First DSLR Nikon? Canon?

[Platinumcloud]

i just looked you can get yourself a cheap 70-300 for like 140 and a vivitar 1.7 converter for 149 i would say that would be a good setup for what you want to do....you cant shoot in low liighting with that converter tho....and bewarned....your going to have to be a ways away to get and decent shots anywhere else with that telephoto so you may want to think about getting a standard zoom first or as well as the telephoto lense perhaps a 50 1.8 those are extremely sharp for 100 beans

 

[UCCRacing]

that'd be what I needed to know thanks for the info! I will see what I can do before racing season

 

[LowNotSlow]

You'd be surprised what a 300mm focal length lens can do. Don't forget that unless you have a full format sensor you're getting a multiplication factor anyway.

 

[JohnS.]

i just looked you can get yourself a cheap 70-300 for like 140 and a vivitar 1.7 converter for 149 i would say that would be a good setup for what you want to do....you cant shoot in low liighting with that converter tho....and bewarned....your going to have to be a ways away to get and decent shots anywhere else with that telephoto so you may want to think about getting a standard zoom first or as well as the telephoto lense perhaps a 50 1.8 those are extremely sharp for 100 beans

Umm... You do realize for $140, if you wanted a 70-300m, you would either have to buy a Sigma or Tamron brand, get the AF Nikkor (which doesn't autofocus on the D3100), buy a broken AF-S Nikkor (if anyone is even selling one), or get an AMAZING ass deal on an AF-S one (since they are $450 new). And from the sounds of it earlier in the thread, the OP prefers to have lenses that autofocus on their own.

I've read up on the Sigma 70-300. It's not all that great, but it's not horrible. Between 70-200 is fine, but at 300mm, I hear it sucks (a lot of border distortion, I forget the technical term for that). Can't say about the Tamron model but I'm sure it's not far behind the Sigma.

And the only Nikkor 50mm 1.8 you can buy for $100 is, again, the AF version. The cheapest AF-S version is the 1.4G that starts at right over $400.

You'd be surprised what a 300mm focal length lens can do. Don't forget that unless you have a full format sensor you're getting a multiplication factor anyway.

This.

 

[LowNotSlow]

I've read up on the Sigma 70-300. It's not all that great, but it's not horrible. Between 70-200 is fine, but at 300mm, I hear it sucks (a lot of border distortion, I forget the technical term for that). Can't say about the Tamron model but I'm sure it's not far behind the Sigma.

And the only Nikkor 50mm 1.8 you can buy for $100 is, again, the AF version. The cheapest AF-S version is the 1.4G that starts at right over $400.

I have the Sigma 70-300mm and I've yet to find any real faults with it. The term is Bokeh. I treat this lens as disposable and it just keeps on chugging.

 

[JohnS.]

I have the Sigma 70-300mm and I've yet to find any real faults with it. The term is Bokeh. I treat this lens as disposable and it just keeps on chugging.

Well there you have it from someone who uses one lol. I would personally rather save up and spend a hell of a lot more for a nice Nikkor lens. But that's just me. (Now I understand why more amateurs spend more money on photo equipment )

I thought bokeh was the distortion/blur effect. I was talking about the distortion of the border.

 

[LowNotSlow]

I haven't noticed much distortion at the edges but I tend to shoot with the aperture as open as possible so the bokeh may be hiding distortion.

Check this set out: http://daveestey.smugmug.com/Cars/Loudon-June-2010/12712282_PtAyA#914976330_dbL6Y

All shot with the Sigma. I didn't want to risk my hella expensive Nikkor glass at the track. They're all unedited so you'll have a good sense what the lens was doing, not what I can fix in lightroom.

 

[Platinumcloud]

im not poking at anyone or starting anything...but your not going to get any distortion at a f3.5....or higher. f/9 and up is sharp and sharper....i dont ever see any distortion when i shoot at my 2.8...youll notice a bit a f/2 but otherwise your good

 

[LowNotSlow]

Some cheap lenses pinch at the corners but those tend to be REALLY cheap crap lenses.

 

[Platinumcloud]

lol i have only bought one cheap piece of glass....a kit lens all my other glass is "L" series glass thats nice to know tho