Nikon D3100 compatible lens

[ju123321]

Hello all,

Looking for some advice please. I have the nikon D3100 and the 18-55mm VR and AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR as they came with it.

I generally use it for taking scenery pictures on holidays so I'm looking for something a little stronger than the 300mm. I don't really know much about photography but I'd like to get closer, zoomed in shots.

I've had a look around and there is nothing Nikon do that is greater than 300mm, there are many by other brands but for everyone I find with a good review I can find one that says its rubbish.

If you could help with a few suggestions I'd be grateful and have better holiday photos!

Thank you

[inkista]

What are you planning to shoot? And what's your budget?

To me, the obvious choice would be the newly announced AF-S Nikkor 80-400mm f/4-5.6G ED VR. But it may be outside your budget, and it may be overkill. Most newbs really don't need to go past 300mm for general subject matter--simply because the lenses get so big/heavy and so expensive in the supertele range.

The Sigma 120-400 HSM OS and 150-500 HSM OS are probably your next best bets.

[dubaiphil]

18-300mm covered with 2 lenses. That will cover 99% of all your holiday needs on a DX camera!

You have enough resolution to crop if necessary. That is if by the phrase 'zoomed in' you mean shooting more distant subject matter. If you mean 'closer', as in taking shots of small subject matter which is close, then a macro lens is your answer. So back to more distant subjects, you could crop your image.

Or you could spend some money...

Nikon offer a reasonably capable 300mm, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm or 800mm lens. You can use Teleconverters to get up to double that focal length.

You may need a better camera body to autofocus these lenses, a chiropractor who you are on good terms with (or you will be after the repeat business you'll be offering) and a fairly positive bank balance.

Seriously though, the only holiday I would consider hiring one of those lenses for would be on safari or a once in a lifetime trip to Galapagos or the South Atlantic/Antarctica. I think a couple of photography lessons would be a more productive form of expenditure

[Shadowman]

One of our members recommended this link when i was in search of a lens with more reach.

http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/simulator/

[Manfred M]

As a new photographer, stick with what you have as you really do have a nice range of focal lengths. With the exception of some wildlife photography, if you can't get the shot at a 300mm focal length, you are not close enough to your subject. At 18mm you have a reasonably wide angle lens as well.

Any focal lengths beyond what you have on your two kit lenses is going to get you into pretty specialized photography.