Photography tools and tips

I have been reading on here from several professional photographers on this forum, but I have also been watching several videos.

I am just posting these because I feel they are good ones with great instruction:

1. https://www.youtube.com/@simon_dentremont

2. https://www.youtube.com/@mitchellkphotos


Here are the few I loved more:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7HU9mAlpXU

2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTYJhpvRva8

There are others that I have run across but did not save. If I see them again, I will add it here. Hope these help anyone who is just starting out.

 

Here is a question for lenses.

I bought my D3400 and used that for a while.

I then inherited my dad's Nikon D7100.

I have, up to this point been running two Nikon Nikkor DX adjustable lenses

1 18-55MM

and

1. 55-200.

I decided to dig into my dad's camera bag a little more and play with his lenses. I had, up to this point, put them on my bookshelf for decoration as a momento of his prowess of photography and in memory of his eye for the craft. I will add, it is not that he has passed away. But he is in dementia and is not the man I knew growing up . As a side note, I remember some of his old photographs with film. Had he decided to do more than just casual photography, he could have made a world class photographer in his own right. His eye and skill were amazing and vastly dwarfs mine and my abilities. If I can get just a fraction of what he could do, I would be mighty proud. Sorry. I know that was a little ramble. Just struggling a little I guess with it. I think it is finally setting in what it looks like.

Anyway, I decided, for a myriad reasons, to check out his lenses. Using the same D7100 body, I threw a few of his lenses on and did a comparison. Perhaps I am not doing something right, or maybe it is just because they are my dad's, but I think these lenses take a better picture.

I have:

1. Vivitar 200MM fixed lense

1. Vivitar 70-150MM adjustable lense

1. Quantarary 28MM Fixed lense

and

1. Vivitar 55MM Fixed lense.

All of these lenses are made in Japan and are manual focus. My 7100's Auto Focus is not working, so the manual working is no issue.

I took the pictures and they look crisp and clear. Probably clearer than my newer Nikkor.

So my question, I want to do some more wildlife photography and was looking at getting a bigger lens. But I can get Japanese Vivitar lenses with Manual and made in Japan cheaper than the Nikkors.

What would you do? Nikkor? Vivitar? Quantaray? Japanese lenses seem to be really good and these lens housings are pretty solid and have some heft to them. They are metal.

Guess I would like advice from those who are much better at this than I am. Thanks.

 

A few of my favorites are Hunter Creates Things, Martin Castein, and Paulie B's "Walkie Talkie" series.






Oh, and Ken Rockwell has probably forgotten more than I can learn. Good thing he's written it all down though.
https://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/00-new-today.htm

As far as wildlife photography, I'd suggest a long focal length and don't worry about the minimum aperture. I'm sure you can find a good price on a Nikkor 200-500 f/5.6. It'll be great for full frame or APS-C (D7100). Otherwise Tokina seems to be good quality too. I don't have experience with Vivtar or Quantaray, but you can start with your 200 mm at minimum focus distance.

I believe the key is to have a long focal length, f/8, good light, get as close to your subject as possible with a long distance to the background. This creates the separation.

 

Thank you for the insight. I'll check out Tokina as well. And it isn't that the Nikkors are bad. Just thinking about the different lenses.

I have seen Hunter Creates and he has some good stuff. But I will look at the other two videos when I can. Thank you!

 

I had a good conversation with a salesman from KEH today. I like the company for sure as I have bought a couple lenses and a camera from them before. He said something interesting.

I asked him about the lenses I had and he gave me this opinion: He said that the Nikkor by Nikon is not made as well (plastic housing, etc) compared to the others. But, the lenses are better than the others I mentioned. I asked him what he would view as a good order for lenses and he gave me this order:

1. Sigma
2. Tamron
3. Vivitar

He said the Vivitar's are not as high quality, but the cases are made really good. I may be wrong, but when I did a side by side check, I thought I was getting a little more detail from my Vivitar than the kit lens from Nikkor.

Would you all agree with his order? Sigma has the next lens I want to get (yes, I am saving up for it), but it is almost $1K!!!!! . I know, buy a good lens for that is where the money is. Well, I am good with getting a little less of a lens that will get me close. If there is not much of a difference between #'s 1 and 3, I can save a lot of money and get the size.

What do you all recommend?

 

I've never owned a Sigma. I believe #2 on your list is actually Tamron instead of Cameron. I did have a Tamron zoom that broke pretty easily so be careful. A wise man once said, "Date your camera, marry your lenses." Every lens has pros and cons, so just learn where they work best for you and utilize that. Most lenses are sharpest at f/8 and f/11 if that is what you're looking for.

 

That may be true. He was kind of hard to hear on the phone at that moment.

Fixed the post.