Greengirl

I have a Nikon D3100 and have the kit lens 18-55mm that came with it and soon after added the 55-200mm lens. While I have a list a mile long of what else I would like to add to my collection...was wondering if the following two lens would take my photo taking experiences up a notch:

Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S NIKKOR FX Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Would love the 1.4 but looking at $$)

Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

And if so...suggestions for the best place to purchase? (Was hoping to find some on-line Black Friday deals. :-)

Thanks much!

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

One can only make suggestions based on what you want to photograph.

A sports photographers needs are different to those of a portrait photographers and so on.

Dave333 Loc: Forres, Scotland

Hi
In decideing which lens to get you have to decide the type of picture you are after taking. If you want to venture into sport and animals the telephoto to 300mm would be a good choice. If you want to take portraits with very shallow depth of field the 50mm would be a good choice. However if you are not sure how you want to progres how about a 50mm macro lens. The maximum aperture is not normall quite as large maybe a stop smaller but it would cover portrait and close up macro work. Being a Cannon user I'm not sure if your camera is a full frame or not. If not have you thought about a 10-20mm it would allow you to take sweeping landscapes. Going down the latter route you would be able to cover a wide range of interests with focal lengths from 10 - 200mm.

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

Given the choice between the two, I take the 70-300 (as it happens I have both that you are considering) I seldom use the 50mm, often use the 70-300. I use the 70-300 for long-lense panoramas as well as shooting dragon flies on-the-fly.
Am I correct that the 3100 has a DX rather than an FX sensor? If so you might consider the 18-200 or its successor.

madcapmagishion

Yes the D3100 is a DX body!
I would and did get the 50mm f/1.8 lens when I had my D3100 and loved it so much it became my go to walk around lens. When I sold my D3100 and got my D90 the only lens I kept was the 50mm f/1.8 and use it regularly on the D90, and still love it. I did have the 18-55mm and the 55-300mm lenses with the D3100. My next purchase will probably be a 10-24mm (or similar) W/A lens.