I find that the problem is, the pictures are always very dark, unless it's a bright sunny day outdoor with my son.

For a start, try shooting using P mode or specialized modes Digi-Vari Program (as found on page 4 and 24 to 25 of D80 user manual) which suits the situation. It maybe better to let camera to decide what's best during the initial stage and one learn through the EXIF information encoded in each picture.

Manual model or M mode requires one to read AND interpret the electronic analog exposure display inside viewfinder (as found on page 6 and 50 of D80 user manual). Using one's interpretation of exposure display, one will make necessary ISO and/or shutter speed or aperture or exposure compensation adjustment to get desired image.

In addition, IMHO, D80 + 18-200 combination works better with external flash (not the built-in flash) as mentioned on page 42 of D80 user manual.

Originally Posted by jonnybravo ..... if the Voigtlander can work on my D80!

Voigtlander lens requires manual focusing (instead of auto focusing) by camera user. Best to defer until one achieve better control of the camera.

Originally Posted by jonnybravo ...maybe the constraint is me instead of the lens.

18-200 lens is a usable lens and favoured by various users for its wide zoom range during travel. I, myself, have a 18-200 lens too. So, there is nothing wrong with the lens.

Originally Posted by jonnybravo Keep the aperture as big as possible, i'm hoping to soften the background and make my son the focus of the pic. try as fast a shutter as possible to capture a sharp picture of him, without compromising on the exposure ISO as low as possible to not get too grainy pics, although grains seems v nice on some pics I see! With these in mind, I'm beginning to feel is the Lens a proper lens to take nice pictures(portrait?) of my son + wife?

"Softening the background" is referred to as "bokeh". 18-200 lens is not well regarded for its bokeh. Given your situation, it is recommended that thread starter to concentrate on getting proper exposure & bump up ISO until desired exposure is reached before dabbling with bokeh related matter and shutter speed matter.

[miaoteh]

if you need a lens with large aperture, why not consider 35mm F1.8G or 50mm F1.8D? both are relatively cheap and superb for the price, but you have to decide yourself which is the most comfortable focal length (35 or 50). you can:

1. look back to your old photos and check the exif data, see which is the focal length that you always shoot at?
2. use your current lens (18-200), fix it at one focal length (35 or 50mm), and shoot for one whole day, see if you are comfortable with the focal length.

also do note that with large aperture, the DOF is sometimes quite thin, you have to make sure that you focus on your son's eyes.

shutter speed of 1/60 may not be enough to freeze the motion of an active kid, try at least 1/125.

[miaoteh]

Originally Posted by Squid "Softening the background" is referred to as "bokeh". 18-200 lens is not well regarded for its bokeh. Given your situation, it is recommended that thread starter to concentrate on getting proper exposure & bump up ISO until desired exposure is reached before dabbling with bokeh related matter and shutter speed matter.

"softening the background" is refer to the "out of focus area of background", "bokeh" is a term to describe the "quality of blur", and it's quite subjective, dun mix them up.

[Zichar]

Just saw the photos, they're not as bad as you claimed. #4's a great expression, made me smile and reminisce. Kid photos are powerful that way
It really depends on what you want to do with them. Good enough for memories I say, to view on the comp, online and such; unless you're going for large prints.
Not to say you shouldn't explore and grow on your photography skills, but don't focus too much on technicalities and lose sight of what's important; spend time with your son when he's young, capture those moments and emotions as they happen.
I doubt your son is going to look back 20 years from now and chide you for not stopping down when you should have... heh

[Gunjack]

In my opinion, for shallower depth of field in portraits, you can try out prime lens.

Maybe you can consider the Nikon 50mm F1.4?


Or even the Nikon 180mm F2.8? Haha!


A cheap nikon 50mm F1.8 should be able to give you the shallow DOF portrait that you want, provided you stand close enough...

[giantcanopy]

Originally Posted by jonnybravo I can use a faster shutter speed cos of the larger aperture, and not comprising on exposure.[*]create a softer background with the larger aperture.

There are some fast primes such as 35mm f1.8, 50mmf1.4, 50mmf1.8, the later being a very value for money lens.

Ryan

[glimss]

Originally Posted by miaoteh 1. look back to your old photos and check the exif data, see which is the focal length that you always shoot at? 2. use your current lens (18-200), fix it at one focal length (35 or 50mm), and shoot for one whole day, see if you are comfortable with the focal length.

I have a 18-200. Great single multi-use lenses, when you do not want to change lenses. But I found it too slow (aperture not large enough). I did what miaoteh is suggesting so that you can determine the focal lengths that you always use. http://www.cpr.demon.nl/prog_plotf.html is a useful software to help you with the analysis.

I ended up getting a tamron 17-50 f2.8.