Camera Labs

Thanks again wrath man.

For a beginner like me, are there large practical differences between the 18-55, 35mm and the 50mm? Is it worth having all 3 or a combination of say 2 of the 3?

Hello Tom

You obviously have bigger apertures and low light potential with the primes and the focal length range of the zoom. I started with the 50mm because as long as I didn't do anything stupid I thought I would be getting reasonable results from the off. And so it proved. However Rockwell and lots of others swore by the 35mm f1.8 as a good all-rounder at a bargain price. If you just check flickr about that lens I suspect you'll find it is one of the most popular Nikon lenses. Perhaps even the most popular. It is a very good walkabout lens and it would be a cheap way of getting on for starters before making your mind up about what else you might want.

By the way, nikon rumours is saying that a new D5200 is about to replace the D5100. That will give you even more to think about!

The D5200 is announced. Look here.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Today I got to test out the D5100 and I have to say that it is really nice. The grip feels nicer than the 600D's that is the camera I'm going to buy, but the one thing that I didn't like is that because my fingers are thick, they obstructed the lens rings so I decided to stick to my decision to buy the 600D. Anyways, it is a really good camera and I would recommend it to everyone who wants an entry level DSLR.

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Gear: Canon SX20 IS, Canon Rebel T3i, Canon EF-S 18-55mm
Wishlist: Canon 50mm f/1.8 II, Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II
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