Need advice.... esp from family people....

[kevyan]

Hi all,

I am relatively need to photography. Currently using a Nikon D50 with kit lens and a 50mm f/1.8.

Thinking of replacing my kit lens with Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 which cost $645.

The lens is within my budget and has a nice f/2.8.

I need some advice because I am a dad of a 2 months old boy. Just wondering should I spend the money now on lens. Still discussing with my wife, so need some inputs from frens here...

 

[jacob]

if $645 is what you can afford to throw away then go ahead and but one. if you can earn more money after using $645 then go ahead and get one.

the cost of milk powder is a killing. besides one of the best way to improve photography is thru using one single lens.

anyway the choice is yours. u decide.

 

[kevyan]

if $645 is what you can afford to throw away then go ahead and but one. if you can earn more money after using $645 then go ahead and get one.

the cost of milk powder is a killing. besides one of the best way to improve photography is thru using one single lens.

anyway the choice is yours. u decide.

well, I can't say it's throwing away $645, but I cannot earn more $ after using $645 because I don't earn a living as a photographer.

Milk powder... breastfeed all the way...

 

[Kit]

Being a family guy or not, you never go wrong if you spend within your limits.

 

[JediForce4ever]

its worth it to me...what can be more precious than his childhood in photos!

 

[Caspere]

If you buy it becos of the baby, then make sure you have lots of pictures of the baby to answer to the wife. As long as wife is happy, its justified!

Nothing is worst then a unhappy women in the home..

 

[kevyan]

If you buy it becos of the baby, then make sure you have lots of pictures of the baby to answer to the wife. As long as wife is happy, its justified!

Nothing is worst then a unhappy women in the home..

:bsmilie::bsmilie::bsmilie:...."Nothing is worst than an unhappy woman in the home"... how ture.....

jia he wan shi xing......

 

[Jay]

Maybe you can half the cost by buying a Nikon 18-70mm, an understated lense, would serve the purpose. I still own one despite having the trinity. Keep the balance till you can get the 17-55 or 28-70 (which is good for portrait shots).

Its very worthwhile taking shots of your kids. I started photographing my kids 25 years ago, one roll of film each month till they were 8 years old and through the sequence you can see how they grow and change. I have since scanned all the photos / negatives and archived them onto DVD as a slide show and watching them. Its worth all the effort. Go for it!

Cheers

 

[nightwolf75]

actually, i second the opinion of a 18-70, which can be obtained for a very reasonable price nowadays cos, i think, everyone's moving on to a 18-200 VR or 18-135. it's a marvelously sharp lens for its price. it's permanently stuck on my d50. shot loads of pics of my son.

end of the day, regardless the lens, it's the images u capture dat matters. our kids are only young once. once they outgrow the 'cute' ages, no amt of $ can bring back those memories.

 

[ernest_ted]

actually, i second the opinion of a 18-70, which can be obtained for a very reasonable price nowadays cos, i think, everyone's moving on to a 18-200 VR or 18-135. it's a marvelously sharp lens for its price. it's permanently stuck on my d50. shot loads of pics of my son.

end of the day, regardless the lens, it's the images u capture dat matters. our kids are only young once. once they outgrow the 'cute' ages, no amt of $ can bring back those memories.

well said...echo my thots as well.....:thumbsup:

 

[Fotophilic]

I'm not a family man but I agree with the above ppl that the 18-70 is a pretty value for $$$ len. I'm using one on my S3 Pro and nv switch len for a very long time liao. If you are on a light budget then maybe this is can be considered. The coverage is good enough for normal family and group shots. Best of all, you can get a 2nd hand one at abt <$300. The residual $300+ of budget maybe can go get your wife a nice v-day gift or what. Just my tots.

 

[kevyan]

Hmm.... but I like the Tamron because of it's f/2.8... :cry:

 

[Jay]

Hmm.... but I like the Tamron because of it's f/2.8... :cry:

There's no doubt everyone likes a 2.8 owing to its benefit. However should you proceed, you will have to ensure its sharp enough at 2.8 otherwise it defeats the purpose. Its a painful lesson for me and that's why I end up with the trinity. You will need to check on this lense as I have no idea on it.

Another solution is to get a used Panasonic FZ 20. Its a Leica lense 36-432mm 2.8. Its very sharp at all ranges and at 2.8.

Think about it.

 

[kevyan]

There's no doubt everyone likes a 2.8 owing to its benefit. However should you proceed, you will have to ensure its sharp enough at 2.8 otherwise it defeats the purpose. Its a painful lesson for me and that's why I end up with the trinity. You will need to check on this lense as I have no idea on it.

Another solution is to get a used Panasonic FZ 20. Its a Leica lense 36-432mm 2.8. Its very sharp at all ranges and at 2.8.

Think about it.

Huh? That's like buying a new camera instead of a new lens.

 

[kelccm]

Actually my personal opinion is that you still can get by with your 50mm f/1.8 for the next few months. At 2 months old, your boy is not going to move about too much, thus giving you time to compose, and the f/1.8 will beat f/2.8 anytime. Up until the time when your boy starts to learn how to crawl, then you may have to react faster, but it is still quite easy to use a prime at that stage. But when your boy starts to learn how to stand and walk, thats when a zoom lens will come in very useful.

If your budget is not tight and you can afford the Tamron without eating into your "milk powder" money, then by all means get it. If you are still not so sure, then I say you still can wait a few more months, and see how your family expenses go. Also you can use that time to establish your style of taking family photos. You may find that you prefer to use the telephoto end, like me. I hardly go wider than 28mm when taking photos of my kids. A mid telephoto zoom lens is more useful to me. Your preference may differ. Anyway, you still have the kit lens for your wide angle shots.

 

[kevyan]

Photo-shooting my son will be a sure thing, but I will be using the lens for other purposes too.

I have an upcoming wedding day photo shoot for a fren. And I shoot events for my church too.

 

[kelccm]

Photo-shooting my son will be a sure thing, but I will be using the lens for other purposes too.

I have an upcoming wedding day photo shoot for a fren. And I shoot events for my church too.

Now this will be a different story. Well, if you can afford it, get the Tamron.

 

[nightwolf75]

Photo-shooting my son will be a sure thing, but I will be using the lens for other purposes too.

I have an upcoming wedding day photo shoot for a fren. And I shoot events for my church too.

eh... so do i. in fact, my 18-70 sees the light of day far more often than any of my 2.8 lenses. dat includes covering anything from son's bdae party to church anniversary, plus the usual 'oh u got camera! come help me take my new ic photo' occasions...

save ur money, and only buy a 2.8 lens when u really really need it.

 

[kevyan]

Thanks all... keep it coming... like to hear more advices and will be discussing it with my wife this evening too....

 

[Tetrode]

Hi all,

I am relatively need to photography. Currently using a Nikon D50 with kit lens and a 50mm f/1.8.

Thinking of replacing my kit lens with Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 which cost $645.

The lens is within my budget and has a nice f/2.8.

I need some advice because I am a dad of a 2 months old boy. Just wondering should I spend the money now on lens. Still discussing with my wife, so need some inputs from frens here...

A used Nikkor 18-35 would complement your 50mm quite nicely, won't break the bank and is FF too. Or even a used Nikkor 20-35 if you can find one cheap on Ebay.