BuckeyeBilly Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

I am on a budget but am saving enough money to get the Nikon D5100. I'll have about $1K left to buy lenses for it and, ideally, would like to get maybe 3 lenses. I'm not opposed to refurbished and it doesn't necessarily have to be a Nikon lens. If I can, I would like to get a prime lens, a macro/micro, and a zoom. What would your recommendations be? Thanks!

Eustace2 Loc: Cincinnati

What kind of things will you shoot with it?

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

Can't answer the question without knowing what you want it for

juicesqueezer Loc: Okeechobee, Florida

Billy: I have the D5100 and it is a very nice camera. On lens selection, I would recommend the Nikon 70-300vr for zoom, the 35mm 1.8 or 50mm 1.8 for a prime and I believe the Nikon 105 for the micro. You can find all these lens on KEH, Adorama, B&H as well as ebay, etc. I would suggest if you are going for a used, go with the first 3 I mentioned for a purchase. The 70-300 can be purchased for about $350, the 35 and or 50 primes for $175 or new for about $200. This should leave you enough for the micro. Others on here can most likely recommend other micros as well. Also, at the top of the UHH page, there is a search button. Click on it and search for micro for 5100 camera. Good luck with your purchase.

BuckeyeBilly Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

Juice,
Thank you for your recommendations. The ones you mentioned happen to be 4 that I have had more than one look at, as far as reviews and opinions are concerned.

BuckeyeBilly Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

Please see Juicesqueezer's response for how to answer my question. Thanks.

BuckeyeBilly Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

Please see Juicesqueezer's answer to my question for how you should respond. Thanks.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Billy, the questions asked by Eustace2 and JR1 were reasonable and intelligent; they would help you decide what lenses are most appropriate for your selected style of photography. Anybody, even the most knowledgeable and experienced photographers can pop off with three of their favorite lenses, but that doesn't necessarily tell you what you need to know. If you will answer their questions, you will receive thoughtful and helpful answers. For the record, JR1 and I disagree on a number of matters, but in this case, both responses were the right responses, and it would behoove you to answer them, hopefully in a courteous, considerate and less condescending manner. The results will be highly advantageous to you!

BuckeyeBilly Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

Mogul,
Thank you for your response, although I have to believe it is you who are being condescending. Obviously, you didn't even bother to read my post; otherwise, you would have plainly seen what lenses I want to buy---namely, a prime, a macro/micro, and a zoom. What difference does it make what the subject is?! Doesn't the fact of my budget for these lenses give you a clue as well as the choice of camera? I only have $1K to spend on lenses and I would like to buy 3 of them, if possible. What is so darn difficult to understand about that? Juicesqueezer responded EXACTLY like I hoped for. If my post wasn't clear enough, then how/why would Juicesqueezer say what he did?!?!

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Sorry, I can't answer for Juicesqueezer. You are looking at a small portion of a large complicated subject. If you can't understand that, then you cannot possibly understand why we ask questions before we fire off thoughtless answers. I'm sorry, but if you think all lenses serve all purposes, you do not need my fifty+ tears of experience to help you. I wish you the best of luck in your efforts.

phlash46 Loc: Westchester County, New York

Billy,
Mogul is just trying to narrow down the macro choices. What you shoot does matter and, for macro lenses, it's all about working distance, i.e., how far away you can be from your subject to get a macro shot. Generally speaking, the longer the lens the greater the working distance. As for quality, almost no one makes a bad macro lens; they are all excellent to extraordinary. The price and size range is enormous from 40mm to 200mm and $300 to $2,000.
Now, will you let us know what you want to shoot in macro? Poisonous snakes, wasps, flowers, documents, etc.

Regards,

Phlash

Eustace2 Loc: Cincinnati

Juicesqueezer has suggested good lenses for a general purpose kit. I would guess that many of the Nikon owners here have one or more of them. But, here is why it is important to know what you want to shoot. If you want to take pictures of your beautiful Florida beaches, sunrises and sunsets, you will probably be disappointed that you don't have a lens wider than 35mm. If you are taking macro pictures of things that bite, sting or get skittish when you are up close, you might want the 200mm macro lens. If you are taking pictures of shells, you could use a reversing ring and focusing rail with the 35mm and save money versus buying a macro lens. The recommended zoom is a good mid-range telephoto zoom. If you will be taking pictures of birds, you might want something longer. If you don't need the long telephoto, you could go with the wide to short telephoto like the 18-105mm or 24-85mm for landscapes, sunrises, sunsets, etc.

I am an amateur photographer and shoot mainly events and portraits. My kit includes a Nikon D3, 24-85 AF-S G, 70-300 AF-S G, 50mm f1.4 D and 85mm f1.8 D.

cthahn

A Nikon 35mm, 1.8 prime would be the best. A Nikon 105mm, f 2.8 for t he macro. Forget the zoom for now. Learn to use the above lenses first and then decide what zoom you want. The above 105mm is also a good all around lens. Depending on what type of photographs you take, you probably can use the above lenses for most of you work, instead of playing with a slow zoom.

martyr2013 Loc: Massachusetts

I have been using an 18-270mm Tamron F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD as my only lens and it has been great for travel and other photos. I never have to change lenses or carry others with me. It synchs perfectly with my 5100. I have been very satisfied with the shots.

riverlass Loc: northern California

This is all good advise. Don't get anything less than the 105mm for micro photography.
Some one is selling a Nikon 5100 camera and lenses on this forum. Do a search. It might be just what you need.
Good luck.