Nikon 3100 Lens

[Big Time]

I need suggestions for a lens to photograph outdoors. Mostly would like to photograph deer so I need a lens for longer distance photographs and possibly lower light. What should i get and where to get it? I am a novice and know very little about this and any help would be appreciated. Thanks all.

[Clemsonwoodie]

research alot, glass means more than the camera in most cases.

[Big Time]

Any help is appreciated.

[GobblerHntr]

You better have several 1000 bucks if you want to do that kind of shooting.

Seriously what is your budget? If it's less than 1000 bucks you better set other goals for what you want to shoot.

[Big Time]

Not overly concerned with the budget. Probably will be a mutual Christmas gift for my wife and I. Seen on internet I can get a 500mm Bower manual focus lens for less than $200. I'm not trying to achieve the level of photography that Squatty has reached but would like to take decent pictures of wildlife. So I assume a simple telephoto would be sufficient. Please keep suggestions coming.
Thanks.

[Redleg]

Mostly would like to photograph deer

+

Seen on internet I can get a 500mm Bower manual focus lens for less than $200.

=

[BrowningGold]

[GobblerHntr]

I need a lens for longer distance photographs and possibly lower light.

You won't have the capability to do what you want to do in your statement above for $200. Lenses are essentually like a good scope on a rifle or a extremely nice set of binoculars. The cheaper you go on the product the cheaper the results. Same for the photos. While you may get a photograph the quality won't be what you may have invisioned. Be very careful when purchasing knock off lenses. What you think you maybe getting is not going to produce the results of a name brand high quality lens that shoots the same distances.

Good luck.

[Big Time]

Thanks for the help Squatty.

[finnaddict]

Second that...I bought a cheap 500mm Sigma for 300 bucks used and in good light, it was fairly sharp. BUT, in lower light levels when it counts, that cheap sigma failed miserably. I am a photographer and I have half a dozen lenses, but I still lack a quality super zoom because of price. I the cheapest one you can get away with and get good quality shots is this one... Nikkor AF VR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED. For good distant wildlife lenses in low light, this is still not the best, but is the best on a budget. It retails at about 1600-1800 bucks. Remember too...when shooting at distance in low light you really cannot shoot in auto mode. you will need to toggle your main three: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sensitivity. This is mostly a trial and error deal. Good luck!

[finnaddict]

Second that...I bought a cheap 500mm Sigma for 300 bucks used and in good light, it was fairly sharp. BUT, in lower light levels when it counts, that cheap sigma failed miserably. I am a photographer and I have half a dozen lenses, but I still lack a quality super zoom because of price. I the cheapest one you can get away with and get good quality shots is this one... Nikkor AF VR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED. For good distant wildlife lenses in low light, this is still not the best, but is the best on a budget. It retails at about 1600-1800 bucks. Remember too...when shooting at distance in low light you really cannot shoot in auto mode. you will need to toggle your main three: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sensitivity. This is mostly a trial and error deal. Good luck!

Nikon is supposed to redo this lens too. I am hoping they will come out with a good one....FYI-don't waste your money on that bower. I would recommend finding a used one first. If you are serious about getting one. I know the guy I sold mine too is interested in selling it. You also realize that a super zoom is bulky, heavy, and not very practical to take around. he realized that real quick. Nice to have, but I spent my money on other lenses that are more practical.

[Big Time]

Finnaddict,

Thank you for the suggestions. I may be satisfied with just long distance pictures rather than lower light. I generally take a very simple camera or even my telephone to take pictures of what I see while hunting. I figured I had a good camera in the Nikon and should get some use out of it. Sunday morning I had an 8 pt run a doe across my backyard. I tried but couldn't get a good close up shot of the buck at about 50yards. This has spurred my interest in long distance shooting.

Thanks all.

[GobblerHntr]

you can buy all the lens you want but you're not going to get in your face shots of any animal in nature without putting yourself into position. By that I mean getting close, even with a 500mm lens. Just by having a 500mm lens and then having a deer lets say at 100yds will take a decent picture but to really get a good shot you've got to be in position to fill the frame of the camera with the lens you're using. So even with a 500mm you're still going to have to do a little bit of work.

Plus with low light situations you're really going to want to have a lens that is a f 2.8 and those don't come cheap! You can try to get by with some like a f/4.5-5.6 that was suggested above but that's just not going to get the job done.

Getting into photography isn't cheap especially if you want to get really serious with the craft.

[GobblerHntr]

Let me give you an example.

This picture was taken with a lens at 100mm. A Barred Owl is the size of some small dogs so to get this sort of shot you have to be VERY CLOSE. This is a full frame shot with no cropping. To get this shot I was about 6 1/2 feet away from the Owl. To get that close took A LOT of patience and many trips to the location and some luck!



You don't necessarily need a long lens (500mm for example) to get close up shots. You just have to use the Zoom instraments that God gave you, your two feet

[Idlewild]

Here's an example much like what Squatty is explaining with the Owl. This was taken from a laying position at 400mm (520mm equivalent Crop Factor) at appx. 10-12ft away. The only way a 500mm lens would help you at large distances, would be to purchase one that would set you back a second mortgage.

[GobblerHntr]

Here's an example of a shot with an actual 500mm lens one that will set you back $5 or $6 grand!

I was about 10 yards away from these Terns. These guys are tiny! Smaller than a dove. I would not have gotten the results of this shot even with the 500mm if I had been a much further distance away. To be honest I wish I had of been about 5 yards closer but it's hard getting up close to birds when they are only thinking about puddin tang!

[Clemsonwoodie]

great pics

[Big Time]

Those are amazing photographs. Thank you for the help.