40 replies to this topic

[Viz'art]

I feel its worth to pay the extra and get the newer AF-S 60mm, both are fine example of optics, but unless you get a cheap deal on the older one, I say, go for new.

[papamac58]

Is sub $275 for the af or sub $400 for the af-s a good deal?

[Viz'art]

Yep, that is good deal!!!

[papamac58]

would this lens be a good choice?

AF-S DX Micro 85mm f3.5G ED VR II

[Aussiebyron]

I prefer the older AFD 60mm as it auto focuses with the Kenko 1.4x TC and its cheaper. Adding the 1.4x TC to the 60mm turns it into a 84mm with 1.4x image size. Then you can use the Kenko 1.4 TC with the Tokina 10-17mm for CFWA.

Regards Mark

[papamac58]

thanks mark, that makes a lot of sense. I am feeling overwhelmed with this camera, it does and has so many features and the manual seems geared towards a more advanced shooter than me and I am having a hard time understanding it. I bought it with the intention of growing into the camera but now feel like I should have got the OM-D EM5 like I originally intended. I am seriously thinking about trading it for an OMD!

[papamac58]

So I wrote up a thread to either sell or trade the D7000 and I just couldn't pull the trigger, it is just too awesome of a camera not to give my dumb butt a chance to learn it and grow.

[Deep6]

thanks mark, that makes a lot of sense. I am feeling overwhelmed with this camera, it does and has so many features and the manual seems geared towards a more advanced shooter than me and I am having a hard time understanding it. I bought it with the intention of growing into the camera but now feel like I should have got the OM-D EM5 like I originally intended. I am seriously thinking about trading it for an OMD!

Naah, keep the faith dude. You can set you camera to "A" for aperture mode, auto ISO, single AF, and TTL with the strobes. You have a very sophisticated camera that you can put in the point and shoot mode. Read your manual, browse this site and others like bythom.com and grow with you camera experience (shoot, shoot, and shoot some more – top side and u/w). I am still using older Nikons (D200 & D80). They can do some killer work.

Regards,
Bob

[pooley]

Don't be too hasty to get rid of the D7000. Using the Olympus won't necessarily make things any easier.

Just learn the basics first (which you might already know) including the ways aperture and shutter speed affect things. Use a low ISO if you're using strobes - 100 or 200 ISO and use a simple AF setup - maybe just centre point to start with.

Don't get to bogged down with the hundreds of choices the manual offers - learn the above back to front then move on to more ambitious settings.

Mike

[papamac58]

I really appreciate all the info given and the encouragement to keep it which I am going to do. the manual is not very user friendly to a rookie so I called talls camera where I bought it and went in there today. the saleman I bought it from spent a lot of quality time with me as he wants me to be happy with my purchase and went over the basic functions and showed me some of the extra features it has for editing in camera and such and I came away VERY happy with my choice. Now it's on to getting the W/A and macro lenses and then practicing topside while saving for the housing and ports.

[Viz'art]

The first DSLR is always the toughest to master, new terminology, new functions, new this, new that, and the instruction manual looks like it was written by a drunken Klingon, all I can say is that in a few months from now, you will read the manual and wonder how that stuff suddenly got translated into English. Glad to hear you got a good camera store with competent staff to lend you a hand, it’s increasingly rare these days.

Kemosabe! You have chosen one of the best all around camera to bring underwater.

[kmsellin]

Hi,

I have the D300s in a Sea & Sea housing. Its fantastic to work with with both Tokina 10-17mm and the Nikon 60mm(old version). I also use a 1,4x and 2x kenko pro telekonverters. I love them with the nikon 60mm. It can make fantastic shots!
Optical prehaps the 105VR would give abit clearer shots, but I am not sure.

If you want a straight wide angel i strongly recommend the Nikon 10-24mm. I love it for shark shoots and wrecks! I hade the Tokina 11-16mm for some underwater model photo´s once and I liket it, but the Nikon 10-24 has more working area so I prefer that on!

/Mattias

[papamac58]

I bought a 60mm af-s last night for $375 so now I will vet the 1.4 converter or the 2.0 then on to the W/A

[KirkD]

Sorry to tell you, but the 60mm AF-S macro lens does not work with a teleconvertor. The older AF-D version will work with a teleconvertor. I'm referring to autofocus.

