Hi doc9900,

I shoot a Nikon D800. I use 3 different lenses for landscapes. I use the AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED VR, the AF-S Nikkor 20mm f1.8G ED, and the Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG HSM ART.

The 24-120mm is pretty much always on my camera, as I find it a good all around lens. It is quite sharp throughout its focal range. The VR works well and is useful in low light situations. I found that the lens does have some vignetting problems, but it is nothing that can't be fixed in post.

I really like the 20mm f1.8G lens. It's autofocus is very fast and quiet. It is also very sharp in the center, and it handles chromatic aberrations, distortion, ghosting and flare pretty well. It handles coma pretty well when you stop the lens down to say f2.8, so I like to use this lens for astrophotography as well as wide landscape views.

The Sigma 35mm ART lens also autofocuses very fast and accurately. It renders colors extremely well, and has very little distortion. It is a solidly built lens and it handles very well. It does lack a gasket at the lens mount though, which is something I thought a lens of this quality would have.

I am very happy with these three lenses, and would recommend them to anyone looking for landscape lenses.

Chemdoc,

I don't have a D750, I have a D800. I had ERR message as well when I first got my camera. I also used a Transcend memory card. I did not look at the Nikon list of approved CF cards and purchased a 16GB Transcend card from B&H. I've used them in the past and had no problems, but I got the ERR message on my D800. I was told it was most likely because of the Transcend card. I purchased a Sandisk 32GB extreme and have not had another ERR message. I now only use Sandisk or Lexar cards which are both Nikon approved. I also had a problem when trying to view photos on the camera LCD when the Transcend card was used. Since switching brands, I have not had either of those issues again. Not saying that is what caused your problem, it may be that you may not have turned the camera off when removing and replacing the battery which may be the cause of the ERR message. But camera manufacturers have approved memory cards for a reason, because they test them in their cameras and hence they know what works and what doesn't work, or will cause issues when you use them. Just my 2 cents worth. Good Luck.

Hi NJphotodoc, You already got lots of good advice. One thing you didn't mention in your question though was what you want to take photos of, and that will have a great deal to determine what gear you will need and what you will need to spend. Most people I know, including myself, start out just photographing the night sky, mainly the milky way, moon, etc. If you are interested in deep space photography then you will need more than just a camera and a wide angle lens. You will need to buy other equipment and you will be investing more money. I have read many websites online about getting started in astrophotography, and included some of the links to them below. https://photographylife.com/astrophotography-tutorial http://www.lightroomzen.com/blog/2016/2/10/milky-way-astrophotography-tutorial http://www.lonelyspeck.com/astrophotography-101/ http://www.lightstalking.com/astrophotography-tutorials/ http://theartofnight.com/2014/06/the-art-of-astrophotography-tutorial/ http://darkarts-astrophotograpy.blogspot.com/p/astrophotography-tutorials.html http://bencoffmanphotography.com/tag/landscape-astrophotography-tutorial/ Those are a few of what I have bookmarked out of about 25 different photographers websites. If you want more info, as someone else said, google astrophotography info or tutorials and you will find a treasure trove of websites and advice. As I said though, it really comes down to what you want to photograph, and then what gear you will need to accomplish that.

Good Luck, Vince

Hi Sherry,

I am guessing you meant Nikon, not Nokia, as Nokia is a maker of phones. One thing to remember when asking advice in a forum such as this is that you are going to get a lot of different opinions, answers, and advice. Most of it will probably be helpful and well meaning. As many have said so far, "Nikon vs. Canon" can be a touchy subject, but very similar to "Coke vs. Pepsi", "Ford vs. Chevy", etc. There are many things to consider when purchasing a new camera. One of the first questions is, what type of photography are you interested in? Do you want to shoot landscapes, architecture, wildlife, sports, action, or do you simply want to take family photos and vacation shots? Also, do you own a camera now, such as a point and shoot, or do you use your camera phone to take photos as many people do? The next question to ask is, what is your budget, how much money do you want to spend on a camera and lenses? Do you have any experience using Lightroom or Photoshop to post-process your photos? You will need to purchase software to do that as well. As many have said previously, one of the first things you should do is go into a camera shop and check out different brands and models. See how they feel and fit in your hand. Check out the layout of the camera controls, buttons, and functionality of the camera. Do they feel heavy, are they well balanced in your hand? Another thing to remember is, you are not just purchasing a DSLR, you are purchasing a system which includes lenses as well. Buying a DSLR can be a big investment. I would suggest checking online reviews from photography websites of both Canon and Nikon DSLR's. One website I always check is Photography Life. I would advise reading reviews from a number of websites, but also keep in mind that if you read a review from someone that uses one brand over another, then they may recommend that brand over another brand. Personally, I am using a Nikon D800 and am very happy with it. I have a very good friend that uses Canon, and he tried to convince me to buy a Canon DSLR. Neither Canon nor Nikon is a better camera then the other, although some will disagree with me on that. Each have their strengths and weaknesses, and do some things better than the other. Ultimately it will come down to your budget, and what you want to photograph. Some models are better for landscapes, others are better for sports and wildlife. Decide on a budget and what you want to photograph, then go to a dedicated camera shop where you can check out different makes and models. Good luck to you.

