Should i go for lens or flash first

[niceken]

Hi there,

I just bought a D60 and i dont know whether to get a lens first or a flash first. Any advice?

 

[maswu]

mayb you like to tell us what you intend to shoot (for lens)? and what are ur current lens lineup now?

 

[niceken]

I have a 18-55mm vr lens.

I been wondering whether to get a zoom lens that can enable me to zoom further to take animals. However i also want to take night shot too.

Any cheap lens to recommend for zoom lens?

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

If you have the kit lens, why not try shooting with it first?
If you take a lot of indoor shots, perhaps a flash is a better upgrade. If you take a lot of outdoor scenery, a flash is pretty useless, isn't it? So it all depends.

 

[maswu]

perhaps if you post at the nikon sub-forum, they might help you better

 

[kenkht]

Night shots as in?
Most night landscape/cityscape only need long shutter speed and not flash. You need tripod for this. What other night shots you're talking about? Access this yourself.

The best way before you waste your money is to shoot first and access your shortcoming. Then you can make an informed decision.

 

[Octarine]

Forget about the term "cheap lens", you have chosen DSLR.
There are different kinds of night shots. Either you use existing light and long term exposure (that requires a tripod) or you try to shot with additional light for the foreground (flash). Both can be done using your kit lens.

 

[findjk]

Hold on to your wallet and take more pictures.

 

[freebsdntu]

lens is a must, flash is an accessory

 

[third3rdwheel]

Hi there,

I just bought a D60 and i dont know whether to get a lens first or a flash first. Any advice?

Between the two, lens of course. Unless you do a lot of indoors. Your built-in flash can do most normal indoor shots.

 

[Titan10k]

Depends on what you shoot, but between the 2 I'd pick flash. I don't think any upgrade from VR kit lens can feel as significant as one from on-board flash to an external flash gun.

 

[haqeel]

Lens ofcos. =) flash is not really that important.

 

[karnage]

Haha! As you can see, many varied responses. So it really boils down to what you want to shoot, and what you shoot often. If you don't feel limited right now, don't get either first. When you feel limited then you can decide what to get next.

 

[boyboy]

if you like to shoot in ambient light, outdoors, definitely lens.

but if u prefer indoor shots, even if you think you like ambient light, a proper flash is far more useful. since you are asking this question here, i don't think you have tried bounced flash before (i don't mean to be patronising, so sorry if i come across as so).

use a flash with a head that can rotate and tilt, and u are in business. your kit lens is very good and sharp liao :thumbsup:

my recommendation is SB 600. don't go for lens first. maybe the next thing after u get the flash is 35mm AFS DX from nikon :thumbsup:

 

[boyboy]

Between the two, lens of course. Unless you do a lot of indoors. Your built-in flash can do most normal indoor shots.

your feedback from D700 owner perspective not applicable for his case leh (IMHO). we who use half frame cameras could really use a flash. cos high ISO is not an option :bsmilie:

lens will give 2-3 stops advantage. flash gives much more than that (if conditions allow). and if there is really no light, no lens can help, but flash can allow one to take photos in darkness

 

[third3rdwheel]

your feedback from D700 owner perspective not applicable for his case leh (IMHO). we who use half frame cameras could really use a flash. cos high ISO is not an option :bsmilie:

lens will give 2-3 stops advantage. flash gives much more than that (if conditions allow). and if there is really no light, no lens can help, but flash can allow one to take photos in darkness

hahaha, don't suan me leh....but seriously, I think you have a point there...

 

[daniel0ng]

You could go for the SB400 if you're on a budget for flash, and to be honest the SB400 has served it's purpose in many ways.

Bounce flash for indoor shots are fantastic A worthy "investment" of $100-200 for much better pictures (mostly indoor) and a joy to carry (<200g).

Just my 2 cents, coming from a D40 18-55VR + SB400 user.

 

[boyboy]

hahaha, don't suan me leh....but seriously, I think you have a point there...

just j/k la

i'm pretty serious about your d700 reducing the need for flash. think abt it, a d40 with flash becomes more clumsy than a d700 without.

i'd sure like one, but i think by the time i willing to spend on FF camera, the successor of d700 will be out liao. :embrass:

btw, SB400 seems quite decent, but i would recommend SB600 imho. can fire sideways while sb400 can only bounce upwards. i'm using sb800 but i think the 600 is good enuff. the next step up is sb900 but rather ex. see what TS is comfortable with, budget-wise.

TS: suggest u bring ur gear n try out the 400 n 600. then see what suits ur needs. assuming u intend to buy it new.

 

[Fotophilic]

Hi there,

I just bought a D60 and i dont know whether to get a lens first or a flash first. Any advice?

sorry if i sound rude, if u don't know what to buy, most prob u don't need them anyway.

if u want to take animals from far, just get the 55-200 VR. not expensive when compared to SB600.

if u want night shot, just get a SB400 or SB600.

if u want both telephoto and night shots, get the 55-200 VR and get someone to switch on the lights. joking.

happy exploring.

 

[mareth]

Hi,

I'm just bought D60 with kit lens not too long ago.
Was playing around with it and learning along the way.

I realised that I'm shooting mostly indoor shoots (pple, toys, pets) and was glad that I got a SB600 as a gift as it really helps with the indoor shoots... (esp with our kit lens)

Its good value for money and serves its purpose for what I can do with it at my current noob stage.

I'm thinking of getting a macro lens as I love taking pics of my toy collection so I'm very happy with my SB600.

Just my 2cents, happy shopping