Help with lenses!

[mteeters]

We are purchasing a Nikon D70 camera and need to purchase a lense to go with. The built-in speedlight has flash coverage for 18mm lenses. However, a standard lense is 50mm. So, I don't understand about mm. Could someone give me a brief explanation of what this means?

[Wonker]

I'm sure than someone here will be able to give you a much better explanation that I will, but in general a low number like an 18 would be what you would think of as a really wide angle lens. Good for shots of the grand canyon. I think that 50 mm is about what the human eye sees normally.....a 120 mm lens would be for closer work, like shooting portaits of people. A 400 mm lens is what you would use to sit in the bleachers and take a photograph of the football in the center's hands down on the field. So. It gives you an idea of what type of photography each lens is most suited for. You could use one lens to do the work of others, but they generally won't do it as well. Maybe this helped a little.

[mteeters]

Thanks Wonker, yes, that did help me understand more about lenses. I kept researching and finally got Nikon support and they told me the flash was sufficient for a 50mm lens. I was wondering if I would have to purchase additional lighting.

I did find out from our vendor that Nikon is no longer offering the D70, but is recommending the D80 which was a little too pricie (around $1,250 body only), so we are going with the D40x.

It seems overwhelming when you try to find a camera! There are so many cameras and so many options! I could have spent days looking!

[IF-Designs]

Melanie you can still find the M70's online :) just makes sure its a republe retailer...cameta camera isnt bad on ebay a lil more expensive than others but still a bit cheaper than regular walk in the store prices.

[mteeters]

Thank you for the info, Most Exhaulted Empress!!

[topher wren]

what are you taking photos of, I worked in the camera inderstry for 15 years. the lower the lens mm the wider the angle, the higher the closer. most flasher cover a 50 mm lens. you can get a diffuser hood for the flash that will cover lower lens some. if it is beads you are photographing I would invest in a macro lens. not a zoom and not a macro lens filter set. macros on a zoom work, but being a zoom lens, it takes more light to go down the length of the lens. a filter set sounds great, but what you loose in the clarity around the edges. it will always be sharp in the middle. a true macro lens is only for extreme close ups like bugs, center of floweers coins. etc.as far as lighting I would use some type of one of the dome tents or box. check some of the other post out there ive seen them befor I got here. you can go to the camera shops and buy photo floods (blue in color) and just use a couple of those reflector lights ya might have hanging in the basement or work shop. they are round like a sauser and silver . be suere if ya get the bulps clean them with windex whipe dry really good and dont touch them with bare fingers as the oil will burn them out faster so plac in socket with a rag to hold them. and dot keep them lit to long they are extremly blinding and the bulb life is like 2 to 6 hours only. hope this helps

[ellyloo]

my 18-55 lens is pretty good with macro, on the macro setting. (Nikon d40x)
Quite sufficient for beads--take a really well focused quality shot, and then crop it down, and you get really good closeup.

[szglassy]

Hi
I own a Nikon D70s. It is a really great camera. However it does not have a macro setting.
Also, this camera is very sophisticated and I am in search of a digital camera class so I can make use of all it has to offer.
For some of my shots, I use my cannon A85 in macro setting. It really seems alot easier for me.
Hope this helps!

Sue