Vinnie

I have read different advice/tips/opinions on using VR when the camera is mounted on a tripod. Here are some links regarding that. The first 3 are from Nikon, then Thom Hogan and others follow. Hope this helps.

https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/7676/~/using-vr-lenses-on-tripod

http://www.nikon.com/about/technology/rd/core/software/vr_e/

https://help.nikon.ca/app/answers/detail/a_id/7677/~/using-vr-lenses-on-tripod

http://www.bythom.com/nikon-vr.htm

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/tips-and-solutions/image-stabilization-when-use-it-and-when-turn-it

https://photographylife.com/proof-that-vibration-reduction-should-first-be-stabilized

http://www.digitalbirdphotography.com/8.5.html

You can make 10 look like Windows 7. Google "How to make Win 10.....". Quite a few sites tell you how. Here are a few screen shots of how I changed my Win 10 to look like Win 7.

Vinnie

Windows 10 changed to look like Windows 7
Attached file:
(Download)

Win 10 file explorer changed to look like Windows Explorer
Attached file:
(Download)

Windows 10 Start menu changed to look like Win 7
Attached file:
(Download)

For your closeup work, I would recommend the AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR , which has a current price of $526.99 at B&H. They have a great deal right now that includes not only the 85mm lens AND ALSO the AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G lens for $496.95, a savings of $320.00. For less than the cost of the 85mm lens alone you are getting 2 lenses. You may not need the 35mm lens right at the moment, but this is a great deal. The f1.8G Nikon lenses are really good lenses. For an all purpose lens for your DX camera, the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II Lens fits the bill. Its current price is $646 at B&H. The Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM | C is also supposed to be a good lens, and at its list price of $399.00 is a significant savings over the Nikon. If you haven't already, here are some links to reviews of these lenses. http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Nikkor_DX_18-200mm_VR_II/verdict.shtml http://www.imaging-resource.com/lenses/nikon/18-200mm-f3.5-5.6g-if-ed-vr-ii-dx-af-s-nikkor/review/ http://www.lenstip.com/408.1-Lens_review-Sigma_C_18-200_mm_f_3.5-6.3_DC_Macro_OS_HSM.html http://www.imaging-resource.com/lenses/sigma/18-200mm-f3.5-6.3-dc-macro-os-hsm-c/review/ http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Nikon_Nikkor_AF-S_DX_Micro_85mm_f3-5G_VR/ http://www.lenstip.com/285.1-Lens_review-Nikon_Nikkor_AF-S_DX_Micro_85_mm_f_3.5G_ED_VR.html http://www.imaging-resource.com/lenses/nikon/35mm-f1.8g-dx-af-s-nikkor/review/ https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-35mm-f1-8g-ed http://www.lenstip.com/406.1-Lens_review-Nikon_Nikkor_AF-S_35_mm_f_1.8G_ED-Introduction.html

Hope this helps you with your decision. Vinnie

Besides upgrading to an SSD to improve speed, also upgrade your ram as well. 12gb may seem like a lot, but when using PS, LR, etc, and other pc resources that are using ram, it is not enough. My first pc build that was used specifically for photography had 16gb ram. I am putting together a new system and am installing 64gb ram with an i7 processor and a M.2 950Pro SSD as my c: drive for OS and programs to run on. If you increase your ram to 32GB you will see quite an improvement in performance.

Good advice from all the previous comments. I did not look at any of the links some included, so they may have what I input as my 2 cents. Another important thing to consider IMHO is how many leg sections a tripod has. A 5 leg section tripod will not be as sturdy as a 3 section leg tripod, as the leg sections will be thicker and heavier on a 3 section tripod. A carbon fiber 5 section tripod may be a bit sturdier due to fact of the use of carbon fiber, but it will not be as sturdy as a 3 leg section tripod. I used 3x my camera and largest lens weight at the time as my criteria, and ended up getting a tripod that had a 39lb capacity. Out in the field though, if you are shooting on a windy day, the wind will greatly affect camera movement and cause blur, especially if you are using a long lens. If you read Thom Hogans advice on purchasing a tripod, he advises it is better to spend more on a good quality tripod now, then to buy a cheaper model, as you will most likely end up replacing it for a better one as time goes on.

Vinnie

I don't own the Tokina Macro, so I cannot comment specifically about its build quality, sharpness, etc. I own the Nikon 105mm Macro, which I am totally satisfied with. I would recommend going to websites that do in-depth reviews on lenses and see what they have to say. Lens Tip does very in-depth lens reviews, and I included the link to the review on their website, as well as a link for the Nikonians website and their review. Another good site with lots of information is Photography Life, although they did not do a full review on the Tokina. Links are http://www.lenstip.com/21.1-Lens_review-Tokina_AT-X_M100_PRO_AF_D_100_mm_f_2.8.html and https://www.nikonians.org/reviews/tokina-atx-m100pro-d-100mm-macro-lens-review. Hope this helps make your decision easier. The link to the Photography Life Lens Data base is https://photographylife.com/lenses/tokina-at-x-100mm-f2-8-pro-d-macro if you want to read a lens summary, specs, and there are some user reviews/comments on the Tokina lens. Lens cost, and your budget are two obvious criteria you will also have to consider.

Vinnie

I haven't switched to Windows 10 yet. I have been on the fence about doing so, 1) I really like Win 7, and don't like giving up something that has worked perfectly for me and had no problems with whatsoever, and 2) I have heard about software compatibility issues with Win 10. Has anyone had any software issues using Win 10 with Photo software? I am not talking about Adobe PS CS6 or LR 6, as I am sure both Microsoft and Adobe have done everything to make sure those programs work. I am talking about other software such as NIK, Photomatix, DxO, ON1, Fast Raw Viewer, software for i1 Display Pro from X-Rite, etc. I use all these other programs in my workflow, and have no plans to stop using them. If anyone knows of any issues, or uses any of these programs with no problems, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Thank you, Vince