Kirk

[papamac58]

thanks for the info on that, I had no idea. I was mainly getting the converter for the tokina 10-17 but thought it was supposed to work with the macro also. will it work with manual focus?

[Brian McHugh]

Hi all, I just got a Nikon D7000 and would like to know if there is a very good quality all purpose lens to get me by until I can aquire a Tokina 10-17 and a 60mm micro. I would like one that is good at both W/A and has macro capability. Thanks for any and all advice.

If you are diving in murky water like Seatle I would suggest going with the 60mm as you will have more conditions that will produce decent shots. You have some great macro critters in the PNW. I love my Tokina but unless you have decent visibility your results will not be satisfactory. If you travel to warm clear water I would probably start out with the Tokina.

Brian
San Diego
brian-mchugh-uwphoto.com

[johnjvv]

thanks for the info on that, I had no idea. I was mainly getting the converter for the tokina 10-17 but thought it was supposed to work with the macro also. will it work with manual focus?

Papamac!

I think you are over complicating things for yourself, go a step at a time.

What are you going to photograph, where are you going and will the water be clear or not?

My advice is to get one lens to start with and not complicate matters by trying Macro, WA and CFWA all at once. I am very happy with macro shots from the 60 mm AF-S, if you get close enough the sharpness is great. Likewise the 10-17 is also an awesome lens.

Manual focus will work with a 60mm and teleconverter but I dont think you will get a focus ring for that combo...

Regarding all the camera settings, I start off using ISO 200, f11 and 1/200 on all dives and will slightly adjust the f-stop for depth of field and adjust the strobes for light. I personally find strobe positioning more of a challenge than camera settings, which differs significantly between macro and wa...

You dont have to know/use all of the camera settings to start off. My advice is to get one lens and get comfortable using and diving with the rig before switching to a next lens.

Good luck!

Cheers,
John

Edited by johnjvv, 22 October 2012 - 09:47 PM.

[KirkD]

thanks for the info on that, I had no idea. I was mainly getting the converter for the tokina 10-17 but thought it was supposed to work with the macro also. will it work with manual focus?

Yes it will, but I dont know of any manufactorer who makes a gear that will work with the teleconvertor.

Papamac!

I think you are over complicating things for yourself, go a step at a time.

What are you going to photograph, where are you going and will the water be clear or not?

My advice is to get one lens to start with and not complicate matters by trying Macro, WA and CFWA all at once. I am very happy with macro shots from the 60 mm AF-S, if you get close enough the sharpness is great. Likewise the 10-17 is also an awesome lens.

Manual focus will work with a 60mm and teleconverter but I dont think you will get a focus ring for that combo...

Regarding all the camera settings, I start off using ISO 200, f11 and 1/200 on all dives and will slightly adjust the f-stop for depth of field and adjust the strobes for light. I personally find strobe positioning more of a challenge than camera settings, which differs significantly between macro and wa...

You dont have to know/use all of the camera settings to start off. My advice is to get one lens and get comfortable using and diving with the rig before switching to a next lens.

Good luck!

Cheers,
John

I second that. Choose wice angle or macro and shoot that one lens

[Deep6]

thanks for the info on that, I had no idea. I was mainly getting the converter for the tokina 10-17 but thought it was supposed to work with the macro also. will it work with manual focus?

Install the 60 mm with TC on your camera and see if will AF. It will manual focus. Nexus (Anthis) makes a housing for the D7000. There are AF or M control gears for the older 60 and 105 Nikkors using the multiport; may be for the AFS. Check with a Nexus dealer.

I suggest you should simplfy. Learn one lens at a time. The 60 (w/o TC) is a good start.

Regards,
Bob

P.S. Use the Kenko PRO 1.4 TC

Edited by Deep6, 23 October 2012 - 02:21 PM.

[papamac58]

seems as though AF will work according to info on B&H's website:

"TelePlus converters have genuine Gated Array IC (Integrated Circuitry). This means that signal integrity is maintained between the camera body and lens and autofocus will work properly on lenses with apertures of F/4 or brighter. On lenses with smaller f-stop values, manual focusing may be necessary. The updated circuitry also allows for the exposure meta-data to be recorded by the camera more accurately."