Going to Paris, which lens?

[Dony]

Hi all.....I'm off to Paris with my wife for a few days and need your advice on which lens I should take (or buy).

I've a Nikon D5000 with the 18-55 kit lens. I also have a 70-300. I'll most likely buy a nifty fifty before I go as I've been promising myself one of these for a long time now.
Most of my photography is landscape/seascapes etc, and so far the above lens' have served me well.

However, I'm a complete novice when it comes to using my camera in a city environment, and also low light.

I don't have a flash gun, and won't be buying one for this trip. But I might be tempted to get a new lens. My budget is £200 max.

What would you recommend (new or second hand) within my budget?
As I've said, I'm a complete novice to city photography, so any additional tips for getting the best out of my camera gear?

 

[Jammyb]

I'd buy this
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001S2PPT0/watersphotogr-21/ref=nosim
and leave the 70-300 at home unless you're planning to do something you think it may be useful for.

Aperture priority mode, set your aperture wide open for low light and shallow depth of field. Stop down to F8-F16 maybe for more landscape/architecture shots.

Raise and lower the ISO to get a decent shutter speed but not too much grain. Aim for 1/250s or so.

Use exposure compensation. your camera will probably want to overexpose dark interiors and moonlit city streets, also causing excessively slow shutter speeds.

I'll sometimes look for things I can sit my camera on or lean a shoulder against. Watch out for thieves though and keep the strap wrapped around a wrist or something

Be somewhere good to photograph at sunset.

 

[Dony]

Any particular reason in recommending the 35mm lens over a 50mm? I've never used a prime lens before so apologies in advance if that's a stupid question!

Thanks for the tips....all duly noted.

 

[hyeongseong]

Any particular reason in recommending the 35mm lens over a 50mm? I've never used a prime lens before so apologies in advance if that's a stupid question!

Thanks for the tips....all duly noted.

35mm on d5000 will have the same field of view as the 50 on full frame camera. d5000 doesn't have a focus motor there for a nifty fifty will not auto focus. you will need to get the afs version instead.

 

[simonblue]

First leave the wife at home

The 2 lens i would look at are the 35mm F1.8 or 50mm F1.8,both are good in low light.

50mm just give a bit more tele end

 

[Andy98765]

I too had the same issue many moons ago, well last year. For my D3000 I brought a Nikon 18-105, never looked back since, only lens I basically use these days. 35mm prime is also another good choice, have that as well.
My basically redundant lens are the 18-55 and 55-200 that came with the camera kit.

Nikon UK - NIKKOR Lenses - Auto Focus Lenses - DX Lenses - Zoom Lens - AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR - Digital Cameras, D-SLR, COOLPIX, NIKKOR Lenses

 

[Strobe]

Ditto the 35f1.8. Great lens and as has been said above it will AF on the D5000 whereas the 'nifty-fifty' won't. With your change from £200 I would get a decent circular polariser filter (great for brining punch to Summer blue skies) and if you have anything left a Gorillapod.
Hoya 52mm Pro-1 Digital Circular Polarizing Filter: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics
Joby Gorillapod for Canon 450D, 1000D,500D, Nikon: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

 

[Dony]

Ditto the 35f1.8. Great lens and as has been said above it will AF on the D5000 whereas the 'nifty-fifty' won't. With your change from £200 I would get a decent circular polariser filter (great for brining punch to Summer blue skies) and if you have anything left a Gorillapod.
Hoya 52mm Pro-1 Digital Circular Polarizing Filter: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics
Joby Gorillapod for Canon 450D, 1000D,500D, Nikon: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

Thanks again for all the replies.

Looks like I'm better off getting the 35mm then.
I've never used a filter on any of my lens. I find that slightly adjusting the Blue luminance in LR3 helps to bring out the sky, so much so, that I've been asked a number of times what filters I use!

 

[Strobe]

I find that slightly adjusting the Blue luminance in LR3 helps to bring out the sky, so much so, that I've been asked a number of times what filters I use!

Yes, I've done this in the past too, but you will get better results with a decent CPL. I wouldn't be without a CPL, personally. In fairness, the original 50/1.8 is a long-established sharp cheapo lens, but it has now been superceded by the new 50mm F1.8 AF-S which retails for around £180. I had the original 50mm but sold it off for lack of use when I acquired the 35/1.8 which is a more all-round focal length on DX.

 

[Dony]

First leave the wife at home

No chance..I'm on a promise and they don't happen that often these days. The trip is for our 15th wedding anniversary.

@ Strobe - I'll pick up a CPL at the airport.

 

[KyleS1]

I went to Paris earlier in the year and only took my 18-135. Very pleased I did.
There are some photos in my Flickr if you want to take a look.

Oh and shoot at night. In the day, it's very "meh", at night everything looks magnificent!

 

[KyleS1]

If you do get a CPL, remember to take it off at night!

 

[DolbyDan]

My holiday lenses will be my 35mm (possibly might get the 28mmF/1.8G to replace) and my 85mm I will leave the zooms at home

 

[Dony]

Following the advice from this thread and some other research I've done, I have just ordered a Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f1.8G Lens from Amazon.

Estimated delivery time is between next Friday 10th and Monday 13th. Hope there's no delays as I'm off to Paris on Tues 14th!!!!

 

[Deleted member 27989]

It is a good choice, I brought three lenses this holiday and my sigma 30mm f1.4 is the most used especially in the evenings. But I found my 24-70 Nikon very comfortable as well on a black rapid strap. Then my third is my sigma 8-16 which is great for the small streets and rooms within sightseeing places and landscapes actually.

Hope you had a good trip.

 

[Member 79251]

I remember a friend having this book which was called something on the lines of alternative eiffel tower images. I really can't seem to find it.

On the other hand...... Losing my Leica Virgnity in Paris

 

[Dony]

Got back on Friday evening and really pleased to have taken the advice from this thread.
I kept the 35mm on the whole time which meant I had to do a bit of learning on the hop, and missing some good shots because of it!! I had to change my photography style a bit to get the best use out of if, but again that's all part of the fun of learning.
I've never used a prime lens before and forgot to check the aperture at times, but I can see this little lens staying on my camera for a while longer until I get used to it.

I've a thread running in the Sharing section (and Flickr) of some images I got.

 

[KyleS1]

Excellent. I love primes, and most of the time my 50mm is on my camera, only changing it for when I want some specific shots. Would love to change it for a 35mm at some point though.
Will check out your thread.

 

[Deleted member 27989]

Got back on Friday evening and really pleased to have taken the advice from this thread.
I kept the 35mm on the whole time which meant I had to do a bit of learning on the hop, and missing some good shots because of it!! I had to change my photography style a bit to get the best use out of if, but again that's all part of the fun of learning.
I've never used a prime lens before and forgot to check the aperture at times, but I can see this little lens staying on my camera for a while longer until I get used to it.

I've a thread running in the Sharing section (and Flickr) of some images I got.

I'm probably thick, but where is the thread? I can't see anything obvious saying Paris. Then again I am using the mobile version of avforums.

 

[KyleS1]

Here you go.
http://www.avforums.com/forums/photo-sharing/1668302-paris-images.html