Lenses

[smartguy26]

I'm not so informed when it comes to camera lenses,
but does anyone know when/if Nikon will release more lenses with AF compatibility with the d40/d40x ?

[Rooz]

they already do, you could buy a nikkor lens to suit any purpose you want to fit your cam but AT A COST. they are expensive and any new release AFS lens will also be expensive so you will be in the exact same boat you are in now.

both the sigma and tam f2.8 lenss are very new so i doubt your gonna see an AFS version of those for quite some time and when/ if they do its gonna push their price right up to the more expensive nikkors which reduces their competitive price advantage. (so i can;t see it happening)

in saying all that what i would ask you is how many lens choices do you really need ? here are some options for every range that will build you a great kit.

wideangle:
10-20mm sigma
12-24 nikkor

walkaround:
18-200VR
18-55 kit
18-70 kit
18-135 kit
(range of more expensive nikkor f2.8's)

telephoto:
70-300VR
55-200VR
70-200VR
80-200AFS

macro:
nikkor 105VR
sigma 150mmf2.8

you are limited in your walkaround section by not having alot of great third party choices. in the prime section by not having access to the 50mm and the macro section cos you cant get the cheap but sharp tamron90mm or sigma105.

while it's limiting, its hardly CRIPPLING.

[mattc]

Those are the same lenses I wanna get the 70-300 and the 10-20 for my new d40x. What does vr mean? will it autofocus? same with the sigma 10-20? I know the nikkor will.

[smartguy26]

the selection is good, but i guess ill be dissapointed if i want a cheaper macro lens or a fisheye lens (which i had been considering for the future)

i havent bought the d40 (yet?) but the lens situation makes me lean more towards a pentax k100d

EDIT:
i have another question:
if i buy a lens from a 1st party company different from my camera, will it fit?
(such as buying a canon lens for a nikon camera)

[mattc]

is the wideangle not the same as the fisheye?

[Rooz]

Those are the same lenses I wanna get the 70-300 and the 10-20 for my new d40x. What does vr mean? will it autofocus? same with the sigma 10-20? I know the nikkor will.

VR = vibration reduction which is nikons equivalent to canon's IS, (image stabilisation). yes the 70-300VR and the sigma 10-20 will AF on the D40.

[colemanr]

EDIT:
i have another question:
if i buy a lens from a 1st party company different from my camera, will it fit?
(such as buying a canon lens for a nikon camera)

No, that combination won't work. To use a lens on a Nikon camera, it has to have a Nikon "mount". That's why the third-party companies (like Sigma) need to produce several different versions of each lens to accommodate different camera makers. Companies like Nikon and Canon only make lenses with their particular mount.

Some camera manufacturers share a mount type (Fuji cameras use a Nikon mount, for instance), so you may be able to do what you're suggesting in very specific cases.

Rob

[smartguy26]

hmmmm

is any manufacturer considered to make better lenses than others?
the range for each company is about the same though

[Rooz]

it is much of a muchness in the consumer category. some canon lens are better, some nikon lens are better. canon is widely regarded to have the best pro glass though. odds are if you are looking at a d40, you won;t be too interested in pro glass worth 10 times the price of the d40 body.

and no, fisheye is NOT the same as wide angle. fisheye provides a distorted view which some people like. a traditional wide angle like the sig 10-20mm works the same as any other lens but with a wider angle of view. ie 10mm vs 18mm.

[mattc]

cool good to know i assumed that a wideangle and fisheye were teh same and depending on mm is how much destortion but thanks for clearing that up

[Rooz]

fisheyes have a very unique distortion., i would suggest you look up fisheye on flickr before investing in one. personally, i don;t like the effect. each to their own. :)

[mattc]

i know what fisheye is and what it does i use it alot for film just i had a different understanding between the 2 that is all